OMAHA Beach
is the one that most Europeans associate with the American
landings on D Day. The almost four miles of sandy beach
is overlooked by 100 feet high cliffs on which the Germans
had placed formidable concrete gun positions.
The initial
landings were made at 0630 hours by the 16th Infantry
Regiment of the 1st Divsion and the 116th Infantry Regiment
of the 29th Division attached for the assault. The 116th
suffered particularly badly from heavy German fire.
A National Guard formation, the 116th lost 23 men from
the small town of Bedford, Virginia, alone, including
two sets of brothers.
These losses
and the actions around them form the opening of the
film 'Saving Private Ryan' and the severe losses on
the beaches gave the landings the name 'Bloody Omaha'.
Above the
sands is the beautiful American Normandy Cemetery and
around the area are three museums and a number of monuments
all of which are fully described in our guide book.
To find out
more please click here.
