On June 6, 1944, more than 170,000 American, Canadian, and British troops waded ashore on the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin liberating Europe from the brutal grip of Nazi Germany. Within days, American Red Cross workers were crossing the English Channel as well and fanning out to provide field, hospital and "club" services to the U.S. soldiers surging across France.

This May, six of those workers returned to France to revisit the villages and fields they traversed more than 60 years ago and recall the struggles, sorrows, hopes, and joys they experienced. Also on the trip, which was sponsored by the American Red Cross Overseas Association (ARCOA), was Sara Jones, who works in Response Services at American Red Cross National Headquarters.

RedCross.org asked Sara to file dispatches from the trip that would contribute to a better understanding of how the American Red Cross supported U.S. armed forces in World War II. Following are her entries:

5/11/2007 — Beyond the Beaches of Normandy
More than 60 years after landing on the beaches at Normandy, several Red Cross workers return to France to retrace their steps and share memories of how they supported our troops.
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5/12/2007 — Beyond the Beaches: Honoring a Fallen Comrade
At an American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, Red Crossers who served in World War II remember a friend and colleague.
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5/15/2007 — Beyond the Beaches: A Diplomatic Day
In a French town synonymous with war, Red Crossers who assisted the Allied effort honored the fallen, celebrated the spirit of rebirth, and made new friends.
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5/16/2007 — Beyond the Beaches: "Clubbing" through France
On a hillside west of Verdun, leafy trees and lush greenery give way to memories of muddy foxholes and trenches.
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