![]() The minesweepers did this deadly work with extraordinary success, although they were aided by the fact that many German mines in the center of the English Channel had been programmed to sink, as the Germans had expected any invasion in 1944 to take place earlier than June. ![]() These included contact mines and magnetic influence mines, some with sophisticated ship counters and other countermeasure capabilities. The minesweepers had the vital mission of clearing the extensive German minefields that had been laid in the English Channel. On 5 June 1944, after a one-day delay due to weather, 255 minesweepers (mostly British) left ports in southern England, led in a symbolic gesture by the Polish destroyer Orp Slazak (a British destroyer loaned to the Polish navy-in-exile Poland had been the first country attacked by Nazi Germany). Under the doctrine at the time, Navy commanders were in command until ground commanders could establish themselves ashore, so Neptune was a Navy operation.) This H-gram focuses on the operations of the United States Navy during Operation Neptune, the amphibious assault phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France. ![]() Nothing can detract from the extreme heroism demonstrated by the soldiers of the British, Canadian, and American armies, especially those at Omaha Beach. The great majority of the ships involved were British, as were the number of troops. (Note: This H-gram is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of the Normandy landings. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |