(3/6) Timewatch Omaha Beach World War II

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At six miles wide, Omaha was the largest of the landing areas, with the toughest defense. The water and beach were littered with mines and the entire beach being overlooked by 30-metre cliffs. The experienced 352nd German Infantry Division had the beach covered.
The 1st Infantry assault experienced the worst ordeal of the D-Day operation. All but two out of 29 amphibious tanks sank and almost all the senior officers were killed or wounded as they set foot on the beach. Despite a 50% casualty rate, the survivors regrouped and pressed on.
Aided by heavy naval bombardment, the infantry crossed the beach and began scaling the cliffs. Paratroops closed in on the German defense from behind, enabling the beach exits to be secured by midday.
The Americans suffered 2,400 casualties at Omaha on June 6th, but 34,000 Allied troops had landed by nightfall.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• World
• War
• II
• D-Day
• Omaha
• Beach
• 1st
• Infantry
• German
• Division

[rms46a]

Where was the 101 Airbone?

[2bn442RCT]

Inland all over the place in miss drops behind Utah and Omaha Beach. However, they did an excellent job regrouping with a hodge podge of troops from different units and took objectives.

[2bn442RCT]

Please confine your comments to D-Day, Omaha beach or World War II in the west. Ranting is completely unacceptable.

[rangerbobcat]

@brssgirl There was a try at a mass bombing. But the pilots were so worried about dropping bombs onto the ships below made them hold off too long. Hundreds of bombs were dropped onto the Normandy fields behind the bluffs

[brssgirl]

Beach was only 6 miles long so 200 bombers dropping strings of bombs could have covered every inch of defences tith bombs and strafing.

bad planning by Colonel Bloodkocks with little concern for men and thinking swet in Charge of Light Brigade era

[brssgirl]

600 germans with say 50 MGs could kil thousands of americans.

there shoudl have been a mass bombing in the few minutes as boats were heading to shore

[Lightblinder]

damn, rommel sure did a good job with those reinforcements....

off topic: wth it looks like that guy on 6:57 is using a laptop Oo

[nico1m]

yeah don't ever fuck with the germans

[christof139]

Yest more arty. from the 716th Div. was also zeroed in on Omaha. 1 Nebelwerfer battery was also at Omaha, but was knocked out by a US destroyer with direct fire. Lots of MGs of all types from ccaptured stores as well as German types were emplaced, H-39, R-35, FT-17 tank turrets with short 37mm guns & FT-17 w/MGs along with 1 or 2 MkIV turrets with short 75s were also emplaced, lots of mortars of 50 - 120mm, & plenty of AT guns & light arty. for direct fire.

[christof139]

Additional German arty. was also available in the form of some coastal batteries & a decent number of Flak 88s behind & to the sides of the 5-6 mile (~8 - 9.6km) beach front.

There were only 5 exits (draws. gullies) that lead up through the high bluffs fronting the beach that vehichles could use to move off the beach, & the roads were blocked by walls in some of them & they were well defended. The bluffs between the draws had trenches, bunkers, etc. & were also defended, & mine fields all over

[christof139]

@MalteseFalcon786, 352 Div. wasn't 1st class & has many young troops in it, leavened with vets. but short of officers, NCOs & training. It was well equipped & had spirit, but its arty. was limited to 1 basic load of ammo. 1 Bn. of the 716th Static Inf. Div. was also manning the beach defences along with some detachments from the 352nd, ~699 or so troops. Fresh troops of the 352nd came up to the beaches during the battle.

[tachuyable]

@6:57 posting status message on his facebook with his laptop =))

[debzeppeliniv]

@rms46a parachuting over France, a few hrs before they hit the beaches..... Airborne??? lol D ;o H