European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Focus my off 4?%s a frenc i construction Crew makes improvements to a Road in Normandy named after an american Soldier. Inasi French get ready for the Omaha Beach crowd by Mark Kinkade staff writer Ean Marie Oxe ant could t go of the Beach june 6,1944, near his Home in Wierville sur Mer. The liberation of France was under Way. Now nearly 50 years later celebrations of the Day his childhood Beach became bloody Omaha May keep him off the Beach again. But that s All right with him. As the 50th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France looms the people who live in the Normandy Region Are unrolling a massive red carpet for the More than 20,000 a Day veterans expected to attend ceremonies june 5 and 6. But while they Welcome the return of their liberators with unbridled affection some like Oxe ant believe the sheer volume of people trying to attend official ceremonies May mean locals Aren t allowed. We Don t know if we will even get on the Beach june 6," Oxe ant Wierville s mayor said through a translator. We want an Opportunity to Welcome Back our old friends who fought for our Freedom without the crush of the masses that will be Here june 6." Wierville stands at the Northern end of Omaha Beach. The official International ceremony honouring the men who died on that Beach june 6 will be at the Omaha Beach Monument in St. Laurent sur Mer. That s where thousands will crowd to hear the politicians talk about d Day. Oxe ant and others understand that the Normandy natives take a Back seat in the official ceremonies. With More than 1 million visitors expected in the Region someone s not going to the Beach., priority according to . Army Europe spokesman col. Dick Bridges goes to the veterans. If i run into a Veteran who wants to get to a ceremony Bridges said ill get him  s what this whole show is about. This is to Honor the men who came ashore fought and died to liberate  that s Why they be scheduled a private ceremony with Omaha veterans the Day before president Clinton and the bulk of the people arrive. The French people according to Bridges have gone out of their Way to help the ceremonies go off without a hitch. They be really taken the Bull by the horns Bridges said. They want this to be perfect and i think they la pull it  preparations for the massive Celebration began nearly three years ago Oxe ant said. Road construction to Widen the narrow tree lined roads in the area continues today and local museums Homes and other attractions Are Omaha Beach 20 the stars and stripes monday april 18,1994