Allied forces had a significant advantage during D-Day with naval firepower, air superiority, and a three-to-one ratio of forces. This gave them good odds of success at Normandy. However, the forces assigned to Omaha Beach faced a more challenging situation due to two missed coincidences. Firstly, a veteran grenadier regiment held strong defensive positions overlooking the beach. While planners were aware of the bluffs, it is unclear if attacking officers knew about the grenadier regiment. Secondly, the regiment and its larger division were in the middle of anti-invasion training.
The German forces at Normandy were lacking in several aspects. They lacked adequate training, volunteer and professional soldiers, equipment, ammo, and vehicles. The majority of the defenders were made up of conscripts from captured territories and infirm Germans, working with outdated equipment and limited vehicles. However, one regular division, the 352nd, received orders in March 1944 to reinforce Omaha Beach.
Over the following weeks, the men of the 352nd arrived. Despite their own struggles, they were better equipped and trained compared to the forces they were reinforcing. The 352nd was an early Type 44 division, with a smaller number of men but greater firepower. It had an experienced NCO corps and officers with combat experience, including half of its officer corps being combat veterans. Additionally, the junior enlisted soldiers were physically more capable than most static division soldiers, although they were young and malnourished.
On the morning of June 6, the supposed stormy weather was expected to prevent any landings. However, the German defenders received news of an Allied attack before sunrise. The soldiers of the 726th Grenadier Regiment rushed into position and prepared for combat. One particularly effective defender was Hein Severloh, known as the “Beast of Omaha.” He guarded an observation post with a machine gun, overlooking a short stretch of beach. The German defenders were surprised to find that they were killing Americans instead of Brits.
Severloh fought throughout most of the day, firing thousands of rounds before being forced to retreat due to the arrival of Sherman tanks, Allied infantry, and increased naval artillery threat. The fire from the 762nd was so intense that General Omar Bradley considered evacuating the beach. Severloh and one other member of his team managed to escape, although they suffered flesh wounds. Many soldiers from the 352nd Division and its 762nd Regiment were killed, captured, or forced back as Allied forces made progress inland.
In an odd twist, while the German soldiers got the exact battle they had prepared for, their division and regimental leaders were absent. Some headed to an exercise that morning and struggled to reach the fight amidst the chaos. One leader drove back to headquarters and died from machine gun fire, while another spent the morning moving between reported Allied positions without reaching the actual fights. The British tanks eventually found and killed him in the afternoon.
Despite the challenges faced by the German defenders, the overwhelming success of the Allied forces in setting the conditions for battle ensured the ultimate success of the Allied cause.
