The German machine-guns crackle and pour an iron rain which falls on the landing craft. Some take water: a L. The first L. They all head towards the east side. The American Rangers rush out, discovering a beach five to six meters wide already dug by numerous mortar shells.
Pointe du Hoc surmounted by the memorial dedicated to the American Rangers. The first corps fell on the pebbles, while the survivors threw grapples and ropes through mortars, while at the same time the naval artillery supported them as close as possible.
But the water weighed down the ropes and grapples fell on the beach. Some people then decide to climb the cliff with their hands, digging steps in the rock with their dagger. The Germans pour a rain of grenades on the thin strip of beach and water it with the bursts of machine guns.
A collapse of the cliff, caused by the USS Texas fire. The Rangers use the few ropes that the Germans have not had time to cut to reach the summit of the cliff. A few minutes later, the first American soldiers headed for the bunkers and discovered a lunar space, dug by the bombs.
The Germans disappeared but snipers opened fire. These snipers use the holes dug by the bombs to get closer to the Rangers. One of the casemates still under construction at the time of the Normandy landing. Within fifteen minutes, the Pointe is taken and secured by the Americans. According to information provided by Allied intelligence, the Germans withdrew the mm artillery pieces several weeks before landing. The latter were replaced, following multiple bombings and pending the construction of all concrete shelters, by wooden poles whose purpose was to deceive the Allied reconnaissance planes.
On June 6, , only four casemates had come out of the ground and were still under construction. Once the surprise effect gone, Lieutenant-Colonel Rudder organizes the defense of the piece of land he controls. Sorry for the reinforcements, all the Rangers have already landed in Omaha.
The losses are indeed very high, but Rudder must do with it. Theoretically, he must go to Osmanville to flank guard the landing operations in Omaha while neutralizing the various points of German support encountered along the way.
But the amphibious assault of the 1st Infantry Division and the 29th Infantry Division between Vierville-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer unfolds badly: the American infantry are set on the edge of the beach and fail to break through the line head on. Only a few elements of the 5th Ranger Battalion manage to reach the Pointe du Hoc from the afternoon of June 6, crossing the seven kilometers of grove through the enemy positions. Rudder makes the decision to wait for reinforcements from Omaha and firmly defends the point of the Hoc.
He nevertheless launched patrols towards the road from Grandcamp to Vierville-sur-Mer, so as to block any German reinforcements that would move east. Lomell and Staff Sergeant Jack E. Kuhn, belonging to Company D of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, discover about one kilometer south of the battery five pieces of field artillery, camouflaged behind a hedge.
Dozens of German soldiers are present, about a hundred meters further south. The young American sergeant gives his orders: his comrade must observe the German positions while he launches two grenades on the first two pieces. Lomell destroys the sighting systems of the other howitzers with the butt of his Thompson submachine gun, wrapped in his jacket to limit the noise.
After successfully completing this operation, the patrol retraces its steps to retrieve additional grenades in order to complete the work. Ten minutes later, the action is over and the two Rangers retreat immediately. The young American sergeant gives his orders: his comrade must observe the German positions while he throws two thermal grenades on the first two guns. Lomell destroyes the sighting systems of the other howitzers with the butt of his Thompson gun, wrapped in his jacket to limit the noise.
After successfully completing this operation, the patrol retraces to recover additional grenades to complete the work. Ten minutes later, the action is over and the two Rangers go back to their lines. One of the mm howitzer, hidden one kilometer south of the battery.
Offshore warships fire a barrage around US-controlled areas. Night falls and the Germans organize a counterattack. They infiltrate through the American lines and then are pushed back by the Rangers. But the ammunition is going low and the reinforcements are still not there. In addition, many Rangers are taken prisoners since they can not hold hermetic defenses and are often taken to backhand.
An explosion stronger than the others is suddenly heard: a Ranger has just blown up the German ammunition depot. In the early morning of June 7, Rudder makes another terrible observation: the ammunition and provisions are insufficient to hold this siege. And the th infantry regiment is still not there!
But they have hold, these are the orders. The th infantry regimentis indeed delayed by a very strong resistance, in Vierville-sur-Mer and on the road towards Pointe du Hoc. Nobody knows the date, the time of their arrival to reinforce the Rangers. The German defense is concentrated to the west of the Pointe, around the western anti-aircraft bunker, reinforced by the presence of a 88 mm gun.
Everywhere else, many snipers injure and kill Rangers. From the craters dug by the bombs, the Rangers defend their positions.
The second night falls on Pointe du Hoc since this piece of land belongs half to the American soldiers who cling to it with their nails. Reinforcements have not yet arrived, fatigue is gaining many have not closed their eyes for two days , ammunition and food are practically exhausted and the number of Rangers still able to fight is decreasing. Ranger Battalion in an effort to neutralize the German artillery battery there. About Explore Media. By late , the Germans had installed an artillery battery at Pointe du Hoc, a prominent cliff overlooking the English Channel.
Composed of six mm guns positioned in open concrete gun pits later under casemates , this battery was able to cover the beaches that had been selected for the landing of American troops; Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east.
Aware of the threat, the Allies bombed the battery many times before the landing. However, in order to ensure its complete destruction, they entrusted to the 2nd US Ranger battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder the task of scaling the cliff, seizing the fortifications and disabling the guns.
On the morning of D-Day after a perilous ascent with rope ladders and grappling hooks, the U. Once victorious, the Rangers were astonished to find the gun bunkers empty and the guns missing.
They appeared to be recently moved by the Germans.
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