The WW2 Battlefields Trip: An Epic Experience

Photo taken by Davis Bianchini at the American Cemetery in Bastogne, Belgium.

Moeller High School gives their students a numerous amount of opportunities for fun and meaningful trips around the world. Mr. Dave Faller, who is the head of the History Department at Moeller, gives students the opportunity to go on a history-themed international trip. In the summer of 2018, 20 students visited Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg in order to get a closer look of the history in Europe focusing directly on World War 2. 

Mr. Faller’s trip is packed with fun, but there are also many educational purposes. Mr. Faller stated, “One of the reasons I do this trip is to give the underclassmen an opportunity for an international trip along with another option for the seniors.” On this journey they visited many historical areas involving World War 2.

During the trip, Mr. Faller gave the students much freedom to go off on there own with a chaperone while still having a set schedule for the trip. The first stop being at Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, visiting the same house as one of the most powerful young women to ever live. After two days in Amsterdam they then visited a small city in Belgium called Bastogne. Bastogne was one of the biggest strong points in the Battle of the Bulge because of the seven main roads that allowed forces to mobilize in and around the Ardennes Forest.  After the museum in Belgium they visited the Ardennes American Cemetery where all the fallen American soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge lie.

Photo taken by Davis Bianchini of Brock Rumpke sleeping on the bus in front of the Louvre Museum.

Although those stops were amazing, most the students favorite part of the trip was in France. They stopped by the very known church in Reims along with Rouen, France which is where Joan of Arc was burnt to the stake in 1413. One of the never forgiving moments in France was Normandy. These Moeller students visited the ever so famous Gold Beach, Omaha Beach, and Pointe du Hoc. Senior Conlan O’Brien reflected on the trip saying, “My favorite place was by far Omaha Beach, standing on the beach and looking up at those cliffs and bunkers makes you think about the courage that the American men had when facing the horrors of the beaches. Also standing on the same ground where kids our own age sacrificed everything they’ve ever known and loved for people they have never even met before was a life changing experience. Amsterdam was wild too.”  

Photo taken by Davis Bianchini at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France.

After that was the last stop in the capital Paris, there they made as much stops as they possibly could. Brock Rumpke commented, “Being able to go out on our own and explore Paris was some of the best times I’ve ever had.” They visited all the main attractions in Paris being the Coeur Basilica, the Eiffel tower, The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Notre Dame Cathedral.