= OspREY Campaign D-Day 1944 (1) Omaha Beach Steven | Zaloga - Illustrated by Howard GerrardCampaign - 100 Bowes D-Day 1944 (1) Omaha Beach Steven J Zaloga + Illustrated by Howard Gerrard Series editor Lee Johnson + ConFirat pushed in Gres Sitar n 2008 by Osprey Pubishing, Elms Court, ‘Chapa! Way, Baty, Oxford OX OLP Unite’ Kingdom. mak intomoeprepuieing com (© 2008 Ospry Publishing Lic. Al igh resared. Apart rom ary ar dealing forthe purpose of private study, reser, cicism or revi 3s permite under the Cyr, Desans and Faterts Act, 1988 ro part ofthis pubcation may be reproduced, sored m8 retuloval sytem, cr rans in any fxm or by any means, seewone, ‘Sectal, chem, mechenca option, photecapng, cary o there, ‘rout te rer writen peiason ofthe capright crmer Engures shou be aossas to he Pubs. [ACIP callogue recor lr this bok i evalebe om th Bitch Lixary sen earre.67 § Editor: Lee Johnson (Design: The Bick Spot Ino by Alison Worthington [Maps by The Hep Susie sD bre's-eye weus by The Back Spat Battescane research Mir Henry Batteocens anworc by Howare Gonsre Driinate by The Elecionic Page Company, Cumbran, UK Pine in Chia through Wl Prin Lis 03 06 05 05 o7 WeeTeSeazt For cating af alba publishes by Oxerey Mitr) and Aviation please contact: DOstrey Dect USA, co MB! Publishing, PO. Box 1, 720 Proapct Avo, Oscaol, Ml 54020, USA Ema nfotosprejarectisa.com (rey Bact UK; PO. Bor 140, llngherough, Nerthants, NS 2FA, UK Email nfo@osoreyarect. cok wawospreypublishingcom KEY TO MILITARY SYMBOLS. Ps Gs Gs Ba es Bl Bo eo oo le El Bawa Artist’s note Readers may care to note that the original paintings from ‘which the color plates in this book were prepared are available for private sale. All reproduction copyright whatsoever is retained by the Publishers. All enquiries should be addressed to: Howard Gerrard 11 Oaks Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6RD. UK ‘The Publishers regret that they can enter into no ‘correspondence upon this matter, Author’s Note ‘The author is indebted for the help of many people who assisted on this project and would like to thank Randy Hackenburg and Jay Graybeal of the Miltary History Institute at the Army War College in Garisle Barracks, PA; Charles Lemons and Candace Fuller of the Patton Museum at Ft. Knox, Kentucky; Alan Aimone of the Special Collections at the US Military Academy at West Point, NY USMA; and the staff of the US National Archives and, Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, ‘or their help. For brevity, the normal abbreviations for US and German tactical units have been used here. So 1/16th Infantry indicates the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment while C/16th Infantry indicates Company C, 1th Infantry Regiment. In the German case, IVGR.916 Indicates 2nd Battalion, 916th Grenadier Regiment while 2/GR.916 indicates 2nd Company, 916th Grenadier Regiment, ‘The D-Day chronology used here follows the Allied practice of using British War Time, so H-Hour on 6 June ‘was 0630. For greater clarity, the location names used here, such as the names and codes for the beaches and beach ‘exits, are those of the US Army.CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY OPPOSING COMMANDERS Gorman commanders + American commanders OPPOSING PLANS The Amorican plan * The German plan OPPOSING ARMIES Gorman forces American forces ‘The frst assault wave, 0530-7 00hrs « The second assault wave, 0700-0800hre Stalemata on the baach « The Rangers at Pointe-du-Hoe Consolidating the beachhead « The battles forthe villages OMAHA BEACH IN RETROSPECT THE BATTLEFIELD TODAY FURTHER READING INDEX 12 13 20 36 42 87 92 94 95‘There was no more vivid symbol of the Atlantic Wall than the heavy coastal guns of the Kriegsmarine along the Channel coast like this one at Le Havre. ‘Those battorios wero in their densest concontration on the Pas de Calais where the Wehrmacht expected the Allies to land. (NARA) INTRODUCTION D-Day, Omaha Beach was the only one ever in doubt. Within moments of landing, a third of the assault troops in the first wave were casualties. The difficulties encountered on “bloody Omaha” were due to the more difficult terrain on this coastline, the unexpected presence ofa firstrate German division at the beach and inadequate fire support. Yet in spite of all these problems, by the end of D-Day, the ‘Adantic Wall had been breached and the US Army's V Corps was firmly entrenched on the French coast. Oo f the landings on the five assault beaches in Normandy on THE STRATEGIC SITUATION ‘The Allied planning to assault Fortress Europe had been under way since 1942 and the Overlord plan began to take shape in 1948. Winston Churchill argued for a waditional maritime strategy of peripheral attack through Italy and the Balkans, but US military commanders and many senior British commanders favored a direct attack on Germany by the ‘most plausible route, through northern France, The most significant disagreement concemed the US intent to stage (wo amphibious assaults, Operation Neptune in northwestern France, and Operation Anvil darough the French Mediterranean coast. Churchill and many senior British commanders were firmly opposed to the southern France assault, realizing it would drain momentum from the Ttalian theater. With British“ue pry we a Onde phe in th sd ssc ne erp a lm rea at iat st a spr pre ‘thigh tee nd he Sa ‘Siew ind Anse una a IS Rept poe cnt eta eer seh lhe ng Sail ei tii ond Shoe ten ce tro ttre tase Ae rl et the pone the We w oppor tee Cen ‘iS son ten ett od ‘Reema Moma inp is ge ah song ject fn i et de a yf rs ‘te Smo mn td ‘isn nthe ema "Wh deh eer ends ng 2 Step lite em {Se ppt ce emo id see He fk ed Scnautenty ear ac sand ach icc er‘etme pectin othe ne ep at at lo The ‘Stunna sopra ekg ‘Steno nh ae naw pn bee ‘Sten ee ores med my Sia eae he hac of ety lpg ‘Stan fom toned ener he eta ‘Soweto sn ape wn we ‘Slecomng tae france. omen eens Sie Geen “Foc dane tae Lata sa ped ind Geman etl se Absa eps gi ie Ne Dag healer et pe se moda te Conan sen ‘i ne a cae Ent up a nrg er mae ee ‘fas ma in epordn euentetngs ‘Sita Saree, es eo gu er re ‘SoC dumm pen nck Nn {ah penn cmd Conan eee et crclman tenes comme ben en ea reo iaing et aor operon and noes enCHRONOLOGYOPPOSING COMMANDERS GERMAN COMMANDERSseem artne ne ss ated Set (etchant rte Allin ocd nse ‘ive amet tech iin) iy Since Seren eens ony caries rune arate i ns ree ‘Ease Font wee septal hat hit evan w the us. Dela ded Se tea ey oe ee Be Be We Te eet ceearco fe inte car cpg er i piece een Mach hewn tandened heat re ih 1hetanen fone Hee muna wig Be gh nor SL sing be mg ot spicy at esi ome asm sl ah te ee st ‘Set on Manu, and a ha ese Ene {fos cominiers dein mai are ee| Senate pte tae Sibticmncar ue em tote smc oe ieanieresntuacar anew uaa oe Sete ‘ry eer, Het hh ahr olf nh esOPPOSING PLANS | THE AMERICAN PLAN‘ad The aa fr oxnple alan cere conser ‘ato an he gh Perot wom ‘Siete ay ey echo aut Coe ‘Scherer ldo yrunondrena cosy {he lt em ey {Shmun gum i ope gun emplacement ut the detec maw i ‘ecm foe ech gos Meer ag ‘Say neato pla ards ee pram aat iy paced eer and amano un Diet Kamat al apa mn he Carmina ses mete erat sf casey e eloe ihey ‘Sith nwa boing neOPPOSING ARMIES GERMAN Forc!sua ot maze un ge nr eng Te Oa Be en eee coe Senos Sores Sieh Gora "gin (GR na ep re See Spe sae cai se ‘ con ‘tn int 4 {feintney compan tte ete ain ounce she ‘Sule ih reac hin sone alan beh ond a maine ma dept 1 cic he rw nes eos eee (Schton Ts nay hd bert cere ocd aks Ese ieee ae eee See See ‘hearty i instr wa acd on 9 May Tat chen ber obey ‘tom Seied toe SS Inyo Pak goes nen {agmene reinvent jose MC oexpin appearance ne Eau Doge Tus yon ene mt te ten de pce eetouta nthe Sty ty Can ay ein {Ta ete i Rem pw ‘hee ane he et tea rat ‘cath pnt Ihe phe ews ay {fom um amie a old Ae outer Tata pint chee einen Oe 104 oc aua igh oy ee Rae sere emir, ei pene ieee, Setawteo uaa heen jos itigass werent AMERICAN FORCES The US pf Ona Boch a hc ge dh oa sea a otceptD-DAYne he dren cai net aia ‘Song he mom sr OMAHA BEACH 16TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM SECTOR ® pee Sens 6 June 1944, O630hrs onwards, viewed from the northwest showing 16th ACT's landings on “Fox” and N “Eaoy boocon, the esto soir of Oar Beach, The ft wave ates ham cosuee but wh tho “ arrval ofthe second wave US troops begin to climb the bis and overcome the German defenses.‘THE FIRST ASSAULT WAVE, 0530-0700HRS‘ep Redon Bog whan seine” atl Eesha esha ae os - “we: Gemeri Gata begins so esa men over re butt | GERMAN STRONGPOOTS ‘stone ame ve ome ‘Spine en spt 1 mnt ged nd 8 eh ne ese seeeN vam sin arto cone ‘br.ong wines, Seino move opt but angie ete heed Ban {Sa Guctny ae teat on Ener 4 eer scat ne 4 ma ante Go. Ten Sener bee tev ge, 2 Coenen any aaa be Fetal andthe on 160 ay 8 apa nt # GC rat ose 2 ipo torn? 5s Pmetunngpom nS roa Ye pact orn ‘noon 1 Sopa om Into tach nt oe 4 Ca Tek ton 1 Gipson s ‘a2 tar te ete any | S Rtiningces.rovtm 1 Spach catia at canton pees Plas FP alnrarberoerhodeciuaed 5, Go. ©, 2nd Rangers Inds inte ing zane in at Reatimenser tt ne “i west long rats toepsDtoe racing ne OMAHA BEACH 116TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM SECTOR 6 June 19:44, 0620hrs onwards, viewed from the northwest showing 116th RCTs landings on “Dog ‘and "Charlie" beaches, the western sector of Omaha Beach. As in the eastern sector, the troops inthe first assault wave sufer haaviy, However, the efforts of General Norman “Dutch” Cota and Lieutenant Colonel Charles Canham help restore momentum to the US troops and they begin to press inland,ete mine Notetatneaeersngeceents Fo ag ge a ae ‘ior company commana an 1 jer er ere en mp anh nt angers hi en te en seanecereaata nck esamiieentaternonate ESS ages westomeaciniss ia wen ding um hes LX neha arth ramp ped wr mahi fm Skoropateeeeete casters SEEEETLAG US fates om oe Een ntihese eme ao en An erg 3 eh ‘mh orem ei argu coe Ty oa Sitccca:caoece ss ding tre x ‘ht Rel ah pe, th ape trig Te wh lsd fe L, Epraeee es posers =e ES Soar ees‘THE SECOND ASSAULT WAVE, (0700-0800HRSSTALEMATE ON THE BEACH ver ih i Geran Nee pa a en =‘Shum woe tam tne The expe se oe cuts lof LE, Sa eee Se eee Seneca eae eosin ee ears‘aun nts Tem an ae ‘netomat beng a, ina eg tre ‘sam fms er ‘ey ati wp ‘Siete Regen re opti cite tne od mage iene tench Sad yer eases eee set iia eine erat reedlos es ont C8 at 76 ss ames 7 sages daha cee mn ant an an tr Mara ered tan Ponte ros Steam wee / "Sy Saun a Son moron 2ND RANGERS AT POINTE-DU-HOC (07 10hvs 6 June-0300tvs 7 June 1944, viewed from the northwest showing the successful assauit on the Pointe du Hoc battery by Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rucder's 2nd Ranger Battalion.ep a hate ming ia te Rages inthe hing sinew te om he Seah er aineeecnies ‘ean aera ning al el ih rst Soar ate CONSOLIDATING THE BEACHHEAD ‘Samus eros Cope USS Ao 22s earl 0 ay eee opine ptt {hpe “Tope ferment ped doen on tts En od Ean Goer fice (So Eagieer fpeis Segui bad eeugh wags ahore wo beg oe ‘Send enupere Ser Sipe pres cpl Senatimaraseees scree bee ‘itr th et hed cr sos le iowa Se eae see ieee eee ‘eecen 10g 1b ny hr ect arr re ar ‘BY ee eS yh ngs se 30g Cx‘THE BATTLES FOR THE VILLAGES Sea cheer macs ‘Sek Se ping Paso oo She ‘Gina iret pyc Vere ev oop eye oe Nexo trot tn en» ea ee Getter toms corey te tiers ot See ee Sree era ear seabward sog the exe se cS Lane al spe tothe poise Gees Seieom eos rept y ht ered Shereancceetn ee | SemmentrceeeOMAHA BEACH IN RETROSPECTsh ning fm, Te ny aa tn the on ing ‘neve Fl ogi 3 ee “mae Oc ep er tha {fT tua hs ened ie aa at Jest bobs oe nek bg dT alae ‘emp ecm oss ceed ig ok by eset {nt jena leo 1 et fw ean ‘rage ne Sed Se eit and sie ki ee tdci, Teeth of ya ‘Srey ing ere en et hema mon er fexsacieistre Dee ceie ‘tec ape Oats Bo in depo Spy het neces acre ye ‘meme wu bc annoy ae” reps ean lb tn in esi ‘ack igo pong erin tes On fun Ca Spas Rattle race See eihoe Scbeceniess SE eaaiteenmen nes rvecemaiceas Sohs SeesHE BATTLEFIELD ‘ODAYFURTHER READINGINDEX‘Accoums of hts retest conf detaing te commune sratepes cis ane bate expences of te sepoHnE forces roupout he rc sages of ech carpugr 1 i i Y se onprenpabishing com