A PORTION OF THE ARTIFICIAL HARBOR AT OMAHA BEACH. This harbor was in the Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer area of Omaha Beach and was known as “Mulberry A.” Breakwaters were formed by sinking ships and concrete caissons, and steel bridging formed causeways to the beach. The harbor, construction on which began on 7 June 1944, was designed to provide moorings for seven Liberty ships and twelve coasters at one time. By 19 June it was 90 percent completed.] [Illustration: FRANCE ENGINEERS LAYING STEEL MATTING on Omaha Beach at the exits of the causeway which extend to the piers of the artificial harbor (top). Vehicles moving from one of the piers over the causeway to the shore (bottom). These floating causeways to the beach rose and fell with the tide. The artificial harbors were constructed to facilitate the unloading of the large numbers of men and material.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE DAMAGE TO THE ARTIFICIAL HARBOR AND LANDING CRAFT caused by the storm. The greatest detriment to the Allied build-up was not the enemy, but the weather. From 19–22 June 1944 one of the worst summer gales in Channel history hit the Bay of the Seine. Unloading operations were virtually stopped, the floating steel caissons broke free and sank, the concrete caissons moved or were broken up, and the beach was strewn with hundreds of stranded and damaged craft. The line of sunken ships remained fairly well intact, but as a whole the artificial harbor was destroyed and useless.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE A TRUCK ON THE BEACH (2½-ton) and one starting down the ramp of an LST (1½-ton). After the storm wrecked the artificial harbors emergency measures, such as using 2½-ton amphibian trucks to bring men and supplies ashore and “drying out” landing ships and coasters, were employed. By “drying out” the vessels (as in picture) and unloading directly on the beaches, unloading operations were carried out.] [Illustration: FRANCE TRUCKS FULLY LOADED with men and supplies leaving a Rhino ferry and being helped ashore by a bulldozer (top). A ¾-ton weapons carrier rolling through the surf toward the beach under its own power (bottom). All the vehicles which made these landings through the surf had been waterproofed before leaving England. Since they were able to travel only a short distance on land under their own power when waterproofed, the waterproofing material was removed soon after the vehicles landed.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE