In April 2003, nearly 59 years after the D-Day invasion, Harold F. Plank returned to Normandy, France, for the first time since World War II. In the years leading up to the trip, Harold had begun recording his memories of the war, sparking a deep interest among family members in seeing firsthand the places where some of those historic events had unfolded.

Traveling with Harold were his wife, Hazel; his oldest son, Harry; and Harry’s three sons — James, Jon, and Andrew. For all but Harold, it was their first trip to Europe.

During their journey, the family visited Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and made several trips to Pointe du Hoc, where Harold had climbed the cliffs with the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They also visited the Normandy American Cemetery on two occasions, paying special tribute to Captain Jonathan Harwood and Hazel’s uncle, Raymond Calkins, both buried there. Other stops included the Caen Peace Memorial and many historic sites connected to the liberation of Normandy.

Wherever the family traveled, people were drawn to Harold’s story. Visitors frequently stopped to speak with him, ask questions, take photographs, and listen as he shared memories of the war and the Rangers’ assault on Pointe du Hoc. Although language barriers and unfamiliar customs occasionally made travel difficult in 2003, even simple tasks like ordering meals often became memorable adventures.

What began as a family trip soon became the adventure of a lifetime — a deeply personal journey through places that had shaped Harold’s life nearly six decades earlier. The experience left a lasting impact on the family. In the years since, both Jon and James have returned to Normandy with their own wives and children, continuing the family tradition of remembering and honoring the sacrifices connected to D-Day.