Pointe Du Hoc

Pointe Du Hoc, a sliver of land sticking out into the Channel was an Enemy position that had to be taken. Massive Aerial and Naval bombardments equaling an Atomic bomb, were unable to destroy the strongpoint. It would have to be captured by sea assault without the benefit of Airborne support. The 100-foot cliffs were to be scaled by the 2nd Ranger Battalion, then overwhelm the Germans dug in bunkers atop the rise. Below I stand in a crater left by the attack, still impressive sixty years after the engagement. In 1979 France turned over the 30-acre battle-scarred area to the United States. Here along with the fourteen other cemeteries in Europe is the only land America has obtained during World War II in the European Theater of Operations. Over 202,000 Americans were killed in action in the ETO in the war.