breathed a sigh of relief to know that one more possibility of enemy interference with our
landing plans had been removed.
The hour for the assault landing had been carefully selected for the most favorable
conditions of tide and light, and at 0630 hours the first wave of LCVP’s touched down and
disgorged their cargoes on Utah Beach. Resistance was light. The beach defenders were
quickly driven from their pillboxes and strong-points, and in a very few minutes fighting units of
the 4th Infantry Division had assembled and were advancing inland across the inundated areas
just off the beach.
Mobile Army post Office like this kept the boys happy with prompt delivery of letters from home.
This one was set up in a field near Cherbourg.
Engineers began to clear the mines and obstacles in the shallow water, on the beach, and
inland along the roads. More and more troops poured ashore with a seeming disregard of the
coastal batteries that continued to shell the beach and craft nearing the shore.
Before daylight, the paratroopers of Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor's 101st Airborne
Division had seized the western exits of the beach to prevent enemy reinforcements from
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