Okla-homey
6/6/2007, 07:00 AM
June 6, 1944 Operation OVERLORD
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2324/temp0uq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
63 years ago on this day in 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the go-ahead for largest amphibious military operation in history: Operation OVERLORD, aka: "D-Day," the Allied invasion of northern France.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6906/88199eu0dk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By daybreak, 18,000 British and American paratroopers and glider troops were already on the ground. At 6:30 a.m., American troops came ashore at Utah and Omaha beaches.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8618/70x233x30lf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British soldier reads Ike's letter provided to all invading troops after they had embarked for Normandy
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6373/eisenhowerddayorder8nv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The letter he's reading
At Omaha, the U.S. First Division battled high seas, mist, mines, burning vehicles-and German coastal batteries, including an elite infantry division, which spewed heavy fire. Many wounded Americans ultimately drowned in the high tide.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3047/dday1thumb3qc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British divisions, which landed at Gold, and Sword beaches, and Canadian troops, landing at Juno beach, also met with heavy German fire, but by the end of the day they were able to push inland.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/596/pp154155rev8qe.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pp154155rev8qe.jpg)
Despite the German resistance, Allied casualties overall were relatively light. The United States and Britain each lost about 1,000 men, and Canada 355. Before the day was over, 155,000 Allied troops would be in Normandy. However, the United States managed to get only half of the 14,000 vehicles and a quarter of the 14,500 tons of supplies they intended on shore.
Three factors were decisive in the success of the Allied invasion. First, German counterattacks were firm but sparse, enabling the Allies to create a broad bridgehead, or advanced position, from which they were able to build up enormous troop strength.
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/1833/dday01klein1bq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Second, Allied air cover, which destroyed bridges over the Seine, forced the Germans to suffer long detours, and naval gunfire proved decisive in protecting the invasion troops.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7953/p47dday1hv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3235/410260vf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
All Allied aircraft taking part were painted with black&white "invasion stripes" so troops on the ground would know at a glance they were "good guys"
And third, division and confusion within the German ranks as to where the invasion would start and how best to defend their position helped the Allies. (Hitler, convinced another invasion was coming the next day east of the Seine River, refused to allow reserves to be pulled from that area.)
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/4715/dsc000098bf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
WWII reenactor portraying one of the world's most dangerous men in 1944. A paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division
While the operation was a decided success, considering the number of troops put ashore and relatively light casualties, improvisation by courageous and quick-witted commanders also played an enormous role.
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5681/eveningstandard7pi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The D-Day invasion has been the basis for several movies, from The Longest Day (1962), which boasted an all-star cast that included Richard Burton, Sean Connery, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and pop star Fabian, to Saving Private Ryan (1998), which includes some of the most grippingly realistic war scenes ever filmed, captured in the style of the famous Robert Capa still photos of the actual invasion.
Postscript:
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/15804/2004783916808651234_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004783916808651234)
Your correspondent's paternal grandfather, a professional soldier since 1916, went ashore as first sergeant of a company of the 56th Signal Battalion, a V Corps communications outfit. Today's post is dedicated to his memory.
The 56th Sig. departed home station Norton Manor Camp, Taunton, England: 1000 hours, 17May 1944. Arrived marshalling area camp D-1, near Dewlish, England: 1400 hours, 17 May 1944. Boarded LST #647 at Isle of Portland, England: 1300 hours, 2 June 1944. Sailed at 0330 hours, 5 June 1944. Disembarked at Easy Red Beach (Omaha) near St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France: 1800 hours, 6 June 1944.
The 56th Signal Battalion troops assigned to the Initial Assault on the beaches, quickly established a difficult communications network between the V Corps forces and the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions.
Numerous unit casualties resulted during this early action. During the Normandy campaign the Battalion performed necessary normal communication functions, but following the Allied breakthrough, across France Belgium and Luxemburg, the Battalion was fully extended. Radio and messenger communications were continuous and wire networks were installed to the extent that supplies of wire and gasoline were available.
The 1944-45 winter Ardennes campaign (a/k/a "Battle of the Bulge") proved the most trying test for the 56th Signal Battalion. Fierce enemy shelling and enemy penetration on all wire axis, mud, sleet and snow and impossible travel conditions required herculean efforts to keep required communications functioning to support the defense. Altogether, the 56th served 353 days in combat without a break.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7240/insane7zo9xr.jpg
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2324/temp0uq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
63 years ago on this day in 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the go-ahead for largest amphibious military operation in history: Operation OVERLORD, aka: "D-Day," the Allied invasion of northern France.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6906/88199eu0dk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By daybreak, 18,000 British and American paratroopers and glider troops were already on the ground. At 6:30 a.m., American troops came ashore at Utah and Omaha beaches.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8618/70x233x30lf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British soldier reads Ike's letter provided to all invading troops after they had embarked for Normandy
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6373/eisenhowerddayorder8nv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The letter he's reading
At Omaha, the U.S. First Division battled high seas, mist, mines, burning vehicles-and German coastal batteries, including an elite infantry division, which spewed heavy fire. Many wounded Americans ultimately drowned in the high tide.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3047/dday1thumb3qc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
British divisions, which landed at Gold, and Sword beaches, and Canadian troops, landing at Juno beach, also met with heavy German fire, but by the end of the day they were able to push inland.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/596/pp154155rev8qe.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pp154155rev8qe.jpg)
Despite the German resistance, Allied casualties overall were relatively light. The United States and Britain each lost about 1,000 men, and Canada 355. Before the day was over, 155,000 Allied troops would be in Normandy. However, the United States managed to get only half of the 14,000 vehicles and a quarter of the 14,500 tons of supplies they intended on shore.
Three factors were decisive in the success of the Allied invasion. First, German counterattacks were firm but sparse, enabling the Allies to create a broad bridgehead, or advanced position, from which they were able to build up enormous troop strength.
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/1833/dday01klein1bq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Second, Allied air cover, which destroyed bridges over the Seine, forced the Germans to suffer long detours, and naval gunfire proved decisive in protecting the invasion troops.
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7953/p47dday1hv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3235/410260vf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
All Allied aircraft taking part were painted with black&white "invasion stripes" so troops on the ground would know at a glance they were "good guys"
And third, division and confusion within the German ranks as to where the invasion would start and how best to defend their position helped the Allies. (Hitler, convinced another invasion was coming the next day east of the Seine River, refused to allow reserves to be pulled from that area.)
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/4715/dsc000098bf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
WWII reenactor portraying one of the world's most dangerous men in 1944. A paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division
While the operation was a decided success, considering the number of troops put ashore and relatively light casualties, improvisation by courageous and quick-witted commanders also played an enormous role.
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5681/eveningstandard7pi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The D-Day invasion has been the basis for several movies, from The Longest Day (1962), which boasted an all-star cast that included Richard Burton, Sean Connery, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and pop star Fabian, to Saving Private Ryan (1998), which includes some of the most grippingly realistic war scenes ever filmed, captured in the style of the famous Robert Capa still photos of the actual invasion.
Postscript:
http://aycu05.webshots.com/image/15804/2004783916808651234_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2004783916808651234)
Your correspondent's paternal grandfather, a professional soldier since 1916, went ashore as first sergeant of a company of the 56th Signal Battalion, a V Corps communications outfit. Today's post is dedicated to his memory.
The 56th Sig. departed home station Norton Manor Camp, Taunton, England: 1000 hours, 17May 1944. Arrived marshalling area camp D-1, near Dewlish, England: 1400 hours, 17 May 1944. Boarded LST #647 at Isle of Portland, England: 1300 hours, 2 June 1944. Sailed at 0330 hours, 5 June 1944. Disembarked at Easy Red Beach (Omaha) near St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France: 1800 hours, 6 June 1944.
The 56th Signal Battalion troops assigned to the Initial Assault on the beaches, quickly established a difficult communications network between the V Corps forces and the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions.
Numerous unit casualties resulted during this early action. During the Normandy campaign the Battalion performed necessary normal communication functions, but following the Allied breakthrough, across France Belgium and Luxemburg, the Battalion was fully extended. Radio and messenger communications were continuous and wire networks were installed to the extent that supplies of wire and gasoline were available.
The 1944-45 winter Ardennes campaign (a/k/a "Battle of the Bulge") proved the most trying test for the 56th Signal Battalion. Fierce enemy shelling and enemy penetration on all wire axis, mud, sleet and snow and impossible travel conditions required herculean efforts to keep required communications functioning to support the defense. Altogether, the 56th served 353 days in combat without a break.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7240/insane7zo9xr.jpg