Standing on Omaha Beach, we try to imagine the scene here so long ago. American soldiers, wasted from seasickness, lack of sleep and nervous anticipation, are coming ashore from flat-bottomed amphibious landing craft. As the boat doors open, soldiers run for their lives for over 300 yards through water and sand onto this open beach, dodging a hail of machine gun fire from above. Their water-soaked packs feel like stone, their guns feel even heavier. The landings occur at low tide so the plentiful mines are visible.
The landings at Omaha Beach incurred significant casualties as the enemy defenses were stronger than expected. The hills above Omaha Beach were heavily fortified. A single German machine gun could fire 1,200 rounds a minute. Casualties were especially high among those first units landing on the beach. Very little progress was made in the initial push to the interior, causing significant backups on the beach. There were nearly 3,000 American casualties on this beach during D-Day, earning it the name "Bloody Omaha."
