The Normandy Invasion: The Story in Pictures

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ON THE WAY TO THE ASSAULT BOATS
England, Olin Dows
1944

In preparation for the invasion, artillery equipment is loaded aboard LCTS at an English port. Brixham, England. 1 June 1944. Photo by Nehez. SC206438

General view of a port in England; in foreground, jeeps are being loaded onto LCTs - in background, larger trucks and ducks are being loaded onto LSTs. Undated - June 1944.

An ambulance being backed into the mouth of an LST in preparation for the big assault against Hitler’s Europe. Undated - in prep for Normandy landings. Undated - June 1944.

Anti-aircraft halftracks to support initial wave of the assault against Hitler’s Europe begins are being loaded onto an LCT in a British port. Undated - June 1944.

These American troops are marching through the streets of a British port town on their way to the docks where they will be loaded into landing craft for the big assault. Undated - June 1944.

American troops load onto landing craft at a port in Britain from where they will shove off for the invasion of Europe on D-Day. Undated - June 1944.

View of an LCT with American troops and equipment loaded aboard awaiting the signal for the assault against the continent. England. Undated - June 1944

Gen Dwight D Eisenhower gives the order of the Day. "Full victory - nothing else" to paratroopers in England, just before they board their airplanes to participate in the first assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe.
Photo by Moore. SC194399

Paratroopers get final instructions before leaving for Normandy. RG-208-MO-10H, National Archives.

OMAHA BEACH
France
Joseph Gary Sheahan, 1944

UTAH BEACH
France
Joseph Gary Sheahan, 1944

Assault landing. One of the first waves at Omaha. The Coast Guard caption identifies the unit as Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. CG 2343

American assault troops in a landing craft huddle behind the protective front of the craft as it nears a beachhead, on the Northern Coast of France. Smoke in the background is Naval gunfire supporting the land. 6 June 1944. SC320901

LST UNLOADING IN NORMANDY
Harrison Standley

FIRST WAVE AT OMAHA: THE ORDEAL OF THE BLUE AND GRAY
Omaha Beach, D-Day, June 6, 1944

Behind them was a great invasion armada and the powerful sinews of war. But in the first wave of assault troops of the 29th (Blue and Gray) Infantry Division, it was four rifle companies landing on a hostile shore at H-hour, D-Day - 6:30 a.m., on June 6, 1944. The long-awaited liberation of France was underway. After long months in England, National Guardsmen from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia found themselves in the vanguard of the Allied attack. In those early hours on the fire-swept beach the 116th Infantry Combat Team, the old Stonewall Brigade of Virginia, clawed its way through Les Moulins draw toward its objective, Vierville-sur-Mer. It was during the movement from Les Moulins that the battered but gallant 2d Battalion broke loose from the beach, clambered over the embankment, and a small party, led by the battalion commander, fought its way to a farmhouse which became its first Command Post in France. The 116th suffered monre than 800 casualties this day - a day which will long be remembered as the beginning of the Allies' "Great Crusade" to rekindle the lamp of liberty and freedom on the continent of Europe. Part of the National Guard

Invasion. Carrying a full equipment, American assault troops move onto Utah Beach on the norther coast of France. Landing craft, in the background, jams the harbor. 6 June 1944. Photographer: Wall. SC189902

Members of an American landing party lend helping hands to other members of their organization whose landing craft was sunk be enemy action of the coast of France. These survivors reached Omaha Beach, by using a life raft. Photographer: Weintraub, 6 June 1944. SC190366

Three Rhino barges and a petrol barge are being hammered by surf somewhere along the coast of France Photographer: Bacon. SC 193920

Photo taken on D+2, after relief forces reached the Rangers at Point Du Hoe. The American flag had been spread out to stop fire of friendly tanks coming from inland. Some German prisoners are being moved in after capture by the relieving forces. SC190240

This graphic tells the story of how the France beachhead was supplied on "D-Day". 6 June 1944 Photo by Steck. SC190631

The build-up of Omaha Beach. Reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. SC193082

WRECKED GERMAN PILLBOX
Manuel Bromberg, Normandy 1944

GIs who have landed on the northern coast of France during the early stages of D-Day man a life line to help other Americans approaching the beach in a swamped landing craft. 12 June 1944. Photo by Weintraub. SC238439

A medic of the 3d Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1st U.S. Inf. Div., moves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the landing. The men, having gained the comparative safety offered by the chalk cliff at their backs, take a breather before moving into the interior of the continent. Collville, Sur-Mer, Normandy, France. Photographer: Taylor, 6 June 1944. SC 189925-S

THE WAY BACK
Lawrence Beall Smith

Evacuating Wounded Soldiers
England, World War II
Harrison Standley, 1944

"Stretcher bearers of a medical battalion carry a casualty from the hold of an LST to a waiting ambulance which will take them to a nearby field hospital. The LST had just returned from Normandy bringing about 300 ambulatory casualties and about 30 stretcher cases. Seamen from the LST's and soldiers about to embark for France watch with interest. On board the evacuating LST's the cases are cared for by Navy medical personnel, June 1944." HARRISON STANDLEY

A group of paratroopers in a French village at St. Marcouf, Utah Beach, France. From here they will move on into the continent, accomplishing their assigned objectives. 8 June 1944. Photo by Werner. SC 189921-S

Members of the 1st Bn, 355th Engineers, cleaning through wrecked streets of St Lo so that traffic could move by road from Omaha beach. Photographer: Unknown, date - 1944. SC 572358

NORMANDY SABBATH
Normandy, World War II
Lawrence Beall Smith, 1944

	ON THE WAY TO THE ASSAULT BOATS England, Olin Dows 1944
	In preparation for the invasion, artillery equipment is loaded aboard LCTS at an English port. Brixham, England. 1 June 1944. Photo by Nehez. SC206438
	General view of a port in England; in foreground, jeeps are being loaded onto LCTs - in background, larger trucks and ducks are being loaded onto LSTs. Undated - June 1944.
	An ambulance being backed into the mouth of an LST in preparation for the big assault against Hitler’s Europe. Undated - in prep for Normandy landings. Undated - June 1944.
	Anti-aircraft halftracks to support initial wave of the assault against Hitler’s Europe begins are being loaded onto an LCT in a British port. Undated - June 1944.
	These American troops are marching through the streets of a British port town on their way to the docks where they will be loaded into landing craft for the big assault. Undated - June 1944.
	American troops load onto landing craft at a port in Britain from where they will shove off for the invasion of Europe on D-Day. Undated - June 1944.
	View of an LCT with American troops and equipment loaded aboard awaiting the signal for the assault against the continent. England. Undated - June 1944
	Gen Dwight D Eisenhower gives the order of the Day. "Full victory - nothing else" to paratroopers in England, just before they board their airplanes to participate in the first assault in the invasion of the continent of Europe. Photo by Moore. SC194399
	Paratroopers get final instructions before leaving for Normandy. RG-208-MO-10H, National Archives.
	OMAHA BEACH France Joseph Gary Sheahan, 1944
	UTAH BEACH France Joseph Gary Sheahan, 1944
	Assault landing. One of the first waves at Omaha. The Coast Guard caption identifies the unit as Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. CG 2343
	American assault troops in a landing craft huddle behind the protective front of the craft as it nears a beachhead, on the Northern Coast of France. Smoke in the background is Naval gunfire supporting the land. 6 June 1944. SC320901
	LST UNLOADING IN NORMANDY Harrison Standley
	FIRST WAVE AT OMAHA: THE ORDEAL OF THE BLUE AND GRAY Omaha Beach, D-Day, June 6, 1944 Behind them was a great invasion armada and the powerful sinews of war. But in the first wave of assault troops of the 29th (Blue and Gray) Infantry Division, it was four rifle companies landing on a hostile shore at H-hour, D-Day - 6:30 a.m., on June 6, 1944. The long-awaited liberation of France was underway. After long months in England, National Guardsmen from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia found themselves in the vanguard of the Allied attack. In those early hours on the fire-swept beach the 116th Infantry Combat Team, the old Stonewall Brigade of Virginia, clawed its way through Les Moulins draw toward its objective, Vierville-sur-Mer. It was during the movement from Les Moulins that the battered but gallant 2d Battalion broke loose from the beach, clambered over the embankment, and a small party, led by the battalion commander, fought its way to a farmhouse which became its first Command Post in France. The 116th suffered monre than 800 casualties this day - a day which will long be remembered as the beginning of the Allies' "Great Crusade" to rekindle the lamp of liberty and freedom on the continent of Europe. Part of the National Guard
	Invasion. Carrying a full equipment, American assault troops move onto Utah Beach on the norther coast of France. Landing craft, in the background, jams the harbor. 6 June 1944. Photographer: Wall. SC189902
	Members of an American landing party lend helping hands to other members of their organization whose landing craft was sunk be enemy action of the coast of France. These survivors reached Omaha Beach, by using a life raft. Photographer: Weintraub, 6 June 1944. SC190366
	Three Rhino barges and a petrol barge are being hammered by surf somewhere along the coast of France Photographer: Bacon. SC 193920
	Photo taken on D+2, after relief forces reached the Rangers at Point Du Hoe. The American flag had been spread out to stop fire of friendly tanks coming from inland. Some German prisoners are being moved in after capture by the relieving forces. SC190240
	This graphic tells the story of how the France beachhead was supplied on "D-Day". 6 June 1944 Photo by Steck. SC190631
	The build-up of Omaha Beach. Reinforcements of men and equipment moving inland. SC193082
	WRECKED GERMAN PILLBOX Manuel Bromberg, Normandy 1944
	GIs who have landed on the northern coast of France during the early stages of D-Day man a life line to help other Americans approaching the beach in a swamped landing craft. 12 June 1944. Photo by Weintraub. SC238439
	A medic of the 3d Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1st U.S. Inf. Div., moves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the landing. The men, having gained the comparative safety offered by the chalk cliff at their backs, take a breather before moving into the interior of the continent. Collville, Sur-Mer, Normandy, France. Photographer: Taylor, 6 June 1944. SC 189925-S
	THE WAY BACK Lawrence Beall Smith
	Evacuating Wounded Soldiers England, World War II Harrison Standley, 1944 "Stretcher bearers of a medical battalion carry a casualty from the hold of an LST to a waiting ambulance which will take them to a nearby field hospital. The LST had just returned from Normandy bringing about 300 ambulatory casualties and about 30 stretcher cases. Seamen from the LST's and soldiers about to embark for France watch with interest. On board the evacuating LST's the cases are cared for by Navy medical personnel, June 1944." HARRISON STANDLEY
	A group of paratroopers in a French village at St. Marcouf, Utah Beach, France. From here they will move on into the continent, accomplishing their assigned objectives. 8 June 1944. Photo by Werner. SC 189921-S
	Members of the 1st Bn, 355th Engineers, cleaning through wrecked streets of St Lo so that traffic could move by road from Omaha beach. Photographer: Unknown, date - 1944. SC 572358
	NORMANDY SABBATH Normandy, World War II Lawrence Beall Smith, 1944