Pointe du Hoc, St. Mere-Englise, Port en Bessin in Normandy, France
as you drive through the area it’s hard to imagine what went on here now it’s a peaceful area like so many places back home [Music] such a beautiful site today but not then the US Army’s second Ranger assault group assaulted and captured point to Hawk after scaling The 100t Cliffs they had to capture the German artillery and disable the guns that could have threatened the Allied Landings at Omaha and Utah Beach these are not just depressions in the ground they’re the craters from the shellings ruers Rangers suffered a 70% casualty rate less than 75 of the original 225 who came ashore were fit for duty of those who served in the second ranger battalion on D-Day 77 were killed and2 were wounded the Germans installed a battery of 155 mm guns on top of the cliff which was the highest point between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east the guns had a range of approximately 20,000 yards and could decimate both beaches and could totally change the outcome if they were not destroyed [Music] and that’s why the German Army fortified the area with concrete casements and gun pits however unknown to the Rangers and to Military Intelligence the Germans had removed the Cannons the months before D-Day the Cannons were replaced with wooden poles to deceive Allied reconnaissance planes the Cannons may not have been here but the soldiers were looks nice now but certainly not then [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] now on our way to St Marie Eng glaz if I’m saying that [Music] correctly 30 paratroop Troopers landed in the town including 20 right on the church square that was not the plan some paratroopers were Landing in buildings that were on fire due to the Allied shelling German soldiers just streamed into the attack and the battle raged for two days see the parachute on the church paratrooper John steel was dangling here he actually hung there for most of the battle he was shot in the foot then captured but he escaped and went on to fight in the longest day steel was played by red buttons actually he was dangling from the other side but it’s easier for the tourists to see this side this little village was the first place in France to be liberated by the allies [Music] a GI had gone in here and was captured by a German soldier but when the German Soldier saw that the battle was lost he surrendered to the American the town holds annual commemorations and tribute to the liberators including John steel notice the sign is in [Music] English it’s just a little village with a lot of monuments but you walk here and you feel it really wasn’t so long ago next port in ban if I’m saying that correctly this little fishing Village played an important part on D-Day unless these Cliffs could be captured the operation would fail this port supplied a large portion of the petrol for the Allied armies in Normandy the 47th Royal Marine Commandos were given the near impossible task of capturing this heavily fortified strategically vital Port from the same crack German units that would wreak havoc on the American Landings on Omaha Beach I can’t even imagine scaling these Cliffs Under Fire except for the plaques and the flags flown from average houses in the village you would never have known anything special happened here note the English on the other side some of the longest day was actually shot here on site see this Tower the special effects person put too much explosives in one of the walls and damaged it the town’s people were not very happy about that this town just seems like a quiet fishing Village but on D-Day if the British Commandos had not cast captured it the Allies would have had nowhere else to get fuel for their Landings if you happen to be here and you see some old boys in Green Beret buy them a drink they’re members of the 47th no idea what this is notice the sh are not flat but Sideways from the current very colorful [Music] [Music] fish markets right from the boat they eat good here scraps from the market except some don’t like the share [Music] [Music] some fishermen go out at night then return in the morning with fresh fish this is just one of the little known important actions of D-Day at least in the United States but there’s a fun place has amazing sunrise and sunsets [Music]
Rick Steve’s Heart of France Tour