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Chapter IV “D” Day, 6 June 1944, -- and will a Ranger ever forget it? 0430 hours and into the LCAs, to start the ten mile dash to the coast of France, in a sea choppy enough to turn the stomach of “Sinbad the Sailor”. Approaching the beach, it was plain to see that the Germans did not desire our social call. The beach was protected by numerous underwater obstacles consisting of elements “C”, hedgehogs and tetrahedra, many with Teller-Mines attached. Mortar and artillery shells continually burst in the area of these obstacles, and a heavy concentration of machine gun and small arms fire swept the beach. About 75 yards from the water’s edge, a four foot sea wall ran laterally along the beach. Our Naval Bombardment had set fire to the vegetation above the beach, and a pall of smoke obscured the area. The first wave to hit the beach consisted of half of Battalion Headquarters, Companies “A”, “B”, and “E”, landing on a strip of beach designated as Omaha Dog White Beach. Actually, the landing point for these Rangers was Dog Green, but Lt. Col. Max Schneider, seeing the fabulous volume of fire that covered Dog Green Beach, ordered the flotilla commander to touch-down his craft east of the intended landing point. This first wave crossed the beach in good order, with few casualties, and halted temporarily in rear of the sea wall, and immediately reorganized. The second wave, consisting of half of Battalion Headquarters, Companies “C”, “D”, and one platoon of “F” Company repeated the performance of the first wave. The other platoon of “F” Company had shipped too much water in its LCA and dropped out of formation landing near the Laurent-sur-Mer Exit at 0900 hours, after being transferred to an LCT. On signal of the Battalion Commander, the leading troops scrambled over the wall, blew gaps in the protective barbed wire, and protected by the rising smoke, advanced to a point near the top of the hill, where the smoke had cleared and the hill was being swept by enemy automatic fire. First Lieutenant Francis W. Dawson of Company “D”, led his platoon over the top and eliminated an enemy strongpoint, enabling the entire battalion to advance. Here minefields became as prevalent as bees on a honeycomb, and the battalion had to change into a column formation, winding in and out of those formidable, hidden defenses, Company “B”, the leading unit, reached the St. Laurent sur Mer-Vierville sure Mer road at a point approximately one kilometer East of Vierville sur Mer. In the course of this advance, many Germans, well concealed in weapons pits constructed in the hedgerows, were killed. The Battalion advanced toward Vierville sur Mer, “B” Company leading and receiving heavy sniper and machine gun fire. “E” Company, attempting a penetration to the South, was stopped by intense machine gun fire. “C” Company fired an 81 MM Mortar concentration, knocking out several positions, but they were replaced so quickly that “E” Company was forced to abandon its Southern attack. Several direct artillery hits on the rear of the battalion column, caused many casualties. All pressure was exerted to take Vierville sur Mer, and after overcoming considerable sniper fire, the battalion advanced through the town to its western outskirts where heavy resistance was encountered. Dusk was all too quickly turning into darkness, and the battalion, together with three companies of the Second Ranger Battalion, part of the First Ranger Battalion of the 116th Infantry and 743rd Tank Battalion set up a perimeter defense for the night. One platoon of Company “A”, which had been separated from the battalion during the crossing of the Sea Wall, proceeded through the town to the rallying point SW of town, arriving with 12 Prisoners and Killing at least that many more Germans. Leaving the rallying point, the platoon fought its way to Point du Hoe, the battalion objective, and contacted the Second Ranger Battalion. The platoon of “F” Company, which landed near St. Laurent-sur-Mer, encountered heavy artillery and machine gun fire. Numerous patrols were sent out in an attempt to contact the battalion, but failed. This unit then attempted to move along the beach toward Verville sur Mer, but after advancing 600 yards, receiving artillery fire which inflicted eight casualties, found themselves pinned down by a far superior force, and darkness found the platoon in this position. “D” Day, 6 June 1944, was over, and the Rangers took count; 100 PWs taken, 150 Enemy killed and approximately 60 Rangers killed or wounded. On tomorrow and the days to follow, the enemy would pay heavily for those 60 Rangers, -- and as time proved, the enemy never stop paying. “D” plus one, 7 June 1944, and plans were made for enlarging the beach-head and for relieving the three companies of the Second Ranger Battalion on Pointe due Hoe. They started out at 0600 hours, a force composed of “C” and “D” Companies of our battalion, 80 men of the Second Ranger Battalion, 150 men of the 116th Infantry and six tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion, advancing toward Pointe due Hoe. This force reached the outskirts St. Pierre du Mont where for eight hours, without respite, it received a heavy artillery bombardment. At nightfall, they assembled in St. Pierre du Mont, and under the cover of darkness, sent out a two man patrol to contact the Second Rangers on Pointe due Hoe. Contact was made and this two man patrol layed a wire between the two forces, establishing contact. The two Rangers who accomplished this feat, were Sergeants Moody and McKissick. In later operations, Moody was killed and McKissick was seriously wounded. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Fifth Rangers improved the beachhead. Company “B”, attacking SW toward Vierville sur Mer, knocked out several machine gun nests and numerous snipers. One platoon each of Companies “A” and “F”, supported by four tanks, attacked South from the town, eliminating snipers, machine gun nests and several enemy combat patrols. This force killed approximately 25 enemy and captured 85 PWs. During the night, enemy snipers infiltrated back into the town and “E” Company had to ferret them out once more. A determined enemy counter attack on the town was also repulsed and smashed by “E” Company. “A” Company, on Pointe du Hoe, assisted the Second Rangers in repulsing three counter attacks. These Germans were determined to throw the invading force back into the ocean, -- as determined as the Rangers were to stay, -- but we stayed. One platoon of “F” Company, in an inland attack, destroyed three enemy pillboxes and several weapons emplacements, killing eight Germans and capturing 36. Major Street of Admiral Hall’s staff, contacted the platoon, and transported them in an LCVP to Pointe du Hoe, where they contacted the Commanding Officer of the Second Rangers. An eight man patrol was sent out to contact the Fifth Ranger Battalion, this time successfully, as they got through to St. Pierre du Mont. “D” plus one ended, found the Fifth Rangers with 150 PWs and 80 enemy killed, to add to their tally. However, not without losses, 40 more Rangers were added to the list of killed or wounded. At 0600 hours of “D” plus 2, the Rangers prepared to move to Pointe du Hoe. Companies “B” and “E”, with the mission of taking and holding the Sluice Gate at Grandcamp les Bains, advanced through the low ground South of the East-West road, into Grandcamp, at 1000 hours. The town appeared to be deserted, -- certainly a welcome relief after finding so much resistance contesting ever yard of their advance, since the first landing on the beaches of France. But the elation was short-lived, for when the leading elements were within 25 yards of the Sluice Gate Bridge, heavy Machine Gun and Mortar concentrations pinned them down. The two companies were forced to take up a new position on the high ground East of the Sluice Gate Bridge, where they joined Company “D” who had just returned from Pointe du Hoe. With the initial positions taken by the Rangers, a force of two battalions of the 116th Infantry supported by tanks, artillery and naval gun fire, passed through the Ranger positions and captured the town of Grandcamp les Bains. “D” and “E” Companies took up the defense of the Bridge and mopped up positions along the coast toward Point du Hoe. “C”, “D”, and a platoon of “F” Company and a platoon of “A” Company and the three companies of the Second Rangers moved on the Point du Hoe, meeting no resistance, and contacted the Second Rangers and other platoons of “A” and “F” Companies. But here, on Pointe du Hoe, one of those unfortunate, seemingly unavoidable incidents of War, occurred. A Battalion of the 116th Infantry and tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion, who were attacking Point du Hoe, from the SW, caught the Rangers in their fire and inflicted six Ranger casualties, among them, two killed. Next morning, Companies “A”, “C” and “F” were given the mission of cleaning out the strongpoint of batteries at Maisy. They were supported by two halftracks of the Second Rangers and a company of the 81st Chemical Weapons Battalion. The mission was a successful one, and three 105 Howitzers, numerous small arms and large stocks of ammunition and food were captured. In addition, approximately 90 PWS were taken. That night, the entire Battalion assembled in a bivouac area West of Osmanville. Tally for these two days, “D” plus two and “D” plus three, showed 40 Enemy killed, 165 PWs and 28 Ranger casualties. At 0430 hours, next morning, the Luftwaffe bombed the bivouac area, and we lost three more Rangers. At 0830 hours, Companies “C”, “D”, and “F” jumped off to clean up the coastal fortifications from Grandcamp les Bains to Isigny. They met little resistance, and in seven hours, returned with approximately 200 PWs. Patrols in the vicinity of the Battalion Area added 35 more prisoners to this total. Our casualties for the fifth day of fighting, -- six Rangers. The Invasion Operations of the Fifth Ranger Battalion were over, but would never be forgotten. The many individual incidents that would long be remembered, -- the numerous individual examples of heroism, -- the thousands of things that took place and are always discussed when Rangers get together, -- all of that can not be told here; there are far too many. Perhaps the attached “Unit Citation”, can tell it more clearly; -- perhaps later history will emphasize the important role that was played by the Rangers in the Invasion of France; -- or perhaps it is better understood in the words of General Cota, when on the early morn of June 6th, he said, “LEAD THE WAY RENGERS”!! |
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