Utah Beach

Unit Force

Opposing Forces

• 709. Infantrie-Division
  • 919. Grenadier-Regiment
    • 2 Bataillons
• 91. Luftlande-Infanterie-Division
• 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division

Operation

Utah Beach, the westernmost of the main landing zones, faces northeast and is bordered by sandhills on the eastern coast of the Cotentin Peninsula. Force U, for the Utah sector, was destined to arrive in the area which runs from Saint-Germain-de-Varreville to Saint-Côme-du-Mont, in La Manche. This area is adjacent to marshlands that the Germans have intentionally flooded, and only four causeways provide access across these marshes to reach the inland areas.

The coastline is fortified with various artificial defences, including rows of obstacles on the beach. These obstacles consist of piles or posts angled toward the sea, steel hedgehogs, barbed wire entanglements, “C” elements, and Belgian gates (Cointet elements).

Behind the beach, along a masonry wall, the defensive system is reinforced with blockhouses, armored turrets, “Tobruk” pits, trenches, and underground bunkers. These structures are interconnected by a network of trenches and further protected by iron barbed wire, minefields, and anti-tank ditches.

The Cotentin Peninsula falls within the German VII Army’s defence zone, which is managed by the 709. Infantrie Division, 243. Infantrie Division, and the 91. Infantrie Division.

The troops intended for Utah Beach also known as Force U are docked in Plymouth, England. The VII Corps is to attack Utah Beach on D-Day at H-Hour and will storm Cherbourg in the shortest possible time.

The 4^th Infantry Division is tasked with attacking Utah Beach at H-Hour to establish a landing zone. They will then advance toward Cherbourg, coordinating with the 90^th Infantry Division, which is scheduled to land on D-Day + 1. Additionally, the 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Divisions have specific objectives to support these efforts.

The Attack

At 04:30, elements of the 4^th and 24^th Cavalry Squadrons reach the Saint-Marcouf Islands, facing Utah Beach, to seize what is believed to be an advanced post or small fort. By 05:30, these elements land and occupy the deserted islands.

Meanwhile, the transfer of troops into Landing Craft Personnel proceeds safely, and the first wave arrives at the designated departure line on schedule.

At almost H-Hour, the ships lower their ramps, and six hundred men plunge into the water to reach the beach. These initial troops are from the 1^st and 2^nd Battalions of the 8^th Infantry Regiment. However, they do not land at the planned location but instead 1,800 metres south.

Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., part of the first wave, notices this error. Recognising the terrain, he decides that the subsequent assault waves should land at the same place.

While engineers prepare the beaches for the arrival of more troops, the 1^st and 2^nd Battalions of the 8^th Infantry Regiment begin their missions and move inland toward their objectives. The 1^st Battalion advances north towards the Dunes-de-Varreville, the 3^rd Battalion moves west, and the 2^nd Battalion links up with paratroopers of the 101^st Division at Pouppeville around 12:00.

One major consequence of the landing error is the overcrowding at Exit 2. The original plan calls for the use of Exits 2 and 3 to manage the flow of men and equipment, but the proximity of German defenses to the north prevents the use of Exit 3. The three battalions of the 22^nd Infantry Regiment, which land around 10:00 hours, have to progress through the flooded zone to reach their objectives in the northwest, towards St-Germain-de-Varreville.

Later that day, units of the 82^nd Airborne Division, having landed by sea, follow the 3^rd Battalion of the 8^th Infantry Regiment. Their task is to join the 82^nd Airborne Division at Sainte-Mère-Église and clear the area to enable the landing of gliders at 21:00.

The 8^th Infantry Regiment reaches its objectives on D-Day. They relieve the paratroopers of the 101^st Airborne in the Pouppeville area and position themselves to protect the division from the southwest. However, a German pocket of resistance to the north of “Les Forges,” where the gliders are scheduled to land, poses a problem. The two other regiments of the 4^th Infantry Division do not reach their objectives, primarily due to the flooded zone, which delays them throughout the day.

The entire 4^th Infantry Division lands within the first 15 hours of D-Day. The division suffers 197 casualties during the day, and by the night of June 6^th, 1944, 20,000 men and 1,700 vehicles are on Utah Beach.

Multimedia

German Defences

Landing

Beach

Prisoners of War