AFTER ACTION REPORT
BRIGADIER GENERAL COMMAND aboard USS Texas commemorating D-Day (08 June 2019)

Omaha and Pointe Du Hoc - Story of a Landing

06h00 Standard British Double Summer Time (the official clock of Overlord)

The Royal Navy has failed to deliver the US Rangers to Pointe du Hoc (or Hoe as it said on the US maps). Blown like most of the invasion fleet to the East, the Rangers, realizing the error, decide not to storm Pointe de Percée and head West for their original goal.

07h30

Delayed by the storm, the Omaha landings begin as the Rangers arrive at Pointe du Hoc. For the Rangers, the innovative technology does not work as planned: All four DUKWs with ladders loaned by the London Fire Brigade find the beach too unstable and topple in the wind. The ropes to assault the cliff have all become drenched with sea water and under the weight the rockets fall short, leaving the Rangers no choice but to climb the hard way, one hand grip at a time.

At Omaha, the Seabees are tackling the German obstacles, with some success. Fortunately, the naval bombardment has kept the bunkers closed while they land, but too many fall prey to the booby traps.

08H30

Partial clearance allows landing areas on Fox White and Easy Green beaches. The others are impassable, leaving landing craft blocked on their approach. None of the Army Engineers have made it ashore, so no one has mine clearing equipment at the ready. At Fox White, remembering the training, “Die on the beach, or get off the beach”, men of the 116^th Infantry charge and find a path where no mines explode.

Over at Pointe du Hoc, under machine gun fire from concealed bunkers, the Rangers are having a tough time searching for a way up the cliffs. Many wounded need treatments on the rocks at the bottom.

09h30

Cross fire along Omaha beach is intense. Nonetheless, two platoons of deep wading Sherman tanks and three individual Duplex Drive tanks have made it ashore. Crowded by Infantry units that are seeking a way off the beach, the Sherman tanks set to their task of picking off the bunkers on the bluffs.

Lacking engineer support the infantry choose to rush the defenses. Minefields take out many, but paths are discernable, and platoon after platoon make the courageous choice to climb the bluffs.

Over at Pointe du Hoc, clearing the cliff tops, many of the US Rangers fall foul of minefields deviously placed along the cliff path. Attacks on the nearby fortifications will have to wait as wounded are lowered down the cliff to the medic station below.

12h00

The US Army Air Corps report success. Artillery of the German 312 Division that Allied intelligence had not previously detected were sighted and destroyed.

The regimental head quarters units aboard LCI(L) ships, decide the situation on the beach is too crowded and confused, so opt to continue command operations from offshore, thereby delaying the landing sequence.

US Rangers, under penetrating crossfire from both East and West, have reached Pointe du Hoc and report by signal lamp that it is unmanned with no artillery present.

Brave troops of the 116^th Regimental Combat team have either found their way behind the German bunkers overlooking Omaha or chosen to assault them directly. Hard fighting is in progress.

12h15

Exceptional Progress. The Rangers opted to storm the enemy positions that were out-flanking them to the West and despite heavy losses took the positions. Mortar shells continue to rain down upon them, so they know they must advance inland.

On Omaha beach, the rush of the incoming tide engulfs the last Sherman Tanks, leaving the poor bloody infantry alone to take the fight up the bluffs. Paths through the minefields are lost and regained, at a heavy toll, yet many strong points are taken, and all are being engaged, thus suppressing every strong point from firing at further waves of landing craft.

That said, the Germans still have officer units in the town sectors above the beach, AA units (including a platoon of the dreaded 88’s) in the bocage overlooking the landing approach, and an armored grenadier battalion of reinforcements fast approaching.