Changes

==  The Night  ==

==  The Night  ==

Starting before dawn, elite paratroopers and soldiers in gliders landed behind enemy lines to take out critical gun emplacements. When the planes were flying to their drop zones, they ran into some cloud cover. Naturally, their formations spread apart because the pilots were afraid they would collide with other planes. As a result, the paratroopers and glider-borne infantry were scattered and, in some cases, miles from their intended drop zones. When they landed, they encountered many problems. The Germans had flooded many low areas, and the paratroopers, weighed down by their chutes and gear, often drowned in just a few feet of water. Those that were lucky enough to survive the landing then had to get their bearings, regroup, and accomplish their objectives. The case of the Merville Battery shows why these men made up the [[Greatest Generation]].

Starting before dawn a combination of paratroopers and soldiers in gliders from the US 82nd and 101st Airborne and British 6th Airborne Divisions landed on the western and eastern edges of the invasion area respectively to capture key areas and destroy critical gun emplacements. A combination of low cloud cover, anti-aircraft fire from German positions and pilot inexperience led to some formations being badly shaken up. As a result, the paratroopers and glider-borne infantry were scattered and, in some cases, landed miles from their intended drop zones. When they landed, they encountered many problems. The Germans had flooded many low areas, and the paratroopers, weighed down by their chutes and gear, often drowned in just a few feet of water. Those that were lucky enough to survive the landing then had to get their bearings, regroup, and accomplish their objectives. The case of British capture of the Merville Battery shows why these men made up the [[Greatest Generation]].

The Merville Battery consisted of four heavy guns in a massive concrete emplacement pointed at Sword beach. It was protected by mine fields and antitank ditches, a 15 foot thick hedge of barbed wire, more mine fields, a maze of machine-gun-filled trenches, and a garrison of 200 men. The plan was to have 100 bombers drop 4,000 pound bombs on the battery. Glider trains were to bring in jeeps, antitank guns, and flamethrowers, Bangalore torpedoes (to cut through the barbed wire), mine detectors, mortars, and ladders. When the ground troops moved in, three gliders filled with men were to crash land on the battery, and if there is no success signal by 5:30, naval bombardment would commence. In reality, Bombing attack failed, and the glider train was lost. Only 150 men of 700 could be found, and that took so much time that they only had one hour to take the battery. They did not have the signal to give to the gliders that were to crash-land on it, so the gliders did not land on the battery. In spite of all this, they still managed to take the battery.

The Merville Battery consisted of four heavy guns in a massive concrete emplacement pointed at Sword beach. It was protected by mine fields and antitank ditches, a 15 foot thick hedge of barbed wire, more mine fields, a maze of machine-gun-filled trenches, and a garrison of 200 men. The plan was to have 100 bombers drop 4,000 pound bombs on the battery. Glider trains were to bring in jeeps, antitank guns, and flamethrowers, Bangalore torpedoes (to cut through the barbed wire), mine detectors, mortars, and ladders. When the ground troops moved in, three gliders filled with men were to crash land on the battery, and if there is no success signal by 5:30, naval bombardment would commence. In reality, the bombing attack failed, and the glider train was lost. Only 150 men of 700 could be found, and that took so much time that they only had one hour to take the battery. They did not have the signal to give to the gliders that were to crash-land on it, so the gliders did not land on the battery. In spite of all this, they still managed to take the battery.

Before the beach invasions began, 9,000 planes and hundreds of warships bombarded the coast. The craters are still visible in many places, including [[Point du Hoc]].

Before the beach invasions began, 9,000 planes and hundreds of warships bombarded the coast. The craters are still visible in many places, including [[Point du Hoc]].