<Ul> <Li> Jedburgh </Li> <Li> Pluto </Li> <Li> Mulberry </Li> <Li> Dragoon </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Cemeteries </Li> </Ul> <P> Omaha, commonly known as Omaha Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German - occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, during World War II .' Omaha' refers to a section of the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel 8 kilometers (5 mi) long, from east of Sainte - Honorine - des - Pertes to west of Vierville - sur - Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary and an estimated 150 - foot (45 m) tall cliffs . Landings here were necessary to link the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine . Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided predominantly by the United States Navy and Coast Guard, with contributions from the British, Canadian, and Free French navies . </P> <P> The primary objective at Omaha was to secure a beachhead of eight kilometres (4.97 miles) depth, between Port - en - Bessin and the Vire River, linking with the British landings at Gold to the east, and reaching the area of Isigny to the west to link up with VII Corps landing at Utah . Opposing the landings was the German 352nd Infantry Division . Of the 12,020 men of the division, 6,800 were experienced combat troops, detailed to defend a 53 - kilometer (33 mi) front . The German strategy was based on defeating any seaborne assault at the water line, and the defences were mainly deployed in strongpoints along the coast . The untested American 29th Infantry Division, along with nine companies of U.S. Army Rangers redirected from Pointe du Hoc, assaulted the western half of the beach . The battle - hardened 1st Infantry Division was given the eastern half . The initial assault waves, consisting of tanks, infantry, and combat engineer forces, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defenses and allow the larger ships of the follow - up waves to land . </P>

When did the battle of omaha beach start