A study abroad trip led one Clemson student to the beaches of Normandy, where a sight on the shore stirred a thoughtful meeting of family history and present-day peace
One day last fall, I was leaving the library with the usual worries on my mind when a large orange banner caught my eye. Written upon it, bold white letters read: “Remembering D-Day — London, Normandy, Paris.”
Clemson University was offering a study abroad program to honor the alumni buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France. Since 2010, Professor Eric Touya and Col. Lance Young have organized the special trip. Each year, students visit the sites to learn about and reflect on the experiences of the GIs involved. My participation in the 2024 program was inevitable. It was not only the 80th anniversary of D-Day but also the year I will turn the same age as my great-grandfather when he participated in the battle.
On his 22nd birthday, James Cecil Lollis stormed the beaches of Normandy in the second wave of boats to land ashore. He ran out with his best friend, and the two were involved in an explosion. The shrapnel left a scar on my great-grandfather’s back, which earned him a Purple Heart. It also caused him to never take his shirt off in public. Unfortunately, his friend died, and my great-grandfather used his best friend’s body as a human shield, the only cover he had to keep himself alive. Heck of a birthday.
After the war, my great-grandfather returned home to Anderson, South Carolina, worked in La France Mill until retirement and raised a family. They considered him a sweet, quiet man who would watch Looney Tunes on Saturday mornings with my mom in his favorite chair. He always wanted the best for his family, and he passed that quality on to my mother. She always dreamed I would become a Clemson Tiger one day.
As soon as our plane landed in London, our journey began. We witnessed many interesting sights in London. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms were standouts. Later in Paris, we had a thrill climbing the Eiffel Tower, exploring the Louvre and ordering a “le royale with cheese” of Pulp Fiction fame.
However, the highlight of the trip was the day we saw Omaha Beach, the bloodiest sight of the invasion and the memorial place of five Clemson alumni. I had expected it to be a somber place, empty besides those who wished to pay respects. However, many people were enjoying the beach. One family in particular caught my attention.
The father was sitting next to his wife on a towel with his young daughter sleeping on his chest. Their other daughter was frolicking with a doll in her hand. She was a vision of innocence and freedom. I smiled, for she was, to me, an image of what our soldiers fought for that day.
Crayton Rhodes ’25
