Interesting Places I've Photographed
Pointe du Hoc
Normandy, France
Topic: World War II Sites
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| Cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc |
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| Gun Casement |
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| German Bunker |
GPS: N 49° 23.833; W 000° 59.352
Quick Description:
Pointe du Hoc is a
cliff top on the coast of Normandy between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha
Beach to the east.
Long Description:
The strategic position of Pointe du Hoc sit on top of 100 foot cliffs that overlook the allied D-Day landing beaches of Utah and Omaha on the coast of Normandy. The Germans has fortified this site with six casemates to house a battery of captured French Canon de 155mm GPF guns. These guns would be a serious threat to allied landing forces on both Utah and Omaha, they had to be captured before the landings could take place.
Early on June 6, 1944, before the main landings, the U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder, with three companies of Rangers were to be transported by sea to the foot of the cliffs, scale them using ropes, ladders, and grapples, and take the position at the top of the cliff.
Weather and navigational problems stalled the assault and lost the element of surprise. The rangers reached the base of the cliffs at 7:10 and scaled the cliffs with fire support from the destroyers USS Satterlee and HMS Talybont. Upon reaching the fortifications, the Rangers learned for the first time that the artillery battery had been moved from their positions (to about 1 mile away), presumably as a result of air attacks during the buildup to the invasion. The Rangers regrouped and a patrol went off in search of the guns. This patrol found five of the six guns nearby and destroyed their mechanism with thermite grenades. it was determined that the relocated battery was sighted only on Utah beach.
Determined to hold their cliff top position, the Rangers fended off several counterattacks from a far superior German force from the 916th Grenadier Regiment. Rudder's men were relieved after units of the American 29th Infantry Division's 116th Infantry Regiment broke through to the Rangers from Omaha Beach on June 7, 1944.
A monument at Pointe du Hoc honors the heroic Rangers. It was erected by the French to honor elements of the American Second Ranger Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. James E. Rudder. The monument was formally transferred to American Battle Monument Commission for perpetual care and maintenance on January 11, 1979. It is inscribed in English and in French:
TO THE HEROIC RANGER
COMMANDOES
D2RN E2RN F2RN
OF THE 116TH INF
WHO UNDER THE COMMAND OF
COLONEL JAMES E. RUDDER
OF THE FIRST AMERICAN DIVISION
ATTACKED AND
TOOK POSSESSION OF
THE POINTE DU HOC
AUX HEROIQUES COMMANDOES
DE
RANGER
D2RN E2RN F2RN
DU 116EME D'INFANTERIE
QUI PRIRENT D'ASSAULT
LA
POINTE DU HOC
LES 6.7.8. JUIN 1944
SOUS LE COMMANDEMENT
DU
COLONEL JAMES E. RUDDER
DE LA 1ERE DIVISION AMERICAINE
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