1600 Hours - Stein’s Flank

The next German effort came shortly after 1600 and was much more dangerous. It hit the right end of Company F’s thin line. Two BAR’S as well as the mortar section were on this wing, but only afew riflemen, and …

1944-06-06

P04

The next German effort came shortly after 1600 and was much more dangerous. It hit the right end of Company F’s thin line. Two BAR’S as well as the mortar section were on this wing, but only afew riflemen, and the right flank was “in the air”. Moving near the exit road, the Germans were close in on this flank before they were observed. S/Sgt. Herman E. Stein and Pfc. Closic A. Manning were near gun position No. 1, changing craters after a close burst of enemy shells, when they saw a dozen Germans, with a machine gun, almost due west and moving fast toward the Point. About the same time S/Sgt Eugene E. Elder, at the mortar, spotted some enemy to the south, close by and crawling through craters. Sergeant Stein opened up with surprise fire from his BAR at 40 yards, hit a couple of men in the group to the west, and scared the others into a short withdrawal. Stein’s fire disorganized the attack for a few valuable moments; when the Germans rallied, their firing line extended well beyond Company F’s flank, but their fire was high and wild. The few Rangers on that wing took hurried measures to meet the danger. Stein sent a message over to the mortar position, warning of the enemy’s location, and eight riflemen came over from the left to help defend against any thrust behind Company F and onto the Point. With Sgt. Murrell F. Stinette observing and relaying corrections by call to Sergeant Elder, the Rangers' mortar opened up at 60-yard range. The first shells burst right on the advance group of enemy, driving them out of their holes into a hasty withdrawal. Shifting its fire a little south, the mortar flushed another German party, who suffered casualties from the BAR’S as they ran for cover.

Pointe Du Hoc, France

La Pointe du Hoc is a promontory with a 100-foot (30 m) cliff overlooking the English Channel on the northwestern coast of Normandy in the Calvados department, France. Pointe du Hoc was the location of a series of German bunkers and machine gun posts. Prior to the invasion of Normandy, the German army fortified the area with concrete casemates and gun pits. On D-Day, the United States Army Provisional Ranger Group attacked and captured Pointe du Hoc after scaling the cliffs. United States generals including Dwight D. Eisenhower had found that the place housed artillery that could slow down nearby beach attacks.

Wikipedia: Pointe du Hoc

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