World War II Remembered

European Theater Maps

3 1. D-Day, June 6, 1944 Three of our European Theater authors describe what it was like to participate in the D-Day invasion of Normandy: Francis Dymnicki’s B-26 Marauder bomber attacked the big coastal guns to the west of Vierville on Omaha Beach. Clint Gardner, with the 29th Infantry Division, landed at 9:00 a.m. on the beach just in front of Vierville, “Omaha Dog Green.”  Ed Scheu’s Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) landed British troops at nearby Gold Beach. In the weeks after D-Day, until July 19 the Germans prevented the American troops from taking the strategic city of Saint-Lô, shown lower left. Soon thereafter the American and British armies broke through the German lines—and the Americans reached Paris on August 25th. European Theater Maps (Map courtesy of Matterhorn Travel) 4 World War II Remembered 2. The Battle of the Bulge, December 16, 1944–January 26, 1945 Seven of our European Theater authors describe their experiences during this critical battle. Four of them were wounded. Bob Christie was wounded while serving as a tank platoon leader in the Third Armored Division. Francis Dymnicki’s B-26 bomber flew so low that he was wounded by German flak. John Fagan, 75th Infantry Division, was seriously wounded at St. Vith on January 26. Clint Gardner was wounded at Malmedy on December 30. Bill Hotaling was captured near St. Vith in the first days of the Bulge. Malcolm McLane had his P-47 Thunderbolt shot down over the Bulge on December 23. BobStambaugh’s36thArmoredInfantryregimentwasactively engaged in Bulge combat. (Map courtesy of Matterhorn Travel) ...