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Utah beach

Utah Beach
Part of Normandy landings
Utah Beach Landing.jpg
U.S. soldiers landing on Utah Beach
Date June 6, 1944
Location Pouppeville, La Madeleine, Manche, France
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 Germany
Commanders and leaders
United States J. Lawton Collins
United States Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Nazi Germany Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben
Units involved
United States VII Corps
Beach
Air drops
Nazi Germany LXXXIV Corps
Strength
  • 4th Infantry Division: 21,000
  • Airborne: 14,000
12,320
Casualties and losses
  • 4th Infantry Division: 197
  • Airborne: ~2,499
  • Other units: ~700
Unknown

Utah Beach was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), during World War II. The westernmost of the five landing beaches, Utah is on the Cotentin Peninsula, west of the mouths of the Douve and Vire rivers. Amphibious landings at Utah were undertaken by United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided by the United States Navy and Coast Guard as well as elements from the British, Canadian, Dutch and other Allied navies.

The objective at Utah was to secure a beachhead on the Cotentin Peninsula, the location of important port facilities at Cherbourg. The amphibious assault, primarily by the US 4th Infantry Division and 70th Tank Battalion, was supported by airborne landings of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division. The intention was to rapidly seal off the Cotentin Peninsula, prevent the Germans from reinforcing Cherbourg, and capture the port as quickly as possible. Utah, along with Sword Beach on the eastern flank, was added to the invasion plan in December 1943. These changes doubled the frontage of the invasion and necessitated a month-long delay so that additional landing craft and personnel could be assembled in England. Allied forces attacking Utah Beach faced two battalions of the 919th Grenadier Regiment, part of the 709th Static Infantry Division. While improvements to fortifications had been undertaken under the leadership of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel beginning in October 1943, the troops assigned to defend the area were mostly poorly equipped non-German conscripts.


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