Seventy-one years ago today, the largest armada in known history began its invasion of the German-occupied territories of Western Europe. Operation Neptune, also known as D-Day, was the beginning of the end of the Nazis’ reign.
Approximately 133,000 British, Canadian, and American troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, that day. Over 10,000 of them never survived. About 4,900 of those killed were American.
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Journal entries from the 16th Infantry Regiment who landed on Omaha Beach June 6, 1944:
6 June 44
0630 – First wave lands on schedule on beach of Normandie France (see Field Order #5, Hq CT 16) and meets fierce resistance on beaches. Beach is under heavy machine gun and rifle fire. No advance made inland as beaches were fully covered by pill boxes and mine fields just inland from beaches.
0730 – Forward CP lands. Beach still under small arms and machine gun fire. No advance made inland. Casualties extremely heavy. Slight artillery fire on beach. Heavy machine gun fire covering all exits and the entirebeach.
0805 – Rear CP lands. Beach still under heavy fire. CP established on beach and infiltration started thru right flank of area at small break thru. Mine field cleared out and all troops on beach commence moving off to flank.
0830 – First four prisoners all from 8th Co, 916th Regiment, 352nd Div., brought in.
1000 – CP established just off beach on side of hill at 684895. Battalions are moving forward, but are out of contact with regimental CP. Beach and entire territory still under heavy fire and companies are meeting heavy resistance. Several landing craft have received hits and troops still landing on the beach are receiving artillery fire, causing medium casualties. Things are becoming organized, however, and the situation is beginning to clear.
1055 – 1st and 2nd Bns. get contact with the regimental SP and are moving forward slowly, hitting very heavy resistance.
1115 – CO to CO 2nd Bn – 2nd Bn. is to hold up at point 38. Do not move further forward until you hear from us.
1120 – S-3 to S-3 1st Bn – Hold up at 38. Right, and we have contact with 2nd Bn. The 5th Co. is reported to be located at Surrain.
1135 – Negative report to Division by radio.
1145 – S-3 to EX 1st Bn-2nd Bn., 18th has landed. They will go in on your right. They will take your objective. You dip in and prepare for an counterattack. OK. A is on the right, C is on the left, with B Co. following. We are still advancing slowly.
1145 – S-3 to CO 2nd Battalion – I talked to Capt. Smith and told him about the 18th. How soon can you move the rear part of your SP here by us up forward? We have someone on the way back now to pick them up and guide them forward.
1205 – EX 1st Bn to CO-Can we get any tanks up to Colleville-sur-Mer? A: No, none of them are up to here yet. They aren’t off the beach. However, as soon as we can possible get anything up, we will shoot it up to you. Keep yelling for it.
1210 – CO Can Co to S-3-We must have some tanks or artillery up here soon. Will you see what you can do about it for us? A-OK.
1220 – Information received that the 3rd Bn, 18th Inf., was in, but location at the present time was not given. Probably only a rumor.
1223 – Message to CO 3rd Bn-2nd Bn. has had units in Colleville-sur-Mer for some time. 1st Bn. landed on the left of E-1, and is pushing in to assist the 2nd Bn. in taking its objective.
1232 – EX 1st Bn to S-2- A Co. is at 678892. Part of B Co. is with them, and the rest is in reserve. We are going over to Point 19 first, and then towards 38. C is at 681884, moving very slowly. Capt. Meredino, Co. B., said he lost about 12 men from pill boxes firing on them. He couldn’t get contact with the Battalion. Major Driscoll said he wanted him over on the right. Major Driscoll to S-3 – We are 100 yards NW of 20. We are still pushing.
1255 – In with 3rd Bn. by wire.
1245 – Msg. to CG 1st Div-Prisoners stated that the CP 10th Co., 726th at St. Laurent- sur-Mer. CP 12th Co., 726th at Grandcamp-les-Bains. That is in the 116th Sector. 916th in sector of 16th Inf. CP, 5th Co., 916th at Surrain. The 916th relieved the 915th two weeks ago.
1301 – Out by wire with 2nd Bn.
1312 – 1st Bn., 18th Inf. land and is passing thru the CP area, moving forward.
1318 – Major Lauten to 1st Bn – Lt. Kolb is trying to find your CP and will follow the wire line up.
1326 – S-3 to 2nd Bn Fwd- Where are you? A: CP is now moving forward. We are not in contact with them just now. They took a radio with them to keep in contact with us.
1327 – S-3 to 1st Bn – Are you with Major Driscoll now? A: No, he is at the forward CP and we can’t contact him now. However, I can give you the dope. A Co. is pinned down by a strong point, just at the head of the draw there at E-2, over by 20, West of Colleville B Co. is going along, sending a couple of sections over to help out C Co. C Co. is 100 yard NW of Point 20. The Naval Shore Fire Control Party is out with Major Driscoll now. The 2nd Bn. is held down. We are in buildings S and E of 20. There is stuff all around. S-3: Artillery fire is coming in on the beach now. A: Well, I can’t see where it is coming from up here.
1355 – White out by wire.
1422 – More prisoners brought in. Prisoners have been coming in by twos and threes since the landing.
1425 – Msg. 2nd Bn to CO-Co I held up at Pt 8. Co. I unable to assemble forces to advance and has the enemy infiltrating his position. Co. L same situation as Co. I. Co. I and L are just beyond Pt 9. Tanks and reinforcements needed. Time: 1330.
1440 – 1st Bn to S-2-C Co. the same as before, and B Co. has moved up to the right of them. There is no other change.
1502 – S-2 to 2nd Bn – Have they cleaned out the town yet? A: The last report I had a half-hour ago was that they were just on the outskirts of town. I will check by the 300 set and let you know.
1515 – 2nd Bn to S-2-Capt Dawson started into the town. He had a small counterattack. He had a couple of sections as far as the church. Wozenski is trying to clean up. Dogtag is going thru the town. S-3: Halftracks are in. I am sending them up. What is you CP location? A: The CP is at 683885. We have contact with the 1st Bn only by means of passing men. The 2nd Bn., 18th, is passing through. E Co. is working up on the right, between G and Red. We received information from a civilian that there were about 150 Jerries in Colleville-Sur-Mer. We have only about 200 men left; 115 in G, 2 officers and 40 men in E, and 2 officers and 12 men in F. There are possibly 20 more around.
1540 – 2nd Bn. to S-2: What is the latest with Blue? A: Not so good. Part of I Co. didn’t land. Very low on strength.
1540 – 1st Bn to S-2: C Co. is moving very slowly. B is on our Right, moving slowly, because of machine gun fire. As far as we know, A Co. is in the same spot.
1640 – S-2 to switchboard: Are we in Danger Advance? A: No, sir.
1725 – In by wire with Decoy.
1800 – Capt. Smith, 1st Bn., to S-2: Major Driscoll says we need stuff up here to take out these pillboxes. If we can’t get it, we will be held up. We’re leaving this for your consideration.
1830 – 26th Infantry landing on the beach at 1830 hours. A few enemy artillery shells landed near them along the beach. Shortly after, the cruisers and artillery guns opened up for a short period of time.
1935 – Cruisers and ships firing heavy counter battery on guns firing on beach.
1940 – Enemy barrage of artillery landing along the beach where the troops are landing. Casualties light.
2045 – S-4 to Danger 6: Do you have an ammunition supply? A: We don’t have any as yet. S-4: Do you have any transportation yet? A: No. We are getting some in on DUWKs and as soon as they come in, we will send you one of the DUWKs with ammunition. It will come in at E-1.
2048 – Delight line is out.
2100 – Capt. Robbins to Major Heath-A German prisoner had two maps on him with 3 spots underlined. Believe they are strong points. These are at 659874, in vicinity of the road; 665874, running along the road to the road junction and road north of it at 666875; and at Surrain, they had underlined around 670859. Very little change.
2115 – Col. Pickett, Div. Sig., to Mr. Wiles-What is your equipment status? A: We are very short on our signal equipment. All the men that were carrying equipment were hit and we had to salvage what we could off the beach. Col. Pickett: OK. I will try to get you another signal crew and what equipment I can.
2124 – Capt. Bour, White 1, to S-1: Any improvement on the evacuation of wounded? A: If at all possible, we will send them out to the ships tonight. Send them up to us as soon as you can, and we will take care of getting them out.
2140 – S3 18th to S3: Williamson is located just north of goose egg on your map. One company at 702872, one at 702872, one at 695873, and one at 788875. They are advancing to the high ground and then will move toward the West. We are holding back our 1st Bn. Do you have anyone in Colleville? A: Not that we know. S3 18th: Is your 2nd Bn. at 682878 and your 1st Bn. at 679878? A: Yes, that is right.
2145 – Danger 2 to S2: What’s the situation in front of you? A: Very vague. There is a pill box in the draw near Colleville, and its causing us trouble. G2: Is the enemy close to the edge of Colleville? A: The 18th is at the top of the hill south of Colleville, but our right flank is still held by the enemy. There is no enemy North of the road except at E-3 exit, where there is a pill box. There’s a heavy gun at Formigny and a few small ones at Russy. A few tanks were seen yesterday in Colleville. G2: What about your left company? A: They are on the edge of Lahammeroe. G2: Did you run into any tanks? A: No reports of any today. We got prisoners from 10th and 14th companies. 916th is the only company we are in contact with now. G2: There is a lot of shelling from the southeast and the Maisy area.
2205 – G3 to S3: Any more dope on your two units near Colleville? The General says that place must be cleandd out tonight. The 18th has two battalions in front of you. A: No, no more dope on them.
2242 – Danger 4 to S3: Do you know where the temporary vehicle area is? A: Yes. It is atc#-1. Capt. Fish has been out there. G4: I’m setting up a temporary ammunition dump there. The ammunition will be rationed. Do you know anything about the 116? A: Yes. They are getting along OK. They are southwest of St. Laurent. Capt. Toby, 7th FA to S2:
2255 – Capt. Toby, 7th FA to S2: I had a report from a Medic that people in St. Laurent had 29 Jerries billeted with them. They left tonite and were to meet in Louvieres.
2257 – S2 to danger 2: Col Evans, we had a report from the 7th FA, who talked to some civilians who said that 29 Officers who had been billeted at St. Laurent. They were gone tonight and the officers were to meet at Louvieres.
2300 – Major Tegtmeyer to Col Ficchy: We are not able to evacuate any of our people. There are no evacuation facilities at the beach and something must be done. A: We will try and see that this is taken care of at once.
2310 – CO 2nd Bn to S2: Can you give me any dope? A: Yes. Two battalions of the 18th are on that hill by you. CO: OK. People are infiltrating. We are digging in and need reorganization. Tell the Colonel.
2310 – Air raid on ships, beach, and short distance inland.
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Excerpt of a message from General Eisenhower to General Marshall, June 6, 1944:
Yesterday, I visited British troops about to embark and last night saw a great portion of a United States airborne division just prior to its takeoff. The enthusiasm, toughness and obvious fitness of every single man were high and the light of battle was in their eyes.
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Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division–one of the first Allied waves during the June 6th, 1944, assault–lands at Omaha Beach.
After a day of brutal fighting, Allied forces move their cargo vehicles onto shore.
US soldiers, possibly from the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, recover the remains of their fallen comrades at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.
Monument to the American Soldier, erected by his brothers somewhere on the beaches of Normandy soon after the battle.
Sources: the US Army, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Eisenhower Presidential Library, and Reuters
