User:Bibliomaniac15/Normandy Landings

The Normandy landings were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings started on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day) when a massive air assault landing of airborne troops and paratroopers landed shortly after midnight. They were tasked with securing bridges and strategic points as well as destroying AA and artillery guns prior to the beach landings. The beach landings took place in the morning on a 50-mile stretch of beach divided into five sectors.

101st Regiment
The following events take place in Call of Duty.

Among the first to land on French soil at 2330, 5 June 1944, Private Martin of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division was a pathfinder for Cpt. Foley's Baker Company. Upon landing, he was to meet up with Sgt. Heath, his superior, but found him hanging by his parachute from a tree, dead. Taking the fallen beacon equipment from his dead body, Martin defeated light German resistance to set up the beacon and guide his fellow paratroopers to the right landing zone.

Lead by Cpt. Foley, Martin and a piecemeal force from various airborne outfits launch an attack on St. Mere-Eglise. Along the way they destroy three flakpanzers firing on Allied aircraft, as well as several machine gun nests, encountering heavy resistance along the way. They manage to capture the village, holding on to it despite several counterattacks throughout the night, followed by an extremely heavy final counterattack the morning of 6 June 1944, backed by mortar crew and a Panzer. Using a captured MG42 and Panzerfausts, however, they manage to fend off the attack.

After fending off this attack, Cpt. Foley sends Martin, Pvt. Elder, and Sgt. Moody to drive in a civilian automobile to HQ at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont to request reinforcements. The mission requires them to drive past enemy lines, and despite stalling in the middle of a German-occupied village they manage to hotwire another car and make their escape to their objective unscathed.

6th Airborne Division
The following events take place in Call of Duty.

Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, the 2nd Oxford and Bucks of the 6th Airborne Division commanded by Sgt. Evans and Captain Price are tasked with capturing Pegasus Bridge, Bénouville. The unit makes a bumpy landing in their Horsa glider, knocking Sgt. Evans unconscious, but they manage to capture the bridge. Using the captured German MG42s and Flak 88 guns, they manage to hold the bridge against an counterattack of infantry and several tanks the morning of 6 June 1944 until they are relieved by the 7th Parachute Battalion.