Omaha Beach

Welcome to Omaha Beach, perhaps the most iconic and emotionally resonant stretch of coastline in the history of the twentieth century. As we stand here, we are looking at a ten-kilometer crescent of sand that, on June 6th, 1944,…

If you are visiting during low tide, you will notice just how wide this beach truly is. In 1944, the tide was coming in, but the first waves of soldiers still had to cross roughly two hundred to three hundred yards of open sand…

Near the center of the Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer sector, you will encounter a striking stainless steel sculpture rising directly from the sand. This is 'Les Braves,' created by French artist Anilore Banon for the sixtieth anniversary…

As you move toward the base of the bluffs, you will see a low wall and, in some places, a bank of smooth stones known as 'shingle.' In 1944, this sea wall was the only available cover for the thousands of American troops who…

To truly understand the tactical nightmare of Omaha Beach, we must ascend the bluffs to one of the German 'Resistance Nests,' specifically Widerstandsnest sixty, or WN-sixty. This site is located on the eastern end of the beach,…

In the center of Omaha Beach lies the Saint-Laurent draw, one of the five vital exits that the Americans had to capture to move their vehicles inland. In 1944, this was a narrow, steep valley heavily defended by German…

If you look out toward the sea on the western end of the beach, you may see some dark, rectangular shapes in the water, especially at low tide. These are the remains of the Mulberry Harbor, an incredible feat of British and…

We conclude our walking tour of the beach itself at the central Omaha Beach Memorial, located near the entrance to the American Cemetery. This site serves as a transition between the physical battlefield and the sacred grounds…

As we conclude our walk along the sands of Omaha Beach, I invite you to take a moment of silence. The beauty of this place today is a gift, purchased at a price that is almost impossible to calculate. …