The Past & Present Series reconstructs historical battles by using
photography, juxtaposing modern views with those of the past. It shows
how much infastructure has remained and points to the passing nature of
things such as outfits, uniforms, and ephemera.
Of the five beaches attacked on 6 June, Omaha saw the sternest fighting.
Well-placed defenders on the high ground and extensive beach defenses
did their job. On top of this, so much had gone wrong with the first
wave: many of the amphibious DD Sherman tanks didn't reach the beach.
They were released from their landing craft too far away where the
greater swell swamped them and the troops landing on Omaha missed their
firepower. Another problem was that many units landed in the wrong
place. Strong tides and winds carried the landing craft off line and led
to confusion. Finally, the German emplacements and defenses were
well-placed on high ground and the only cover on the beach--the
seawall--was over a killing ground. There were 32 fortified areas
located between the Vire River and Port-en-Bessin: in all, 12 of these
strongpoints were able to direct fire on Omaha Beach. The attacking
forces--units of the US 29th and 1st Inf Divs--suffered over 2,000
casualties, many of them drowned during the approach, but led by US
Rangers, themselves misplaced (they were the follow-up troops to
Rudder's Rangers who had scaled the Pointe du Hoc) the American troops
pushed forward and by nightfall, they had gained hold of the beach and
its immediate hinterland. Despite the casualties, 34,000 troops had been
landed by the end of the day.
