D-Day

By Alex R.

D-Day...... Blood spilled this day........

   About It

  If you want to know about D-Day  then this is the place to look. The U.S. invaded Normandy, France June, 6, 1944. Four thousand landing craft and 130 warships were there for bombardment. Twelve thousand aircraft were there to defend the landings.  One thousand aircraft flew in paratroopers. Five thousand tons of bombs would be dropped on the Germans.

German Spitfire

Did You Know.....

• The paratroopers carried 70 pound packs.

• Officers carried 90 pound gear.

• When the soldiers had parachutes they had 90-120 pounds over their body weight.

More Info...about paratroopers and their equipment... 

• M-1 Garand rifles with 8-round clips

• cartridge belts with canteens

• hand grenades

• parachutes with packs

• anti-flash headgear and gloves

• a pocket compass

• a machete

• a .45 caliber Colt automatic rifle

• flares

• message books.

• The officers carried 

• a sten gun (similar to the British)

•  spare magazines with 9mm ammunition

•  2 lb. plastic high explosives

• 2 36 primed hand grenades

•  two full belts of Vickers

•  .303 ammunition

•  wire cutters

•  radio batteries

•  small pack

•  basic equipment webbing

• 48 hours worth of rations

•  water

•  a cooking and washing kit

• .45 loaded automatic pistols

•  a medical kit

•  a knife

•  an escape/survival kit

•  a toggle rope

•  additional personal items all in their pockets

For emergency rations they had...

• 4 sticks of chewing gum 

• 2 bouillon cubes 

• 2 Nescafe instant coffees

•  2 sugar cubes

• creamers

•  4 Hershey bars

•  1 pack of Charms candy

•  1 package pipe of tobacco

•  1 bottle of water purification tablets to purify water.

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