D-Day

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Power point by Robert L. Martinez Primary Content
Source Speaking of America Vol. II, by Laura
Belmonte
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• On June 6, 1944, the Allied Invasion of western
  Europe (known as D-Day or Operation Overlord)
  began.

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• U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower coordinated a
  huge force of 2,000 ships, 10,000 planes, 4,126
  landing craft, and hundreds of tanks and other
  vehicles in an attack on the shores of Normandy,
  France.

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• One hundred and thirty-two thousand American,
  British, and Canadian troops were transported
  across the English Channel.

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• They assaulted five beaches code-named Utah,
  Gold, Juno, Sword, and Omaha.

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• While the British and Canadian contingents met
  little opposition, American forces encountered
  fierce resistance, especially at Omaha Beach.

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• U.S. soldiers from the 1st and 29th Infantry
  Divisions, along with Army Rangers and amphibious
  tanks, were ordered to secure Omaha Beach.

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• They sustained heavy casualties, but succeeded in
  completing their mission.

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• By late August, more than 1 million Allied troops
  had landed at Normandy and swept through France.

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• After liberating Paris, they headed toward the
  German border.

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• Although supply problems and a reorganized German
  army soon stopped the Allied offensive, the D-Day
  operation turned the tide of the war in Europe.

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• In the following reading, Bob Slaughter, a member
  of the 29th Infantry Division, recalls landing at
  Omaha Beach.

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• We saw the bomb explosionsWe were twelve miles
  offshore

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• Prior to landing, friends said their so longs
  and good lucksThe feeling amongst most of the
  men was that the landing would be a walk-in
  affair later we could expect a stiff
  counterattack.

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• The English Channel was extremely rough, and
  it wasnt long before we had to help the crafts
  pumps by bailing with our helmetswe were soaking
  wet.

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• As the sky lightenedthe smoking and burning
  French shoreline also became more definedthe
  huge guns of the Allied navies opened up with
  what must have been one of the greatest artillery
  barrages ever.

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• Twin-fuselaged P-38 fighter bombers were also
  overhead protecting us from the Luftwaffe German
  air force and giving us a false sense of
  security.

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• About two or three hundred yards from shore we
  encountered artillery fire. Near misses sent
  water skyward and then it rained back on usI
  thought, if this boat doesnt hurryIll die from
  seasickness.

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• About 150 yards from shore, I raised my head
  despite the warningTracer bullets were bouncing
  and skipping off the ramp and sides as the enemy
  zeroed in on the boat which had beached a few
  minutes before us.

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• Great plumes of water from enemy artillery and
  mortars sprouted close byWe expected A and B
  Companies to have the beach secured by the time
  we landed.

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• The ramp went down while shells exploded on land
  and in the water. Unseen snipers were shooting
  down from the cliffs, but the most havoc came
  from automatic weapons.

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• When I did get out, I was in the water. It was
  very difficult to shed the sixty pounds of
  equipment, and if one were a weak swimmer he
  could drown before he inflated his Mae West life
  vest. Many hit in the water and drowned, good
  swimmers or not.

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• I noticed a G.I. running, trying to get across
  the beachan enemy gunner shot him. He screamed
  for a medic. An aidman moved quickly to him and
  he was also shotboth of them screamingboth died
  in minutes.

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• Boys turned into menany who survived would be
  frightened menDiscipline and training took over.

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• For me it was time to get the hell away from the
  killing zone and across the beachI gathered my
  courage and started running as fast as I my long
  legs would carry me. I ran low as I could to
  lessen the target

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• It was a long way to go, one hundred yards or
  more. We were loaded with gear, our shoes full of
  waterI tripped in a tidal pool of a few inches
  of water, began to stumble, and accidentally
  fired my rifle, barely missing my foot. But I
  made it

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• I had gotten sand in my rifle, so I dont
  believe we had a weapon that could fire. I felt
  like a naked morsel on a giant sandy platter.

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• I took off my assault jacket and spread out my
  raincoat so I could clean my rifle. It was then I
  saw bullet holes in my jacket and raincoat.

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• I lit my first cigarette I had to rest and
  compose myself because I became weak in the
  knees.
• - Bob Slaughter
• 29th Infantry Division

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