The Allied landings at Normandy commenced at dawn on the next day, 6 June 1944 - D-Day.
Early on the morning of 6 June 1944, the BBC French Service begin to broadcast to the people of coastal France:
“This is London calling. I bring you an urgent instruction from the Supreme Commander … the lives of many of you depend upon the speed ... with which you obey it … leave your towns at once … get as quickly as possible into open country ...”
The following is from The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day by Cornelius Ryan. Although this book is quite dated, some of the personal interviews the author conducted and wrote about are priceless including this one based on a personal interview with Major Pluskat after the war.
Dawn 6 June 1944
From his bunker overlooking Omaha Beach Major Pluskat rings through to division HQ:
“It’s the invasion! There must be ten thousand ships out here!”
Division HQ: “Which way are the ships headed?”
Pluskat: “Right for me!”
Division to Pluskat several minutes later: “What’s the situation?”
“We’re being shelled!”
“Exact location of shelling?”
“For God’s sake, they’re falling all over. What do you want me to do? Go out and measure the holes with a ruler?”
Here's a video compiling clips from the movie version of The Longest Day featuring the character of Major Pluskat.
Charles McCain is a lifelong student of World War Two. He grew up in South Carolina and is a graduate of Tulane University. An Honorable German is his first novel. After surviving a bout with cancer 2 1/2 years ago, Mr. McCain is at work on several writing projects. He lives in Washington, DC.
