The Germans designated Utah and Omaha beaches... as ?

[Brady]

Does anybody know what the Germans designated Utah and Omaha beaches as ?


Thanks, Brady

[Sheldrake]

The Germans did not designate these specific beaches as anything per ce, because the Germans did not know where the Allies were going to land.

However, in the post war interviews, Generalleutnant Max Pemsel chief of staff of the Seventh army referred to the east side of the Cotentin peninsular, the southern half of which was roughly "Utah Beach". He also referred to the sector between the rivers Dives and Orne - which encompassed the other allied beaches. The commanders of the 352 and 716th were respectively responsible for the Bayeux and Caen sectors. Bayeux included Omaha beach and part of Gold beach. Caen sector included the rest of Gold, Juno and Sword beaches.

Gold beach had particular significance because it straddled the inter divisional boundary and caused problems for both formations.

[Carl Schwamberger]

The very few maps, written, or anecdotal references I've seen from German sources referred to either the responsible unit. ie: 'Sector of the 1037 Mess Kit Repair Battalion'. Or to a prominent village. ie: A telephone report from Marcks 84th Corps to 7th Army refered to landings on the Allied designated OMAHA Beach as landings in the 352 Infantry Divisions Sector. A earlier 1943 reference to what became known as UTAH Beach referes to assigning a newly arrived unit to the "Madeleine" area. Madeleine being the village in the southern half of the contiguous beach.

Tactically the Germans divided up their maps into sectors, usually with a letter designator. This aided in keeping radio or telephone messages brief & clear. I occasionally catch this in communications between the infantry and artillery. Unfortunately I have no specific examples at hand.

[Richard Anderson]

OMAHA was in 7 K.V.A.-H2-K.V.A. Bayeux, Stützpunkte Colleville-sur-Mer, Vierville-sur-Mer, and Pointe-du-Hoc. UTAH was in 7 K.V.A.-J1, Stützpunkte La Madeleine and La Grande Dune. They also were numbered.

[Brady]

Thank’s guy’s !