At the western edge of the long flat Omaha Beach is Pointe du Hoc. It is situated on top of a sheer cliff which juts out slightly so as to provide a commanding view of the beach.
Here the Germans built an artillery battery consisting of a series of large canons encased in heavily reinforced concrete bunkers. The Allies were obviously concerned that this battery could severely impede the progress of the landing on Omaha and it was therefore imperative that this position be neutralized as early as possible.
Bombing from the air failed to achieve the required results – bomb craters make the area look like a moonscape terrain within the battery area but the bunkers were so well reinforced that they were hardly damaged.
The task of assaulting this target was entrusted to the 2nd Battalion of the US Rangers led by Lieutenant-Colonel James Rudder. They landed on the beach below the 100 foot high cliffs which they had to scale by using ropes and ladders, whilst the Germans were shooting and throwing hand grenades at them and also cutting the ropes.
With great bravery and heavy losses after a vicious battle the Rangers overcame the resistance and forced the remaining Germans to surrender. To their dismay they found that the heavy artillery which was supposed to be there had been removed by the Germans to a position a few miles inland.
These were destroyed when a couple soldiers stumbled on the unguarded guns whilst the German soldiers were on the nearby parade ground. The soldiers threw incendiary bombs down their barrels which destroyed them.
It is obvious that this attack was an almost superhuman task and the Rangers can only be admired for their abilities and intrepidness.
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