D-Day 75th Anniversary and Thinking about the Scene Inside the Landing Craft
In honor of today’s 75th anniversary of D-Day, there has rightly been much ceremony, discussion, and remembrance about this world-altering event. I heard a historian talk a bit about the scene inside the landing craft as the Allied infantry arrived on the shores of Normandy, France.
Thousands of these vessels carrying thousands of young men stormed 5 beaches the morning of June 6, 1944. As the first waves of the boats came ashore, the German gunners were eagerly waiting. Eisenhower’s plan was to wipe them out minutes before the forces arrived, but low cloud cover caused the planes to miss their targets.
The Nazis targeted the front doors of the landing craft. The soldiers inside could hear the rapid-fire pelting of the steel. The machine guns were so strong, that some men died from the penetration of the enemy bullets.
Imagine experiencing this PURE HORROR. You think, “We’re all going to die once that door drops!” You’re likely still only a teenager and no training has prepared you for this. Once the doors crashed down, it was in fact a slaughter. That’s why in order to survive, many men jumped over the side into the water (as depicted in the Saving Private Ryan movie).
D-Day veteran Frank DeVita recalls how tough it was to be in charge of dropping the ramp as his team approached Omaha Beach. “This was our shield as long as it was up. And as we approached the shoreline where the water hits the sand, and the machine guns were hitting the front of the boat—it was like a typewriter.” DeVita had just turned 19.
Nevertheless, DeVita and the others dropped the ramps anyway. However they could, these selfless soldiers drove toward the beach. This is the epitome of courage and bravery. Several waves of Allied Forces were gunned down mercilessly until enough got through and took out the Nazi artillery.
By day’s end, all 5 beaches of Normandy were liberated, but not without a terrible toll. According to History.com there were 4,414 Allied Forces deaths: 2,501 Americans and 1,913 Allies. The silver lining is that most military experts agree that the success of the Normandy invasion literally saved the world.