Colleville-s-Mer and St. Laurent-s-Mer in Normandy 1944

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER/SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-MER
Calvados - 14 km north-west of Bayeux
The Americans went through hell on Omaha Beach
On 6 June 1944, the American troops landed in Normandy on Omaha Beach. The Vth Corps under General Gerow was assigned the task to clean off the beaches, and to build up exit corridors. But nothing occured as expected : near all the amphibious tanks sank, the bombers had been missing their targets, a strong tidal current veered of course the landing ships, and the engineers troops who had to open breaches in the defenses lost much equipment. At 6:30 am the first wave of the 1st Infantry Division was slaughtered, the second wave at 7 am suffered heavy losses. Around 9 am, the Rangers and the 116th Infantry Regiment opened the first exit. Around 10 am, two gates were finally cracked open at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, with the support of tanks, and two destroyers shelling the casemates of Les Moulins. Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer was liberated at the end of the afternoon of D-Day, Colleville-sur-Mer was seized the next day.

American Cemetery
Colleville/Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
The cemetery of Colleville/Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer was inaugurated in 1956 after four years work. The cemetery overlooks the beaches of Omaha. Emotion overwhelms the visitor facing the large central viewpoint, the Memorial decorated with a huge Battle map, the «Garden of the missing» where are carved the names of 1 557 missing soldiers, and the ten squares of steles, perfectly line up where are buried 9 386 American soldiers and 4 women. At the entrance a capsule dedicated to General Eisenhower contains the report of the D-Day fighting and had been sealed on 6 June 1969.
Situation : on the sea front between Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer (follow the road-sign)

Omaha 6 juin 1944 Museum - Tank/artillery gun/LCVP
Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
This Museum presents arms and equipments coming from Omaha Beach. Outside several vehicles are exposed : an american Sherman tank M4 that made up the main equipment of the Allied armoured divisions, it was fitted with a 75 mm gun with a four men crew. A 155 mm artillery gun M1, this heavy american artillery gun named "Long Tom" needed a 14 soldiers team to fire; it was used on every theater of operation. A LCVP ship, this Landing craft Vehicle and Personal ship could transport 36 troops and 3 tons of suppliesl, its maximum speed was 9 knots, it was driven by 3 men.

Big Red One Museum
Colleville-sur-Mer
This Museum is mainly dedicated to the 1st American Infantry Division - Big Red One - who landed on day-D on Omaha Beach. It presents also the Engineers Assault units and the Navy Beach Battalions.
Situation : at the edge of the D514 road, on the left, between Colleville-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer

		5th Engineer Special Brigade monument - 299th Combat Engineer plaque - 146th Engineer Combat Battalion plaque - 20th Combat Engineer plaque Colleville-sur-Mer This monument is dedicated to the 5th Engineer Special Brigade. On the sides every units of the Brigade are engraved, several plaques commemorate the 299th Combat Engineers, the 146th Engineer Combat Battalion, the 20th Combat Engineer, and the roll of honour of Omaha Beach. Situation : on the sea front, over a blockhouse, walk on foot from the beach or the American cemetery

		467th AAA and Provisional Engineer Special Brigade Group plaque - 2e Division d'infanterie stele Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer (Le Ruquet) Two plaques on a blockhouse dedicated to the 467th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, and to the Provisional Engineer Special Brigade Group. Beside the blockhouse a stele is in memory of the 2nd American Infantry Division. Situation : follow the coast eastward starting from the crossroads of Les Moulins (Liberation monument)

		1st Infantry Division Monument Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer Monument dedicated to the Big red one, the 1st American Infantry Division. Situation : on the sea front, within walk distance starting from the American cemetery

Canadian Navy minesweeper plaque
Colleville-sur-Mer
This plaque explains the action of the Canadian Navy minesweeper during D-day, and specially the action of the 31st Flotilla.
Situation : on the western side of the blockhouse used as support for the 5th Engineer Special Brigade monument

WN 62 board
Colleville-sur-Mer
This board describes the fortifications of the German strongpoint - Wiederstandnest - WN 62. The vestiges can be seen on the battlefield.
Situation : slightly below on the right of the 1st American Infantry Division monument

Big Red One observatory
This observatory tells about the area where landed the 1st American Infantry Division Big Red One, and the fighting until the capture of Caumont-l'Eventé.
Situation : in front of the 1st American Infantry Division monument

A21 airfield stele
Colleville-sur-Mer/Le Ruquet
Stele commemorating the first American airfield in Normandy on 8 June. Many soldiers wounded on Omaha Beach were evacuated through this airfield. It was built by the 834th Air Engineer Battalion of the 9th US Air Force.
Situation : behind the blockhouse of Le Ruquet, take a stairs up to the hill, then follow a path 200 meters inland to a fence

			Liberation, 1st Division and 116th RCT monument St-Laurent-sur-Mer Monument remembering the landing on Omaha Beach. One can see two inscriptions carved on the sides of the monument, one dedicated to the 1st Infantry Division, and the other to the 116th Infantry Regimental Combat Team of the 29th Infantry Division. Situation : on the sea front, Les Moulins place

		2nd Armoured Division and 741st Tank Battalion plaques Colleville-sur-Mer Monument dedicated to the 2nd Armoured Division Hell on wheels, and to the 741st Tank Battalion that landed on Omaha Beach. Situation : in VVF village, up the village on the left

1st Infantry Division stele
Colleville-sur-Mer
This stele made with pebbles of Omaha Beach represents number One of the 1st American Infantry Division stele, the "Big Red One".
Situation : coming up from VVF village toward the American cemetery, on the right of the road in a bend facing the 60th anniversary stele

Omaha Beach board
Colleville-sur-Mer
This board explains the Landing on the shingle beach of Omaha, and the action of pebbles as obstacle and protection for American troops who slammed ashore on 6 June 1944.
Situation : on the car park, at the entrance of VVF village

60th anniversary stele
Colleville-sur-Mer
This stele commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Normandy battle.
Situation : coming up from VVF village toward the American cemetery, on the left of the road

"The Braves" monument
Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
Monumental work of art designed by artist Anilore Banon in memory of Allied Forces soldiers bravery.

ROAD MAP

INTERESTING WEB SITES
*Official web site of the First US Infantry Division* http://www.bigredone.org/ Web page about the naval forces of D-day http://www.naval-history.net/WW2194406.htm *Personal web site about the Atlantic Wall* http://atlantikwall.free.fr/ Association web site - lay flowers on the American soldiers graves http://fleursdelamemoire.free.fr/index.php?op=edito Page of US Army official web site about units of D-day http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/normandy/UnitList.htm Web site of the American Battle Monuments Commission http://www.abmc.gov/home.php

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