INFANTRYMEN WADING ASHORE FROM AN LCT(6) (top). Troops leaving an LCVP to wade ashore (bottom). Half-tracks and 2½-ton amphibian trucks can be seen on the beach, and in the background men marching in columns start southward toward the bluffs. On the shelf the enemy strung barbed wire and planted mines. Lanes had to be cleared through these obstacles before the infantry could advance. Beyond this strip containing obstacles, the enemy laid out firing positions to cover the tidal flat and the beach with direct fire, both plunging and grazing, from all types of weapons. The men landing were fired upon from these positions, which for the most part had escaped destruction during the prelanding bombardment.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE SURVIVORS OF AN LCVP which sank off Omaha Beach coming ashore in an LCR(S). The high seas added to the difficulties in getting ashore. Landing craft were in some instances hurled onto the beaches by the waves and some of the smaller ones were swamped before reaching shore. Others were flung upon and holed by the mined underwater obstacles. Some of the assault troops were swept off their feet while wading through the breakers. Of these some were drowned and those who reached the beach were often near exhaustion. Because of the rough seas many of the men were seasick during the crossing and arrived on the beach with their combat efficiency temporarily impaired by the experience.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE ARMY MEDICS ADMINISTERING BLOOD PLASMA to a survivor of a sunken landing craft on Omaha Beach. D-Day casualties for the V Corps were in the neighborhood of 3,000 killed, wounded, and missing. The two assaulting regimental combat teams lost about 1,000 men each. The highest proportionate losses were taken by units that landed in the first few hours, including engineers, tank troops, and artillerymen. The D-Day casualties of V Corps were much higher than those suffered by VII Corps, where the assaulting seaborne division lost 197 men, including 60 lost at sea.] [Illustration: FRANCE WOUNDED U. S. TROOPS OF V CORPS, waiting to be evacuated, take shelter under the cliffs near the beach in the Colleville area (top). Some German troops and laborers rounded up on Omaha Beach (bottom). The assault troops reached the line of the Bayeux-Carentan road on 7 June. The following day U. S. forces established contact with the British on the American left flank. On 9 June U. S. divisions advanced rapidly south and west reaching the Caumont-Forêt de Cerisy-Isigny line by 11 June.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE