St. Pete Native Spends Memorial Day On Normandy Beach

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- While her friends and family celebrated Memorial Day dodging downpours generated by Subtropical Storm Alberto, St. Petersburg native Brittney Simpson was in Normandy, France, honoring America's D-Day heroes.

A member of the Air Force currently stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, Simpson was among a group of 11 female active-military members and veterans who were treated to a 13-day cruise aboard the five-star ms River Venture for the 11th annual Vantage Heroes Cruise.

In partnership with the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Organization, Vantage Deluxe World Travel shows its support for America’s military by providing all-expense-paid cruises.

To date, the cruise has hosted 273 “heroes” including the families of those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks, survivors of the 100 killed in the Boston Marathon bombing survivors, the families of those lost in the United Flight 93 attack, among others.

"We are so honored to support the heroes who inspire and protect us," said Patricia Lewis, co-chair of the Vantage Heroes Program. "We are delighted to provide this powerful group of all-female military members with this special opportunity and offer them a break from their everyday cares.”

The France Culinary Delights: Paris to Normandy cruise was created by Vantage Deluxe Travel founder and owner, Henry R. Lewis, to honor his father, Cpl. Edward Lewis, who was one of the more than 300,000 young soldiers who landed at the Normandy beaches during the invasion that began on June 6, 1944 — D-Day.

“Following my 2013 visit to Normandy, I made a promise to myself to share the Normandy experience with as many other Americans as possible,” Lewis said. “It is incredibly important for all of us to honor and remember our D-Day heroes.”

The Vantage Heroes Cruise stopped in Vernon – the site of the historic bridge bombing prior to D-Day; Les Andelys – an ancient village and site of the ruins of Chateau Gaillard, a fortress built by Richard the Lionheart; Rouen – the ancient city whose Gothic cathedral inspired Monet; and the D-Day Beaches–the coastal village of Colleville-sur-Mer, site of the Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial, where nearly 10,000 U.S. soldiers killed during invasion are buried underneath white headstones.

The women also rode bikes to Claude Monet’s studio and garden in Giverny, enjoyed the culinary heritage of the province of Normandy, received a cooking lesson (navarin of lamb, Normandy mussels in apple cider sauce) and got to sample the native cocktails prepared by expert mixologists.

“I’ve been in the military for almost 12 years now and always wanted to travel outside the United States,” said Simpson. “Moving to Europe has always been a goal of mine, but the military had other plans for me stateside. This is an amazing opportunity for all of the heroes, and I’m thrilled to explore a new side of the world and absorb its beautiful culture.”

The complimentary cruise included round-trip international airfare, with accommodations for 13 nights.

To see a video of the cruise, download this link: Vantage Deluxe Travel Logan Departure VOSOT download link.

Image via Brittney Simpson