The beaches

Fighting was the most intense — and the casualties the highest — at Omaha Beach and Juno Beach.

» Omaha Beach was six miles wide and the largest of the five beaches where Allied forces went ashore. The Americans were assigned to this beach.

German guns had been well placed and machine gun fire tore into the Americans as they disembarked. Small naval craft got as close as possible and attacked the German gun emplacements. The attack distracted the Germans from a singular focus on the Americans on the beach. Led by U.S. Rangers, the U.S. troops scaled the cliffs overlooking the beach. By midday, German resistance was considerably lessened. By nightfall, the Americans had gained a hold on the beach and its immediate area.

The Americans suffered 2,400 casualties at Omaha, but 34,000 troops had been landed by the end of the day.

» Juno Beach was assigned to the British 2nd Army, and the main force that attacked was from the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division. The mission was to reach a road and form a link between the British beaches at Gold and Sword.