The D-Day 70th Anniversary Commemorative Tour Week Paris And Normandy June 3 10, 2014 & The Battle of the Bulge 70th Anniversary Commemorative Extension Tour France, Belgium, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Germany June 10 14, 2014 Historic Tours Is Uniquely Qualified To Bring You To These Great Commemorations Historic Tours Incorporated 1281 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus, New Jersey 07094 800-222-1170 ww2tour@aol.com It Is Not Simply A Tour, It Is A Life Experience
June 2014 will most likely be one of the last great commemorations of the D-Day landings with WWII veterans in attendance. A visit by the President is likely and many special events are being planned in Normandy to thank all Americans for the liberation of Europe. By 2014, most of the surviving D-Day veterans will be in their 80 s and 90 s and the people of France will thank them again for their sacrifices in liberating their country from Nazi oppression. Major commemorations will take place at the Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach and Ste. Mere Eglise. Historic Tours is uniquely qualified to bring all Americans to these events; here are some of the reasons why: This tour program, designed operated by Historic Tours, is the only one attending all these events, developed with the American public in mind. This is because Historic Tours is the only American WWII tour operator with over 30 years experience operating D-Day Commemorative Tours. The founders and operators of the company, Cristy and Ray Pfeiffer actually lived in the Omaha Beach Sector of Normandy during the tour season from 2002-2008. Because they have over 62 years of combined experience in addition to many friends and contacts in Normandy, Belgium and Luxembourg, only they can offer this unique program. They are the only American Tour Directors to make this long-term commitment. For Cristy and Ray, operating WWII Commemorative Tours has been their passion and their sole profession since 1983! Cristy and Ray and their tour members were there when President Reagan commemorated the 40th anniversary in Normandy. They were also there at the 45th anniversary and at the great 50th anniversary commemorations in 1994. They conducted tours on the 55th anniversary, the 60th and 65th, as well as every June 6th and many other times every year since 1983. Beginning in 1992, Cristy Pfeiffer attended many meetings at the Pentagon to advise the military on many of the events being planned for the 50th anniversary. Cristy and Ray Pfeiffer take the time to know all their tour members before a tour. They will personally telephone each tour member to find out their reasons for going on the tour. If the tour member is a WWII veteran or traveling to honor a WWII veteran, they will make every effort to see that, if possible, the tour will visit those Special Places requested by tour members such as a battlefield or town. Over the years Cristy and Ray have been able to bring back thousands of veterans to places such as private homes, churches or battle sites requested by tour members. Cristy and Ray are interested in the personal histories of all veterans or families of veterans who may have served even outside of the European Theatre of Operations. Presentations are made on all theatres of operations and each veteran or family member of a veteran is given an opportunity to relate their own WWII experiences.
About Your Tour Guides Ray and Cristy Pfeiffer have personally researched the Commemorative Tour and will direct it along with Reg Jans and Tony Cisneros, two highly experienced guides who have worked with them for many years. Dr. Sue Erickson, our Communications Director, will also be part of the on-site team. Historic Tours was incorporated in New Jersey in 1983 and is a national business with clients from all 50 states. The company is owned by Cristy and Ray Pfeiffer of Tampa Bay, Florida. Its reservations and airline department is in Secaucus, New Jersey. The company s European division operates from offices in Luxembourg. Historic Tours is well prepared to direct our tour. Beginning in 1984 Historic Tours operated tours commemorating the 40th anniversary of D- Day and The Bulge. Since then they have operated WWII commemorative tours every year. For June 6, 1994 the company brought over 1,000 Americans to Normandy to attend the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings. We know the needs of veterans, their families and friends. As part of our tours, we relate the history of the American role in WWII and we relate it with sensitivity. Historic Tours is committed to insuring that the sacrifices of 70 years ago are presented in a way that people of all ages can understand. Over the years, Historic Tours has been privileged to design and operate WWII commemorative tours for many prestigious organizations and veterans associations including, Forbes American Heritage Magazine (5 Tours), The 4th Armored Division Assn. (4 tours), The US Navy Memorial Foundation (4 Tours), The 5th US Air Force Memorial Foundation, The 741st Tank Battalion Assn., The 20th Combat Engineers Assn. of WWII, The 28th Infantry Regiment Assn., The 13th Infantry Regiment Assn., The 26th Infantry Division Yankee Division Assn. (3 tours), The USS Salem Assn. (3 tours), The Appalachian College Assn. (3 tours), The College of The Ozarks (4 tours), Focus on The Family, and many more. In 1992, Historic Tours brought 250 Americans to Australia and Fiji to participate in the 50th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of The Coral Sea. Ray Pfeiffer has also guided 350 private tours of Normandy and was chosen by the American Embassy in Paris to guide former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and White House staff on tours. Ray continues to guide private tours across Europe for individuals and small groups in his own vehicle.
Ray and Cristy founded Historic Tours in 1983 to design and guide historically accurate WWII commemorative tours featuring the American role in the war. They are professional Tour Directors who have personally guided over 8,000 Americans throughout Europe, Australia and the South Pacific. Over D-Day Commemorative Week 1994, they supervised 17 Tour Directors who helped guid 1,000 tour members. Cristy and Ray now live in Tampa Bay, Florida. They have been married since 1981. In addition to the Bachelor s degrees which they both hold, Ray has a Masters of Science degree from Polytechnic University of New York and is a graduate of the American Tour Management Institute in New York City. Cristy is a former Speech Pathologist and Ray and Cristy with VADM Gallagher Teacher. She was nominated as Teacher of the Year in New Jersey. Cristy and Ray personally design our tours and direct them, along with our Tour Guides in Europe. They and their tour members have been featured on many TV and radio shows including: The CBS News With Dan Rather, The NBC News With Tom Brokaw, Eyewitness News in New York City and Orlando and many more. They have coordinated the construction of dozens of memorials and plaques to American veterans and they arrange for warm receptions, parades and other events for their tour members. Many of these receptions and special events are arranged through friendships they have developed with local authorities in Europe since 1983. Cristy and Ray make the history come alive with on-site presentations. They are both children of WWII US Navy veterans. Ray is a Vietnam-era veteran who first went to Europe in the 6th Fleet aboard USS Terrebonne Parish (LST1156). He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees on the GI Bill. After college, Ray backpacked around Europe for two months and learned Europe the hard way. He loved the history and beauty of the area. When he met Cristy, he was delighted to find she shared his interest in WWII history and in travel. So they began their travels and spent months visiting Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge areas of Luxembourg and Belgium. They have helped coordinate dozens of monuments and plaques to WWII Army and Air Force units across Europe and Australia. Their proudest achievement was proposing and helping guide the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS) in constructing and dedicating the US Navy Normandy Monument on Utah Beach. The monument was dedicated in September 2008 and we will have a special event at the monument during our tour in 2014. As a result of this work, Ray is called the father of the US Navy Monument.
Tony Cisneros Tony Cisneros has provided English and German-speaking travelers with service excellence and American hospitality throughout central Europe since 1994. Having lived 16 years in Germany, Tony is no stranger to German customs or the language. He first accepted a position as a local Tour Guide in the charming resort village of Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. After the closing of the Armed Forces Recreation Center in September 1995 where he was employed, Tony joined a local sightseeing company. Since that time, he has directed and escorted American tour groups to various countries throughout central Europe and has gained an impeccable reputation as a Service Professional far beyond the Berchtesgadener Land. Tony was the Official Tour Guide at the infamous Eagle s Nest near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria for 3 years. He conducted VIP historical tours for many well-known clients including NBC, SKY Network, U.S. State Senators, Senior Army Officials, the Young Presidents Organization and the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has been interviewed by the New York Times, Stern Magazine, the Stars and Stripes and the San Jose Mercury. When not on tour, Tony resides in Portland, Oregon. Susan Erickson has been working with Ray and Cristy Pfeiffer since 2000 after meeting them while on one of their tours with her family. She directs communications and assists with logistics for Historic Tours. Her role with the company is seeing to our clients comfort and to the overall smooth operation of the tours. Sue Erickson Her maternal uncle served in the Army Air Force from 1941-45, surviving all of his missions as a Radio Operator and Waist Gunner aboard the B-17 bomber Dinah Might serving in Italy and North Africa. Susan is a student of WWII history. She holds a doctorate in Marine Science, and is a small animal veterinarian in Portland, Oregon.
Anniversary Tour Itinerary DEPARTURE DAY 2 MONDAY: Tour members take overnight flights to Paris. Please note that no group air arrangements are being made. However Tour Center can book flights for you if you wish. Flights to Paris fly overnight from the USA and so those departing on June 2 from the USA need to arrive on the morning of June 3. TOUR COMMENCES 3 TUESDAY: (BB, D) PARIS Tour members will meet at The Novotel Convention and Wellness Hotel in the town of Roissy-en-France, near Charles De Gaulle International Airport. A free shuttle from the airport is available. Arrangements can also be made for tour members who wish to arrive a day or two earlier. Cristy and Ray and the other members of the Historic Tours team will greet tour members in the lobby of the hotel and a complimentary cold breakfast buffet will be offered on arrival. In the afternoon, Ray will guide tour members on a bus tour of Paris which will feature the long American history in Paris and the Liberation of Paris. Ray has guided thousands of Americans in Paris. You may have visited Paris before, but Ray will show you the city from an American perspective. He discusses the role of and points out statues of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and the building in which John Paul Jones Father of the US Navy lived and died. He recalls the role of the 4th Infantry Division in the Liberation of Paris and the many Americans who have lived in Paris such as Ernest Hemingway. We will return to our hotel and enjoy a Welcome Dinner with wine. BAYEUX, NORMANDY 4 WEDNESDAY (BB, D) PARIS: NORMANDY We will depart for Normandy and stop for lunch on the way. Your Tour Director will relate the history of modern France, the European Union and the Battle of the Atlantic. We will check into our hotel in Bayeux and then visit the historic town of Port-en-Bessin where We will visit the fortifications and the actions to take this vital town will be described. The US Navy and British Royal Marine Commandos fought a three day battle to liberate this town and it later played a vital role in the Battle of Normandy and the Liberation of Europe when it became the first Pluto Port Pipeline Under The Ocean and Allied fuels were brought ashore here. The town is featured in The Longest Day but is known as Ouisterham in the movie! We will have free time in charming Bayeux, which was the only major town in Normandy to escape damage during the war. This medieval town is alive with shops and cafes and We will have time to enjoy them and then return to our hotel where we will have dinner.
Anniversary Tour Itinerary Continued BAYEUX, NORMANDY JUNE 5, 6, 7, 8 It is impossible to know exactly what events and ceremonies will be offered by French and American officials in June 2014. A presidential visit is expected but not certain. Therefore it is not possible to offer a detailed itinerary for each of these days. A buffet breakfast and dinner will be included daily and a full lunch will be included on at least two days. 9 MONDAY (BB, D) NORMANDY PARIS: This morning we will visit the Bayeux Tapestry which is one of Western Civilization s great treasures. It depicts the 1066 Norman Conquest of England, but more importantly it shows what life was like in the Middle Ages. We will have time for shopping and lunch and then depart for Roissy-en-France and once again stay at the Novotel Convention and Wellness Hotel. We will again toast our veterans at our Farewell Dinner. 10 TUESDAY (BB) RETURN TO USA: Tour members will take hotel shuttle vans to Charles De Gaulle International Airport for their return flights to the United States, or they can join our 70th Anniversary of The Battle of The Bulge Commemorative Extension Tour France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany June 10 14, 2014
Anniversary Tour Highlights The following is a minimum list of the events, battlefields, and sites that we will attend and visit on the 70th Anniversary Tour. Some additional events are still in the planning stage and are not guaranteed to happen. However, because Historic Tours is the most well connected and flexibly run WWII Tour Operator, we will be adding to this list as new opportunities present themselves. CEREMONIES We will attend the 70th anniversary of D-Day commemorations at the Normandy American Cemetery. While at the cemetery, our guides will provide thorough tours including presentations at the giant battle maps of the European theatre of operations and the Battle of Normandy. We will visit the Garden of the Missing and the chapel with a beautiful mosaic ceiling will be described. We will visit the graves of notable casualties of the battle of Normandy. A private wreath laying ceremony is being scheduled at the Normandy American Cemetery A private ceremony is being planned at the US Navy Normandy monument on Utah Beach Planning is underway for a VIP reception at Ste. Marie-du-Mont (Utah Beach) MUSEUMS The unique Dead Man s Corner Museum The newly expanded Utah Beach Museum The incredible Undersea Wrecks of D-Day museum
Anniversary Tour Highlights Continued BATTLEFIELDS AND SITES Pointe du Hoc where our heroic US Rangers scaled the cliffs to battle the Nazis. This site has been undergoing extensive safety improvements and we will be able to enter the observation post, which had been closed for years. Omaha Beach in addition to having a detailed bus and walking tour of the various draws, we will be staying long enough in Normandy to allow our tour members some quiet time to walk the beach and to reflect on the sacrifices made here. Utah Beach the actions taken place here will be described Brecourt Manor where the Band of Brothers first went into action Angoville-au-Plain the tiny village where 101st Airborne medics treated the wounded in the church, the bloodstains can still be seen Ste. Mere-Eglise where the 82nd Airborne liberated this critical road junction Ste. Marie-du-Mont where the 101st Airborne liberated this critical junction coming from Utah Beach La Fiere one of the bloodiest and least known battlefields of Normandy The German batteries at Longues, featured in The Longest Day Arromanches where remnants of the artificial harbor, Port Winston can still be seen Gold Beach and Juno Beach liberated by the British and the Canadians Pegasus Bridge taken by heroic British paratroopers and featured in The Longest Day The German Cemetery at La Cambe
Extension Tour Itinerary 10 TUESDAY (BB, D): BASTOGNE, BELGIUM We will drive across the WWI battlefields of Northern France. We will spend the night at Bastogne, Belgium, The Hole in the Donut where the 101st Airborne and other forces refused to surrender to the power of the German army during the Battle of the Bulge. Then, we spend the day touring the various sites in and around Bastogne where the 101st Airborne fought to defend the town. The tour follows the relief route of the 4th Armored Division as it fought its way to Bastogne, finally linking up at Assenois. Historic Tours learned the route from the actual officers who led the relief column into Bastogne. They shared their information with Cristy and Ray during the history-making tours which Historic Tours directed for the Fourth Armored Division Association in 1985 and 1986. We will visit the Bois Jacques and see the foxholes of the 506th PIR which are still there and featured in Band of Brothers. Cristy and Ray had the honor of taking Wild Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron from Band of Brothers back to the Bois. Ray will share their stories with our tour members. We will visit the giant Mardasson American Memorial and its new 101st Airborne Division Monument. Dinner will be at our hotel, the newly expanded, family-run Best Western Melba. We will visit the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, one of the world s wealthiest and most beautiful nations. Our first stop will be the Luxembourg American Cemetery where 5,076 of our heroic war dead including General George Patton are at their final resting place. There will be a wreath laying ceremony and then we will tour sophisticated Luxembourg City. Our guide will point out General Patton s HQ and General Bradley s HQ. We will stop for a quick lunch and then, continue on to the beautiful resort town of Clervaux. Here HQ Company of the 110th IR of the 28th ID held out against a German onslaught, similar to the battle at the Alamo. We will be joined by our Luxembourg friends and lay a wreath at the famed GI Monument. Then, we visit the fantastic Battle of the Bulge Museum where our Tour Directors, Ray and Cristy will discuss the histories of their fathers which are featured in the museum. Finally, we will be hosted to a reception in the castle which is always a highlight of the tour. The Luxembourg people will express their gratitude, for their liberation, to all Americans. We then return to Bastogne where dinner will be served at the hotel.
Extension Tour Itinerary Continued 12 THURSDAY (BB, L, D): THE RHINE RIVER KOBLENZ, GERMANY We will visit the northern Battle of the Bulge including St. Vith, the infamous Malmedy Massacre site and Elsenborn Ridge where we can explore the foxholes and trenches of the 99th Infantry Division, called the Battle Babies because most of the soldiers were 17 or 18 years old. (Please note that Elsenborn Ridge is on a Belgian Army base and there is a small chance it could be closed to the public on this day.) We will have a full lunch at a quaint inn in Wirtzfeld before departing for Germany. We will drive through the Rhineland area of Germany and our tour director will make presentations on the Third Reich and also on Germany of today. We will visit the Bridge at Remagen Memorial where the 9th Armored Division was able to seize the last remaining bridge into the German heartland before the Nazis could destroy it. We will check into the Hotel Mercure Koblenz in the historic town of Koblenz where the Mosel and Rhine Rivers meet at the German Corner which is steeped in history. Dinner will be at our hotel. 13 FRIDAY (BB, D): RHINE RIVER CRUISE RUDESHEIM FRANKFURT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT We will board a boat for a Rhine cruise through the most beautiful and historic areas of the river. We will pass by castles, vineyards and quaint villages and arrive at the Rhine s most charming town, Rudesheim. There will be time for shopping in the famous Drosselgasse, the narrow street which is known for its outdoor restaurants and music. We will have the afternoon to enjoy the town and then will continue on to Frankfurt International Airport. We will check into the Hilton Garden Court Hotel which is at the airport. Finally, we will have a Farewell Dinner and say our goodbyes. 14 SATURDAY (BB): RETURN TO USA Tour members will be able to walk to the airport terminal to check in for their return flights to the United States.
Features and Pricing Basic Tour America s two most experienced WWII tour directors, Cristy and Ray Pfeiffer have designed and will direct the tour. They have 62 years of combined experience in guiding Americans in Europe. Reg Jans and Tony Cisneros will assist Cristy and Ray guiding the tour. Ray and Cristy will know you and your fellow tour members before the tour. They contact all tour members prior to the tour and inquire about any member s family history which they may wish to honor. This includes family members who may have served in WWII in other theatres of war outside of the European theatre of operations. Tour members are also asked about any special places they may wish to visit. In depth on-site presentations and presentations on the motor coach including: The Battle of the Atlantic The relationship between France and the USA The Battle of Paris and the US role The European Union, it s history and future The massive supply effort The conquest of Germany The post war period and the Marshall Plan The role of women in WWII The air war in Europe The war in the Pacific and the China-Burma-India theatre Many more presentations given on site and in our motor coach Time for shopping is included Quiet time for reflection while walking on Omaha Beach First class or deluxe class hotels all with private bath Buffet breakfast daily (a $20 per day value) All dinners including wine at our welcome and farewell dinners Two complete lunches Admission to all museums and sites listed High tech, private bus with stereo, video, and toilet All porterage, you never carry your bags Private wreath laying ceremonies All gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff
Features and Pricing Basic Tour Continued Basic Tour Paris / Normandy / Paris June 3 10, 2014 $3,749 per person, based on two people sharing a room Does not include air fare $1,449 - Single supplement for single travelers not wishing to share a room Please Note: Due to the limited number of rooms available in Normandy, the single supplement is higher than we would have wished. Tour Center will arrange for a roommate if it is possible. If not possible the single supplement will apply. For booking and airline reservations or questions please call Mr. Guido Papa of Tour Center at (800) 222-1170 Monday Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Eastern Time email Mr. Papa at guido@snowtour.com or visit Tour Center at 1281 Paterson Plank Road Secaucus, NJ 07094 The tour will operate with a maximum of 60 people. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis as reservation forms and deposits are received. Act Now, Space is Extremely Limited For historical questions, email Ray Pfeiffer of Historic Tours at ww2tour@aol.com. All other questions, email Susan Erickson of Historic Tours at sue@ww2tours.com. www.ww2tours.com
Features and Pricing Extension Tour First class hotels Hearty buffet breakfast daily Dinner daily including wine at the farewell dinner One lunch Presentations on Germany during the Third Reich, the Cold War and Germany of today Rhine River cruise Private wreath laying ceremonies at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and at Bastogne, Belgium and Clervaux, Luxembourg Private receptions in Belgium and Luxembourg High tech private bus with stereo, video, and toilet All porterage, you never carry your bags Private wreath laying ceremonies All gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff
Features and Pricing Extension Tour Continued Extension Tour BELGIUM / LUXEMBOURG / GERMANY June 10 14, 2014 $1299 per person, based on two people sharing a room Does not include air fare $249 - Single supplement for single travelers not wishing to share a room For booking and airline reservations or questions please call Mr. Guido Papa of Tour Center at (800) 222-1170 Monday Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Eastern Time email Mr. Papa at guido@snowtour.com or visit Tour Center at 1281 Paterson Plank Road Secaucus, NJ 07094 The tour will operate with a maximum of 60 people. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis as reservation forms and deposits are received. Act Now, Space is Extremely Limited For historical questions, email Ray Pfeiffer of Historic Tours at ww2tour@aol.com. All other questions, email Susan Erickson of Historic Tours at sue@ww2tours.com. www.ww2tours.com