Pointe du Hoc
Rangers Mission for D-Day, 6 June 1944
The Ranger Group, attached to the 116th Infantry and commanded by Lt. Col. James E. Rudder, was given the mission to capture Pointe du Hoc and destroy the guns. The Ranger Group was made up of two battalions: the 2d Rangers, under direct command of Col. Rudder, and the 5th Rangers, under Lt. Col. Max F. Schneider. Three companies (D, E, and F) of the 2d Battalion (Task Force A) were to land from the sea at H-Hour and assault the cliff position at Pointe du Hoc. The main Ranger force (5th Battalion and Companies A and B of the 2d, comprising Task Force B) would wait off shore for a signal of success, then land at the Point. The Ranger Group would then move inland, cut the coastal highway connecting Grandcamp and Vierville, and await the arrival of the 116th Infantry from Vierville before pushing west toward Grandcamp and Maisy.
One DUKW was hit and sunk by 20-mm fire from a cliff position near the Point. The nine surviving LCAs came in and managed to land in parallel on a 400-yard front on the east side of Point du Hoc, landing about 0705. Allied naval fire had been lifted since H-Hour, giving the Germans above the cliff time to recover. Scattered small-arms fire and automatic fire from a flanking machine-gun position hammered the LCAs, causing about fifteen casualties as the Rangers debarked on the heavily cratered strip of beach. The grapnel rockets were fired immediately on touchdown. Some of the water-soaked ropes failed to carry over the cliff, but only one craft failed to get at least one grapnel to the edge. In one or two cases, the demountable extension ladders were used. The DUKWs came in but could not get across the cratered beach, and from the water’s edge their extension ladders would not reach the top of the cliff.
Despite all difficulties, the Rangers used the ropes and ladders to scramble up the cliff. The German defenders were shocked by the bombardment and improbable assault, but quickly responded by cutting as many ropes as they could. They rushed to the cliff edge and poured direct rifle and machine gun fire on the Rangers, augmented by grenades tossed down the slope. The Rangers never broke, continuing to climb amidst the fire as Ranger BAR men picked off any exposed Germans. The destroyer USS Satterlee (DD-626) observed the Rangers’ precarious position, closed to 1500 yards and took the cliff top under direct fire from all guns, a considerable assist at a crucial time.
Within ten minutes of the landing the first Americans reached the top of the cliffs.
I may just watch “The Longest Day” tonight. “What does ‘bitte, bitte’ mean?”
Category: Historical
The USS Satterlee is mentioned as noticing the situation that was occurring with the Rangers being under fire from the Germans. The Satterlee was not the only destroyer involved in the shelling of German positions that were above the beach. My Dad’s ship, the USS Doyle and the USS Frankford, were a part of the Destroyer group that the Satterlee was in and the group commander ordered the destoyers as close in as they could get so they could provide artillery cover for not only the Rangers, but all others who came under brutal fire from the Germans. My Dad told me the story about that not to long before he passed away this past February.
does bitte, bitte mean “here you are, take it” or something like that?
Jonn wrote: It means “Please, Please” – “What does ‘bitte, bitte’ mean?” is a line from the movie “The Longest Day” during the assault on Pointe du Hoc. Sorry I wasn’t clear.
bitte is german for thank you, to bitte, bitte, would be thank you thank you
Jonn wrote: Actually, “danke” is thank you. “Bitte” is please. And “ich liebe deine augen” makes the German girls swoon.
Jonn,
My Dad had the record album for the soundtrack of “The Longest Day”. He’d play that record, full blast on Saturday mornings to get my brother, sister and I up and out of bed, so we’d get our chores done! 🙂
Bitte Bitte is what I said to every girl I ran into in Germany, croatia and Hungary.
116th Infantry. The former unit of America’s greatest fighting man, TSO.
And by greatest I mean not really.
Eat yer hearts out, Y’all; but I spent the afternoon with the troops at Camp James E. Rudder. We discussed the history, and eschewed the future. Folks, our finest need your help to “watch their backs” up in DC. Our Republican politicians have left us high and dry for the most part, and have caused the American Soldier to once again be a pawn of the progressive liberals, who will castrate him on contact. Our troops are the best we’ve ever had, using the best of the best in weaponry. They can handle any enemy out there, but don’t stand a chance against Washington.
6/6/44 nuf sed
Two years ago, when I was in the State Guard, I was invited to go to the North Georgia College “Young Americans” day where they introduce high schoolers wishing to join the NGCSU Cadre to the joys of rope bridges, rapelling and the like. Most of my day was spent at Camp Merrill, the Ranger Training Camp in Northern Georgia, serving as a medic standing by in case someone got hurt. Those Ranger Troops were strong, smart and MOTIVATED! They wore those high schoolers OUT. LOL It was a wonderful day.
Ray, be careful of putting too much praise on the RANGERS. See, COB6 is/was one, and he’ll read your comment and it will just go to his head. Then he’ll want to “pop a top” and reminisce about those badassed guys. Rangers sure do “Git ‘er Done!”.
nuf sed
That’s OK Frank, One of my prized possessions is a challenge coin given to me by a young Ranger SGT. I met him on an Honor Mission for the PGR at the funeral of a comrade of his who was KIA in Iraq. He was an eloquent, polite and very impressive young man. I have no problem with COB6 bragging on them. If he wants to “pop a top” I’ll buy the first round.
From dday.org:
D-Day: It is hard to conceive the epic scope of this decisive battle that foreshadowed the end of Hitlers dream of Nazi domination. Overlord was the largest air, land, and sea operation undertaken before or since June 6, 1944. The landing included over 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes, and over 150,000 service men.
After years of meticulous planning and seemingly endless training, for the Allied Forces, it all came down to this: The boat ramp goes down, then jump, swim, run, and crawl to the cliffs. Many of the first young men (most not yet 20 years old) entered the surf carrying eighty pounds of equipment. They faced over 200 yards of beach before reaching the first natural feature offering any protection. Blanketed by small-arms fire and bracketed by artillery, they found themselves in hell.
When it was over, the Allied Forces had suffered nearly 10,000 casualties; more than 4,000 were dead. Yet somehow, due to planning and preparation, and due to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of the Allied Forces, Fortress Europe had been breached.
http://www.dday.org/index.php?page=history
A Soldier remarked:
As our boat touched and the ramp went down, I became a visitor to hell”
–PVT Charles Neighbor
29th Division
Omaha Beach
The U.S. Army, along with British troops conducted the largest amphibious beach assault in military history. It was the turning point in the battle for Europe.
Bless em’. They did a hell of a job.
HOOAH.
Jonn wrote: Jane, I’d been wondering where you’ve been. I’m watching “The Longest Day” right now (for the millionth time).
Why was your equipment 80 pounds? That surely would slow you down,drown you or block others behind you if you hesitated as you left the boats? Was this purposely done as with the momentary stop of firing done by the navy,giving the Germans time to recover? Seems non coincidental.
Just curious, as read Patton was told to halt advancement on Berlin,but he insisted the Americans get there first,to claim it for America.Establish an American presence.Stalin ordered his troops not to fire upon the Germans advancing on Moscow,or the Kremlin? And they got wasted.He also forced them to fight at Stalingrad, but didn’t supply them with any weapons.
Any one know the true meaning of the insignia n a soldiers arm I read a Sgt’s stripes signifies Male and female copulation. Any site I can check this out? I read it was a Jewish thing.