Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing and Airborne Operations on D-day, June 6, 1944

442 Pages·2006·6.57 MB·English

by  Joseph Balkoski

JOSEPH BALKOSKI
For Leah and Emma, the joys of my life
Preface ......................................xi
Chapter 1. An Unsound Operation of War .................... 1
Chapter 2. Steadfast and Loyal ............................ 26
Chapter 3. Overture to Overlord ........................... 50
Chapter 4. Night of Nights ............................... 92
Chapter 5. Hitting the Silk .............................. 115
Chapter 6. All-Americans ............................... 145
Chapter 7. So This Is France ............................ 172
Chapter 8. Get in There and Take Chances .................. 230
Chapter 9. Something to Behold .......................... 267
Chapter 10. Proud of You ................................ 290
Chapter 11. The First Day of a Long Struggle ................ 309
Appendix I: Allied Casualties on Utah Beach and in Cotentin Peninsula,
June 6, 1944 ....... 330
Appendix II: Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross Awards for
Valor on Utah Beach and in Cotentin Peninsula, June 6,
1944 ....... 332
Appendix III: First-Wave Units on Utah Beach ............... 336
Appendix IV: Initial Parachute and Glider Assault, Cotentin Peninsula,
12:20-4:15 A.M., June 6, 1944 ............................ 338
Appendix V: Ninth Air Force, IX Troop Carrier Command, June 6, 1944
............................ 341
Appendix VI: Ninth Air Force, IX Bomber Command, Utah Beach
Bombing Mission, 6:09-6:27 A.M., June 6, 1944
............... 343
Appendix VII: U.S. Navy Force U Bombardment Group ........ 344
Appendix VIII: Capt. Frank Lillyman's Pathfinder Stick, June 6, 1944
............................ 346
Appendix IX: Uniform and Equipment of U.S. Army Paratroopers, 82nd
and 101st Airborne Divisions, June 6, 1944 ....................
348
Notes ...................................... 350
Bibliography ................................ 366
Acknowledgments ............................ 372
Index ...................................... 375
1. General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery inspects U.S. Army
troops ..................... 7
2. Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley and Maj. Gen. Joseph Collins ..... 15
3. Maj. Gen. Raymond O. Barton ....................... 32
4. IX Troop Carrier Command C-47s towing gliders ........ 38
5. A U.S. Navy signalman on Utah Beach on D-Day ........ 57
6. Rear Adm. Don Moon .............................. 66
7. The 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion of VII Corps loads up
........................ 71
8. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and Rear Admirals Morton Deyo and Alan
Kirk ................... 79
9. Pilots from the 439th Troop Carrier Group assemble for D-Day
................................ 100
10. Col. George Van Horn Moseley ...................... 120
11. Col. Robert Sink ................................. 126
12. Lt. Col. Julian Ewell .............................. 131
13. Two U.S. paratroopers prepare for D-Day .............. 135
14. Col. Howard Johnson .............................. 138
15. 101st Airborne troops load a gun into a glider........... 142
16. Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division .......... 148
17. Maj. James McGinity ............................. 159
18. Brig. Gen. James Gavin ............................ 162
19. Ile de Terre under attack ........................... 175
20. Brig. Gen. Ted Roosevelt Jr ......................... 178
21. Officers of the 8th Infantry ......................... 188
22. U.S. troops landing on beach ........................ 195
23. A U.S. Army duplex drive tank ...................... 203
24. A heavy weapons company moves inland .............. 223
25. Troops from the 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion ........ 226
26. U.S. troops move through flooded area ................ 235
27. Capt. George Mabry .............................. 242
28. Lt. Col. Erasmus Strickland ......................... 253
29. American troops in front of church ................... 255
30. 1st Lt. Turner Turnbull ............................. 270
31. Two American paratroopers behind a hedgerow ......... 272
32. Col. Edson Raff points out objectives on a map ......... 279
33. A U.S. Army Sherman tank moves inland .............. 283
34. U.S. troops examine German miniature vehicles......... 302
35. A 4th Infantry Division medic and two Norman children.. 318