Operation Overlord saw around 156,000 Allied troops arrive in Normandy, June 6, 1944.
There are 4400 believed to have been killed in the operation Winston Churchill called ‘undoubtedly one of the most difficult and difficult that has ever occurred’.
The assault took place in two phases: an aerial landing of 24,000 British and American airborne troops shortly after midnight and an amphibious landing on the coast of France of Allied infantry divisions and armoured units at 6.30am.
With over 160,000 troops landing, this was the largest amphibious invasion in world history. There were over 195,700 Allied merchant navy and naval personnel on more than 5,000 ships.
US Army troops in a LCVP landing craft approach Normandy’s Omaha’ beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer France June 6th 1944. The landing craft was often abandoned by the infantry, which found themselves on sandbars 50-100 yards away from the beach. To reach the beach, they had to wade through water that was sometimes neck deep
US Army troops and Coast Guard crewmen manned LCVP approach a beach during D-Day. The original plan was destroyed by soldiers after the landing. There were many units that had been mis-landed, disorganized, and scattered. Many commanders had either fallen or were absent, and communication was difficult.
An LCVP landing craft from US Coast Guard attack transport USS Samuel Chase approaches Omaha Beach. The goal was to clear the beach defenses within two hours of landing. However, stubborn German defenses impeded efforts to capture the beach and caused significant delays
An LCM landing craft, manned by the U.S. Coast Guard to evacuate U.S. casualties on the invasion beaches, transports them safely to a transport for treatment. It is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties suffered by V Corps at Omaha on June 6, but sources range from 2,000 to over 5,000.
With over 160,000 troops landing, this was the largest amphibious invasion in world history. The operation involved over 195,700 Allied navy and merchant navy personnel on more than 5,000 vessels.
The landings took places along a 50-mile stretch off the Normandy coast that was divided into five sectors: Utah; Omaha; Gold; Juno; and Sword.
The attack was chaotic, with boats arriving at the wrong place and others in trouble in the water.
After the invasion of June 1944, Carentan, a northern French town, was destroyed
Forward 14/45 cannons of the US Navy battleship USS Nevada opened fire on positions ashore in the D-Day landings on Utah Beach. The navy provided the only artillery support to the troops making these tentative advances. The big guns of the battleships, cruisers, and battleships concentrated fire on the flanks, fearing that they would hit their own troops and making targets difficult to find.
The US Navy minesweeper USS Tide is sunk after hitting a mine. Its crew are assisted by the patrol torpedoboat PT-509 as well as minesweeper USS Pheasant. The strain she received from another ship trying to tow the ship to shore broke her in two, and she sank within minutes of the last survivors.
A US Army medic moves along an area of Omaha Beach to provide first aid to soldiers who were injured during the Normandy landing in Collville Sur-Mer. D-Day saw many medics, sometimes without weapons, enter battle on Normandy’s beaches. Not only did the number exceed expectations, but also the means to evacuate them were not available.
Troops were unable to establish a foothold on the beaches, but they did make a breakthrough in the following days and opened a harbor at Omaha.
They were met with strong resistance by the German forces stationed at strongpoints along its coastline.
Around 10,000 allies were injured, killed, or both, including 6,603 Americans, of whom 2,499 were fatal.
Between 4,000 to 9,000 German troops were killed. This proved to be the pivotal moment in the war, in favor of the allied forces.
The first wave of US Army troops takes cover under the fire from Nazi guns in 1944.
Canadian soldiers examine a German beach plan during D-Day landing operations. After the beachhead was secured, Omaha became the site of one of two Mulberry harbors. These artificial harbors were towed across the English Channel and erected just off shore.
US Army Rangers show off the ladders they used to storm the cliffs which they assaulted in support of Omaha Beach landings at Pointe du Hoc. After the two-day battle, the initial Ranger landing force (225 or more) was reduced to around 90 fighting men at the end.