England and Normandy

The 16th Infantry regiment in Liverpool, England, in October 1943 and from there entrained on 16 October for Dorchester in southwestern England to carry out seven months of grueling training in preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe. On 1 June 1944, the men of the 16th Infantry departed their D-Camps in southwestern England and embarked on amphibious assault ships at the port of Weymouth. Late on the afternoon of 5 June 1944, the troop-laden ships slipped out of Weymouth harbor and headed for the beaches of Normandy.

The long awaited assault on “Fortress Europe” began in the early hours of 6 June 1944 as the 16th Infantry Regiment moved toward OmahaBeach. As the lead elements, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, approached the beach, it became readily apparent that many of the enemy’s strong points had not been eliminated by the pre-invasion bombardment. Many landing craft, and their occupants, were hit as they plowed through the heavy seas toward shore. As landing craft dropped their ramps, men were killed and wounded as they attempted to get out of the boats. Others were hit as they struggled through the surf or tried to run across the sand weighted down with water-logged equipment.

As more units arrived, they found the now disorganized lead troops pinned down and congested. Still, here and there men attempted to move forward. In a few places, small organized bodies of troops made efforts to get through the enemy defenses. Soon troops began making their way up the bluffs along while other gaps were blown through the wire and mines. By noon of that bloody day, the 16th Infantry had broken through and established a foothold that allowed follow-on units to move through. A few weeks later, at an awards ceremony on 2 July 1944, Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, and Gerow came to praise the troops of the regiment for their heroic efforts.

  • The Parnham House in Beaminister, Dorset County, served as the headquarters of the 16th Infantry while the regiment was stationed in England the second time. The rest of the regiment was posted to small towns all around Beaminister.

  • Captain Kimball R. Richmond, commander, Company I, discussing a tactcal exercise of his troops with General Omar Bradley, commander, First Army. England, spring 1944.

  • T/Sgt. Philip Streczyk, on the right, and his platoon taking a break from training, somewhere in southern England before D-Day. Streczyk would receive the DSC for his actions on Omaha Beach.

  • Landing craft of the USS Samuel Chase with 16th Infantry troops on board begin to head for Slapton Sands during Exercise Fabius I, 4 May 1944.

  • Troops of the 16th Infantry descend a cargo net into the waiting landing craft below. Exercise Fabius I at Slapton Sands, 4 May 1944.

  • Retraining as an amphibious assault regiment began at the US Army Assault Training Center at Devon, England. The capstone event was battalion landing team exercises on 24 February 1944.

  • The troops arrive at Slapton Sands. The rehearsal had few similarities to the actual event on D-Day.

  • The USS Samuel Chase APA 26. The regimental headquarters and the 1st Battalion Landing Team boarded the Chase at Weymouth for the trip to Omaha Beach.

  • The USS Henrico, LPA 45. The regimental advance command post and the 2nd Battalion Landing Team boarded the Henrico at Weymouth for the trip to Normandy.

  • Coast Guard manned LCVP landing craft put the regiment ashore on 6 June 1944. The LCVP at far left is from USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) (USCG).

  • A LCVP landing craft from USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) carrying troops of the 1st Battalion approaches Omaha Beach. The fire resulted when a German machine gun bullet hit a hand grenade.

  • Troops of the 16th Infantry wade through the surf headed for Omaha Beach, 6 June 1944. (USCG)

  • Most assault teams met almost immediate and heavy fire from German defenders on the bluffs.

  • Besides fierce enemy fire, heavy, water logged equipment made the trip to the beach a difficult struggle.

  • Wounded, PFC Huston Riley struggles in the surf as bullets whiz by. Photographer Robert Capa took this shot, then pulled Riley to safety.

  • The assault landings were accompanied by a number of “dual-drive” (DD) Sherman tanks. Most sank in the heavy surf, but these two at least made it to the beach for the infantry to hide behind.

  • Another view of the same two DD tanks, shown in the previous image, later in the day.

  • The beach was heavily obstacled by “tetrahedron” anti-lang craft spikes and “Czech headgehogs” like the one shown here. Several infantrymen and an engineer use it for temporary cover from enemy fire.

  • The assault teams of the 1st Battalion followed those of the 2nd and 3rd which were in the initial wave.

  • These troops take in the destruction before them as they prepare to land.

  • Aerial photo of the AT ditch in front of E-3 Draw. Widerstandsnest (Resistance Position) 61 and WN-62 were built to provide devastating crossfires into Fox Green Beach where the 3rd Battalion was supposed to land.

  • The AT ditch in from of E-1 Draw (looking east). The other AT ditch was located in front of E-3 Draw.

  • A view of WN-64 from Easy Red.

  • Aerial photo of the AT ditch in front of E-1 Draw. Widerstandsnest (Resistance Position) 64 and WN-65 provided crossfires into Easy Red Beach where the 2nd Battalion was supposed to land.

  • Concrete emplacement for what appears to be an 88mm gun. This position was located to cover E-1 Draw

  • Aerial photo of E-3 Draw showing then AT ditch and gun positions #27 & #28.

  • 50mm AT gun (#27) located at the west end of the AT ditch in front of E-3 Draw. The gun was positioned below WN-62.

  • Enemy infantry trenches covering E-1 Draw.

  • The draws were too heavily defended so troops under Lt. Spaulding, SSgt. Streczyk, and Captain Joe Dawson forced their way up this trail to the bluffs above.

  • A light machine gun team, one of the few that seemed to remain intact, moves out to help support the advance over the bluffs.

  • The regiment took hundreds of casualties on D-Day. Here medics treat a man on the beach.

  • Out of the fight, these men are tagged and ready to be sent to hospitals in England.

  • Many of the injured and dazed troops found shelter under the chalk cliffs on Fox Red. These men are from B Company.

  • Medics providing first aid behind the limestone cliffs on Fox Red.

  • A 16th Infantry medic treats another wounded soldier at Fox Red.

  • These soldiers are at the limestone cliffs at Fox Red. They apparently are unharmed but have lost their weapons and equipment in the maelstrom as they came ashore.

  • A shell shocked soldier awaits evac orders at Fox Red.

  • The regiment suffered over 200 men killed in action. A heavy percentage of them were from E and F Companies which landed in front of the E-3 Draw, the most well-defended area of Omaha Beach.

  • These are 3rd Battalion KIAs, although the majority of the beach casualties were in 2nd Battalion.

  • Late in the morning, elements of G and E Companies advanced to a cluster of farm building just across the road from this church in Colleville-sur-Mer.

  • As the regiment advanced inland, follow-on troops of the 18th and 26th Infantry Regiments landed to build up the beachead.

  • General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley decorate men of the 16th Infantry Regiment with the Distinguished Service Cross on 2 July 1944 for their actions on D-Day.