D-Day 1944 (1)

This extract is taken from the chapter entitled ‘D-Day: the second assault wave, 0700–0800hrs’

[General] Cota headed eastward along Dog White and Dog Red. Cota cajoled the troops, “Don’t die on the beaches, die up on the bluff if you have to die. But get off the beaches or you’re sure to die!” On meeting Captain John Raaen of the 5th Rangers nearby, he uttered the phrase that would go down in Ranger legend “We’re counting on you Rangers to lead the way!” … Around 0750hrs, small groups of soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry began moving through a gap in the seawall towards the bluff in an area out of sight of the German machine-gun teams. A private placed a bangalore torpedo under a wire obstruction blocking their path but was killed by sniper fire. A platoon leader, Lieutenant Stanley Schwartz, replaced him and detonated the charge, blowing a wide gap.

The first man trying to run through the gap was hit by the sniper and his agonized cries demoralized the troops following. Realizing that the advance was faltering, Cota raced through the gap, shouting back: “C’mon! If an old buzzard like me can do that so can you!” The infantry, with Cota at the lead, waded through tall reeds and marsh grass at the base of the bluffs, finally finding their way to the bluffs. It was the first advance off the beach in the 116th RCT sector.