U.S. Assault Team Landing at Omaha Beach

Image size: 1600 x 1600 pixel. 519 KB
Date: Tuesday, 6 June 1944
Place: Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
Photographer: Robert F. Sargent

In what has become one of the most famous photographs of D-Day, Chief Photographer’s Mate Sargent captures the men of the same assault boat team seen in his previous photograph as they wade through the surf in front of the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach at approximately 7:30 a.m. on June 6, 1944. These E Company / 16th Infantry Regiment /1st Infantry Division ("The Big Red One") troops are assaulting the area between Exit E-1 and Exit E-3 under fire from Widerstandsnest 62 and Widerstandsnest 65. On the beach directly ahead of the ramp can be seen M4 Sherman tank Number 9 from A Company, 741st Tank Battalion.While capturing an iconic moment of the twentieth century, this photograph is also perhaps one of the most frequently incorrectly attributed. Often it is credited as part of the series of eleven shots taken by the famous Life magazine photographer, Robert Capa. The photograph was in fact taken by Robert F. Sargent, Chief Photographer’s Mate, United States Coast Guard. Landing craft operated by the Coast Guard continuously ferried soldiers from ships to the Normandy shore: the photograph was titled 'Taxis to hell – and back – into the jaws of death'. The combat photographs taken at Omaha beach by Sargent and Capa have become symbolic of something bigger than just a single moment in time. They have come to represent, in the words of Churchill, “much the greatest thing we have ever attempted”.

Source :
U.S. Coast Guard Collection in the U.S. National Archives 26-G-2343

"The Americans on D-Day: A Photographic History of the Normandy Invasion" by Martin K.A. Morgan
https://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/66/Capa

Private Jim Flanagan with Captured Nazi Flag in the Morning D-Day

Image size: 1600 x 1155 pixel. 454 KB
Date: Tuesday, 6 June 1944
Place: Fontenay-le-Marmion, Calvados, Normandy, France
Photographer: Unknown

The famous image of Private James "Jim" Flanagan (14 March 1923 - 8 December 2005) of 2nd Platoon / C Company / 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) / 101st Airborne Division holding a captured Nazi flag was taken at Marmion, Normandy (France), in the morning of D-Day. Flanagan parachuted into Normandy hours before the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division was to land at Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. He and his fellow airborne soldiers came down in the middle of the night, charged with removing any German resistance along the vulnerable causeways that led inland from the beach. They would be the prelude to the largest amphibious invasion in history. After landing near Ravenoville, France, the first vehicle that the paratrooper saw later in the morning while mopping up near a captured farm complex was coming from the beach and carrying two men, one an International News Service photographer. It was 9 a.m., about three hours into ‘the longest day’ in history. The soldiers took a brief timeout so that the photographer could record the event. Flanagan, in the center, smiled while clutching the Nazi flag that had been ‘liberated’ from the enemy command post headquarters in the farm complex they now occupied. The German helmet at his feet in the bottom of the picture was still lying where it had fallen from the German who had died while defending the place. When this picture was wired back to the States, it became one of the most widely distributed newspaper photos taken from the events of June 6. The flag was kept by Flanagan for years, before donated to the General Donald Pratt 101st Airborne Museum in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on 10 June 1986, where it is today. From left to right: Private First Class Arthur A. Justice (B/502), unknown, Private Justo Correa (A/506), Private First Class Arthur J. Barker (B/502), Private Joe E. Ridgeway (B/502), Private James "Jim" Flanagan (C/502), Private Norwood B Newinger (B/502), Jerry Giarritano (with machete), Corporal Earl H. Butz (HQ/502), and Sergeant Smith C. Fuller (B/502).

Source :
"101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" by Mark Bando
https://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-interview-with-101st-airborne-trooper-james-flanagan-about-d-day.htm
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/triggertimeforum/marmion-farm-german-flag-where-is-it-t7394.html

American Paratrooper Before D-Day

Image size: 1279 x 1600 pixel. 384 KB
Date: Monday, 5 June 1944
Place: Greenham Common Airfield, Berkshire, England
Photographer: Unknown 

Lieutenant Rodney Parsons of D Company / 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR) / 101st Airborne Division 'The Screaming Eagles' was photographed in front of his plane by Captain George Lage, the 2/502 surgeon, at Greenham Common Airfield on June 5, 1944. In this interesting study of equipment, we can see a map case, Air Corps ammo pouches, leg scabbard for M1A1 carbine, assault gas mask carrier, binoculars in case, compass in pouch, wrist watch, M3 trench knife worn in M6 scabbard in front of belt, and white unit identification rag for 2/502 PIR around left shoulder. That night of nights, June 5, 1944, spelled a one-way journey to destiny for the 6,670 paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who boarded more than four hundred C-47 transport aircraft at various air bases in England. The troopers were superbly conditioned and well trained, but they were totally inexperienced in combat and could not have known what was in store for them.

Source :

"101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" by Mark Bando

Soldiers of 502nd PIR Donning the Equipment

Image size: 1153 x 1600 pixel. 440 KB
Date: Monday, 5 June 1944
Place: England
Photographer: Unknown

“Suiting up” - two members of the U.S. 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR) of 101st Airborne Division donning equipment on the evening of June 5, 1944, in preparation for boarding a C-47. Notice the white residue typical of CC2. CC-2 Chloramide or CC2 chemical (to "protect" the uniform) was invented during the 1930’s although wide use impregnating garments doesnt begin really, until early in World War II. The 6,670 paratroopers of the 101st Airborne would be delivered in 432 C-47s, with most troopers jumping between 01:00 and 02:00 hours. The Air Corps called this the “Albany mission.” The 82nd Airborne would begin jumping after the 101st was on the ground, with most of their personnel landing between 02:00 and 03:00. The 82nd was delivered in 369 C-47s. This was known as the “Boston mission.” The drop zones for both divisions were all located in the Cotentin Peninsula, behind Utah Beach and south of the port city of Cherbourg. Although Commonwealth forces deployed their own paratroopers of the British 6th Airborne Division closer to Caen, no American paratroopers were dropped behind Omaha Beach.

Source :

"101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" by Mark Bando

https://foxholefashion.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/reenacting-and-replica-cc-2-impregnated-uniforms-a-pursuit/comment-page-1/

Eisenhower Chats with Paratroopers Before D-Day

Image size: 1600 x 1284 pixel. 368 KB
Date: Monday, 5 June 1944
Place: RAF Greenham Common, Berkshire, England
Photographer: Unknown

One of the most iconic photographs of World War II, and of General Eisenhower, this image is forever linked with June 6th D-Day Landing. The photograph was actually taken the evening before the June 6th operations for the allied assault on Normandy, also known as "D-Day." In an English airfield in Greenham Common, members of the 101st Airborne were being briefed for their operation to jump from their gliders in the early hours of June 6th behind Utah beach. General Eisenhower left his command post and drove down to Greenham to spend time with the men of the 101st and 82nd before their jump. Eisenhower had been advised by his tactical air commander that 50 percent of the paratroopers would be dead before they hit the ground, and that 70 percent of the gliders would be lost in the initial air assault. British Air Marshall Trafford-Leigh Mallory warned Eisenhower to cancel the drop on Utah Beach, that in his opinion it would result in the “futile slaughter” of two airborne divisions. Though Eisenhower agonized over the projected heavy casualties, he decided to go ahead with the air drop that would spearhead the invasion. In the snapshot, the general has an intense look on his face and appears as if he could be giving a rousing speech, speaking to a young paratrooper with 23 around neck. That young man was LT. Wallace "Wally" Strobel. But actually, they were talking about fishing. Eisenhower asked where Strobel was from and he replied "Michigan, Sir." "How is the fishing in Michigan?" Eisenhower asked. Strobel replied, "It's great, sir." Eisenhower then said he had visited the state several times himself and that it was a beautiful state. Before moving on, Eisenhower ended with "Go, Michigan." According to Strobel's wife, when the planes took off early the next morning, Eisenhower was standing on the tarmac watching. Wally Strobel survived D-Day, the invasion of Europe and the rest of the war. He returned to Michigan and eventually died of respiratory failure at the age of 77. Servicemen from every unit in the U.S. military have claimed to be in this photo - one of the most famous of World War Il. The paratroopers in this series taken at Greenham Common on June 5, 1944, are all members of the 'E' and 'D' Company of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment / 101st Airborne Division. Anyone saying they are in it who was not a member of that organization is making a fraudulent claim. Left to right: Hans Sannes D/502, Bill Bowser E/502, General Eisenhower, Ralph Pombano E/502, Schuyler Jackson HQ/502, Bill Hayes E/502, Carl Vickers D/502, Lieutenant Wallace Strobel (“23” sign around neck) E/502, Henry Fuller E/502, Bill Boyle E/502, and William Noll E/502. U.S. Army.

Source :

"101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" by Mark Bando

https://www.amazon.com/World-War-Airborne-Eisenhower-WW2V15/dp/B00ONJR4L2

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/general-dwight-d-eisenhower-talking-with-american-news-photo/500471937
https://imgur.com/gallery/fnNFMNS

Practice Jump Before D-Day

Image size: 1600 x 1138 pixel. 580 KB
Date: Saturday, 13 May 1944
Place: Ramsbury, Wiltshire, England
Photographer: Joseph Pangerl

Practice jumps by the Allied paratroopers were common in the months preceding D-Day; this night jump on Douglas C-47 aircraft was made on 13 May 1944. The troopers pictured are members of Headquarters 3.Company / 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (3/502 PIR). From left to right, on the left side of aisle: Captain Edward “Poop” Barrett (S-3 of 3/502), Dell Winslow, Sergeant 1st Class Harwell Cooper, two unknown, Joe Lofthouse, and Bill Cady. Standing at the end of the aisle: unknown and George J. Schwaderer. On the right side of aisle, from right to left: Lieutenant Corey Shepard, Fitzgerald, “Eddie” Edwards, Virgil Thornton, two unknown, Kenneth Cordry, and unknown. The Allies are aware that the greatest weakness of the airborne units lies in their lack of firepower. Equipped with small arms, they are not theoretically capable of fighting against an opponent with heavy armored vehicles. Thus, airborne units are to receive the support of gliders troops: the latter are armed with anti-tank guns, Jeep light vehicles and heavy machine guns,  equipment for sappers. Signal Corps via Joseph Pangerl.

 Another view taken in the same plane, same jump, with Dell Winslow (3/502 Battalion clerk) standing in foreground. This night exercise resulted in many jump- landing injuries that cost the 101st Airborne more than one hundred troopers who would have dropped into Normandy but had to be put out of the lineup. H/502 jumped over the town of Ramsbury, England, and some troopers landed on rooftops or on the hard cobblestone streets!

Source :
"101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II" by Mark Bando
https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/d-day/air-operations/usa

Canadian AA Crew with Bofors Gun in Normandy on D-Day

Image size: 1562 x 1600 pixel. 857 KB
Date: Tuesday, 6 June 1944
Place: Bernières-sur-Mer, Juno Beach, Normandy
Photographer: Unknown

Photograph of four soldiers from 3rd Canadian Infantry Division Sergeant Traplin, Bombardier Heldon, Bombardier Blank and Sergent Kennedy with their Swedish-made 40mm/L60 Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun after shooting down a Luftwaffe aircraft over the beachhead near their emplacement at Bernières-sur-Mer near Juno Beach (Normandy), 6 June 1944. At the time of the photo German Luftwaffe war planes were still active in the area. 30,000 Canadians had been landed, and 340 lost their live in the battles for the beachhead. The person to the rear of the position facing left is using the British-designed Stiffkey Sight, a mechanical computer that moved the gunners sights to account for leading a fast moving target. The Bofors gun in mobile form was commonly towed by either a GMC or Dodge 6x6 truck, and had a total crew of 8 including truck crew to include truck driver, gunner, two loaders, direction setting, elevation setter, radio operator and the gun commander.


Source:

http://www.stolly.org.uk/ETO/index34.html

http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2014/12/canadian-anti-aircraft-gun-crew-at.html

US Rangers Aboard their Landing Craft Before Normandy Invasion

Image size: 1600 x 1091 pixel. 563 KB
Date: Saturday, 3 June 1944
Place: Weymouth Harbour, Dorset, England
Photographer: Unknown

U.S. Rangers from E Company, Fifth Ranger Battalion, aboard their landing craft on Weymouth Harbor, Dorset (England), waiting for the signal to sail to the coast of Normandy, 3 June 1944. In the foreground, they are, clockwise from far left, First Sergeant Sandy Martin, Technician Fifth Grade Joseph Markovich, Corporal John Loshiavo and Private First Class Frank Lockwood, with their Bazooka, Garand rifle, 60-mm mortar and Lucky Strikes. Before they boarded their vessel, these Rangers — four of perhaps 160,000 soldiers who would cross the English Channel — were penned up, away from public view, in camps policed by British officers in machine-gun towers. As they waited for their signal, soldiers of Operation Overlord hurled Army knives at playing cards nailed onto trees, played softball and, ducking into an entertainment tent, watched “Girl Crazy,” starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. But their nerves were strained; sometimes they fought one another with fists. They knew the lethal odds that faced them on the Normandy beaches. Then Martin, Markovich, Loshiavo and Lockwood were in their landing craft. One soldier insisted that these boats were designed to induce “a sense of physical discomfort, seasickness and physical degradation” so that the men would “land in such an angry condition as to bring destruction, devastation and death upon any person or thing in sight or hearing.” About 2,500 Americans were killed in the D-Day effort to make the world safe for freedom. One of them was Sandy Martin, who lies buried in the American cemetery on the bluff that looks down on Omaha Beach

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/upshot/seventy-years-ago-next-month-came-fury-and-death-on-d-day.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0
http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2014/12/us-rangers-aboard-their-landing-craft.html

Adolf Hitler Studying The Allied Landing at D-Day

Image size: 1600 x 934 pixel. 892 KB
Date: Wednesday, 7 June 1944 (16:55-18:15)
Place: Schloss Klessheim, Salzburg, Wals-Siezenheim, Austria
Photographer: Unknown

Meeting of German and Hungarian officials at Schloss Klessheim to discussed the Allied landing at Normandy which happened a day before. Standing from left to right: Reichsminister Joachim von Ribbentrop (Reichsministers des Auswärtigen), General der Flieger Günther Korten (Chef des Generalstabes der Luftwaffe), General der Artillerie Walter Warlimont (Stellvertretender Chef des Wehrmachtführungsstabs), Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Oberbefehlshaber der Deutsche Luftwaffe), Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht), Generaloberst Alfred Jodl (Chef des Wehrmachtführungsstabes im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Generaloberst János Vörös (Hungarian Chief of Army Staff), and General der Infanterie Hans von Greiffenberg (Militärattaché an der deutschen Botschaft in Budapest und Bevollmächtigten General der Deutschen Wehrmacht in Ungarn). Sitting from left to right: Döme Sztójay (Hungarian Prime Minister) and Adolf Hitler (Führer und Reichskanzler). Bespectacled Hitler ( a rare!) studies the map of France as General Jodl points to landing beaches. In this meeting, a "happy" Hitler announces to everyone that gathered around him: "The messages could not be better! As long as they were in Britain, we could not catch them. Now, finally we have them there where we can beat them... These dummköpfe! Thank God they have finally made a landing!" The reality was far from that: After the Allied invasion, meetings at the Führer's headquarters often seemed unreal. The fronts were breaking up and planned operations were almost unthinkable.

Source:

http://weltkrieg2.de/Geschichte/Personen/Deutsche/Fuehrer/Hitler.htm

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf H of 12. SS-Panzer-Division

Image size: 1600 x 927 pixel. 570 KB
Date: Wednesday, 7 June 1944
Place: Caen, Basse-Normandie, France
Photographer: Unknown

Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf H (turmnummer 626) of 6.Kompanie/SS-Panzer-Regiment 12/12.SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" passes a garage on its way to the front at Caen. Note Schurzen (armored skirt) that protected the bogies and road wheels from light anti-tank rounds. One unit to field the Panzer IV H was the Hitlerjugend Division, with the formation’s combat debut occurring on 7 June 1944 as German forces began a ferocious defense of Caen in the Normandy area against Canadian and British units. It was one of the closest divisions to the landing beaches. The 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" was formed in April 1943 from sixteen- to eighteen-year-old Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) volunteers and experienced SS veterans from the Eastern Front. By September 1943 16,000 Hitler Youth had completed a four-week crash training course that emphasized realistic live fire exercises and atypical interaction between the officers and enlisted men that resulted in very high morale. 12th SS was one of the Panzer Divisions held in reserve on June 6, 1944 for several hours by Hitler's Headquarters. When they finally reached Caen, they were pounded by Allied fighter-bombers. Their 34-year-old commander SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Witt was killed on June 14 by naval gunfire. Over the next four weeks, the division managed to halt all Allied attempts to take Caen, despite the Allies' superior numbers and overwhelming air supremacy. While they fought hard, 20 percent were killed and 40 percent were wounded or missing. Bitter reprisals led to war crimes on both sides. The remains of 12th SS Panzer escaped the Falaise Pocket in September 1944; only 600 survived. No tanks or supplies came with them. The Division was reformed with younger volunteers and draftees. It supported the Ardennes Offensive and fought in Hungary. On May 8, 1945, numbering just 455 soldiers and one tank! the 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" surrendered to the US 7th Army. 

Source:

http://www.worldwar2database.com/gallery3/index.php/wwii132