D-Day Smore
By: Megan Murphy and Angela Kruger
Troop Landing
- 160,000 troops landed on D-Day
5,000 ships
13,000 aircraft
first day: 3 US divisions 2 British divisions 1 Canadian division
German soldiers would stay in pillboxes
The Beaches
D-Day can also be called the invasion of Normandy, which is a beach that the Allied soldiers fought to capture. It was a stretch 50 miles that the 160,000 tried to take over.
However D-Day also involved other beaches that had differing importance. The other beaches were Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Omaha was the most heavily defended beach that connected British and US beaches. Juno was taken by the 3rd Canadian division and despite heavy opposition they made it the furthest inland.
The 101st Airborne
Waiting to Jump
The goal of the 101st airborne was to infiltrate behind German lines by parachuting before the actual attack.
During the Jump
Many of the jumpers missed their target landing spot do to heavy fog. This required the troops to find their units after landing. 15,000 troops were either killed or captured before the battle began.
After the Jump
Once reunited with their units soldiers had problems locating their target site. However after the reinforcements of the 51st arrived they were able to secure their zones.
Causalities
Stories
Roger Airgood - pilot
“On June 5th we proceeded on schedule on double daylight time. All crews and airborne reported to their aircraft at 2200 hours. This provided about 40 minutes to help load the paratroopers and check out the aircraft. We had to help load the heavily burdened paratroopers. All had leg packs tethered to their waists. These packs would be lowered after the jump so the sacks weighing 40 to 80 pounds would hit the ground first.”
Garwood Bacon - Navy
“On December 7, 1941 I called the custom house in Philadelphia where I was to be assigned and they told me they would be in touch with me for active duty. I went on active duty in February, 1942. I served as a driver for the officers investigating waterfront activities, I also boarded Spanish and Portuguese speaking vessels off of Lews, Delaware going out on the pilot boat and then going up the Delaware to the port of Philadelphia and ask questions of the crew. I examined all the way into the bottom of the ship to see whether there was any evidence of them possibly refueling German subs."
Roy Arnn - Journal
“The force of the explosion blew my helmet off and cut the corner of my left eye. I soon lost sight in my eye because blood was running into it. I turned to look back of me and tried to yell to Corporal Lee to get a medic. He looked at me with astonishment and started screaming for the medic as though he were hit. Max Norris was the medic and as he tried to get the rifle from my shoulder; it hurt something awful. I found out later that the scapula and clavicle were broken besides the deep wounds in my shoulder and leg.”