Omaha Beach was the code name of one of the main landing points of the Allied invasion of the France occupied by the Germans in the landings of Normandy of June 6, 1944, during the Second World War. The beach was located on the northern coast of France, facing the English Channel, and was 8 km long, extending from the east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to the west of Vierville-sur-Mer. It was necessary a landing in this place to be able to connect the British landings of the east with the American landing of the west, assuring therefore the coast of Normandy. Taking Omaha would be the responsibility of the United States Army troops, and the maritime transport of these troops was provided by the United States Navy and elements of the British Royal Navy.
On D-Day, the 29th Infantry Division, which was joined by eight American Ranger companies redirected from Pointe du Hoc, would storm the western half of the beach. The 1st Infantry Division, hardened by the battle, was assigned the eastern half. The waves of initial attacks, consisting of tanks, infantry and sappers, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defenses and allow the arrival of large ships for the next waves. The main objective in Omaha was to secure a beachhead about eight kilometers deep, between Port-en-Bessin and the Vire River, connecting with the British landings at Gold Beach, to the east, and reaching the Isigny area west to connect with the VII Corps, which would land on the Utah beach. To face the landings was the experienced 352nd Infantry Division. Deployed in fortified positions along the coast, the German strategy was based on defending any assault by sea on the coastline.
On D-Day in Omaha, little happened as planned. Difficulties in the navigation caused that, throughout the day, most of the landing craft did not reach their objectives. The defenses were unexpectedly strong and inflicted numerous casualties on US troops as soon as they disembarked. Under intense fire, the sappers advanced with difficulty to remove obstacles from the beach, causing subsequent landings to accumulate in the few channels that had been cleared. Weakened by the casualties received as soon as they disembarked, the surviving assailant troops could not clear the exits from the beach, strongly defended, causing more problems and their consequent delays for the subsequent landings. Finally small penetrations were achieved by groups of survivors who carried out improvised assaults, climbing the cliffs between the best defended points. At the end of the day they had won two small isolated safe positions that, against the weaker defenses of the inland, were later used to achieve the original objectives of D-Day during the following days.
