WN 62, Omaha beach viewd from the German side

[Larry deZeng]

Outstanding information, Steve! This has now become the most authoritative thread on the internet on Severloh and WN62, and that's a very good thing indeed given the increasing propensity of the under 30 generation to use cyberspace as their primary source for information.

--Larry

[regular122]

Thanks guys and thanks for starting this thread. I have studied Nromandy for so many years now and collected so much primary source material, it is nice to be able to use it! I plan on making another trip next year on the 65th anniversary, hopefully with at least two assault wave vets in what may be the last hurrah with actual participants. I spent last weekend with 5 D-Day vets of the 22nd Infantry and had the pleasure to walk one vet from the beachhead to where he was wounded before Cherbourg. He never knew the towns he was in and was thrilled to see the pictures and maps. He even spotted an old position from on of my photos and got moist in the eyes. So did I.

sorry to corret you but Gefr. Kwiatkowsky; survived the war. he was the reason why the authot von keusgen postponed the publishing of his latest book "bloddy Omaha" as he found out the this guy is still alive. by the way he was a famous soccer palcer of Schalke 04. Gefr. Kwiatkowsky; was a guest on a opening meeting last year of von Keusgens invitation

Jürg

No problem at all Jürg. My info came from Severloh's sketch material and he believed him to be dead as he marked Kwiatkowsky with a cross. I will have to see what Gockel said about him in his book. As Severloh did not know the guys as well as Gockel (he was only there a short time prior to the landing) he may have believed him dead instead of wounded. Common among vets. I've even seen reunions where someone found a buddy they were certain had been killed only to have him magically appear 50 or 60 years on.

The main thing is what we are doing here. Cross referencing 1st person source material. Each will have a little different view or a little fuzzy memory here and there, but the common match up completes the whole picture most of the time. Sad thing is, unless it was captured by now, it will liekly be lost forever on the German side.

[peleliuexplorer]

Steve,

You indeed sound like an expert and I apprciate your responses. Questions: first, what, if you don't mind me asking, do you plan to do with your knowledge and research about Omaha? A book...sure would be interesting!

Second, kinda off the subject....what damage did that German 88mm gun do on the beach in front of the Viervilled draw? It's a memorial site today, compleet with the gun still inside, although it is now fensed in. How was that piece knocked out?

Thanks, Eric

[regular122]

Eric,

I suppose one day I will write about it. I would love too. There are however many fine works already in print. Currently I am working a memoir and also write frequently for publication on current events regarding the war.

As to the deadly positioned gun at WN 71, it could have been knocked out by elements of the 116th Infantry or portions of 2nd Rangers or 5th Rangers mingled in. The Engineers had several assualt units that could have also knocked it out as they did the double wall blocking the Vierville Draw. The bunker is intact so was I believe was likely knocked out by assaulting troops.

The damage done by this gun? Hard to say but there is little doubt this gun had its share in the 10 large vessels lost and the 50 smaller landing craft lost that morning. It most certainly had some hits in LCI 553, 1552 and perhaps 83. While those craft struck mines as well, they were sitting ducks for the guns.

As to WN 62, to put it into perspective, no penetration was made on D-Day up the E-3 or Colleville draw, the draw it protected. The other draws were all forced. WN 62 also jutted out prominently with a commanding view all the way to Dog Green in front of the Vierville draw. While this would be beyond machinegun fire, 88s or 75s could have a huge impact firing obliquely. Frerking's artillery unit chose this spot because it also commanded the best high ground dominating the beach along the largest stretch. Between the Rock House fortifications on WN 73 taken by C/2nd Rangers, WN 70-72 on the Vierville draw and WN 62, you had most of the D-Day casualties that day. Steve

[peleliuexplorer]

Steve,

Thank you for the outstanding information, I really appreciated it! I wonder if the details of the demise of WN 71's antiboat gun would be mentioned in any of the unit action reports that faced it? I was just doing Peleliu research at NARA (archive in College Park, MD) and wish I would have checked on that...an amazing place where one can spend hours! Have you been there?

Sounds like you have done a battle study/survey of the Omaha Beach head. I have too, but, obviously, far less knowledgeable about the battle/sites than yourself. Most of my study deals with the Pacific War but I want to learn more details about the Omaha battle too. I am also fascinated with Cassino and visited the area a few years ago.

This has been a good thread and I look forward to more of your comments!

Thanks again, Eric

[regular122]

There is another bit of interesting info to surface from Severloh's book. His description of talking to a GI in his native Platt Deutsch dialect and their subsequent surrender to captured Americans who then take a fairly sizable group of them as they were surrounded also checks out.

In 1993, I remember Al Smith, Exec of 3-16 Infantry and a Company CO in North Africa and Sicily related a story to me which I subsequently verified in the division archives.

Company L, 16th Infantry, 1st Division US, landed as one of the original 8 assault companies in the first wave. After heavy casualties and a stiff fight, a perimeter of sorts had been formed by 0900. CPT Armellino was seriously wounded and the company exec, 1LT Cutler, assumed command. Cutler ordered a three man patrol of Privates Milander, Butts and Odell ahead on a recon toward the bluff hamlet of Cabourg.

Later, the company was able to penetrate further east of WN 62 and up the F-1 draw through WN 60 when 1LT Jimmy Monteith led a tank up the draw exposing himself to murderous fire. The attack succeeded and Monteith was later killed when CPT Kim Richmond's Company I gained the field east of the draw and Monteith was consolidating his element. Monteith would be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Meanwhile, the three man patrol never made it. They were captured. However, that night, they returned with a large group of German prisoners. Private Milander had talked them into surrendering after they realized the strength of the American landing and the penetrations already made beyond the beach.

I have often wondered if this is two parts of the same story. It may be possible that Milander was the individual who spoke Platt Deutsch. Anyway, I just find it amazing that Severloh would mention being talked into handing themselves over to a few Americans as they were already surrounded and then you have the Milander, Butts and Odell story. Seems to check out. Steve

[Jean-Loup]

You should document this very interesting story properly, and also try to contact Mr Millander or his familly. Finding out if he was also from Germany, and from what region should be very easy if you manage to get in touch with his decendents.Chances are that one of those three men from the patrol may still be alive.
In my research about southern France, I have also seen a few "coincendences". In the end, some of them checked out, but others didnt. For the cases that checked out, it is exelent to have two versions of one story, told by people who have never met, and live thousands of miles away from each other.

JL

[SOLDAT1]

Hi
Nicholas thanks for posting the map very interesting and everybody who has contributed to this thread, enclose photo from Vince Milanos book Invasion and the spot where Hein Severlohs MG position was can anybody tell me where the position is with recent visits to Omaha is??

Robert

[Jean-Loup]

I though that photo is some kind of joke: it looks like a specter of Hitler!

WN 62 is just a few hundred meters east of the US war cemetery in Normandy. If you go there you cant miss it. Severl photos of the place have been posted in the previous pages of this thread.

JL

[SOLDAT1]

Hi Jean-Loup
This is not that good a photo from the book but is Hein Severloh pointing out his mg position, the reason i post this as it is not like the other photos?

Robert

[SOLDAT1]

Hi
is this the same spot???

Robert

[Jean-Loup]

It is the same area, but I dont know by the exact meter where his hole was. In the book there is a photo where is specificaly says: "I was where a buch is visible on this photo".
I dont have the book or a scanner handy though, so can not post it.

By the way, since this thread has now become: "the most authoritative thread on the internet on Severloh and WN62", could a moderator maybe correct my spelling mistake in the thread title: from "viewd" to "viewed"?


JL

[Larry deZeng]

By the way, since this thread has now become: "the most authoritative thread on the internet on Severloh and WN62", could a moderator maybe correct my spelling mistake in the thread title: from "viewd" to "viewed"?

PM either Bill Dienna or Daniel Griffin. They are the moderators for this sub-forum and one of them should make the change for you. Frankly, I don't know how. I messed around with it but I can't see how to do it.

--Larry

[peleliuexplorer]

I can imagine the devastation from his MG after viewing those pictures! Looks like it could have very well been a shooting gallery. Any person interested in the Omaha battle should visit that site!

-Eric

[SOLDAT1]

Hi All
This is the site of Severloh's MG42 position as confirmed on this French forum



http://dday-overlord.forumactif.com/mur-de-l-atlantique-f7/wn-62-t3392.htm

Robert