Omaha Beach 1944

6 June 1944. In the grey light of dawn the landing craft carrying the assault wave of two US divisions as well as the Engineers and the Rangers, advanced towards the beach that was their assigned objective, codenamed Omaha. Exhausted by the crossing and suffering from sea sickness, the assault units were convinced, however, that the German defences had been crushed by the aerial and naval bombardment. In fact, sheltering in their coastal fortifications which they had still been working to improve the evening before, the German infantry waited until the American reached the shoreline before opening fire.

0630 hrs. The landing craft of the first wave beached and lowered their ramps. That was the moment the enemy was 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. In the second part the book evokes the landing of the successive waves followed by a blow by blow account of the GI,s on the beach under a hail of fire in the middle of the anti-invasion obstacles. Overall it explores in words and images all the violence and horror of the fighting.