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Omaha Beach

Eight kilometers long, the landing zone extended along the western coast of Calvados, from Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes in the east to Vierville-sur-Mer in the west, on the right bank of the Douve estuary. The objective at Omaha was to seize and then hold an eight-kilometer-deep bridgehead between Port-en-Bessin and the Vire and, as soon as possible, link up to the east with the British and to the west with the American VII Corps landed at Utah Beach in order to establish a continuous bridgehead on the Normandy coast.The capture of Omaha was the responsibility of the American command, under General Omar Bradley, and Major General Huebner for the operational part with troops from the US Army and sea transport provided by the US Navy and elements of the Royal Navy.The section of the Atlantic Wall facing the attackers was defended by around 2,000 men from two German infantry divisions: the 716th and 352nd. Multiple obstacles had been set up on the beach to prevent any landings. These obstacles were under fire from fortified positions built on the embankment and ridge and equipped with machine guns and cannons. There were also artillery observers in charge of adjusting fire from batteries deployed further inland.
On June 6at dawn, after an Allied air and naval bombardment of the German positions, the American 1st Division ("the Big Red One", an experienced unit) reinforced by a regiment from the 29th Division (which itself had never fought before) landed on this beach. The first wave landed three hours before high tide. This was essential to avoid throwing the landing barges onto the obstacles at the top of the foreshore, and to give the specially formed combined teams of engineers, navy and infantry who arrived with the first troops to land, time to destroy them and clear channels to allow the approach of the following forces and larger barges.

Chronology
5:20 am, first barges leave home ship
5:35 am, first launches of amphibious DD tanks
5:50 am, start of bombardment
6:27 am, end of bombardment
6:35 am, landing of first American assault wave
6:36 am, landing of second assault wave
8:30, temporary halt to landings, not enough space on beach and not enough clear channels
9:10, Rangers land
9:20, further fire support from Allied ships
9:30, chaos on beach and offshore
10:00, the first German fortified point, WN 64, is put out of action
11:27 a.m., American elements hold the heights of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer beach
12:30 a.m., the Americans have landed nearly 19,000 men at Omaha
13:00 p.m., a company of the 16th Infantry Regiment and men of the 116th Regiment attack the village of Colleville
15:26, failure of the counter-offensive led by the 916th German Grenadier Regiment
3:30 pm, abandonment by German soldier Heinrich Severloh of the last fortified point, WN 62
5:20 pm, call from Colonel Talley to the USS Ancon: the "circulation of wheeled and tracked vehicles on the essential area below the high-water line is open"

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