The Omaha beach area was the largest of all the Normandy beaches at
Approximately 34,500 yards in length. The beach itself had only five passable ways off,
Creating another difficulty for the landing troops and vehicles. Behind the beach were
Heavily defended bluffs and high cliffs.
In order to invade the area, with it's twelve German strongpoints over 34,000 troops
And 3,300 vehicles would be involved in the Omaha Beach invasion. The large number was
Partly because of the fact that beginning in April of the same year German military had
Started to fortify the area in hopes of deterring any invasion from the area. The sandy
Beaches themselves were free of mines but three bands of obstacles were put into place in
Order to create impassable obstacles for landing sea craft. First large gate-like structures
Were built, simply to get in the way. The second band were large posts and logs dug into
The beach also creating obstacles. The third and final obstacle was farther up the beach,
They were large "hedgehogs" which were mined obstacles that looked as though they were
Some sort of weird medieval art.
Like the rest of the beaches, the planned attack time (H hour) was 06:30. Many
Would think that this would be when the death toll would first start to rise but this just
Wasn't so. Many men died far from the beach. Two companies of amphibious DD tanks
Sank because of heavy seas. Included with the 27 tanks that sunk were 11 landing craft
That tipped. Soldiers on these transports drowned because the weight of the equipment
They were carrying held them under the water. Other craft hit mines, losing troops,
Supplies and weapons. Most of the landing craft were being fired upon by German
Machine gun fire even when the crafts were still over 1,000 yards away from the beach.
Some even ran aground while still 100 feet from shore. Attempts to improve the situation
Were made by groups such as the 29th division who decided to bring their tanks in on the
Landing craft. 8 of the 16 tanks made it to the beach. Other craft either missed their
Landing area or arrived too late. The lateral current dragged some infantry units 100's of
Yards from their objectives and a few battalions, like the 2nd Ranger battalion arrived 40
Minutes after they were scheduled to land.
Once most of the craft had managed to make it to the beach the soldiers still faced
Many problems. Air strikes that were planned to knock out enemy machine gunners were
Not successful enough. Most of the troops were pinned behind the sea wall and other
Obstacles by machine gun fire ahead of them and the raising tides behind them. Tides rose
Four feet per hour, shrinking the beach by eighty feet in the same time period. Those
Soldiers who were too injured to walk or crawl drowned as the tide sped up on them. With
Soldiers pinned down and not enough vehicles being able to get off the beach other craft
Were unable to land due to the lack of room.
For the first few hours at Omaha Beach things looked grim. No major advances
Were being made. The real turnaround that day was when a few destroyers actually came
In as close as eight hundred yards in order to fire at enemy strongpoints. The risk of
Grounding the destroyers took and the arrival of tanks lead to the eventual fall of the
German beach defences. Once the groups could move inland their individual missions were
Put into place.
One of the most important missions put upon any division was the destruction of six
French-made 155mm naval guns at Pointe du Hoc. This responsibility was given to the
116th brigade and it's two combat teams: US 5th Ranger and US 2nd Ranger teams. The
5th met the fate of many battalions as the landed on the wrong beach. Luckily the
Remaining two teams did manage to destroy the naval guns that were capable of attacking
Ships as far out as 25,000 yards (22km). This would prove to be one of the few missions
That were completed that day.
Because of the great break downs in planned assaults, the day started to look like a
Chaotic day with only individual missions of survival. Most divisions managed to stay
Organized and plan their survival and attack plans. Col. George H. Taylor of the 16th
Regiment said, "Two kinds of people are staying on this beach, the dead and those about to
Die, not let's get the hell out of here." These sort of speeches sparked other soldiers to
Continue with their slightly revised missions. Originally it was planned for the area's above
The beaches to be taken by an advance up the heavily defended bluffs but the plan was
Changed to a less organized direct assault on the German gunners in the high cliffs. Other
Such companies that decided on newly created missions included the 16th infantry and the
29th division. These two groups decided on a joint mission to save their allies who were
Pinned on the beach. Also involved on the Omaha Beach invasion were the US 1 Infantry
Division, and the US 18th and 115th Brigades.
By the end of D-Day on Omaha Beach the advance had gone barely one and a half
Miles inland. Several of the enemy strongpoints were intact and the beachhead was still
Under fire. Although this beaches day sounds like a disaster the major exits from the area
Were held, three villages were under allied control and hole in the German line about two
And half kilometers long was made and the coastal guns were destroyed. The landing had
Been made, all the troops could do was secure the area and organize the beach for the
Introduction of reinforcements and supplies.
Omaha Beach
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