D-Day: Utah & Omaha Beaches

Utah Beach

The 4th Infantry Division began landing at Utah at 06:30 following inland airdrops by 82nd and 191st Airborne Divisions and preparatory bombardment by ships and aircraft (05:50). The assault was conducted in four waves, with the intention of securing four exit causeways. A strong current pushed the landings southeast of their intended areas (Tare Green and Uncle Red), but the division was able to neutralize defenses secure the beach by 08:30.

Good coverage of the beach near la Madeline in the vicinity of Exit 2 taken after it was secured shows vehicles moving off south in the direction of La Madeline (Graphic). A loaded LCT was headed to the beach. Coverage at the same time showed another group of vehicles near Beau Guillot, 1700 meters southeast of Exit 2 (Graphic). The vehicles appeared defensively deployed along the seawall and beneath a German strongpoint (WN 102). Three barrage balloons could be seen over the beach. Other coverage from the same time showed vehicles moving up Exit 3 (Graphic).

Earlier coverage of Utah was possibly taken before the fourth landing wave hit the beach. The tidal flats and evidence of the pre-landing bombardment could still be near La Grande Dune and Beau Guillot (Graphics). A group of Sherman tanks on the beach outside La Grande Dune may have been from the third wave that actually landed ahead of amphibious DD tanks from the first wave (Graphic).

Omaha

Two infantry divisions --the 1st and 29th -- and a Ranger battalion landed at Omaha in two assault waves. The beach had had eight landing zones: Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green and Fox Red. The assault focused valleys (Draws D-3, E-1, E -3, and F-1) for access off beach. Rough seas, a rise called a shingle 200 meters from the beach and enemy fire hampered the assault and scattered the landing units.

The same sorties that overflew Utah Beach also imaged Omaha after approximately 07:00-and 08:30. Elements of the 16th, 26th, 115th and 116th Infantry Regiments (1st and 29th Infantry Divisions, respectively) could be seen in the area between the Colleville and Les Moulins (Easy Red, Easy Green, Dog Red and Dog Green) toward the end of the first landings (Graphics).

The earlier coverage appeared to catch the second assault wave in progress: elements of the 116th infantry Regiment and 5th Ranger Battalion were arriving at Dog White, while other elements of the 116th were on the beach at Easy Red (Graphics). The tidal flats and the shingle/ shelf were more exposed (Graphic).

The oblique cameras on the P-38/F-5 were useful in capturing the action offshore. Coverage taken off Easy Green and Easy Red beaches probably during the second landing wave revealed a very busy scene (Graphics). Landing craft were headed to and from the beaches and some vehicles could be seen swimming to shore over the shingle. Three warships that participated in the pre-invasion bombardment could be seen in the area.