Widerstandsnest 61

Pinned on the beach under relentless fire from German Widerstandsnest (Resistance points) hidden in the overlooking bluffs, US soldiers hunkered down behind the meager protection of the beach's loose stone shingle. But in one sector the Germans were in plain …

1944-06-06

48

Pinned on the beach under relentless fire from German Widerstandsnest (Resistance points) hidden in the overlooking bluffs, US soldiers hunkered down behind the meager protection of the beach's loose stone shingle. But in one sector the Germans were in plain sight, WN 61 protected an 88mm gun emplaced at beach level and fixed to fire west along the length of the beach. ln front of the dreaded gun, the lnfantry of F company, 16th regiment witnessed its deadly effectiveness against incoming invasion craft. With his officers killed, Sgt. Frank Strojny led survivors of his company and a lost boat team of E Company, 1 16th Regiment in a daring assault against the heavily fortified but thinly manned position. It was the first WN to fall.

Omaha Beach, France

Omaha, commonly known as Omaha Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, during World War II. "Omaha" refers to an 8-kilometer (5 mi) section of the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary to link the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided predominantly by the United States Navy and Coast Guard, with contributions from the British, Canadian, and Free French navies.

Wikipedia: Omaha Beach

German

Americans