Fox sectors on D-Day
Fox Green and Fox red are the two easternmost sectors of Omaha beach. On these sectors the first units of the 1st American Infantry Division “The Big Red One”, some tanks (only a handful of the DD Sherman tanks launched here actually made it ashore) and combat engineers Gap Assault Teams landed at low tide on H-Hour. From 06.30; they met with fierce opposition of an enemy well dug in and prepared.

1st US Infantry’s division’s plan was that 3/16th RCT was to land in two waves , break the defenses of the German WN’s here and take the high ground. Combat Engineers were to blow gaps in the German defenses under water such as the mined “Rommel’s asparagus” (poles in the sand pointing towards the sea) and chech hedgehogs. The tanks were supposed to land just ahead of the infantry and take out the German MG positions.
On Easy Red, towards the west, and Fox Green casualties amongst the first waves of combat engineers and infantrymen were amongst the highest of D-Day and it would take several hours of fierce fighting before the German widerstandsneste WN 60 and WN61 were taken. WN62 was not eliminated before the afternoon of june 6.

Fox Green is more or less directly opposite the biggest draw in the bluffs at Omaha. This draw, codenamed Easy-3 exit, was defended by the most formidable of the German widerstandsneste: WN62 on one side and another widerstandsnest codenamed WN61 on the other flank. Further to the east and overlooking the whole of Omaha beach with it’s unique vantage point, is WN60.

Troops landing on Fox Green directly opposite the draw where immediately pinned down by the intense fire but Fox Red with it’s overhanging rocky cliffs gave some protection. It is from here that some American units from 3/16th RCT landed with only modest casualties. 1st Lt. Jimmie W. Monteith took his units up the small Fox -1 draw and took out the German positions on WN60. It was the first major breach in the German defenses. Another vital contribution to victory of the day was the knocking out of the formidable German 88mm gun position of WN61 by a Sherman DD tank commanded by Staff Sgt. Sheppard. This opened up a posibility to move up the bluffs and slowly take out WN61.