Omaha Beach-Normandy France, 6 June 1944 : landing craft just unloaded stick of US assault infantrymen as they surge towards German obstacles, they will have to sprint past wide open low-tidal plains and reach the bluffs. One of the DWG-Sherman tank immediately ahead, but seems to be already knocked-out. Allied smoke rounds impacted below bluffs in attempt to conceal men from swiping mortar and machine-gun fire.

Inset 1 : US assault engineers in English coastal city preparing to embark onto transports for Normandy invasion. They wear standard American European Theater camouflage of dark earth brown pants and olive drab jackets & shirts. Men have yet to put on their external helmet netting (to reduce reflective glare and hold foliage camouflage. They carried variety of demolition equipment such as sachet charge pouches and multi-tube Bangalore Torpedo (basically a long pipe bomb), grappling ladders, etc. Bangalore torpedo - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore_Torpedo

It's been stated first 24-hours of D-Day was most crucial in securing beachhead and pushing inland to consolidate all 5 Allied beaches into single continuous line of advance thwarting possible German encirclement. If so, then US at Omaha Beach contributed the least significance in Normandy operation since they tenuously held out, let alone able to breakout and advance inland to assist other beachheads. However, Omaha Beach landing is engrained into American psyche as most significant battle for liberation of Europe given mass casualties endured (reinforced by Hollywood movie media and veteran testimonials). Allies landed about 150,000 troops across Normandy beaches and suffered 9,000 casualties.

But to be fair, all nations demonstrate some partisanship in their contribution to WW2, for British and Canadians emphasize hard battles for Caen and Hill 112, Poles point to their casualties in August 1944 Normandy battles at Hill 262 (Montormel), Soviets (nowadays Russians, Byelorussian, Ukrainian) veterans insist it was their Operation Bagration of June 1944 which ultimately defeated the Germans. (Brits & Canadians) THE BATTLES FOR HILL 112 - JUNE TO JULY 1944 - www.army.mod.uk/lightinfantry/history_traditions/major_battles/hill_112_1944/index.htm

• (Poles) FALAISE POCKET - MONTORMEL - http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/falaise_pocket_mont_ormel.htm

Related Model and History : UweM German Stug III assault gun and 1944 Soviet Bagration Offensive - Uwe Militaria.org/2-Track/Stug3/25.html

Inset 2 : US Rangers ( an army special operations unit, note blue diamond shoulder insignia on right personnel) embark on landing craft for landings at Pont Du Hoc : western cliff bluffs overlooking OMAHA beach where Allied Intelligence stated Germans mounted large caliber coastal artillery guns, but they turned out to be decoys made from telephone poles. Rangers wore standard olive-drab European Theater uniforms, helmet netting, left personnel armed with Bazooka, rest armed with M1 Garand rifles. US Army Rangers: History: Overview - www.ranger.org/history.html

Rollover : History reviewed, charge that American OMAHA beach landings contributed least First-24-Hours significance to Normandy is laden out in battle lines of June 6th. Americans at UTAH beach rapidly advanced to link with US paratroopers in Contentin Peninsula, they repulsed a few localized German armor attacks (such as by 2nd-echelon occupation forces armed with ex-French Renault R-35/39 light tanks). French Light Tanks - mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/france/France-Light.html

British and Canadians broke out of GOLD, SWORD, JUNO beachheads on D-Day morning to advance towards Bayeux and Caen, and became a crucial threat to German lines, hence bulk of German armor directed towards this sector. Contrary to popular belief, Germans counter-attacked immediately when Allies landed, but was significantly impeded by Allied ground interdiction and offshore naval artillery (which can fire rounds 20 miles inland), as chronicle below :

June 6th circa 4pm : fluid battle situation redirected German 21st Panzer Division elements to attack British and Canadian landings at Sword and Juno beaches. Its 192th Panzer Regiment advanced between gap of beachheads, secured town of Plumetat and actually reached the coast. However, British 6th Airborne Division began glider landings west side of River Orne behind 21st Panzer Division, fearing possible encirclement, 21st Panzer ordered to withdraw from gap, thereby allowed Brits/Canadians to merge line of advance. 21.Panzer-Division - www.feldgrau.com/heer21p.html

June 7th : Canadians expanded beach perimeter via attack into townships of Buron, St. Authie, and Franqueville in drive to capture Carpiquet Airfield to west of Caen city. This time elements from elite German 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" ambushed Canadians in Franqueville. Allied naval artillery unable to assist since it was out of range. But full divisional complement yet to arrive at Normandy front, Hitlerjugend SS-grenadiers forced to withdraw. 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_SS_Panzer_Division_Hitlerjugend

Inset 3 : Calm after the storm, follow-up companies of 116th Infantry Regiment approach OMAHA beach in D-Day afternoon when beach breakout finally achieved. Personnel recon horizon of destroyed landing crafts, knocked-out tanks, and bodies of KIA Americans spew across beachhead.

Inset 4 : Orderly disembarking 116th Infantry Regiment reinforcements land on D-Day afternoon, M3 halftracks with 57mm towed anti-tank guns passing parallel to beach, foreground at beach edge is GMC DUKW-353 Amphibious Truck commonly called the Duck. Duck is basically a 6-wheel cargo truck with floatation bladders, despite its size it is extremely vulnerable to light caliber fire. GMC DUKW-353 Amphibious Truck
"Duck" - www.guntruck.com/DUKW.html