Normandy Quiz

[Case]

1. What was the code name for the maritime initial phase of Operation Overlord?

2. What important military formation was General Patton believed to be commanding on D-Day?

3. What kind of aircraft provided direct air cover for the invasion fleet, and why was it chosen for this role?

4. What was so funny about the British 79th Armoured Division, and why did the Americans chose not to get the joke?

5. Roughly what percentage of soldiers belonging to the American 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions managed to reach their objectives on D-Day?

6. Why is it ironic that the Utah beachhead was the only beachhead to come close to achieving its D-Day objectives?

7.
a) How many sorties did the Allied air forces fly over France on D-Day?
b) How many sorties did the Luftwaffe Fly over France on D-Day?
c) How many allied aircraft did the Luftwaffe shoot down over Normandy on D-Day?

8. How many soldiers and vehicles did the invasion fleet carry?

9. How did Naval Landing Group U2A almost change the course of history?

10. What ship served as General Bradley's command ship, and name another VIP who had sailed on this ship during the war.

11. What were Osttruppen?

12. How did General Eisenhower dissuade Winston Churchill from coming ashore on D-Day?

13. Why is this famous photograph blurred?

 

[DingBat]

Quick reply:

4) The 79th was a umbrella unit for all the "funnies" or specially designed vehicles in the invasion fleet. This included flail tanks, bobbin tanks, crocodiles, bomb throwers, bridge tanks, etc.

The 79th didn't deploy as a unit but was distributed amongst the landing units. The Americans pooh-poohed the whole idea and so no funnies were deployed with their landing troops.

5) Where did you get this information? My reading has lead me to believe that only the Canadian beachhead came close to achieving it's initial objectives. They certainly made the farthest inland penetration on D-Day.

Anyway, if what you say is true (which I question), it would be ironic because the Utah beachhead was held up for the longest time and the troops pinned on the beach for most of the day.

11) Osttruppen were captured russian and sometime polish troops forced into the Wehrmacht.

/bruce

 

[Crazy Eddie]

1: Neptune
2: The 1st (something) which was an entirely fake army to fool the Germans into beliving the landings were in the Pas de Calais area
4: The Americans did use the amphibious tanks (most of which sank as the Americans released them too far offshore in rough seas) and the minesweeping flail tanks, both of which were based on Shermans. Most of the rest were based on British tanks.
6: I guess what your thinking of is - The Americans landed in the wrong place. As it turned out, a much better place.
7: (b) 2, I think. (c) none.
12: King George insisted that if Churchill went, he would too.
13: I think this was because the negs. were badly developed. (someone walked into the darkroom or something) There were only a very small number of pics that could be saved.

 

[Case]

Originally posted by DingBat
Quick reply:

4) The 79th was a umbrella unit for all the "funnies" or specially designed vehicles in the invasion fleet. This included flail tanks, bobbin tanks, crocodiles, bomb throwers, bridge tanks, etc.

The 79th didn't deploy as a unit but was distributed amongst the landing units. The Americans pooh-poohed the whole idea and so no funnies were deployed with their landing troops.

Correct

5) Where did you get this information? My reading has lead me to believe that only the Canadian beachhead came close to achieving it's initial objectives. They certainly made the farthest inland penetration on D-Day.

Anyway, if what you say is true (which I question), it would be ironic because the Utah beachhead was held up for the longest time and the troops pinned on the beach for most of the day.

mmm, you may be correct on the Canadian beachead , but you got the Utah part wrong

11) Osttruppen were captured russian and sometime polish troops forced into the Wehrmacht.

Correct

 

[Case]

Originally posted by Crazy Eddie
1: Neptune

Correct

2: The 1st (something) which was an entirely fake army to fool the Germans into beliving the landings were in the Pas de Calais area

Correct, but what was the name of the formation (hint, the numbers correct)

4: The Americans did use the amphibious tanks (most of which sank as the Americans released them too far offshore in rough seas) and the minesweeping flail tanks, both of which were based on Shermans. Most of the rest were based on British tanks.

Correct, the Americans turned down the British offer for tanks based on the Churchill becuase they didn't belive there would be time to train Americans to operate these tanks.

6: I guess what your thinking of is - The Americans landed in the wrong place. As it turned out, a much better place.

That's what I was looking for

7: (b) 2, I think.

incorrect

(c) none.

correct

12: King George insisted that if Churchill went, he would too.

Correct, Churchill had actually reserved a room on a British Heavy Cruiser.

13: I think this was because the negs. were badly developed. (someone walked into the darkroom or something) There were only a very small number of pics that could be saved.

That's not the story I've heard...

 

[Crazy Eddie]

2: FUSAG, First United States Army Group

13: Hmm, maybe you mean the story that he was shaking too much to hold the camera steady. I looked this up, I gave a correct answer - but to the wrong question. :crazyeyes

http://www.softwhale.com/history/D-Day/PictureHistory.htm

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

1. What was the code name for the maritime initial phase of Operation Overlord?
Neptune

2. What important military formation was General Patton believed to be commanding on D-Day?
I think it was 14 army, he would command third army in the breakout phase

3. What kind of aircraft provided direct air cover for the invasion fleet, and why was it chosen for this role?
All of US and Brit Af were used, painted with black and white "invasion" stripes.

4. What was so funny about the British 79th Armoured Division, and why did the Americans chose not to get the joke?
Engineer armored vehicles.
The answer you deemed correct as to why USA didn't use them is WRONG.
US army doctrone was that human engineers could clear obsticles more quickly and safely, but this was DEAD wrong, as events showed.

5. Roughly what percentage of soldiers belonging to the American 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions managed to reach their objectives on D-Day?
According to my division's history (82nd) 10% actually reached the correct odjectives on d-day

6. Why is it ironic that the Utah beachhead was the only beachhead to come close to achieving its D-Day objectives?
The assault companies drifted out of their assigned paths, and landed on the wrong (and mostly undefended) beaches!

7. a) How many sorties did the Allied air forces fly over France on D-Day?
Several thousand
b) How many sorties did the Luftwaffe Fly over France on D-Day?
I think the number was something like 30, but don't hold me to it, it might be 300.
c) How many allied aircraft did the Luftwaffe shoot down over Normandy on D-Day?
None, as far as I remember, but again, memory fails on this

8. How many soldiers and vehicles did the invasion fleet carry?
Don't know off hand, and to lazy to look it up, but the assault wave had 170,000

9. How did Naval Landing Group U2A almost change the course of history?
Don't know

10. What ship served as General Bradley's command ship, and name another VIP who had sailed on this ship during the war.
Not sure of this, mabe the Texas or the Augusta?

11. What were Osttruppen?
Russian Prisoners serving in German army

12. How did General Eisenhower dissuade Winston Churchill from coming ashore on D-Day?
I didn't remember this!

13. Why is this famous photograph blurred?
They are correct, when the film was sent to britain for development, the guy that did it was so anxious to see the picture that he over-exsposed the film and destroyed most of it!
Why they were so blured is also due to the fact that they are taken under fire.

 

[Case]

Originally posted by Alcibiaties of Athenae

2.I think it was 14 army, he would command third army in the breakout phase

As Eddie said, he was belived by the Germans to be commanding the first US Army Group

3.All of US and Brit Af were used, painted with black and white "invasion" stripes.

True, but I was looking for the specific aircraft whic flew cover directly over the fleet

[/quote][/b]
The answer you deemed correct as to why USA didn't use them is WRONG.
US army doctrone was that human engineers could clear obsticles more quickly and safely, but this was DEAD wrong, as events showed.[/quote][/b]

OK. The Americans also turned down an offer of modified Shermans, so I guess you're right.

5. According to my division's history (82nd) 10% actually reached the correct odjectives on d-day

And the 101st?

6. The assault companies drifted out of their assigned paths, and landed on the wrong (and mostly undefended) beaches!

Yep. It's ironic that one of the greatest successes in such a well planned operation was due to a stuff up.

7. a) How many sorties did the Allied air forces fly over France on D-Day?
Several thousand
b) How many sorties did the Luftwaffe Fly over France on D-Day?
I think the number was something like 30, but don't hold me to it, it might be 300.

a) I was looking for something a little more specific
b) it was 312

8.Don't know off hand, and to lazy to look it up, but the assault wave had 170,000

Not quite

10. Not sure of this, mabe the Texas or the Augusta?

close

11. Russian Prisoners serving in German army

Correct

13. Why is this famous photograph blurred?
They are correct, when the film was sent to britain for development, the guy that did it was so anxious to see the picture that he over-exsposed the film and destroyed most of it!
Why they were so blured is also due to the fact that they are taken under fire.

Correct.

 

[tetley]

For 10 I'll take a wild guess and say the USS Missouri/MacArthur. I know the Missouri was in the Atlantic in the summer of 1944.

 

[Case]

Originally posted by tetley
For 10 I'll take a wild guess and say the USS Missouri/MacArthur. I know the Missouri was in the Atlantic in the summer of 1944.

Nope.

Some hints for the remaining questions

3) The Luftwaffe had nothing that looked like this figher (an important factor considering these aircraft were flown over the thousands of AA guns mounted on the invasion fleet

5) The 101st enjoyed a more concentrated drop then the 82nd

7) a) over 10,000...

9) It occured before D-Day and involved a radio malfunction

10) It was one of the ships mentioned by AoA, and had previously hosted a meeting of 'former naval persons'

 

[MrGeneric]

10) I think it was called the Ancon.

 

[SSK]

Originally posted by Case
3) The Luftwaffe had nothing that looked like this figher (an important factor considering these aircraft were flown over the thousands of AA guns mounted on the invasion fleet

Well, it's been about 20 yrs. since I've read much about WWII aircraft, but I'll take a wild stab. P-51 Mustang was a late-war development that I seem to remember was unusual-looking.

 

[Alcibiaties of Athenae]

Hmm, A/C was unique looking, two come to mind, the P-38 and the P-47

The Germans had a recon twin boom plane, but it was used in very small numbers, and they had nothing like the Juggernaut.

As for the ship, Augusta?

I believe she carried Patton at the torch landings.

 

[Crazy Eddie]

*9. How did Naval Landing Group U2A almost change the course of history?*

I'll take a wild guess at this one.
I seem to remember (but I can't find any references to it) that when the landings were delayed due to bad weather at the last moment, one convoy of ships missed the recall message and got halfway to France before being stopped by a destroyer of something sent out after it. With the "U" prefix to the code I guess it was one of the American groups. Am I close?

 

[SSK]

Originally posted by Alcibiaties of Athenae
Hmm, A/C was unique looking, two come to mind, the P-38 and the P-47

Yeah the P-38 Lightning was my 2nd guess. I did think about the P-47 thunderbolt, but I thought it wasn't so unique-looking; well I guess it *was* very heavy and rugged-looking, and took a lot of punishment, but overall it was a pretty inferior plane. The Lightning was a better fighter, and the Mustang certainly was, but I think it might've been too late a development...

 

[kobayashi]

for Question 8

June 6th

Utah Beach.........23,250 troops were landed.
Omaha Beach......34,250
Gold Beach. .......24,970
Juno Beach......... 21,400
Sword Beach...... 28,845

By the 12th.of June, 326,000 troops were on the beaches, plus 54,000 vechicles.

By the 2nd.July, another 929,000 men and 177,000 vehicles were put ashore.

The ship armada at Normandy totalled 6,939 vessels of all kinds.


These don't answer any questions but are interesting to know.

Operation Tiger. (April 23-30, 1944). In preparation for the D-Day landings on Utah beach, the US Forces were conducting a series of exercises on a stretch of beach called Slapton Sands near Plymouth. During the exercise, while maneuvering for position in Lyme Bay, the landing ships were attacked by nine German motor torpedo boats, E-boats, from Cherbourg in France. Two of the landing craft, LST 507 and LST 531 were sunk and others damaged. On board the landing ships the casualties were severe, 639 men killed and hundreds injured. This was more than ten times greater than the casualties sustained in the real assault on Utah Beach on June 6 (43 Americans killed, 63 wounded). News of this disaster was kept a closely guarded secret for many months.

Friendly Fire. (Normandy) On July 24, 1944, three hundred US planes dropped a total of 550 tons of bombs on the St.Lo front. Some of the bombs fell upon the 30th Infantry Division (Old Hickory) killing 25 men and wounding 131. Next day, the Americans flung in 140,000 shells while 2,730 planes dropped 3,300 tons of bombs and napalm canisters into an area 7,000 long by 2,500 yards wide. The bomb loads of 35 heavy bombers and 42 medium bombers again fell upon the 30th. Infantry Division. In this second disaster in two days, the bombing killed a further 111 men and wounded 490. Among the casualties in this second disaster was General Lesley J. McNair, Commanding General of US Army Ground Forces. He had flown over from England as an observer as the raid took place. He was the most senior American General to be killed in the Second World War. His grave can be found in the US Military Cemetery above Omaha Beach in Normandy.

The failure of the German Luftwaffe to appear over the D-day beaches caused the Wehrmacht soldiers to quip "If the plane in the sky is silver, its American, if its blue, its British, if its invisible, its ours!."

 

[Case]

3. The P-38 was the plane. - good work AoA and SSK

5. One third of the soldiers of the 82nd and 101st divsions reached thier objectives in D-Day

7.a) about 12,000

8. 185,000 soldiers and 20,000 vehicles

9. Crazie Eddie got this one

10. As AoA said, this ship was the USS Augusta. As well as acting as Bradley's command ship, the Augusta hosted FDR and Churchill during their first meeting off New Foundland, served as Patton's command ship during the Torch landings and carried President Truman to Europe for the Potsdam conference.
(See http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/cruisers/cl31.htm for this ship's proud history)

 

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by Alcibiaties of Athenae

The Germans had a recon twin boom plane, but it was used in very small numbers, and they had nothing like the Juggernaut.

The germans were using a few dozen Fokker GI-1 Wasps which were pretty advanced aircraft that were made famous at the Paris 1937 airshow. They had exactly the same configuration as the P-38. Most of the Dutch fleet was decimated on the ground but those that were part of a batch meant for export to Spain had no guns installed were kept in storage. They were captured intact and used by the Luftwaffe.