Ww2 chapter 1 June 6, 1944, the invasion truly started the previous night, as thousands of C-47 Dakota plane engines roared to life, ready to carry 13,348 paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions over Normandy shortly after midnight.

The plan for the invasion of Normandy was unprecedented in scale and complexity. It called for American, British, and Canadian divisions to land on five beaches spanning roughly 60 miles. Planners determined that the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were needed to seize key towns and intersections at the base of the Cotentin Peninsula and secure the four causeways leading off of Utah Beach. This would prevent the Germans from threatening the American western flank and reinforcing beach defenses, thus setting the conditions for an American breakout.

On June 5, 13,400 American paratroopers boarded C-47 aircraft for the largest airborne operation in history. Problems began as they crossed into France. Encountering a cloud bank over the Cotentin Peninsula, most pilots climbed or dove, and antiaircraft fire further dispersed the fleet. In the resulting chaos, aircrews dropped their planeloads far away from their intended drop zones.

Most paratroopers landed with little idea of where they were. In the darkness, men from both divisions intermixed and fought scores of small battles as they moved across the French countryside. Confused, the Germans lost time trying to decide where to direct their counterattacks.

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