June 6, 1944. In the gray light of dawn the landing craft carrying the
assault wave of two US divisions as well as the Engineers and the
Rangers, advanced toward the beach that was their assigned objective,
code-named Omaha. Exhausted by the crossing and suffering from sea
sicknesses, the assault units were convinced, however, that the German
defenses had been crushed by the aerial and naval bombardment. In fact,
sheltering in their coastal fortifications which they had been working
to improve up until the very evening before, the Germany infantry waited
until the Americans reached the shoreline before opening fire.
0630 hours. The landing craft of the first wave beached and lowered
their ramps. That was the moment the enemy had been waiting for, and on
the beach soon called Bloody Omaha, all hell broke loose.
This volume will allow you to discover that page of history. The first
part introduces the forces on both sides, presents the American plan and
explains in detail the German defensive positions. The second part
details the landing of the successive waves followed by a blow by blow
account of the GIs on the beach under a hail of fire in the middle of
the anti-invasion obstacles. Overall, it explores through words and
images all the violence and horror of the fighting on Omaha Beach.
