Omaha Beach, Honor and Sacrifice

Year: 2014

Duration: 56 min

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, a roughly 7,000-yard stretch of beach in Normandy, France, called "Omaha" proved to be the Allies' biggest obstacle to the success of Operation Overlord. The assignment to take Omaha Beach, establish a beachhead, and move inland into France was given to two American divisions - the already battle-hardened 1st Infantry Division and the untested 29th Infantry Division, who had yet to see any combat in World War II. American Naval Combat Demolition Units also hit the beach that day, writing their own individual stories of horror and heroism. Seven decades after the "Boys of Omaha Beach" landed, many veterans are returning to this part of the Normandy coast for the last time. Other soldiers who were there on D-Day have also come back for the first time since that historic day, looking for closure as they enter the final years of their lives. Omaha Beach: Honor and Sacrifice shows the very personal stories of several veterans as they return to Omaha Beach and documents the celebration in Normandy that continues to this day as a result of their acts of courage and determination on June 6, 1944.—Fred Vogels from Worldchannel

Genre: Documentary   War