The LCVP

Operation Overlord: The Normandy Invasion

Allied planners chose a fifty mile stretch of beach along France’s Normandy coastline east of the Cotentin peninsula to attack Nazi-held Europe. Allied forces made the invasion on five beaches along the coast (see map). The U.S. landed on the western beaches, code-named Omaha and Utah; the British attacked two eastern beaches, Gold and Sword, with the Canadians in between at Juno. Hours before the invasion, both the U.S. and British armies dropped airborne divisions behind the invasion beaches to disrupt enemy communications and secure key areas.
The Allies secured five beachheads that day at the cost of over 10,000 casualties. Despite the heavy casualties, these landings provided the Allies with the foothold they needed to begin the final campaign to liberate Nazi-held Europe.

The 1st Division, with two attached regiments of the 29th Division, landed on Omaha Beach as part of Force “O,” consisting of 34,000 men and 3,000 vehicles. Omaha was the hardest fight that day with the Germans well entrenched in the bluffs overlooking the landing site. American forces suffered over 3,000 casualties during the battle for Omaha Beach.

Images (Click to Enlarge)