101st Airborne Division – Objectives in Operation Overlord Normandy Landings
James Francis Ryan or private Ryan was an airborne trooper of the 101st Airborne Division. Nicknamed as the “Screaming Eagles” the 101st Airborne Division first saw action during the Normandy Landing Airdrops.
6,600 troopers from the 101st Airborne Division parachuted as the first spearhead of Operation Overlord
The objective of the 101st Airborne Division during the Normandy landings of Operation Overlord was to secure four exit points between Satin-Martin-de-Varreville and Pouppeville between the Utah Beach.
Secondary objectives of the 101st Airborne Division was to destroy artillery batteries, creating diversions to the German forces and hold a security perimeter between the beachheads and Valonges.
101st Airborne Division – Why was it so hard to find private Ryan
The C47 aircrafts lifted off about 5 hours before the naval beach landings carrying the Airborne units such as the 82nd Airborne Division and the British 6th Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division. The raiding group met heavy resistance by the anti-aircraft defenses of the Germans.
The C47 aircrafts had to maneuver to avoid the heavy defenses and most of the troopers parachuted missed their landing zone. Despite all the chaos, the scattered Airborne units regardless of unit would form small groups and complete the objectives under the officers. Private Ryan was among those who were scattered all over France so it was very difficult to bring that specific
101st Airborne Division – The unit of private Ryan
The 101st Airborne Division successfully secured positions for the 1st and 4th Infantry Division advance that landed on Omaha and Utah beaches.
101st Airborne Division’s was supporting Utah beach while Omaha Beach was further away. Somehow Captain John H. Miller’s ranger team was assigned the mission to save private Ryan. James Francis Ryan or private Ryan served for Baker company (B company), 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
The famous Easy Company from the Band of Brothers series including Richard Winters served for the Easy Company (E Company) 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
The units that Captain Miller’s party meet in the rainy town with the German sniper were also from the 101st Airborne Division identified by the Screaming Eagles patch.
29th Infantry Division - Objectives in Operation Overlord Normandy Landings
The 29th Infantry Division also saw their first action in the Normandy landings as well. The main objective of the 29th Infantry Division was to secure the Omaha Beach and advance west to liberate and capture the strategic point of Saint-Lô, a critical strategic point of transportation as it was the connection point to many crossroads.
Liberation of Saint-Lô was mandatory to secure the harbors of the Contentin peninsula such as Cherbourg. The 29th Infantry Division would also relieve the rangers that attacked a cliff like point called Pointe du Hoc.
29th Infantry Division – Omaha Beach explained
The 29th Infantry Division and the 1st Infantry division was supposed to land on code name Omaha Beach that is originally called Côte d'Or, translated as “golden coast.”
The 29th Infantry Division landed on Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red on the west. The 1st Infantry Division landed on Easy Red, Fox Green and Fox Red on the east side of the Omaha Beach.
Captain John H. Miller played by Tom Hanks and his ranger units were tangled up in the middle of Dog Green Sector along with the 29th Infantry Division 116th regiment soldiers.
Timothy Upham was part of the landing forces of the 116th regiment of the 29th Infantry Division. The 29th Infantry Division’s mark was a the yin yang symbol like mark and they were nicknamed the Blue and Gray after the color of their mark.
2nd Ranger Battalion – Objectives in Operation Overlord Normandy Landings
The objective of the Ranger Battalions were to destroy the artillery batteries and lead the spearhead assault of the Normandy Landings whilet the 116th regiment of the 29th Infantry Division could break through. The motto of the current USA Army 75th Ranger Regiment “Rangers, Lead the Way!” came out from the courage of the ranger battalions during the Normandy Landings.
Dog, Easy and Fox company(company D,E,F) of the 2nd Ranger Battalion were deployed further west from Omaha Beach to disable the guns located at a clifflike terrain called Point De Hoc. Able, Baker and Charlie company of the 2nd Ranger Battalion led the assault with the 116th regiment of the 29th Infantry Division at Dog Green Sector.
2nd Ranger Battalion - Omaha Beach explained
Omaha Beach itself was the most heavily guarded beach among the other Juno, Gold, Utah and Sword Beach. The most experienced German division among the defenders was located at Omaha Beach.
Dog Green Sector was one of the most heavily guarded sectors among the Omaha Beach because it was near the Vierville draw that would connect to the Roade Nationale.
Thus, essential roads were nearby that could link up with the French national roads and it was an essential strategic point in terms of transportation and vehicle operations.
Captain John H. Miller played by Tom Hanks was the commanding officer of C Company (Charlie Company) of the 2nd Rangers Battalion in the film Saving Private Ryan.
82nd Airborne Division - Objectives in Operation Overlord Normandy Landings
The 82nd Airborne Division also nicknamed the ‘All Americans’ has operated in North Africa and Italy already and participates in the Normandy Landings. The objective of the 82nd Airborne Division was to destroy bridges to stop German panzer(tank) counter attacks while they secure the west side of the Merderet river.
The 82nd Airborne Division was to hold bridges for the Allie’s advance to Cherbourg as well as the town called Sainte-Mere-Eglise. They wait until the 4th Infantry Division relief them from Utah Beach. The paratroopers that were ambushed near the radar station were from the 82nd Airborne Division.
Why was private Ryan at one of the bridges of the Merderet River
The location where private Ryan was located called Ramelle is a factionary town where one of the bridges that could cross the Merderet River. Originally in history, this would have been more of the objectives of the 82nd Airborne Division units.
However, even in history, most of the Airborne Divisions were scattered throughout France missing their landzones and primary objectives so officers had to make improvised units to achieve key objectives.
As private Ryan was also 20 miles off his land zone along with some of the 101st Airborne Division, they might have ended up in an improvised mission to protect the bridge of Ramelle of the Merderet River. (Once again Ramelle is not a real place) Bridges that were strong enough to hold 40~80-ton tanks were rare and essential for vehicle and armored vehicle transportation.
As armored division such as the 2nd SS panzer Division were located at the southwest of France, they needed bridges to carry out their armored vehicles. If the bridges of the Merderet River were overrun by the German forces, the German armored division could have overrun the vulnerable Allied Forces that were landing on the beaches easily.
