Night.

This is coolbert:

"It is granted that strategical surprise will be impossible to attain. Tactical surprise is another thing however... tactical surprise is one of the most powerful factors in determining success. I therefore, favor the night landing. I do not believe the daylight assault can succeed." - - Norman Cota.

Here is what General Normal Cota was thinking about when he advocated a night assault on the Normandy beachhead?

NOT a daylight assault by the main invasion force into the manned and ready German beach defenses.

Night assault by specially trained, equipped, and highly motivated special operations units, ranger/commando type troops of the "hunter class".

Night assaults as had been done at least three times previously during the various campaigns of the European theatre during World War Two [WW2].

Night assaults done most successfully too. Ranger units able to assault by beach landing during the early hours of darkness, overwhelm the surprised defenders, eliminate strong points in the path of the main invasion force. Ranger units confining their action to the immediate beachhead, not proceeding inland to any degree, consolidating the beachhead for subsequent follow-up forces.

1. Port of Arzew - - Algeria - - 1942.

"the 1st Ranger Battalion spearheaded an invasion at the Port of Arzew in Algeria. This was accomplished by executing a surprise night landing [November 1942], silencing two gun batteries, and opening the way for the capture of Oran"

2. Gela - - Sicily - - 1943.

"In Sicily the Rangers served first as assault troops in the landing . . . At Gela in the early morning darkness of 10 July [1943] the 1st and 4th Ranger Battalions . . . attacked across a mined beach to capture the town and coastal batteries."

3. Anzio - - Italy - - 1944.

"At 0200 on the 22'nd [January 1944] the 6615th Ranger Task Force comprised of the 1st, 3d and 4th Rangers, 509th Parachute Bn and Cos. A and B of the 83'd Chemical Mortar Battalion landed in the city of Anzio. Their immediate mission was to clear the beach-head. The mined beach was crossed and only a handful of enemy was encountered."

In the Pacific theatre, the landing on the beach at Kiska [1943], early hours of darkness by the First Special Service Force [FSSF], is of course another instance of this type of assault. NOT moving inland, the specially trained, equipped, and high motivated special operations units [FSSF], able to capture and hold the beachhead for the main invasion force.

[Kiska of course was not defended by the Japanese, but the idea was the same!]

Norm Cota was right about a night assault? Perhaps NOT the MAIN invasion force attacking during hours of darkness. Special Operations troops attacking would have been the more feasible and better idea. There was precedent for this sort of thing. Successful precedent that would have worked. The terrible casualties of 6 June could have been greatly alleviated in this manner?

coolbert.