D-DAY
Events on June 5-6, 1944:

Normandy, France

Map of Normandy

[ [ [ Movie D-Day ] ] ]
A 17 minute RealPlayer movie from http://www.signalalpha.com

• The Normandy Invasion of June 6, 1944 was the largest single assault in the most massive military conflict in history. But this fact alone does not account for the endless fascination with the Battle. Other elements of drama contributing to our interest certainly include the surprise of the landing, the Allies' overcoming of numerous disadvantages, the slaughter at Omaha, the many examples of heroism, the speculation of alternative outcomes, the clarity of the legitimacy of the cause. The proximity of the Invasion also pertains: this is recent history and the memory is alive. Our fathers and grandfathers fought this battle. Likewise, any traveler can view the abundant evidence which survives, from the remains of the Atlantic Wall to the many monuments and museums.
  
  The French have established eight driving tours through the Normandy departments of Calvados, Manche, and Orne which permit the visitor to observe the locations and learn the events that comprised the Battle of Normandy. Each of these itineraries has a theme and is marked by signs and explanations, and the routes pass through the towns that figured prominently in the Battle.
  
• Midnight, June 5: Royal Air Force bombers begin pre-landing bombardment.
  
  12:15-2:30 a.m., June 6: British 6th Airborne Division and U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions begin the assault to secure objectives on the east and west flanks of the invasion area.
  

• 5:30 a.m.: German coastal gun batteries begin sporadic firing, unaware of the magnitude of the invasion.

5:50 a.m.: Allied naval bombardment begins, detonating large German minefields and destroying many German beach defenses and inland targets. Heavy and medium fighter bombers also attack targets.

• 6:30 a.m.: Landing on Omaha and Utah beaches (U.S. forces).

• 7:25 a.m.: Landing on Gold and Sword beaches (British forces).

• 7:35-7:45 a.m.: Landing on Juno Beach (Canadian forces). Actual landing is closer to 8 a.m.
  
• Late evening, June 6: Allied power prevails all across the Normandy beachhead.

• Major John Howard commanded the glider - borne British infantrymen who seized Pegasus Bridge on the first day of the Normandy invasion.

• The whole story of D-day in French

Captain Frank Lillyman and his fellow pathfinders on D-Day.
Lillyman is considered the first allied soldier to land on French soil for D-Day.

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LINKS

. Watch the movie [ [ Movie D-Day ] ] ] RealPlayer movie from http://www.signalalpha.com

Normandy 1944 http://normandy.eb.com/ All you want to know about D-day http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/brochures/normandy/nor-pam.htm overview battle of normandy http://www.history.rochester.edu/mtv/overview.htm Fact sheet D-day normandy http://history.cc.ukans.edu/heritage/abilene/ikedday.html Normandy invasion in pictures http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/normandy/pictu Everything about the Pegasus Bridge http://www.multimania.com/daw/Scenario_ideas/Pegasus....pegasus_bridge_1944.html Info about the Pegasus bridge and area http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/pres-etab/claudegellee/opinfo00/debarq/debarq.htm Pegasus memorial http://www.normandie1944.fr/Pegasus/memorial.htm Major Howard historical radiomessage 'Ham and Jam' during the liberation http://www.mishalov.com/HowardJohn.html All about D-Day http://www.6juin1944.com/

73" Guy, de ON6MU