Destination Normandy

by G.H. Bennett

- A cross-section of the American experience on D-Day - Unique perspective from the regimental level that also integrates strategic and tactical considerations - Stories of largely forgotten acts of valor G. H. Bennett collects oral histories from the soldiers of three American regiments and weaves them into an intimate account of the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. Widely scattered during its drop into Normandy, the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (82nd Airborne Division) stopped the advance of an SS division. The untested 116th Infantry Regiment (29th Infantry Division) landed on bloody Omaha Beach, where it suffered more casualties than any other regiment that day. Meanwhile, the 22nd Infantry Regiment (4th Infantry Division) easily waded ashore on Utah Beach but faced savage fighting as it moved inland.

Genres: History

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2006

About the author

G. H. Bennett is Associate Professor of History at Plymouth University.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not what I thought it would be. Even though it covers these three regiments' D-Day combat experiences, it only does so from about halfway through the book. It goes into more detail about the regiments' history, it's training and then about how life was for GI's in Britain before the invasion, and even goes into the racial segregation in the military during World War 2, which for me wanders widely of point. Still has some interesting information and nice oral histories from the men who served in these three regiments.