[caww]

Bloody Omaha....

As the soldiers of the American divisions on OMAHA came ashore they faced German defenders of the 352nd, 716th and a regiment of the 709th Infantry Division, the latter under the tactical command of the 352nd. Without the bulk of their tanks artillery and lacking close air support the Americans struggled across the beaches and were cut down in large numbers before being pinned down behind the sea wall.

With the Americans pinned down on the beach unable to advance, the time tables for the reinforcing waves became snarled amid the German beach obstacles which had not been cleared.... This was in large part due to 40% casualties among the Combat Engineers and the loss of all but five bulldozers.

Naval officers were frustrated in their attempts to provide naval gunfire support by the lack of identifiable targets on the beaches. Yet German strongpoint’s were “knocked out by either by superbly directed vigorous gunfire from destroyers steaming as close as 800 yards offshore, or by determined action from Rangers or infantry

[caww]

Soldiers ashore discovered that they were not facing the static 716th Division but the veteran 352nd Division as well..... Only the leadership and actions of Brigadier General Norman Cota the 29th Division’s Deputy Commander and Colonel Charles Canham of the 116th Infantry kept the situation from complete collapse....... They were able to rally their troops.

Under their leadership small units from the 116th which had its linage back to the “Stonewall Brigade” as well as elements of the 16th and 18th Infantry Regiments began to move forward..... Surviving junior leaders began to lead survivors through the dunes and up the bluffs to attack German defenders of the roads leading up from the beach from the flank and rear. A mid-day break in the weather allowed some close tactical air support giving the troops badly needed support.

US 1st Infantry Division Troops at the Omaha sea wall

[Pelham]

“German strongpoint’s were “knocked out by either by superbly directed vigorous gunfire from destroyers steaming as close as 800 yards offshore”

That’s a largely forgotten part of the battle. Around 9:00 am destroyer captains off of Omaha beach realized that something was going very wrong with the landing. Their decision to bring their ships right up to the beach in order to pick off strongpoints may well have decided the battle:

Destroyers at Normandy: Naval Gunfire Support at Omaha Beach

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/destroyersatnormandy.htm