Historic Tours prides itself on arranging for very special honors and services in Europe for WWII veterans and their family members. These honors are unique and Historic Tours is able to arrange them through the contacts Cristy and Ray have made over the years and the respect for the WWII veterans, which our European friends have. Whether it is Normandy or the Battle of the Bulge areas of Belgium and Luxembourg or other places in Europe, Cristy and Ray go to great lengths to see that our tour members are properly recognized.

On our group tours, our veterans (of all periods) are sometimes able to help to “hoist the colors” on the giant flag poles in the Normandy American Cemetery (the same flag poles were featured in “Saving Private Ryan”) or receiving Certificates of Honorary Citizenship in the town of Ste. Marie-du-Mont (Utah Beach) or signing the bar at the Roosevelt Café at Utah Beach our veterans are honored in unique ways. In Clervaux, Luxembourg our Luxembourg friends award any WWII tour member who served in the Grand Duchy a beautiful medal.

But what really makes our tours special is that Ray and Cristy go to great lengths to research a veteran’s history in great detail and to bring them back to places where they fought and in many cases, involve locals who remember the actions.

Here are some examples...

Ed Scheu is a US Navy D-Day veteran. He and his sons visited Normandy in September 2005 on a private tour with Ray. Before the tour, Ray asked Ted, by e-mail, about his experiences and found that he served on an LCI, which landed British troops on Gold Beach! What was even more unusual was that Ted and the crew were ordered to take small arms and accompany the troops into the first town. This was highly unusual and Ray and Cristy made numerous trips to Gold Beach before Ted and his sons’ arrival, to search for the place where Ted had landed.

When the tour was actually made, Ray brought them to the exact place on Gold Beach where he had landed and found through his research that Ver-sur-mer was the town which Ted advanced into. When the guys actually visited the town, Ted was able to identify an alley from which a German sniper had fired on him. Ted was delighted to see how beautifully the town had been preserved and was thrilled with the honors Cristy and Ray had arranged for him.

Here are some comments from Ed Scheu Jr...

“The highlight of that trip was clearly our time in Normandy, with you Ray. It exceeded all of our expectations by miles, and we are grateful for the care and expertise that you shared so easily and professionally. My Dad was especially thrilled and wildly surprised by the hospitality and gratitude that everyone shared, including you both, and all the locals we met.

I would have taken us two weeks to uncover all the back roads and invasion details that you shared with us in two full days. But, most importantly, we couldn’t match, in 20 years, the historical and cultural understanding that you so easily and eloquently shared. You were genuinely and sensitively dedicated to making my father’s experience of returning to the D-Day beaches after 61 years as meaningful as possible. What a powerful moment it was to discover and walk in the exact same path of his landing and walk in the exact path of his landing. You are a consummate pro, Ray and we were lucky to find you.

Ted Scheu ("That Poetry Guy”) Note: Ray took Ted and his Dad on the final tour of Ray’s 2005 private guiding season. Ed had the unusual experience of having served on an American LCT and landing British troops on Gold Beach. Many of the US Navy crew were then ordered to accompany the British troops inland. Ray was able to find the route to Ver-sur-mer where Mr. Scheu had been fired on by a sniper on June 6, 1944

Mark Humrichouser traveled to Normandy to trace his Dad’s WWII route with the 90th ID. Cristy and Ray spent two days prior to Mark’s arrival re-visiting the inland towns where 90th fought. These are towns that are not often visited by Americans and Cristy and Ray had not been in them in some time. They were delighted to find the many brand new monuments and plaques erected by the French people to the 90th ID in 2004 – in spite of the anti-French stories in the American media. Mark was thrilled to know that his Dad’s sacrifices were not forgotten in France.

90th I.D. Memorial Periers, France Ray, Perhaps you’ll not remember me, but I wanted to convey my deepest appreciation to you for my recent trip to Normandy. I wanted to write to thank you for one of the true highlights of me life. The two days I spent with you was a true blessing. I will always be indebted for your help in allowing me to walk where my father served. I have shared my experience with so many since I returned and each time I am thankful that I can help tell the story of how special all those men and women were from the Greatest Generation. Your ability to allow me have such a unique experience was awesome. Mark Humrichouser The Proud Son of John Humrichouser Sergeant 315th Medical Battalion 357th Regiment 90th Infantry Division

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D-DAY NAVY VETERAN ED SCHEU SIGNING HIS NAME ON THE BAR AT THE ROOSEVELT CAFÉ ON UTAH BEACH

ED SCHEU RECEIVING HONORARY CITIZENSHIP IN STE. MARIE-DU-MONT AT THE UTAH BEACH MUSEUM

MARK HUMRICHOUSER AT THE
90TH ID MEMORIAL IN PERIERS, FRANCE

D-DAY VETERAN LT. BEN BERGER, USN
IN A GERMAN “TOBRUK” AT POINTE-DU-HOC

Ben Berger was awarded the Silver Star for his actions as a Naval Shore Fire Control Officer serving with the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc. He visited Normandy with his family in 2000 and again in 2005 with his new bride Rae.

The Rangers Museum in Grandcamp-Maisy was thrilled to have him visit and he hoisted the colors at the Cemetery and received various honors in Normandy including a 60th Anniversary Commemorative Medal from the Normandy authorities.

George Pappas, WWII Army veteran receiving a Certificate of Honorary Citizenship from the Mayor of Ste. Marie-du-Mont, France.

203rd Engineer Combat Battalion veteran Chris Rutter who is a D-Day veteran and other veteran Arc d' Triomphe at the 60th Anniversary of V-E Day commemorations in Paris on May 8, 2005.