- Details of your visit -

V CORPS SECTOR

The Batteries of Longues sur Mer

The Atlantic Wall was a system of fortifications built by Nazi Germany, which extended along the Atlantic coast of Western Europe. The batteries of Longues are a classic example of the pattern that was used for the Atlantic Wall.
Come and discover the four casemates of these batteries and the 152 mm German naval guns behind the control bunker. This site has been very well preserved to this day as a Memorial of the war.

You will visit the Port of Port en Bessin secured by the 47th Royal Commando Unit, which became an important petroleum port. Port en Bessin was the geographic boundary between the American and British sectors.

Omaha and the WN

Here we will see many WN’s - (wiederstandnest- meaning German weapons strong point emplacements) from Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to Vierville. We will visit some of these strong points, which were the better-defended German Positions along Omaha. We will stop at WN 62 and WN 65 in Fox Green and Easy Red sectors of the American landing, and WN 73 in Dog Green at Vierville.

This beach assault was a difficult assignment, given to US V Corps (General Gerow) whose Force O was made up of the 1st Infantry Division, 29th Infantry Division, the Rangers and several attached Units.

American Cemetery of Colleville

This Cemetery, extends over 172.5 acres, and is one of fourteen permanent American World War II cemeteries constructed on foreign soil. It contains the remains of 9387 servicemen and women killed for our freedom. The American Cemetery of Colleville conveys an unforgettable feeling of honor, peace and serenity.

The Pointe du Hoc

Located on a cliff 8 miles west of the Cemetery, this monument was created by France to honour elements of the 2nd Rangers Battalion under the command of LTC James E. RUDDER which scaled the 100-foot cliff. Admiral Hall’s Intelligence officer remarked: “ It can’t be done. Three old women with brooms could stop the Rangers scaling that cliff!”
RUDDER replied to General BRADLEY: “Sir, my Rangers can do the job for you"

Crossing Carentan…

A short stop will be made here in this town which was one of the principal objectives of the 101st Airborne to take. Carentan was the meeting juncture for two American Corps.

Angoville au Plain

Here you will visit a very old and quaint church from the 12 century, in which Bob Wright, and Kenneth Moore -two medics from the 501st and 101st Airborne division, tended to over 80 American and German wounded men after the early hours of the American paratrooper drop into Normandy. Here for over 72 non-stop hours, Wright and Moore attended to the wounded from June 6th to 7th. It was near this church also that Colonel Sink of the 506th established his second command post on D-day plus 1.

Hiesville

This is the location of the Le Cauday’s farmhouse, which was the first Headquarters of General Maxwell Taylor, Commander of the 101st Airborne. General Taylor kept his Headquarters at this location for 8 days following June 6th, 1944.

Memorial PRATT

General Pratt of the 101st Airborne was initially supposed to land with elements of the 101st Airborne and arrive on Utah Beach during the afternoon of D-Day. Prior to General Pratt’s jump, however, General Maxwell D. Taylor persuaded Pratt to join the first wave of gliders to land in Normandy, instead. Pratt would have preferred to jump with his men, but he had not completed the necessary training to qualify him to make a parachute jump at the time. Unknown to Pratt, his glider was seriously overloaded, and it crashed in a field at the site of this memorial. He was the first United States General to be killed in action during the Invasion

Sainte Mère Eglise

Sainte Mere Eglise is one of the most memorable places depicted in the famous movie- The Longest Day. This tour will show you the famous church tower upon which the American paratrooper John Steele landed and became entangled as he parachuted into Normandy on June 6th. An actual mannequin of Steele has been hung with parachute on the church tower to commemorate his courageous jump.

Sainte Mere Eglise Museum

Here you will see an actual CG 4 Waco glider, a C-47 transport plane, and a number of historical military artifacts which have been professionally displayed to commemorate and honor the D-day invasion. A film comprised of archive material is available to visitors retracing the mission and footsteps of the many paratroopers who landed in Normandy. This museum is one to see in any D-Day tour !

La Fière

Here you will see a clear view of the inland areas that were flooded by the Germans and the marshes of Merderet. This is the place where many of the 82nd Airborne were located under orders of General Gavin to resist the counter attacking Germans and guard two strategic bridges for the defense of the town of Sainte Mere Eglise.

Utah Beach

This is the place where the successful landing of the American Ivy Division (the 4th Infantry Division) occurred under orders of General Barton and General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. with others in the first attack wave at Utah Beach