101st Pathfinders Jump Into Normandy

12:15 AM
Behind Utah Beach

Minutes after midnight, the American 101st Pathfinders jump into Normandy, and establish drop zones for 101st Airborne Paratroopers to follow. Their objective: capture the town of Sainte-Mère-Église, seize the major exits to Utah Beach, and gain control of the Western flank of Normandy.

6th British Airborne Division land

12:16 AM
Near Caen

On the Eastern flank of the Normandy beachhead, Operation Tonga begins as Horsa gliders carrying gliderborne troops of the 2n Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry land near two key bridges: the bridge over the Caen Canal at Benouville, now known as Pegasus Bridge, and Ranville bridge over the Orne River, now known as Horsa Bridge. The Ox and Bucks troopers secure both bridges within 15 minutes due to brilliant nighttime piloting; at Benouville, the lead glider incredibly lands just 40 meters from the bridge.

British paratroopers reinforce glider troops

12:50 AM
Ranville

Paratroopers of the British 6th Airborne Division drop near Ranville to reinforce the gliderborne troops and secure the eastern flank of the Allied beachhead.

82nd Airborne Pathfinders begin drop

1:21 AM
Off Utah Beach

82nd Airborne Pathfinders begin to drop into three main landing zones near Sainte-Mère-Église and two zones west of the Merderet River, in advance of the main force of Parachute Infantrymen. The 82nd Airborne’s objectives are to secure the town, control the causeway beyond, and seize the beach exits leading to Utah Beach.

82nd Airborne arrive over their drop zones

1:51 AM
Over Normandy

The 82nd Airborne paratroopers arrive over their drop zones in Normandy in 369 C-47 transport planes; their drop zones are near Sainte-Mère-Église, Amfreville and Picauville. But while the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment successfully lands on Sainte-Mère-Église, the 507th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments (PIR) are scattered along the Merderet River, which the Germans have intentionally flooded. Many of the heavily laden Paratroopers land in the flooded fields, and some drown before they have a chance to fight.

Fierce Fighting Begins

2:00 AM

As Allied paratroopers attempt to regroup, firefights break out with German forces in meeting engagements as each side attempts to organize for combat.

Landing Ships Prepped

3:00 AM
Off Normandy Coast

Miles off of the Normandy coastline, thousands of ships drop anchor and prepare landing craft for launch. Troops unloaded from transport ships into LCVPs and LCAs in anticipation of H-Hour.

WACO gliders arrive with reinforcements

3:54 AM
Cotentin

As the Allied paratroopers attempt to regroup, fierce fighting with surprised and confused German forces erupts all over the Normandy countryside. CG-4 (WACO) gliders land in the Cotentin with troop reinforcements.

Paratroopers Liberate Ste. Mère Eglise

4:00 AM
Ste. Mère Eglise

Paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 505th PIR liberate Ste. Mère Eglise.

Brigadier General Don F. Pratt dies in crash

4:08 AM
Near Hiesville

Brigadier General Don F. Pratt, assistant commander of the 101st Airborne Division, dies in a glider crash near Hiesville.

Troops land on Saint Marcouf Islands

4:30 AM
Saint Marcouf Islands

132 US soldiers of the 2nd and 4th Cavalry land on the beaches of the Saint Marcouf Islands.

First Wave of Force S Embarks

5:30 AM
Off Sword Beach

Soldiers of the first wave of Force S embark in their landing craft, destined for Sword Beach.

German Battery Fires at Armada

5:37 AM
Between Gold, Omaha beaches

The German-held Longues-sur-Mer battery opens fire for the first time, targeting the USS Emmons. It fails to hit the ship. It then fires on USS Arkansas and misses. At that point, the German battery focuses its guns on nearer targets.

Rough Seas sink 27 tanks

5:40 AM
Off Omaha Beach

Nearly an hour before H-Hour, Companies B and C of the 741st Tank Battalion begin to launch 32 Sherman tanks equipped with Duplex Drive (DD) to enable movement in the water. However, rough seas sink 27 tanks after launch from the LCTs; three are unable to launch at all. These are the first weather related casualties suffered in the assault. As a result, the 743rd and 745th Tank Battalions decide to land their tanks directly on the beach.

Naval Fire Starts at Utah Beach

5:50 AM
Utah Beach

Warships open fire on German batteries defending Utah Beach. Shortly after the naval bombardment, B-26 Marauders from the US 9th Air Force drop more than 4,000 bombs on targets from Les Dunes-de-Varreville to Beauguillot.

Bombers Attack Vierville

5:55 AM
Vierville

B-24s of the 446th Bomb Group drop bombs above Vierville, focusing on the strongpoints along the coast between Port-en-Bessin and the Pointe de la Percée. Due to poor weather and poor visibility, however, their efforts to knock them out are unsuccessful.

Daylight Breaks

5:58 AM
Across Normandy

Daylight breaks, revealing a continuation of gray, cold and rainy weather. Winds stir up waves beyond two meters tall. Warships open concentrated fire on the coastal batteries to prepare the way for the beach landings.

US Marauder bombers strike

6:00 AM
Across Normandy Coast

270 US Marauder bombers drop 4,404 bombs along the Normandy coast.

Landing craft head to British beaches

6:15 AM
Off Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches

Landing craft headed to the British Beaches (Gold, Juno, and Sword) begin their 7-mile journey.

First Waves Land at Omaha

6:30 AM
Omaha Beach

At H-Hour, 0630 in the morning the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions land the first waves of troops under heavy fire resulting in massive casualties. The first waves are relentlessly cut down by German machine gun and mortar fire.

Initial Naval bombardment ends

6:27 AM
Omaha Beach

The preparatory bombardment by naval guns on Omaha Beach ends.

DD Tanks Land at Omaha

6:29 AM
Omaha Beach

32 DD tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion land on Dog Green and Dog White sectors of Omaha Beach.

H-Hour on Omaha Beach

6:30 AM
Omaha Beach

At H-Hour the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions land the first waves of troops under heavy fire resulting in massive casualties. The first waves are relentlessly cut down by German machine gun and mortar fire.

18 Marauders bomb the German position on Pointe du Hoc positions after which the USS Texas fires on the suspected battery, providing preparatory fires for the US Ranger assault on the Pointe.

H-Hour on Utah Beach

6:30 AM
Utah Beach

At H-Hour on Utah Beach, strong currents push soldiers of the 4th Division ashore over a mile from their target beach. Amidst the confusion, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt decides to continue the invasion from his position rather than adjust to the plan, and the Americans move quickly to control the exits and advance towards Sainte-Mère-Église. 18 Marauders bomb Pointe du Hoc positions and then the USS Texas fires on the suspected battery.

Rocket Barrage at Utah Beach

6:37 AM
Utah Beach

Naval Lt. E. H. Mahlin, commanding LCT(R) 439, approaches Utah Beach. The LCT(R) (Landing Craft, Tank, Rocket) is outfitted with a special deck with racks that hold up to 1,080 rockets for close-in support of landing troops. Mahlin’s craft delivers a barrage of rockets as the first assault wave hits Utah Beach.

DD Tanks Land on Omaha Beach

6:45 AM
Utah Beach

32 DD tanks land on Utah Beach.

Second Wave Lands at Omaha Beach

7:00 AM
Omaha Beach

On Omaha Beach the second wave of troops lands in the bloody devastation of the first wave and attempts to push forward onto the beaches. The soldiers witness the terrible wrath of war firsthand, and now must fight for their own survival.

British Land at Sword Beach

7:00 AM
Sword Beach

The 3rd British Division lands on time at Sword Beach. Heavy fighting slows their progress on the far eastern flank of the invasion front.

88mm gun taken out

7:10 AM
Omaha Beach

A Sherman tank or naval gunfire knock out the 88mm gun in strongpoint WN61.

Rangers land at Pointe-du-Hoc

7:11 AM
Omaha Beach

225 Rangers land at Pointe-du-Hoc, 41 minutes behind schedule. Because they arrive late and do not make radio contact on time, their reinforcements are diverted to the east, to land on Dog Green sector.

British Land at Gold Beach

7:25 AM
Gold Beach

On Gold Beach the British 50th Division lands east of their target. German artillery and machine gun fire slows their attack. The British have a difficult time establishing a foothold in the cliffs at Arromanches, but ultimately succeed and push inland to take Bayeux.

AVRE Tanks Land on Sword Beach

7:25 AM
Sword Beach

Armored Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) tanks of the 5th Assault Regiment Royal Engineers, 79th Armored Division, land on Sword Beach.

Fierce Fighting Begins at Pointe du Hoc

7:30 AM
Pointe du Hoc

Rangers under Lt. Col. James Rudder, 2nd Ranger Battalion attack the German artillery battery at Pointe du Hoc, where Allied intelligence believes that 155mm guns on the summit can break the Allied attacks on both Utah and Omaha beaches. Climbing up the eastside face of the cliffs against terrific German fire, the Rangers gain the summit only to discover the guns are not there.

101st Airborne Seize Beach Exit 3

7:30 AM
Near Utah Beach

Paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 502nd PIR, 101st Airborne Division seize beach exit #3 to the west of Utah Beach, near Audouville-la-Hubert.

Canadians Land at Juno Beach

7:45 AM
Juno Beach

Behind schedule by 15 minutes, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division lands on Juno Beach and encounters stiff German resistance.

Rangers Land at Omaha Beach

8:00 AM
Omaha Beach

Task Force C (A and B Companies, 2nd Ranger Battalion) and the 5th Ranger Battalion land on the right flank of Omaha Beach, providing much-needed support and leadership. Brigadier General Norman Cota, assistant commander of the 29th Infantry Division, gave the Rangers their motto when he said to them, “Rangers lead the way!”

Meanwhile, US soldiers reach the top of the bluff at strongpoint WN60, overwatching Fox Red sector, and silence it by 0900 hours.

Anti-tank section lands at Sword

8:00 AM
Sword Beach

The anti-tank section lands and begins reducing the various German defensive positions targeting the beach.

Paratroopers destroy German battery at Saint Marin-de-Verreville

8:15 AM
Cotentin

1st Battalion, 501st PIR, 101st Airborne Division reports the destruction of the German battery at Saint Marin-de-Verreville.

8:20 AM
British Beaches

7th Battalion, Green Howards, of the 69th Infantry Brigade, British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division lands at Gold Beach.

Commando No. 4, 1st Special Service Brigade, lands at Sword Beach.

Traffic Jams at Omaha Beach

8:30 AM
Omaha Beach

With the rising tide shrinking the beach and vehicles without operators piling up, causing traffic jams and giving German artillery stationary targets to engage, the beachmaster suspended the landing of reinforcements. General Bradley considered sending follow-up waves to Utah or the British beaches, but as the situation gradually stabilized on Omaha this ultimately proved unnecessary.

US troops take first prisoners

8:35 AM
Omaha Beach

US troops on Omaha Beach take their first prisoners, four soldiers from 8th Company, 916th Regiment, 352nd Infantry Division.

Rangers Find Missing 155mm Guns

9:00 AM
Pointe du Hoc

Searching inland, Rangers find the missing 155mm guns over 1,100 meters away and destroy them with explosives.

The Germans launch a violent counterattack over the next 36 hours, and of 190 Rangers in the fight, only 90 survive the ordeal. German survivors in the area are taken as prisoners of war. American troops lay out the American flag to halt the fire of friendly tanks coming inland, proof of the ultimate success of their mission.

Canadians report 'situation excellent'

9:05 AM
Juno Beach

Canadian soldiers landing at Mike Red sector report the situation excellent – a major improvement after the difficult early hours of the invasion.

Naval Bombardment Ordered at Omaha

9:20 AM
Omaha Beach

A 28-minute naval bombardment on German defenses ordered by Major General Huebner begins, providing key support to soldiers trapped in the beachhead.

French Commandos storm Ouistreham Casino bunker

9:25 AM
Sword Beach

Supported by an amphibious tank, French commandos storm the bunker in the Ouistreham Casino. Meanwhile, the 1st Suffolk lands, and the South Lancashire Regiment liberates Hermanville.

Bernières Liberated

9:30 AM
Juno Beach

The North Shore Regiment and the Queen’s Own Rifle Regiment liberate the town of Bernières.

Troops begin to regroup on Omaha Beach

10:00 AM
Omaha Beach

At Omaha Beach, troops begin to regroup in small units, searching for exits off the beach. The beach is littered with dead and wounded troops, and the tide brings in dead men. Things look grim until two US destroyers approach within a kilometer of the shore to provide naval gunfire support. The destroyers silence WN62 and WN 64, easing the situation in the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors.

Americans overwhelm some German Defenses

10:30 AM
Omaha Beach

The American forces on Omaha Beach push inland, and troops overwhelm key German defensive positions which have raked them with murderous fire for hours. Infantry destroy strong point WN65, the German fortification protecting Exit E1 off the beach, and past it the Americans can access the Ruquet Valley. Meanwhile, soldiers of the 116th Infantry and Rangers from the 5th Ranger Battalion clear Vierville by 1100 hours.

First Positive Report from Omaha

11:00 AM
V Headquarters on USS Ancon

Major General Gerow, commander of V Corps, receives the first positive intelligence report to come from Omaha Beach. Spotters observe GIs advancing up the slope behind Easy Red and Easy Fox. The fortified house at Exit E-3 has fallen silent, and a destroyer is shelling Les Moulins. The report ends, “Things look better.” The situation at Omaha continues to gradually improves during the afternoon.

British Troops Secure Exits

11:00 AM
Gold Beach

British troops have secured 11 exits off the beach.

12:00 PM
Utah Beach

The 101st Airborne Division has secured the four beach exits and causeways. 2nd battalion, 8th Infantry enters Poupeville; D Company, 501st PIR reaches Angoville.

12:02 PM
Sword Beach

British commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade reach Pegasus Bridge, joining forces with the 6th British Airborne troopers securing the eastern flank of the Allied bridgehead.

12:14 PM
Omaha Beach

US troops reach the church at Colleville-sur-Mer as reinforcements from the 18th Infantry Regiment ascend the bluffs and approach the town.

1:00 PM
Omaha Beach

General Bradley learns that US troops are breaking through the German defenses as the situation on the beach stabilizes, and US troops reduce strongpoint WN 72 in the Dog Green area. At 1330 Bradley on the USS Augusta receives the following report: “Troops previously stopped on beaches Easy Red, Easy Green, Fox Red, progress on heights behind beaches.”

1:30 PM
Normandy Beachhead

Troops continue to push off the beaches, seeking safe positions to bivouac for the night and prepare for the next day’s events. Behind Utah Beach, VII Corps units move inland with minimal resistance, but troops exiting Omaha Beach soon find themselves in the dense bocage terrain through which they will struggle for several weeks before breaking out into more open terrain.

British and Canadian troops on Gold and Juno link up by the end of the day, but there is no contact between forces on Gold and Omaha. Troops on Sword Beach meet especially stiff resistance as they move inland, including a determined German defense at Périers Ridge, and, in the late afternoon, a counterattack by elements of the 21st Panzer Division. This resistance slows the advance, preventing troops of the British 3rd Division from reaching Caen on D-Day. It will take weeks to clear the city.

10:10 PM
Normandy Beachhead

Although fighting continues through the afternoon and night, its intensity slowly diminishes, giving the Allied invasion force a much-needed respite. Still, it will take several weeks of hard fighting to defeat the Wehrmacht in Normandy, liberate Paris, and reach the Seine River.