The Men of World War II
Page 118
No. 10 Commando, British, 145–46, 559, 560
Oberbefehlshaber West (OB West), 36, 69, 219, 534
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), 37–38, 63, 114, 469, 481
Ocker, Colonel, 454
Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU), 20
Ogden-Smith, Bruce, 74
Oil Plan, 95
Olsen, Ross, 259, 263, 290
Omaha Beach, 320–485
air bombardment of, 242, 248, 323, 358, 384, 405, 411, 432, 433, 468, 484
air reconnaissance for, 125–26
Allied advance at, 339–45, 349–52, 353, 355–60, 383–90, 405, 418–433, 435, 449–50, 456, 467, 483, 577
Allied military forces assigned to, 76–77, 119, 157
Allied reinforcements for, 360, 416, 418, 435, 460, 461
antitank ditch at, 320, 350
armed and armored vehicles at, 360, 361–80, 419, 449, 463, 472–474, 477
batteries at, 110, 111, 265, 274, 399, 415–16, 453–54
beachhead consolidated at, 472–85
beachmasters at, 378, 381, 473–74
bluff at, 340, 352, 357, 359, 365, 370, 375, 385, 405, 422, 429, 433, 435, 436, 442–43, 456, 457, 461, 476, 581
briefing for, 157–60, 177
casualties at, 328, 329–30, 337, 343, 347, 348, 355, 383, 384, 390–94, 397, 418, 419, 426, 428, 429, 436–37, 447, 467–68, 474, 475–476, 479, 485, 498, 539, 541
Charlie sector of, 324
combat engineers at, 143
concertina wire at, 335, 355–56, 430, 442
defenses of, 110–11, 157–59, 165, 320, 322, 346, 385, 389–90, 406, 418, 443, 517
demolition teams at, 324, 340, 367–369, 372–73, 375–78, 379, 476
Dog Green sector of, 121, 256, 272, 273, 324, 390, 405, 426, 427, 453, 459
Dog Red sector of, 121, 256, 324, 331, 400, 427, 439
Dog White sector of, 121, 256, 272, 273, 324, 340, 405, 426, 427, 429
Easy Green sector of, 121, 256, 324, 331, 335, 349, 450, 453
Easy Red sector of, 125, 172, 324, 335, 346, 349, 363, 369, 394, 436, 437, 438–40, 442, 447–50, 467, 472
enfilade fire at, 110, 111, 321, 336, 339, 340, 351, 386, 408
equipment losses at, 361–62
exits from, 321, 328, 331, 339, 349, 353, 358, 379, 385, 390, 399–405, 418, 421–25, 433, 436, 439–445, 448–50, 462–67, 474, 477
film of, 395–97
fixed fortifications of, 321, 356, 379, 404, 410–11, 449–50, 577
Fox Green sector of, 324, 335, 346, 349, 354
Fox Red sector of, 324, 353, 450, 475, 478, 515
French civilians at, 422, 445, 456
gap between Utah Beach and, 321
German counterattack at, 117, 158, 342–43, 379–80, 403, 411, 413, 414–15, 419, 422–23, 446–47, 454–55, 458, 467–70, 480–82
German forces assigned to, 157, 164, 176–77, 320–23, 463, 468
gun emplacements at, 110, 321, 326, 328, 345, 358–59, 385–90, 399, 402–3, 404, 415–16, 417, 438, 439, 442–43
hedgerows behind, 111, 433, 445, 447, 451–52, 454, 455, 457, 463, 470
infantry landings at, 320–60, 366, 418–19, 438–40
intelligence on, 322–23
invasion front at, 577
Juno Beach compared with, 539, 541, 544, 548
landing craft for, 121, 124, 170, 256–57, 260, 265, 267–74, 321–337, 340–43, 348, 352–55, 360, 362–86, 390, 394–96, 400–406, 419, 429, 430, 435–39, 448–49, 472–79
landing craft retracted at, 370–71, 379, 380, 419, 435, 436
leadership at, 339–40, 342, 344–45, 349–52, 356, 385, 420, 421–26, 433, 457, 470–71
Luftwaffe flights over, 371–72
machine guns at, 324, 326, 363, 375, 379–80, 393, 400, 402–3, 408, 413, 429, 431, 442–43, 448, 452, 456, 462
memorial at, 440n, 498
military objectives for, 119, 236, 324, 468
mining of, 110–11, 125–26, 340, 351, 355–56, 357, 362, 373, 375, 376, 377, 422, 423, 432–33, 439, 442, 444, 460, 476
mortar attacks at, 322, 326, 335, 336, 338, 339–40, 344, 365, 366–367, 370, 380, 382, 400, 427, 429, 430, 442, 448, 472, 474, 479, 550
naval bombardment of, 120–21, 124, 264–65, 274, 323, 325, 346, 358, 366, 383–90, 404, 405, 407, 413–14, 422, 423, 427, 438, 443, 459–63, 466, 468, 476, 478, 479
naval reconnaissance for, 75, 126–27
naval support for, 367–68, 378, 381–84
obstacles at, 321, 368–69, 370, 371, 373, 433, 435, 436, 438, 439, 449, 475
Ost battalions at, 110, 424–25, 453
paratrooper support for, 225–38, 403, 480, 481, 504
photographs of, 391, 394–95
pillboxes at, 321, 351, 382, 403, 404, 425–26, 438, 439, 449, 454, 472, 479
plan for, 120–25, 157–60, 177, 323–324, 341, 358, 398–99, 418, 429, 433, 435, 453, 477
press coverage of, 322, 357, 392, 394–95, 478–79
prisoners at, 345, 351, 357, 382, 387–88, 413, 415, 432–33, 443, 444, 446, 447, 458, 460, 476
Ranger battalion at, 398–417
runnels near, 350, 376, 383
scale model for, 323, 410
seawall at, 110n, 320, 335, 339, 344–45, 347, 348, 355, 368, 373, 374, 376, 380, 391, 394–95, 428, 430
sectors of, 324
shingle at, 110, 111, 334, 335, 338, 342, 344, 355, 366, 391
snipers at, 391, 447, 455, 457, 458, 472, 476
tanks for, 121, 124, 126, 256, 271–274, 346, 348–49, 354, 358, 362–365, 369, 374, 377, 384, 387, 396, 421, 423, 442, 475, 477, 479, 511
tide at, 328, 338, 352, 421, 435, 438
trench system at, 110, 165, 321, 322, 351, 362, 411–12, 420, 444, 454, 468, 472
Utah Beach compared with, 321, 403, 456, 576
veterans of, 158
withdrawal from, 434–35, 450
O’Neal, James, 263
101st Airborne Division, U.S., 22, 47, 52–53, 91, 92, 119, 193–94, 198, 234–37, 282–85, 294–95, 304, 319, 416, 469, 490, 577
105mm cannon, 301, 303, 324, 460
115th Infantry Regiment, U.S., 157, 158, 161, 167, 438, 439, 448, 462, 463
116th Infantry Regiment, U.S., 121, 124–25, 143, 157–58, 260, 274, 320–45, 384, 419–31, 436, 450, 497–98, 581–82
Company A of, 121, 124–25, 154, 161, 324, 326–31, 337, 399, 401, 497
Company C of, 121, 422, 430, 433, 456
Company E of, 121, 124–25, 140, 324, 335–37, 352
Company F of, 121, 328, 331–35, 337, 342, 425–26
Company G of, 121, 328, 331, 337
Company K of, 121, 453, 455
1st Battalion of, 260, 269, 436, 461
2nd Battalion of, 181–82, 461–62
116th Panzer Division, German, 85, 114
155mm cannon, 111, 399, 415–16, 517, 528, 529, 549
192nd Panzer Grenadier Regiment, German, 565–66
O’Neill, William, 382–83, 388, 391–92
Operation Cobra, 244
Operation Deadstick, 142
Operation Fortitude, 80–83, 84, 85, 113, 163, 164, 241, 303, 480, 490, 567
Operation Gambit, 512
Operation Kreml, 81
Operation Market Garden, 517
Operation Overlord:
air strategy in, 32, 72, 85–86, 90, 91–99, 178–79, 239n, 244–45, 319
as amphibious operation, 39–40, 42–43, 113–14, 188
assault plan for, 24–25, 39–57, 76, 89
Churchill’s support for, 25, 40, 444–5, 54n, 128, 129, 162
command structure of, 69–70, 107–8
deception schemes in, 25, 42, 77–86, 113, 163, 164
democracy vs. totalitarianism in, 25–26, 53, 57, 69, 262, 344, 579
Eisenhower’s views on, 57, 76, 135–36, 152n, 583
French casualties and, 97
German preparations for, 27–38, 109–19, 163–64
Hitler’s views
on, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 88–89, 164
intelligence activities in, 56, 73–76, 80–83, 84, 85, 88, 100–102, 159, 164–65, 174, 177, 220, 516–17
leadership in, 20, 23, 25, 69–70, 107–8, 579
location for, 71–86
maps for, 78, 79
naval strategy for, 120–21, 163–64, 186–87
planning for, 71–89, 107–8, 119–29, 167, 503
political considerations in, 28, 40, 65, 77, 97, 497, 508
reconnaissance missions for, 56, 74–76, 125–26, 127, 159, 509, 512–14
Rhine-Ruhr region targeted by, 29, 52–53, 72, 77, 303
Rommel’s views on, 85–86, 88, 89, 126–27, 164
Roosevelt’s support for, 65, 66, 496–97
security for, 83–84, 152, 156, 160, 189
Stalin’s support for, 65, 118
surprise in, 32–33, 39, 42, 91
timing of, 71, 84, 86–88, 121–25, 158
training for, 130–50
see also Allied Expeditionary Force; D-Day
Operation Seelöwe, 29
Operation Tiger, 86, 139–40, 144, 163
Operation Titanic, 174–75, 216
Oppeln, Colonel, 564–66
Orne Canal, 119, 197, 218, 227, 228, 230
Orne River, 73, 119, 173, 567, 568
Ostberg, Edwin, 310
Otlowski, William, 366–67
Otway, T. B. H., 228–30, 549, 579
Ouistreham, 549, 553, 554
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (Skinner), 485
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment, British, 19–21, 50, 102, 141–42, 152, 197, 218, 219, 516, 564, 568–70, 581
Oyler, Sherman, 193, 202
P-38 Lightning, 251, 252
P-47 Thunderbolt, 249–51
P-51 Mustang, 249, 524
Palmer, George G., 264, 265, 385, 393–94
Palys, Francis, 225
Panter-Downes, Mollie, 501
Panzer Lehr Division, German, 114–115, 117, 302, 481, 567
panzer units, German:
counterattack by, 158
deployment of, 77, 80, 84, 85, 113–115, 116–17, 120, 129, 165
Hitler’s command of, 69, 114, 218, 302, 481, 518
immobilization of, 42, 80
at Pas-de-Calais, 77, 80, 84, 85, 480, 566
quality of troops in, 35–36
paratroopers, Allied:
assault by, 196–238, 480, 481, 504
beacons for, 191, 196, 197, 198, 206, 223
communications cut by, 207–10, 217, 231, 233, 234, 238
crickets used by, 191, 205–6, 212
drop zones for, 200, 203–15, 212, 216
drowning of, 207, 214
dummy, 174–75, 216, 302, 489
flak taken by, 197, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 216, 223
German response to, 216–19, 224, 238, 295–96
military objectives of, 227, 230, 233, 234, 237–38, 295, 303–4, 312–13, 318–19
“Mohawks” worn by, 161
naval bombardment and, 264
passwords used by, 193, 213
pathfinders for, 191–92, 196, 197, 206, 223, 229
pay of, 315
preparations by, 191–95
as prisoners, 207–10, 215
quality of troops in, 35–36, 47–48
quick-release parachutes for, 223–24
radio silence for, 197, 200, 223, 295
separation of, 205–10, 223, 226–27, 238, 318
shooting down of, 191, 204–5, 210, 226n, 307, 313–14
“sticks” of, 201, 203, 205, 223
training of, 47–48, 140, 141, 201, 202, 213, 231
as volunteers, 47, 140–41
paratroopers, German, 47, 68, 308
Parker, Charles, 416
Parley, Harry, 140, 181–82, 335–36, 424–25, 457, 581
Parr, Wally, 20, 21, 569, 573
Pas-de-Calais:
Allied bombardment of, 241
Allied invasion expected at, 37, 64, 72, 80, 82–83, 84, 85–86, 164, 216, 303, 480
dummy invasion force for, 77–78
fortifications of, 37, 63, 72, 84
panzer divisions at, 77, 80, 84, 85, 480, 566
Paterson, Joe, 556
Patheiger, Fred, 146
Patterson, Robert, 169
Patton, George S., 82
Peachey, Sapper, 231, 232
Pearl Harbor attack, 257, 496, 587
Pegasus Bridge, 19–21, 102, 197, 218, 228, 230, 234, 264, 504, 516, 554, 555, 560, 562, 564, 568–70, 572, 581
Pemsel, Max, 302
Perret, Geoffrey, 48, 140
Perrett, Marvin, 285
Pershing, John J., 496
Peszek, Henry, 355–56
Pétain, Henri Philippe, 505
Peters, Debs, 340, 374–75
Peterson, Kenneth, 444, 446
Peterson, Theodore, 315, 316
Petty, William “L-Rod,” 409, 415
Phelps, Sergeant, 351
Phillips, Ensign, 382–83
Piauge, Robert, 145, 553–54
“Piccadilly Circus,” 254, 256, 259
Pickersgill, Harold, 557–58
Pikasiewicz, Al, 280–81
Pike, Exum, 369
Pike, Malvin, 277–78, 283
Pilck, Joe, 182, 355
Pine Coffin, Geoffrey, 569
Piprel, Jacqueline, 264, 456
Piprel, Pierre, 264, 456
planes, spotter, 144, 172, 268–69, 270, 290
Plan Tortue, 103
Plan Vert, 103
Plato, 173
Plumb, Tom, 136, 538
Plunket, 395, 396
Pocket Book of Verse, A, 155
Poett, Nigel, 568–69
Pogue, Forrest, 94–95, 443–44, 445, 447
Pointe-de-la-Percée, 100, 406
Pointe-du-Hoc, 100, 111, 119, 120–21, 142, 268, 324, 398–399, 405, 406–15, 416, 417, 426, 453, 455, 456, 461, 477, 480
Poland, 28, 42, 256
Polek, Lee, 330–31
Porcella, Tom, 192, 201, 212–13
Port-en-Bessin, 101–2, 264–65, 269, 527
Porteous, R. “Pat,” 554–55
Porter, Donald, 252
Pouppeville, 207, 234, 282, 283, 284–285, 299–300
Powell, Vincent, 281–82
Pratt, Don, 219, 220
Pravda, 508
Presley, William, 460
Priller, Josef, 371–72
Prince Charles, 186, 398
Putnam, Palmer C., 44
Pyle, Ernie, 357
Quebec Conference (1943), 93
Queen Mary, 132
Quincy, 259, 306
Raaen, John, 421n, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431–32, 433, 451–53, 455, 580–81
radar, 164, 259, 265
Rader, Robert, 140–41
Radzom, Paul, 356, 363
Ramey, Ralph “Rebel,” 385, 387–88
Ramsay, Bertram, 69, 75, 183, 186–187, 188–89, 195, 254, 483, 582
Rangers, U.S., 398–417
casualties of, 401, 410, 412–13, 414, 416, 417
cliff scaled by, 143, 401, 404, 407–410, 412
as elite units, 52, 119, 124, 402
fortified house taken by, 402–3, 404
landings of, 400–401, 405–9
leadership of, 401–2
military objectives of, 404–5, 416–417, 453
motto of, 430–31
training of, 48, 142–43, 173, 400, 403–4, 405, 409, 417, 430
Ranville, 570, 581
Ratliff, Chuck, 200
Ravinsky, Chief, 267
Ray, John, 211
Rebarchek, Lieutenant, 277
Red Army, 27, 29, 40–41, 81, 86, 176, 508
Red Badge of Courage, The (Crane), 397
Red Cross, 147–48, 498, 499, 557–59
Reed, Oliver, 401
Reeder, Russell “Red,” 286, 287, 293
Reetz, Robert, 393�
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Regina Rifle Regiment, Canadian, 533, 539, 543
Reisenleiter, Harry, 198, 220–21
Remington, Guy, 205
Renaud, Alexandre, 204
Renfrow, Mrs. Lester, 500
Rennes map exercise, 177, 186, 190, 218, 302
Resistance, French:
airdrops for, 104–5
Allied communications with, 101–2, 103–4, 186, 302, 505
German retaliation against, 248, 489, 504
intelligence activities of, 56, 74, 99–102, 164
sabotage operations of, 90, 92, 97, 99, 100, 103–6, 480, 505, 579
Reville, John, 581
Rhino ferries, 144, 258, 360, 366, 371, 537
Rhodes, James, 499
Rich, Oscar, 172, 472–74
Richards, John, 194
Richardson, Elliot, 283
Richmond, Kimball, 354
Richter, Wilhelm, 517–18, 532, 566
Ricker, John, 262
Ridgway, Matthew, 197, 295, 318
Roach, George, 182, 329–30
Roberts, James, 479–80
Roberts, K. C., 306
Robertson, Clarence “Pilgrim,” 337
Robertson, John, 334
Robinson, Captain, 560, 562–64
Robinson, John, 242, 246
Rockwell, Dean, 138, 181, 184, 256–257, 271–74, 362, 477–78
Rogge, Robert, 540, 545–46
Rohrs, Egon, 300
Romanski, Kenneth, 353
Rome, Allied capture of, 172, 503, 506–7, 560
Romer, Helmut, 19–20, 21
Rommel, Erwin:
Atlantic Wall prepared by, 63–64, 85–86, 100, 109–19, 149, 150, 212, 274, 302, 452, 454, 470, 480
background of, 58–59
as commander of, Afrika Korps, 59–60
confidence of, 175–76
D-Day activities of, 183–84, 186, 190, 218, 303, 480
Eisenhower compared with, 58–63, 67–70, 96, 106
headquarters of, 67
Hitler and, 60, 63, 64, 68, 69, 70, 82, 96, 117, 118, 179
leadership of, 59, 61–62, 67–70
marriage of, 58, 62, 68
as military strategist, 113–19, 120, 129, 149, 150, 175–76, 210, 321, 418, 453, 576
Nazis as viewed by, 70
Overlord as viewed by, 85–86, 88, 89, 126–27, 164
pessimism of, 60, 61, 68
Rundstedt and, 64, 67, 69, 175
staff of, 70
as tactical commander for Western Front, 63–64, 67–69
Rommel, Lucie Mollin, 58, 68, 175, 186, 190
Rommel, Manfred, 62, 63
“Rommel’s asparagus,” 112, 222, 476, 520, 536
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 269
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 269
D-Day broadcast by, 491
D-Day press conference of, 496–97
influence of, 482
Overlord supported by, 65, 66, 496–97