France - Normandy Day 4 - Pointe du Hoc and the American Rangers

 In the early morning of June 6th 1944, more than 200 American Rangers landed and began to scale the cliff side. Their mission was to eliminate the guns on top. Because the ropes they were carrying were wet, they could not be used to shoot from their rappelling guns. Because they landed late, the tide was coming in. Because they were late, they were spotted and half the troop were killed or wounded before they could start climbing with their bare hands and knives. That is why this monument to them is in the shape of a knife as well as because it is the symbol of the rangers.

 Before the landing there was extensive bombing and shelling of the area. My wife is standing on the opposite side of one of the craters.

 The shelling and bombing devastated the land but not many of the buildings. Unfortunately for the rangers, the Germans moved back the guns to the treeline further inland in between volleys and sorties.

 This is the cliff side. It is soft ground but 30 meters tall.

 This is the observation and command bunker.

 The steps down would have been imposing to the rangers due to machine gun firing.

 This is the wall to the right when at the foot of the stairs. That is because there was an armored door to the left at the base of the stairs and tells the tale of more machine gun fire once the rangers were at the bottom.

 This is the view from the first opening.

 Here is the observation area in the bunker.

 The outside front area.

 This is where a gun would have been with schoolkids relaxing and innocent of the horrors of war.

 Another bunker near the cliff face.

This is one of the captured French guns that were used by the Germans. Once at the tp, the rangers realized that the guns had moved. After various attacks and counterattacks the rangers took or destroyed the guns and took the pointe. There were supposed to be a reserve force of 500 rangers to either go to the pointe to assist or land on Omaha. Because of the delay in the first wave, the second was never signaled and landed on the beach. After two days, the rangers on the Pointe had 90 men who could still fight on.