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Witness the untold courage of Company F, 16th Infantry, as they stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day. Despite losing 50% of their men and all officers in the first hours, these extraordinary soldiers fought on with determination that would define heroism itself.
F COMPANY, 16th Infantry 4 July 1944
Company F landed on Beach vicinity of Colleville a Mer at 0640 hours. Smoke laid down by Navy the artillery had already lifted, which therefore enabled the enemy to observe the landing of the Company.
Enemy machine guns, rifles and mortars were fired at the assault teams as they ran out of the LCVPs, the water was about 4-1/2 ft deep. The assault teams had to wade across 30 yards of water under heavy fire and cross the beach of approximately 150 yards under the same fire. The result in casualties was 5 officers and about 50% of the company.
That second,4th and 5th sections landed approximately 400 yards too far over to the left. These three sections played a major part in attacking heavily defended in the third bn. sector. S/Sgt. Strojny aided in the success of the 3rd Bn. by picking up a flancher of a wounded soldier and firing it unassisted at the pillboxes and open emplacements until a direct hit into the embrasure of one pillbox hindering the advance, caused the pillbox to go up in flames. Sgt. Bardinelli, mortar squad leader, 4th Section, knocked out several emplacements and after all his ammunition had been expended with a few other NCOs, led the men in an assault on enemy positions.
Approximately 15 prisoners were captured and turned over to the 3rd Bn. These men stayed with the 3rd Bn. until they were able to rejoin the Company the following day.
The 1st section landed at their proper place on the beach. This section also displayed courage and initiative. When the section leader was fatally wounded, the assistant section leader took over. He ordered the wireman to blow the barbed wire, which did so by crawling 30 yards exposed to small arms and mortar fire. Shortly after the section sgt. was wounded and the next senior NCO assumed command and led the section to commanding ground overlooking the beach. This section rejoined the assault Co. G, moved inland, and helped in destroying enemy snipers and isolated MG nests between the beach and Colleville a Mer.
The Mortars, and the 2nd Section landed directly in front of strongpoint assigned to Co. F. 3rd Section lost all its special purpose due to casualties inflicted by the enemy. Therefore, only small arms fire was used against enemy emplacements with little effect. No support was received from the tanks as none landed at this particular sector of the beach. However, three tanks did come over from the left flank at 1000 hours and fired at open enemy emplacements and pillboxes. Also a destroyer came further out to shore and fired at the same strongpoint. Co. Hqtrs. and the 3rd Sctn. were pinned down under small arms and mortar fire, with occasional artillery shells, until approx. 1200 hours. At 0945 hours the Co. Cmdr sent a runner along the beach to the right to contact Bn and give them the plan. The runner reached dest. at 1130 hours with orders for Capt. Finks to have all 2nd Bn. men to the right, where a breakthrough had been made about 75 yards down the beach. When the Co. finally assembled at Bn., only the Co. C.O., 1st Sgt., and 10 pvts. were present. These pvts. were used as local security for the Bn. C.P. The section on the left flank by the 1st Bn. liere men were flank of the CP was fired upon and pinned down temporarily by an enemy MG. One of the men managed to return to the CP immediately after he was fired upon and informed the Co. that he had been fired at by a MG. At 1330 hrs. 1st Sgt. to be relieved. Upon receiving this information, Capt. Finks, with one private Co., to capture or kill the enemy MGer by working his way up around the flank. He succeeded in getting within 75 yards of the gun, but both he and the pvt. were wounded by mortar fire and were evacuated to the aid station. The Co. left the Co. on the night of D-day with no officers, a 1st Sgt., and about 40 pvts. where BN joined the Co. at Colleville s/Mer during the afternoon of D+1. The overflow consisting of two Cs and 31 EM, also arrived a roll call was held. The Company reorganized and was once more able to function and operate tactically.
Despite the fact that all Os and 3 Plat Sgts. were lost, the men excellently carried on. Also the fact that they were landed in wrong sectors of the beach and were not under Co. hqtrs. control, showed also ipline, which had been instilled in the men and it was likewise a fine exhibition of leadership done by junior NCOs.
From an account at 16th Inf. Hqtrs.
