Omaha Beach

Map of Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc

 

Omaha Beach - Defences

Units:

Directly at the coast in Widerstandsnestern (Resistance nests)

CO General Wilhelm Richter

HQ in Caen (where the Caen Memorial is now located)

Strenght / Division ca. 7.770 Men about half of the men the Division should have had.

Regiments:

726 und 736

In the second Line:

Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss HQ at Le Molay-Littry

Grenadier Regiment 916 [Oberst Goth - HQ in Trevieres]

2 Batalions

Grenadier Regiment 915 [Oberstleutnant Karl Meyer ]

2 Batalions

Grenadier Regiment 914 [ Oberstleutnant Ernst Heyna]

2 Batalions

List of Resistance Nests (Widerstandsnester) from East to West

WN 60 East of WN 61 on a little hill east of Colleville

overlooks  "La Revolution" bay

Consisted of:

Trechsystem for small arms

1 Tobruk for a Renault MG-Turret

Plattform for 2cm Flak 

Shelter for ca. 8 Men1x 7,5 cm Gun

4xGranatwerfer (grenade launchers)

Strength: 40 Men

History:

WN60 was taken from the east, as they had no view on the beach.

German 20mm

WN 61

East of the valley of Colleville (E-3 Draw) 

To get there use the the little road leading to the sea at the center of Colleville

across the town hall. follow the signs: OMAHA BEACH or Plage D'Omaha

Consisted of:

1 x 8,8 cm protected by a Bunker (finished at 25.04.1944) had the job to guard the beach from the east to the west. The only other 8,8 cm as at WN 72. This is where the National Guard monument is at Vierville.

You'll find a Tobruk - mabe for a tank turret, othe sources talk about a 50mm AT-gun.

You'll also find some tobruks for Machine guns.

WN 61 had to seal the beach from the easterly side. An AT-ditch ran across to stop enemy movents. This ditch was later used as a first aid post.

Strength : >20 Men

Copyright WN61 by David Benjamin copyright by david Benjamin
The photos are provided by David Benjamin

Here are more Pictures from David

WN 62 Largest Strongpoint of Omaha Beach

Western Stronpoint of the E-3 Draw

Use the same road from Colleville and continiou to the little parking lot. Then you can walk up to the strongpoint. You can also use the walkway from the cemetery down to the beach and turn right until yu see the casemates.

Strength: 35 Men

21 Infantry soldiers of 3. Kompanie 726 Regt. 716 ID 

7 soldiers of Artillerieabteilung 352 ID

They had a concrete shelter and observation post that was connected to a bunker for the radio man.

The survivior Hein Severloh explained the locationto me in October 2001

7 Infantry soldiers of 916 Gren Reg / 352 ID

Armement:

1 Bunker for the soldiers with connecting trenches to a bunker with "Lichtsprechgerät" (device that sent phone signals via a light beam to a receiving unit) to communicate 

with WN 63.

2 Casemates (Typ H669) für Tcheque 7,5 cm Guns, both were not finished on D-Day. the steel embrassures for the guns had not arrived yet.

Tobruks for 5cm GranatwerferMaschine gun Tobruk

Trenches (also not yet finished) for small arms

5cm AT-gun 

Heavy maschine gun position of Franz Gockel

1 50mm AT-gun of 916 Gren Reg was on the upper part of WN62 facing down E-3 draw.

It knocked out on Sherman tank and was not visible from the sea side.

Looking wet to east / Locaton of Franz Gockels heavy maschine gun

Franz Gockel, Marc the TV Producer for National Geographic TV and the phtographer at Franz Gockels old resting place at WN 62

Harley Reynolds 1st ID USA / Jimmie Green LCA Flotilla GB / Franz Gockel Germany

Franz Gockel 1944

June 2002

 

WN 63 On the left hand side when you drive down E-3 Draw from Colleville. You can only see a door in the bushes.

It was only a command post.

There are two main rooms and a rear exit that leads on the plateau fromwhere you can see WN 62.

WN 64 Weak point of the defences.

Driving down from St. Laurent to the beach it is on the right hand side on top of the plateau. 

H 612 Bunker for a russian 7,62 cm gun - not finishedThe old gas station at St. Laurent

Trenches / barbed wire / mines

2cm FLAK

2 x Grenade launchers in Tobruks 

 

WN 65 At the westside of the Rouquet Valley (E - 1 Draw)

Everybody knows the picture of GI's (2nd ID) moving up a bluff on Omaha.

Armement:

H 677 Bunker for 5o mm AT-gun  - the gun is still there -

2 x 5cm grenade launchers in Tobruks

1 x  additional 5o mm AT

1 x 75 mm up the road to St. Laurent.

Careful this road is a one way street you can only drive downhill from St. Laurent. 

On top of the bluff you will find a memorial for the 1st provisional Air field at Omaha.

Memorial for provisional airfield

WN 65 The Bunker knocked out by Dal Estes Company

WN 66 Drive back from WN65 and park at one of the parking lots in front of the two Restaurants.

WN 66 is on the eastern side of D-3 Draw.

Armement:

1 x Bunker 5o mm AT - not finished 

2 x Tobruk for heavy grenade launchers

1 x 5o mm AT on the bluff 

Various trenches on top of the bluff

Between WN 66 and 68 was an AT-ditch. A concrete wall sealed off the road leading 

up D-3 Draw

Grenade Launcher

WN 67 Nebelwerfer emplacement / Nebelwerfer Abteilung 84

Drive up D-3 Draw to St. Laurent where the traffic circle is.

After you passed the museum you will see crossroads.

The emplacement was about in that area on top of the eastern plateau. 

 

Armement:

Nebelwerfer/Multiple Rocket Lauchers

Caliber 32 , about 25 bis 35 

The lauchers were made out of wood

One controlbunker

The locals and veterans say that no rocket was fired, because they not arrived yet.

 

WN 68  

On the other side of WN 66 on the western plateau

Stretching fom the plateau down to the Restaurant L'Omaha

Behind the beach was a Tobruk with Panzer IV Turret

 

Above 2 Tobruks with Renault Turret

1 x 50mm AT gun

1 concrete structure on the bluff with 2 gun slits.

A network of trenches to connect the bunkers

At the beach, you'll find the marker for the first American cemetery

Harley Reynolds back on the sand 2003
WN 69 North of the street from St. Laurent to Vierville

This position does not exist any more!

In 2003 I had the chance to talk to a veteran of this strong point who lives in former east Germany now.

He said that they had 2 Artillery pieces of German origin 

1 x 20mm ADA gun

There were no concrete structures

The German Wehrmacht also called it WN 67/A

WN 70 Secured the open strtch of field between St. Laurent and Vierville on the Plateau.

You need to walk about 10 min from the street

Armement:

2 x 75 mm Guns

Tobruk MG

2 x Tobruk Grenade lauchers 50 mm 

1 x 2 cm FLAK

Barbed wire

Minefield

WN 70 from the sea on D-Day

Omaha-Beach West

WN 71 On the eastern Plateau of D-1 Draw.

From there you have an excellent view over the Beach

D-1 Exit was the most fortified sector on Omaha Beach.

Sectors: Charlie and Dog Green

Armement:

Concrete structure with gun slits to the west side

Tobruks for heavy grenade lauchers

Concrete shelters

Trenches, barbed wire, minefield

Tim Roop at  "La Pie qui Tete" honoring Donald Meirly whos truck blew up at Vierville due to German Artillery fire

WN 72  

On the west side of D-1 Draw below Vierville 

The best constructed strongpoint of the Germans at Omaha.

1 Casemate Typ H667 guarding the beach from west to east with a PAK 43 - 8,8 cm - 

Today you find the National Guard memorial on top

To stop the americans from advancing up the road was also blocked by a AT-wall.

West of the 8,8 Bunker you'll find another Bunker for a 50 mm

both bunkers were connected by trenches

2 other Tobruks 

Around the strong point were barbed wire and Mines.

88mm AT gun 56th Armored Field Artillerie Battalion Germans at D-1 Draw
29th Division Memorial at D-1 Draw Indicates the location of the ati tank wall On the right side of the 29th Division Memorial is the Ranger Memorial

 

WN 73 Small strongpoint overlooking the western bluff

1 x 75 mm Gun firing down on the beach, not visible from the sea side

Mines, trenches and barbed wire

WN 74  Time for some rest

Radarstation at Pointe de Raz

Some shelters and dug outs, Mines and trenches

 

Below; map of strongpoints by Stewart Bryant/USA      /       Another map                           

Map of Resistance points by Stewart Bryant

 

 

 

 

Home:

                                                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seitenzähler