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National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia
“Incentive is not ordinarily
part of an infantryman’s life. For him there are no 25 or 50 missions to be
completed for a ticket home. Instead the rifleman trudges into battle knowing
that statistics are stacked against his survival. He fights without promise of
either reward or relief. Behind every river, there’s another hill….and behind
that hill, another river. After weeks or months in the line only a wound can
offer him the comfort of safety, shelter, and a bed. Those who are left to
fight, fight on, evading death but knowing that with each day of evasion they
have exhausted one more chance for survival. Sooner or later, unless victory
comes, the chase must end on the litter or in the grave”
General Omar N. Bradley,
Commander US First Army.
On June 6, 1944 the Allies land in Normandy France
Once ashore, the Allies must
consolidate the immediate defense of the beaches and form a continuous front by
expanding from them. The enemy fights stubbornly and is not easily overcome. In
the American sector the marshes near Carentan and at the mouth of the river
Vire hamper movements, and everywhere the country is suited to infantry
defense. Normandy
During the night, under deadly
fire from American artillery, the Germans leave Carentan. The town is occupied,
but the Germans soon counter-attack.
Due to heavy resistance, the US
First Army has still not reached the line it was meant to occupy on day one of
the landing. Allied units advance slowly both in the Cotentin Peninsula
A violent counter-attack by the
German 17th Armored Division to recapture Carentan carries the Germans to the
outskirts of the town before they are halted.
The headquarters of the US First
Army issues a directive for a general offensive. This is to begin on 3 July
with the US VIII Corps, west of the Cotentin
Peninsula
At 5:30 A.M. , in a blinding rainstorm, the American First
Army launches the “Battle
Heavy fighting continues over
the whole Normandy
The 83rd Division continues its
slow advance to the south against fierce German resistance. Every forward unit
suffers a steady drain of casualties from snipers, mortaring and artillery
fire, which both sides employ daily to maintain pressure upon each other.
The 83rd Division faces
opposition from two SS Divisions, the 2nd and the 17th Armored.
German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
reports that since 6 June his units have lost nearly 100,000 men killed,
wounded and missing.
The US First Army enters St. Lo.
After capturing St. Lo the First
Army pushes on southward. By the end of July, temporary or permanent losses
from “battle fatigue” have reached twenty per cent of all American casualties
since D-Day. Between June and November 1944, a staggering twenty six per cent
of all American soldiers in combat divisions will be treated for some form of
battle fatigue.
The after action medical report
of First Army declared that: “...the rate of admission to the exhaustion
centers… during the first weeks of operations was in accord with the estimate
made previously, however, the rate thereafter increased to such proportions
that it became necessary to reinforce each of the platoons operating the
exhaustion centers. Reasons for this increase: a) addition of a number of
divisions to the army in excess of original estimates, b) difficult terrain,
mud, hedgerows etc., c) stiff resistance offered by the enemy in the La Haye du
Puits, Carentan and St. Lo actions, d) troops remaining in combat for long
periods.
Since 6 June the Allies have
lost 122,000 men killed, wounded and missing, against German losses of 154,000.
Before D-Day, American logisticians expected 70.3 per cent of casualties to be
among the infantry. Actually, 85 per cent of casualties are among the infantry.
The US
The XVth Corps is making swift
progress toward Le Mans
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