Utah Beach
Utah Beach was on the right flank of the D-Day landings. Assigned as an American beach, Utah was only added to the invasion plan when more landing craft became available. American paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st had landed behind Utah 5 hours earlier. They had been engaging the enemy and were trying to force a link up with the soldiers landing on Utah. The first waves landed at 6:30am. As with Omaha, landing craft did not arrive where they were supposed to and although this meant there was potential for serious confusion, the landings were not adversely affected.
Among the men who landed on Utah beach was Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. At 57 years old, he was the oldest man to land in Normandy on D-Day. When it became clear they had not landed at the designated point, Roosevelt was quoted “We’ll start the war from here”. Impromptu plans were put in place to redirect followup regiments who were landing on the beaches. Roosevelt personally redirected almost all the regiments and for his actions, was award the Congressional Medal of Honor.
By lunchtime, the infantry had met up with the 82nd about one mile from the town of St Mere-Eglise. 32,000 men landed on Utah Beach and suffered around 200 casualties.
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