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6 Jun 44. 0050hrs. The airborne operation has commenced. The 5th Brigade of the 6th British Airborne Division commanded by General Nigel Poett is dropped near Ranville. #DDay75 
6 Jun 44 01:11
716th German Infantry Division warns General Marcks of the 84th Army Corps in Saint-Lô of the presence of enemy airborne units in the Cotentin. #DDay75
716th German Infantry Division warns General Marcks of the 84th Army Corps in Saint-Lô of the presence of enemy airborne units in the Cotentin. #DDay75
01:21
The pathfinders of the 82nd Airborne Division jump over Normandy above the Cotentin to attempt to mark 3 landing zones for the rest of the division (Drop Zones N, O and T) #DDay75
The pathfinders of the 82nd Airborne Division jump over Normandy above the Cotentin to attempt to mark 3 landing zones for the rest of the division (Drop Zones N, O and T) #DDay75
02:30
– Serious fighting is taking place in the locality of Ranville between the British airborne troops of the 6th Airborne and the German soldiers of the 716th Infantry and the 21st Panzer Division #DDay75
– Serious fighting is taking place in the locality of Ranville between the British airborne troops of the 6th Airborne and the German soldiers of the 716th Infantry and the 21st Panzer Division #DDay75
02:45
The 914th Grenadier Regiment (352nd Infantry Division) reports that 50 to 60 paratroopers jumped south of the Grand Canal of Carentan #DDay75
The 914th Grenadier Regiment (352nd Infantry Division) reports that 50 to 60 paratroopers jumped south of the Grand Canal of Carentan #DDay75
02:51
Force O ships arrive off Omaha Beach and drop anchor 23 kilometers from shore. Force U already anchored off Utah Beach #DDay75
Force O ships arrive off Omaha Beach and drop anchor 23 kilometers from shore. Force U already anchored off Utah Beach #DDay75
03:00
US soldiers from O Force off the coast of Omaha Beach begin to embark in the landing craft
US soldiers from U Force off Utah Beach begin to embark in the landing craft
Lt Braatz, 21st Panzer Division is heading for Bénouville & Pegasus Bridge to counter-attack #DDay75
US soldiers from O Force off the coast of Omaha Beach begin to embark in the landing craft
US soldiers from U Force off Utah Beach begin to embark in the landing craft
Lt Braatz, 21st Panzer Division is heading for Bénouville & Pegasus Bridge to counter-attack #DDay75
03:10
Report sent from the sector of Pointe du Hoc to the headquarters of the 352nd German Infantry Division: “Landing of enemy paratroopers on either side of the mouth of the Vire.“ #DDay75
Report sent from the sector of Pointe du Hoc to the headquarters of the 352nd German Infantry Division: “Landing of enemy paratroopers on either side of the mouth of the Vire.“ #DDay75
03:20
General Gale, commander of the 6th Airborne Division, is parachuted with his staff above the “N” jump zone near Ranville, as part of Operation Tonga #DDay75
General Gale, commander of the 6th Airborne Division, is parachuted with his staff above the “N” jump zone near Ranville, as part of Operation Tonga #DDay75
03:25
Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway, who was able to gather only 170 British paratroopers out of the 635 planned, is preparing to move towards the Merville battery #DDay75
Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway, who was able to gather only 170 British paratroopers out of the 635 planned, is preparing to move towards the Merville battery #DDay75
03:35
55 Horsa gliders containing forces destined for the 6th British Airborne Division land as part of Operation Tonga in the Ranville area
55 Horsa gliders containing forces destined for the 6th British Airborne Division land as part of Operation Tonga in the Ranville area
03:54
52 American Waco gliders containing forces destined for the 101st Airborne Division land as part of Operation Detroit north of Hiesville #DDay75
52 American Waco gliders containing forces destined for the 101st Airborne Division land as part of Operation Detroit north of Hiesville #DDay75
04:00
Liberation of strategically vital Sainte-Mère-Eglise by American soldiers of the 3rd battalion of the 505th Parachute infantry regiment. The American flag is hoisted at the town hall #DDay75
Liberation of strategically vital Sainte-Mère-Eglise by American soldiers of the 3rd battalion of the 505th Parachute infantry regiment. The American flag is hoisted at the town hall #DDay75
04:10
Panzergruppe West is alerted to level 2 (intervention time of one and a half hours maximum) #DDay75
Panzergruppe West is alerted to level 2 (intervention time of one and a half hours maximum) #DDay75
04:13
Staff of the German 352nd Division gives the order of movement to Lieutenant Meyer of the 915th Grenadier Regiment, to deploy in the direction of Montmartin-Deville, by the bridge to the west of Neuilly #DDay75
Staff of the German 352nd Division gives the order of movement to Lieutenant Meyer of the 915th Grenadier Regiment, to deploy in the direction of Montmartin-Deville, by the bridge to the west of Neuilly #DDay75
04:25
Staff of the German 352nd Infantry Division gives the order of attack to the 914th Grenadier Regiment against 101st Abn Div paratroopers south of Carentan.
E Coy, 2nd Bn 506rh Parachute Inf Regt moves into the fight.
Staff of the German 352nd Infantry Division gives the order of attack to the 914th Grenadier Regiment against 101st Abn Div paratroopers south of Carentan.
E Coy, 2nd Bn 506rh Parachute Inf Regt moves into the fight.
04:30
Lieutenant-Colonel Otway launches his 9th Bn (3rd Brigade, 6th Airborne Division) in the assault on Merville battery #DDay75
Lieutenant-Colonel Otway launches his 9th Bn (3rd Brigade, 6th Airborne Division) in the assault on Merville battery #DDay75
04:45
LtCol Terence Otway fires a yellow flare into the night sky, sign that he is now in control of the German battery of Merville. Of Otway’s Bn, 70 officers, NCO and ORs were killed during the assault #DDay75
LtCol Terence Otway fires a yellow flare into the night sky, sign that he is now in control of the German battery of Merville. Of Otway’s Bn, 70 officers, NCO and ORs were killed during the assault #DDay75
05:10
First shots of naval bombardment on the German coastal positions are fired by the cruiser HMS Orion off Gold Beach, then by cruisers Ajax, Argonaut & Emerald, by the Dutch gunboat Flores and 13 destroyers #DDay75
First shots of naval bombardment on the German coastal positions are fired by the cruiser HMS Orion off Gold Beach, then by cruisers Ajax, Argonaut & Emerald, by the Dutch gunboat Flores and 13 destroyers #DDay75
05:31
Eastern Task Force warships led by Rear-Admiral Phillip Vian open fire on the British and Canadian beaches of Gold, Juno and Sword #DDay75
Eastern Task Force warships led by Rear-Admiral Phillip Vian open fire on the British and Canadian beaches of Gold, Juno and Sword #DDay75
05:50
Battleship USS Texas fires for the first time (on the American sector of Omaha).
Cruiser USS Arkansas opens fire on Omaha two minutes later #DDay75
Battleship USS Texas fires for the first time (on the American sector of Omaha).
Cruiser USS Arkansas opens fire on Omaha two minutes later #DDay75
05:58
Sun rise. The weather is grey, the swell 5-6’, wind is shifting to the NW guating to 11 knots driving the landing craft to the beaches, low clouds, rain squalls... #DDay75
Sun rise. The weather is grey, the swell 5-6’, wind is shifting to the NW guating to 11 knots driving the landing craft to the beaches, low clouds, rain squalls... #DDay75
06:28
Landing craft approaching Omaha & Utah beaches under fire
Men crouch low in the sea water & vomit lapping their ankles, murmur prayers & obscenities. Fingering rosaries. Nervously checking gear. White knuckles on weapon stocks
The roar of battle
ramps go down... #DDay75
Landing craft approaching Omaha & Utah beaches under fire
Men crouch low in the sea water & vomit lapping their ankles, murmur prayers & obscenities. Fingering rosaries. Nervously checking gear. White knuckles on weapon stocks
The roar of battle
ramps go down... #DDay75
06:31
Utah Beach, Uncle Red area: landing of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 4th US Infantry Division #DDay75
Utah Beach, Uncle Red area: landing of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 4th US Infantry Division #DDay75
06:35
Omaha Beach: landing of the first assault wave of the 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division.
Utah Beach: landing of the second assault wave composed of elements of the 8th regiment of the 4th Infantry Division #DDay75
Omaha Beach: landing of the first assault wave of the 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division.
Utah Beach: landing of the second assault wave composed of elements of the 8th regiment of the 4th Infantry Division #DDay75
.... further waves of troops are to assault the beaches into the morning, and so the long and bloody battle for Normandy and Western Europe has started #DDay75 #DDay75thAnniversary #DDay *END*
