The story
The 4th Infantry Division assaulted the northern coast of German-held France during the Normandy Invasion, landing at Utah Beach. The 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division claimed to be the first surface-borne Allied unit (as opposed to the parachutist formations that were air-dropped earlier) to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944 UTAH was the codename for the most westerly of the Allied landing beaches on D-Day, 6 June 1944.
It was added to the invasion plan towards the end of the planning stages when the seaborne invasion forces were increased from three to five Divisions. The UTAH Beach area was about three miles long centered on La Madeleine stretching from Les Dunes de Varreville to Pouppeville on the eastern side of the Cotentin Peninsula. It formed part of the American sector and was the responsibility of the US VII Corps commanded by Major General Joseph Lawton Collins. They were to assault one Division up, with the US 4th Infantry Division-leading. Read more nbsp;
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.