Rebecca, Can You See Me?

Captain Frank L. Lillyman led his Pathfinders out the door of their C-47 troop transports and into the night sky over Normandy. At 0015 hrs. 6 June 1944, when his boots struck the dew soaked grass, Lillyman became the …

1944-06-06

BOH01

Captain Frank L. Lillyman led his Pathfinders out the door of their C-47 troop transports and into the night sky over Normandy. At 0015 hrs. 6 June 1944, when his boots struck the dew soaked grass, Lillyman became the first U.S. soldier to set foot in France. His unit consisted of three teams of Pathfinders and a Security detail, and his mission was to establish and secure Drop Zone A, located south of St. Germain de Varreville. Part of the operation called for him to set radar beacons, called Eureka units, designed to reply to signals emitted by the Rebecca transmitters mounted in the C-47s. Using these beacons, the C-47s would guide themselves to their drop zones. With thirly minutes until the assault force dropped, two Eurekas, and a handful of Pathfinders, Lillyman would have to press hard to set the beacons in time... - Paul J. Pratt and Mark Walker

St.germain De Varreville, France

Utah, commonly known as Utah 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 (D-Day), during World War II. The westernmost of the five code-named landing beaches in Normandy, Utah is on the Cotentin Peninsula, west of the mouths of the Douve and Vire rivers. Amphibious landings at Utah were undertaken by United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided by the United States Navy and Coast Guard as well as elements from the British, Dutch and other Allied navies.

Wikipedia: Utah Beach

American

Germany