The Beast of Omaha Beach -

Discussions on WW2 in Western Europe & the Atlantic.
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Eden Zhang
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#16

Post by Eden Zhang » 28 Jul 2004, 04:29

Christoph , to make thing a little more simple, according to American's account, a single mg simply COULD NOT COVER the whole landing ground, and at each of the American's landing point, they received very heavy fire from MORE THAN ONE MACHINE GUN COULD OFFERED.
Take into account the fact that Omaha Beach was extremely packed with men, plus the fact that the invasions came in 4 seperate waves...

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Christoph Awender
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#17

Post by Christoph Awender » 28 Jul 2004, 06:39

mars wrote:Christoph , to make thing a little more simple, according to American's account, a single mg simply COULD NOT COVER the whole landing ground, and at each of the American's landing point, they received very heavy fire from MORE THAN ONE MACHINE GUN COULD OFFERED.
Mars are you not able to read or don´t you want to read???
Where on earth did I say that he was the only one??

I said among several other times:
As said above he for sure wasn´t the only machinegunner on Fox Green. So why do you hook up to the "alone argument".....
Why do you still insist on the alone theory? I didn´t say that!!

\Christoph


mars
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#18

Post by mars » 28 Jul 2004, 07:24

Christoph, I just state a very simple fact: any claim that one person could inflict 3000+ casualities at omaha beach is ridiculous and a false.

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Christoph Awender
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#19

Post by Christoph Awender » 28 Jul 2004, 12:35

mars wrote:Christoph, I just state a very simple fact: any claim that one person could inflict 3000+ casualities at omaha beach is ridiculous and a false.
Again and again, the numbers are estimates from many sources based on the memories of soldiers 60 years later. I never said they are believable or accurate. I also don´t believe these numbers.
BUT this doesn´t mean that the entire memoir is "pure fantasy" as you said.

\Christoph

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HaEn
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#20

Post by HaEn » 28 Jul 2004, 15:15

About remembering what happened 60 years ago:
We have an uncanny capacity to "add or subtract" from our memories. Memories are stored in the brain in hologram fashion, a (total picture of any given moment) Each time we recall the moment it may or may not be enhanced by feelings of the moment of recall. Through the years, the picture changes somewhat. The villains become more villainy, the good guys become more "good". The original is still there; but look at it as a painting that is "restored" a few times. A good psychologist can help us dig through the added layers, or . . . . . . . create another false memory by suggestive directing. :(
So . . . . .how true are the stories of veterans ???? Most or all have a solid base with or without enhancement. So if an old guy tells you something that does not 100% match with what others have told, don't despair, somewhere the reality lies in the middle. :| :)
H.N. aka Dr.N.

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Polynike
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#21

Post by Polynike » 29 Jul 2004, 02:16

did any of you see the history channel doc on this particular event? it was shown a few times during the 60th anniversary weekend

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Alp Guard
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#22

Post by Alp Guard » 27 Jun 2005, 09:51

mars wrote:Christoph, I just state a very simple fact: any claim that one person could inflict 3000+ casualities at omaha beach is ridiculous and a false.
1. Severloh does not claim to be the only machine gunner, nor does he claim having caused so many casualties. (Actually there must have been hundreds on the border Easy Red/Green Fox, where his MG nest was located)

2. It is a fact, that he was at W62 on D-Day and that he was firing 12'500 shots with his MG-42. He knows so many details about the landing and the ammunition HE used, that it is very likely that he was the man, who held his stand for 9 hours. Believe it or not.

3. This man does not seek any glory nor pardon. He did, what he was ordered to do on that day. After June 6th 1944, he never touched a weapon again.

4. Did you ever fire a machine gun? I doubt it. With 12'500 rounds a man can provoke a lot of damage, especially if the firing range is as close as 150 - 600 meters, and the target is moving as slowly as the americans in the water. It was a massacre. :(

5. Hein Severloh, after hesitating for a long time, watched the movie "Saving Private Ryan" and was almost sick in the cinema. He stated that the scenes on Omaha beach were very authentic. He had nightmares afterwards. Fortunately, he met a lot of american verterans since the 1960's. The discussions with them helped him a lot to understand, what he had done and to work on it.

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Alp Guard
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#23

Post by Alp Guard » 27 Jun 2005, 11:50

Christoph Awender wrote:I think we can summarise that there were several german machinegunners at Fox Green. Obviously mortars and artillery fired also.
His memory is surely not 100% accurate 60 years later and for sure the casualties he counted are exaggerated.
But I have no reason to doubt their stories.

\Christoph
You are right. Severloh IS STATING that there were others, also artillery, who shot at the landing troops. He is even mentioning a Sergeant, who is commanding other snipers in a different nest and who provided him with more ammunition. HIS WN62 ( manned with 47 german troops) was only one amongst different resistance nests on Omaha. So, why should he claim to be the only machine gunner on the whole beach? He certainly wasn't, and he certainly did not claim at any moment having been the only one. :x

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