When we think of D-Day, images of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy often come to mind. But what if I told you that the first landing on French soil during D-Day didn’t happen on any famous beaches we’ve heard about? Instead, it occurred on two small, uninhabited islands off the Normandy coast. This is the forgotten story of the Saint-Marcouf Islands and the brave men who landed there before the main invasion began.
The Strategic Importance of Saint-Marcouf
Napoleon’s Legacy
The Saint-Marcouf Islands might seem insignificant initially, but they have a rich history of strategic importance. Even Napoleon Bonaparte recognized their value, heavily fortifying the islands with a fort on the larger island that housed 48 cannons and a 500-man garrison. Later, a lighthouse was added to the fort, emphasizing the islands’ importance to maritime navigation.
The German Occupation
When the Germans occupied France in 1940, they quickly realized the strategic potential of the Saint-Marcouf Islands. They took control of the islands and demolished the lighthouse as part of their Atlantic Wall defenses. This action raised suspicions among Allied planners, who believed the Germans might use the islands for nefarious purposes.
Allied Concerns and Planning
As D-Day approached, Allied intelligence became increasingly worried about the potential threats posed by the Saint-Marcouf Islands. They had several concerns:
- The old Napoleonic fort might have been converted into a German observation post.
- The islands could house a facility to control electrically fired sea mines in the Bay of Seine.
- There was a possibility of hidden German artillery that could bombard the U.S. 4th Infantry Division as they landed at Utah Beach.
These concerns led Allied planners to decide that the islands needed to be neutralized before the main landings could begin. The task was assigned to troops from the U.S. Fourth Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E.C. Dunn.
The Daring Underwater Demolition Team
Four Brave Volunteers
Before the main force could land on the islands, a small reconnaissance team was needed to scout the area and mark the beach for the landing craft. Four brave men volunteered for this dangerous mission:
- Corporal Harvey Olsen of Troop A, Fourth Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
- A private from the same troop
- Sergeant John Zanders of Troop B
- A private from Troop B
These four men formed an Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), trained to approach and infiltrate enemy-held coastlines stealthily.
A Risky Night-Time Approach
The UDT’s mission was both simple and incredibly dangerous. Armed only with combat knives and torches, they set out in two small rubber boats on the night of June 5-6, 1944. As they paddled through the heavy surf, they had to navigate around large submerged sea mines that the Germans had placed around the islands.
When they were about 100 yards from the shore, the team abandoned their boats and swam the rest of the way. Imagine the tension they must have felt as they silently approached the dark, potentially enemy-held coast.
The First Footsteps on French Soil
Corporal Olsen and his team pulled themselves onto the beach and found themselves in a surreal situation. The island was quiet, with no sign of German troops. However, they couldn’t relax just yet. The beach was covered in land mines, forcing the men to carefully prod the sand with their knives to clear a safe path.
Cautiously, they made their way to the old Napoleonic fort. To their surprise, they found no Germans or secret fortifications—just mines and some abandoned German equipment. With the coast clear, Olsen and his team signaled to the waiting landing ships that it was safe to approach.
The Main Landing Force Arrives
Within 30 minutes of Olsen’s signal, a small landing craft began their assault on the islands. As the first light of dawn broke on D-Day, the 132-man invasion force from the Fourth Cavalry Regiment quickly secured both islands without any resistance.
For a brief moment, it seemed like the operation had been a complete success. The islands had been taken without a single shot fired. But as daylight revealed the American presence on the islands, everything changed.
The Battle Begins
The Marcouf Battery Opens Fire
As the sun rose on June 6, 1944, German observation posts at the Marcouf battery on the mainland spotted the American troops on the islands. The battery, commanded by Oberleutnant Cesar Walter Ohmsen, was one of the most powerful coastal defenses in the area, with three 210mm Czech guns that could hit targets up to 19 miles away.
At 5:52 AM, less than an hour after the Americans had landed, the battery opened fire. They targeted not only Allied warships but also the Saint-Marcouf Islands themselves.
Chaos on the Islands
The American forces on the islands found themselves in a desperate situation. Shells from the Marcouf battery began raining down on them, forcing them to scramble for cover. The combination of artillery fire and the numerous land mines on the islands proved deadly. Two Americans were killed, and 17 were wounded in the bombardment.
The Sinking of the USS Corry
The German battery didn’t limit its fire to the islands. They also targeted Allied ships, scoring a direct hit on the destroyer USS Corry. The Corry, which had been providing fire support for the U.S. landings at Utah Beach, was hit several times and eventually sank. The attack claimed the lives of 24 crew members and wounded 60 others.
Interestingly, the loss of the USS Corry was later attributed to a mine strike, despite the crew’s own reports of being hit by artillery fire. This misattribution highlights how chaotic and confusing the early hours of D-Day were, even for those directly involved.
The Aftermath
Silencing the Marcouf Battery
The threat posed by the Marcouf battery was eventually neutralized by concentrated fire from Allied battleships, which knocked out two of the three guns. However, it wasn’t until June 11, 1944 – five days after D-Day – that U.S. ground forces finally captured the battery.
In a testament to the skill and determination of the German forces, Oberleutnant Ohmsen and 78 of his men managed to break through American lines and escape capture. Ohmsen was later awarded the Knight’s Cross for defending the battery.
Recognition for the Heroes of Saint-Marcouf
The brave men who participated in the initial landing on the Saint-Marcouf Islands didn’t go unrecognized. Corporal Harvey Olsen, who was the first American to set foot on French soil by sea on D-Day, was promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Silver Star for his courageous actions.
The Forgotten First Landing: A Crucial Piece of D-Day History
The story of the Saint-Marcouf Islands landing is a testament to the bravery and ingenuity of the Allied forces during World War II. While it may not be as well-known as the landings at Omaha or Utah Beach, it played a crucial role in the success of D-Day.
This operation demonstrated the importance of thorough planning and reconnaissance in military operations. Although the initial intelligence about the islands may have been flawed, the decision to secure them before the main landings likely saved many lives and contributed to the overall success of Operation Overlord.
Moreover, the story of the four volunteers who swam ashore in the dead of night, armed only with knives, is a powerful reminder of the individual acts of courage that made the D-Day invasion possible. These men, along with countless others, risked everything to help liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.
As we remember D-Day and honor those who participated in this monumental operation, let’s not forget the forgotten first landing on the Saint-Marcouf Islands. It’s a story of bravery, strategy, and the fog of war – a crucial piece of history that deserves to be remembered alongside the more famous events of June 6, 1944.
