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HEADQUARTERS SUBJECT:Action Against Enemy, Reports After/After Action Reports. D+1: 7 June 1944 Plans were made for enlarging the beach-head and for relieving the three companies of the Second Ranger Battalion at Pointe du Hoc. At 0600 a force composed of 80 men from the Second Ranger Battalion (Cos. A, B and C), Companies C and D of our battalion, 150 men from the First Battalion 116th Infantry, and 6 tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion, advanced toward Pointe du Hoc. Encountering harassing sniper fire this force advanced to a point approximately one (1) kilometer west of St. Pierre Du Mont where it received a large concentration of artillery fire. This fire continued falling from 1000 hours until 1800. The force withdrew to St. Pierre Du Mont and set up a defense in the town. Under cover of darkness a two man patrol moved through enemy lines to Pointe du Hoc, contacted the Commanding Officer Second Ranger Battalion, and returned laying wire to establish communication between forces. The remainder of the battalion was given the mission of improving the beach-head. Company B resumed the attack to the southwest from the western edge of Vierville-Sur-Mer at 0630. This unit was not able to advance far but did knock out several machine gun nests and numerous snipers. The remaining platoon of Company A and the remaining platoon of Company F supported by four tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion attacked South from the town wiping out snipers, machine gun nests, and several enemy combat patrols. Approximately 25 of the enemy were killed and 85 were captured. During the night, snipers had infiltrated back into the town so Company E cleaned out the town again. At approximately 1100 hours these units were ordered to set up a defense around the town. At 1400 hours, Company E, which was defending the eastern portion of the town beat off a determined counter attack of about company strength. At 1900 hours elements of the 116th Infantry moved into the eastern half of the sector and the units of this battalion shifted to the right to defend only the remaining half of the sector. The A Company Platoon on Pointe du Hoc assisted in repulsing three counter-attacks early this morning. A seven man patrol from this platoon made an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate through the enemy positions to contact the Fifth Ranger Battalion. The remainder of the day was spent manning a portion of the defense area. The first platoon of Company F attacked inland from the beach at 0800 and by 1400 hours secured their objective, destroying three pillboxes and several weapons emplacements. 8 Germans were killed and 36 captured. At this time the Platoon was contacted by Major Street of Admiral Hall's staff, loaded into a L.C.V.P. with food, water, and ammunition; and transported to Pointe du Hoc contacting the Commanding Officer Second Ranger Battalion at 1700 hours. An eight man patrol from this platoon infiltrated through the enemy positions and by 0800 of D+2 had contacted the force at St. Pierre-du-Mont. Results for the second day were approximately 150 prisoners taken, 80 killed, and 40 Ranger casualties. |
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