80th Anniversary of D-Day
The Normandy Landing - Operation Overlord
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of France (and later Western Europe) and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.
D-Day – 6 June 1944 – was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. The statistics of D-Day, codenamed Operation Overlord, are staggering. The Allies used over 5,000 ships and landing craft to land more than 150,000 troops on five beaches in Normandy. The landings marked the start of a long and costly campaign in north-west Europe, which ultimately convinced the German high command that defeat was inevitable.
Did You Know?
D-Day was the start of Operation ‘Overlord’. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, Allied forces launched a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France. The ‘D’ in D-Day stands simply for ‘day’ and the term was used to describe the first day of any large military operation.
Early on 6 June, Allied airborne forces parachuted into drop zones across northern France. Ground troops then landed across five assault beaches – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. By the end of the day, the Allies had established a foothold along the coast and could begin their advance into France.
This was the largest seaborne invasion in history, which started in the early hours of June 6th after heavy naval bombardment. Allied troops stormed a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast, which war planners had divided into five sections (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword).
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was a 3-mile stretch where the U.S. 4th and 90th Infantry Divisions and the 4th Cavalry Regiment, along with the 28th and 101st Airborne Divisions (3,000 troops strong) either landed (using Higgins boats and LSTs) on the beach or were dropped behind enemy lines (many paratroopers landed far from their designated drop zones), faced the German 91st, 243rd, and 709th Infantry Divisions.
Utah Beach, the furthest west of the five landing beaches on D-Day, was divided into three sections (Tare Green, Uncle Red, and Victor). At the end of the assault, less than 3000 of the 33,000 were listed as casualties (mostly Airborne Soldiers).
The invasion of Utah Beach was not just an invasion by land forces; it also included naval and Air Forces. It all started an hour before midnight on June 5th, 1944, with Allied forces dropping bombs near the planned beach landings. Two hours later, 13,000 paratroopers were dropped behind the enemy lines in an attempt to neutralize German defenses. At 0530, Allied naval forces launched a barrage of fire at the German defenses along the coast and inland at Azeville and Crisbecq batteries.
Azeville Battery
Azeville Battery is located 9.3 miles from Utah Beach near the French village of Azeville and was part of Nazi Germany’s Atlantic Wall defense along the Normandy shoreline. The battery contained four WWI-era French 105 mm and four casemates spaced 130 feet apart. The outer walls of the casemates were painted to look like local ruined buildings.
Azeville fell to the Allied forces on June 9, 1944, just three days after the invasion commenced.
2024 Imagery from Google Maps, showing an aerial view of the Azeville Battery in Azeville, France.
2019 photo on Google Maps showing the Azeville Battery in Azeville, France.
Crisbecq Battery
The Crisbecq Battery was constructed in the summer of 1941 as part of Nazi Germany’s Atlantic Wall defense along the Normandy shoreline. The battery was armed with three Czechoslovakian 21 cm Kanone 39 guns, one Spanish 150mm anti-aircraft gun, and six French 75mm anti-aircraft guns (Canon de 75 modèle 1897).
Allied forces forced the Germans to evacuate the battery on June 11th, just five days after the start of the invasion.
2019 photo on Google Maps showing the Azeville Battery in Azeville, France.
Starting during the early morning hour at 0610, the entire coastline was pounded by bombs dropped from B-26 bombers, with the last bomb being dropped at 0625, just five minutes before the first landing craft was due to arrive on the beach.
The first Landing Craft, Vehicle Personnel (LCVP or Higgins boat) landed at 0630. The first man to step foot on the beaches (Utah Beach) of Normandy was US Army Captain Leonard T. Schroeder Jr. (commanding officer of Infantry Rifle Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division). Like most of those landing on the beach, he was carrying around 70 pounds of equipment. They waded in waist-deep water, holding their weapon over their head as they trudged to the shoreline.
By nightfall on June 6th, over 23,000 men had landed on Utah Beach
Today, Utah Beach has removed most of the WWII military equipment, and most of what indicates the WWII battle today are modern monuments and memorials.
Utah Beach
Utah Beach from 2021 on Google Maps – Built on Utah Beach around one of the original German Bunkers (WN5) the Utah Beach Museum (Musée du Debarquément Utah Beach) is located on the site where American forces landed.
Utah Beach Museum
Utah Beach Landing Museum from 2022 on Google Maps – This drone image shows the museum and a very long stretch of the beach both to the east and west.
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach was a 6-mile stretch where the U.S. Army’s 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions (34,000 troops strong) landed and faced the German 352nd Infantry Division. Many of the casualties were soldiers that either drowned during the to the beach or were killed by defending German fire.
Omaha Beach was the second to the west of the five landing beaches on D-Day and was divided into eight sections (Charlie, Dog Greed, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green, and Fox Red). At the end of the assault, only 2,400 of the 34,000 were listed as casualties.
The landing on Omaha was marked with trouble from the start. In the early hours of D-Day, Allied bombers had dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on the German beach defenses. But in Omaha, the precision of the bombing is lacking: disabled by a very strong fog and by low clouds, the bombers drop their bombs a few seconds too early or too late. The result is catastrophic for the Allies: the 13,000 dropped bombs miss their targets and explode inland, a few kilometers from the beaches.
Widerstandsnest 62
WN 62 or Widerstandsnest 62 (Resistance Nest 62) overlooks Easy Red and Fox Green Sectors of Omaha Beach. WN-62 was the most effective resistance nest on the Omaha beach coastline.
The troubles for the Allies continued as 27 of the 29 specially fitted Sherman tanks from the 116th Regiment sank in the choppy waters in the English Channel. Strong tidal currents and navigation errors blew most of the landing craft off course.
At 0830, all beach landing efforts ceased at Omaha so the Navy could start hitting German fortifications again. By 1200, German fire had greatly decreased due to naval gunfire. By nightfall, the 1st and 29th divisions held positions around Vierville, Saint-Laurent, and Colleville—nowhere near the planned objectives, but they had a toehold and had landed 34,000 troops on the beach.
The objective of the 1st Division was to capture the villages of Vierville, Saint-Laurent, and Colleville, push through and cut the Bayeux-Isigny road, and attack south toward Trévières and west toward the Pointe du Hoc.
Omaha Beach has removed most of the old WWII equipment, except for several German bunkers that remain spread out along the beach.
Gold Beach
Gold Beach was a 5-mile stretch where the British 50th Infantry Division (25,000 troops strong) landed on the beach and faced the German 716th and parts of the 352nd Infantry Divisions.
Gold Beach, which was the middle of the five landing beaches on D-Day was divided into four sections (How, Item, Jig, and King). At the end of the assault, around 400 of the 25,000 were listed as casualties.
Today on Gold (British) beach, there are what look like several hundred sections of Rhino pontoons still lying on the beach in neat rows.
Upon further investigation, it turns out that what is all over Gold beach is actually a cultivated oyster farm, and what we see is actually man-made oyster beds.
Near Gold beach (Arromanches-les-Bains), you can still see some of the remains of the Phoenix breakwater concrete caissons, on Normandy Beach, used to construct Mulberry harbors after the actual beach landing.
Juno Beach
Juno Beach was a 6-mile stretch where the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armored Brigade (21,400 troops strong) landed on the beach and faced the German 716th Infantry Division.
Juno Beach, the second east of the five landing beaches on D-Day, was divided into three sections (Love, Mike, Nan). At the end of the assault, around 1,200 of the 21,400 were listed as casualties.
Due to obstacles in the water, units of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division had to delay their beach landing until high tide. However, the Germans did not place them there; they were actually what they thought were shoals, which turned out to be seaweed. The first assault landed at 0755, and over 30% of the landing vehicles were destroyed or damaged by partially submerged German obstacles and mines on the beach.
This delay also caused significant casualties for the Canadians, with the chance of becoming a casualty in that first hour almost 1 in 2. However, by nightfall, the Canadians met their objectives of landing 21,400 troops on the beach and linking up with the British from Gold and Sword Beaches.
Juno Beach is likely the most demilitarized of the five landing spots from D-Day. Most of the old WWII equipment has been removed from the beach. All that remains today as reminders of the assault are several modern memorials.
Sword beach
Sword Beach was a 5-mile stretch where the British 3rd Infantry Division (29,000 troops strong) landed on the beach and faced the German 716th Infantry Division and the 21st Panzer Division.
Sword Beach, which was the furthest east of the five landing beaches on D-Day was divided into four sections (Oboe, Peter, Queen, and Roger). At the end of the assault, around 630 of the 29,000 were listed as casualties.
The assault on Sword Beach started just after midnight on the morning of D-Day, elements from the British 6th Airborne Division launched a daring glider-borne assault, with the goal of seizing bridges inland as well as silencing artillery that threatened the beach landing forces. At 0300, the noise started with aerial and naval bombardment along the beach. The first troops stepped foot on the beach at 0725. The British 2nd Army (part of the British 8th Brigade) along with Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade and Commandos from the 177 French Marines, hit the beach with very little resistance, compared to what forces encountered on the other beaches.
The 716th German Infantry Division was composed of 29 companies and armed with 500 machine guns, 50 mortars, and 90 guns of various calibers.
The goal of the 3rd Infantry Division was to link up with Canadian and French forces from Gold and Juno Beaches and take the city of Caen, 10 miles inland, and the strategic Carpiquet airfield. By 0800, the fighting was mostly inland. By 1300, the troops from Sword Beach, linked up with the British and Canadian forces at the bridges over the Orne waterways.
At 1600, the 21st Panzer Division launched a German counterattack, with the 192nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment reaching the beach by 2000, but being halted by antitank weapons, air strikes, and Allied tanks.
By nightfall on June 6th, over 29,000 men had landed on Sword Beach
Today, just like Juno Beach, Sword Beach is mostly demilitarized with the exception of German “Dragon’s Teeth”, left along the beach in spots.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_Beach
https://www.britannica.com/place/Utah-Beach
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sword-Beach
https://www.britannica.com/place/Juno-Beach
https://www.britannica.com/place/Gold-Beach
https://www.britannica.com/place/Omaha-Beach
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/4th-infantry-division-the-easy-victory-at-utah-beach/
https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/shore-logistics-d-day-beyond/rhino-pontoon-and-dukw/
https://warandwarfare.uk/home/normandy-44/us-sector/utah-beach/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_breakwaters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_harbours
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/d-day-and-normandy-campaign
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_teeth_(fortification)#
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/first-man-beaches-normandy
https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/d-day/beaches/sword-beach
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/british-armys-battle-for-sword-beach/
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sword-Beach/Orne-and-Dives-rivers-air-assault-zones
https://www.normandywarguide.com/place/crisbecq-battery
https://www.normandywarguide.com/place/azeville-gun-battery
