Tag Archives: travel photography

June 9, 2023 · 5:35 am

D-Day — Omaha

All this week I’ll be rerunning my series on the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France. Next week I’ll return you to our Iceland/Ireland trip and beyond. In the meantime, in commemoration of the 79th anniversary of Operation Neptune (the Normandy landings) and Operation Overlord (the Battle of Normandy) in the event we now collectively refer to as D-Day:

Omaha Beach

On D-Day, the 6th of June, 1944, Omaha Beach was bleak. U.S. V Corps under the direct command of Major General Leonard Gerow would sustain the most casualties by far of any of the five invasion beaches. Between 2,000 and 4,700 U.S. servicemen would lose their lives on the bloody sands of Omaha.

Omaha Beach

Had U.S. forces failed in taking Omaha, the entire invasion would have been a disaster, as Utah would have been completely cut off from Sword, Juno, and Gold. Fortunately, after a long and brutal battle with Army forces caught between the shoreline and the bluffs overlooking the beach, elements of V Corps led heroically by on-site Brigadier General Norman Cota (played by Robert Mitchum in the superlative film The Longest Day) were able to break through stiff German resistance and rush inland.

Killing bluff overlooking Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach

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June 8, 2023 · 5:35 am

D-Day — Utah

All this week I’ll be rerunning my series on the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France. Next week I’ll return you to our Iceland/Irelandtrip and beyond. In the meantime, in commemoration of the 79th anniversary of Operation Neptune (the Normandy landings) and Operation Overlord (the Battle of Normandy) in the event we now collectively refer to as D-Day:

Utah Beach

The beach assaults on D-Day occurred at five locations. Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches lay to the east. The English took Gold and Sword. Canada led the way at Juno. The U.S. Army assaulted the two beaches to the west, Omaha and Utah, with Utah being the western-most invasion site.

M4 Sherman Tank

Leading the assault of Utah Beach was the son of a president, General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. General Roosevelt hid from his superiors a heart condition that would lead to his death just a little over five weeks after the invasion.

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

The assault forces at Utah met with surprisingly light resistance. There were 197 casualties out of the 21,000 men who landed there.

Utah Beach Navy Memorial

Those who landed on the beach just to their east were not nearly as fortunate. Next up in this series is the assault on Omaha. Until then, here are a more photos of Utah:

Utah Beach

Utah Beach Memorial

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Tagged as D-Day, Normandy Invasion, photography, R. Doug Wicker, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., travel, travel photography, Utah Beach

June 5, 2023 · 5:35 am

D-Day — Sainte-Mère-Église

82nd Airborne commemorated in stained glass

The D-Day invasion of Normandy began shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944, when English and American paratroopers began descending from the skies to their respective landing zones. Unfortunately one element of the U.S. 82nd Airborne missed their intended landing zone, coming down instead into Sainte-Mere-Èglise, where German soldiers were waiting for them

Sainte-Mère-Église “Longest Day” memorial

Among the more fortunate that day was Private John Steele, whose parachute snagged on the church steeple. Here he hung loosely, pretending to be dead as many of his comrades were shot on their descent into the town. Private Steel would later be captured, escape, and later rejoined elements of the 82nd.

Private John Steele effigy suspended by parachute

Private Steele’s ordeal was depicted by Red Buttons in the motion picture The Longest Day, based upon the outstanding bestseller by WWII historian Cornelius Ryan.