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Site 2 : Pointe du Hoc. The Pointe du Hoc is overlooking a cliff 25 to 30 meters high with a pebble beach about ten meters wide at its feet. Located between the beaches of Utah Beach (west) and Omaha Beach (east), the tip was fortified by the Germans and, according to Allied aerial reconnaissance, was equipped with heavy artillery whose scope threatened two nearby beaches. It hab been considered essential, for the success of the landing, that the guns are taken out of service as soon as possible. This mission was assigned to the 2nd Battalion U.S. Rangers. They succeed to take control of the site with heavy losses. Amoung the 225 Rangers who landed that day, 135 (on date of 8 June 1944, counting men of LCA 860) were killed. Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder himself was wounded twice during this operation. In January 1979 , France has donated part of the land of the Pointe du Hoc in the United States. This archive picture is not available for sale but present here only to set the historic context.
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