Pointe Du Hoc is situated between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east, and it was at this location the Germans had built six casemates to house a battery of captured French 155mm guns. These guns had been a threat to Allied landings on both beaches, risking heavy casualties in the landing forces.
The U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion was therefore given the task of destroying the strongpoint early on D-Day. The plan called for the three companies of Rangers to land by sea at the foot of the cliffs, scale them using ropes, ladders, and grapples under enemy fire, and engage the enemy at the top of the cliff. This was to be carried out before the main landings.
The efforts the Rangers on the Omaha Beach landing averted a disastrous failure there, since they carried the assault beyond the beach, into the overlooking bluffs and outflanked the German defenses. At the end of the 2-day action, the initial Ranger landing force of 225+ was reduced to about 90 men who could still fight.
Pointe Du Hoc is situated between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east, and it was at this location the Germans had built six casemates to house a battery of captured French 155mm guns. These guns had been a threat to Allied landings on both beaches, risking heavy casualties in the landing forces.
The U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion was therefore given the task of destroying the strongpoint early on D-Day. The plan called for the three companies of Rangers to land by sea at the foot of the cliffs, scale them using ropes, ladders, and grapples under enemy fire, and engage the enemy at the top of the cliff. This was to be carried out before the main landings.
The efforts the Rangers on the Omaha Beach landing averted a disastrous failure there, since they carried the assault beyond the beach, into the overlooking bluffs and outflanked the German defenses. At the end of the 2-day action, the initial Ranger landing force of 225+ was reduced to about 90 men who could still fight.
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