June 6, 1944 : dawning of the day

At the sunrise june 6th , been assured of the complete destruction of german battery at SAINT MARTIN DE VARREVILLE by arial bombing, parachutists from the 101st Airborn Division could now controlled the high points around the marshlands as well as the four principal roads.

The telephons wires having been cut, germans found themselves isolated.
Hard fighting took place all the day long around the Barquette's locks as well as the bridges over the Merderet and the Douve river.

The Screaming Eagles resisted the german parachutists assault at VIERVILLE (only 7 km from the beach).

During the night the sea was covered with warships. From 4 o'clock a.m onwards men from the 4th Infantry Division, the 1st Engineer Special Brigade and the US Army bombed disposal unit boarded the landing barges stationed 10 nautical miles from the coast.

At 5.30 a.m, powerful battleships and destroyers began naval bombing on the german's strategic coastal position and over the german batteries at AZEVILLE and CRISBECQ.
Amongst the warships were the BAYFIELD, BLACK PRINCE and the proud USS NEVADA which had survived the attack on PEARL HARBOR, on 7th december 1941.

At 6.00 a.m, the B26 of the US Army Air Force began arial bombing over german stronghold W5 with their anti-personnal bombs.