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Utah Beach

An aerial photograph of US troops landing at Utah Beach. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

Utah Beach

An aerial photograph of US troops landing at Utah Beach. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

Airborne landings begin 0015
H-Hour, beach landings 0630

Lead Allied assault forces
Airborne landings: 82nd & 101st US Airborne Divisions
Beach landings: 4th US Infantry Division

German defenders
Troops from 709th Infantry Division, 91st Airlanding Division and 6th Parachute Regiment

Objectives
Only four causeways lead away from the beach through an area that has been flooded by the German defenders.

The US Airborne forces land early in the morning to take control of the inland ends of these causeways, as well as other key roads and bridges. They then have to hold these objectives until troops from the beach landings can reach them.

D-Day

0015

The first airborne pathfinders (101st US Airborne Division) land by parachute and quickly set up beacons to guide in the main body of airborne troops.

0019

The main body of 101st US Airborne Division begins landing by parachute and glider several miles behind the beaches. Many of the airborne troops are widely scattered and will take hours to re-group. Some paratroopers drop into flooded areas and drown.

0200

Soldiers of 82nd US Airborne Division at Sainte-Mère-Église on D-Day. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

The main force of 82nd US Airborne Division begins landing. Some land in and around the town of Sainte Mère Église, a key objective.

0335

Heavy bombers of RAF Bomber Command attack German coastal gun batteries near Utah Beach. Their aim is to disable these batteries so they cannot fire on US troops who will land on the beaches in a few hours' time.

0405

The Royal Navt Cap of Sub Lieutenant John Ellis

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This Royal Navy cap belonged to Sub Lieutenant John Ellis. He was first lieutenant on board Landing Craft, Tank (LCT) 2130 which landed US troops on Utah Beach on D-Day.

Landing ships miles offshore begin lowering the landing craft that will take the assault infantry to the beach. Many troops have to climb down cargo nets from the ships into the landing craft.

0435

A landing craft carries US troops to Utah Beach on D-Day. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

First waves of landing craft head for the beach.

0536

Allied warships begin firing their guns against the German defences. There are exchanges of fire between several warships and German coastal guns.

0600

Support landing craft begin firing guns and rockets against German defences along the beach.

0630

US troops land on Utah Beach on D-Day. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

The first US troops (8th Regimental Combat Team) come ashore on schedule, but land at least 1,500 yards to the south of the intended sector. Fortunately this area is more lightly defended than their original objective. Shortly afterwards, most DD (swimming) tanks land successfully, though later than originally planned.

0800

Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt orders in follow-up troops. He decides to continue at the new landing site rather than reverting to the original one. US engineers are clearing beach obstacles so that follow-up landing craft can get to the beach in more safety.

0900 – 1000

US troops begin moving off the beach, along two of the four causeways. Meanwhile further inland, German forces fiercely counter-attack the positions held by US airborne troops.

1100 – 1200

Soldiers of 4th US Infantry Division make their way inland from Utah Beach. (Photo: Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / US National Archives)

As US troops advance further inland there is still some German resistance and artillery fire. Some Americans wade through flooded areas in order to reach their objectives. US troops advancing off the beach link-up with 101st US Airborne Division.

2100 – 2300

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Some airborne troops landed in Normandy in gliders like this Airspeed Horsa. (Photo: US Navy)

The final US airborne troops arrive by glider to reinforce 82nd Airborne Division.

2400

Utah Beach: At the end of D-Day: After being scattered during their landings, only 2,500 out of 6,600 US airborne troops have so far regrouped. Troops who landed on the beach have reached 101st US Airborne Division, but have not yet fully linked up with 82nd US Airborne Division who landed further to the west.

2400

Casualties at Utah Beach on D-Day: Total casualty figures for D-Day were not recorded at the time and are difficult to confirm in full. In the airborne landings 2,499 men became casualties, including 238 killed. Of the troops landing on the beaches, 589 were casualties including 197 who died. At Utah Beach there were also 235 naval and 340 air forces casualties. German losses here are unknown.

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