WN71 & WN72 Omaha Beach Map 1412OT N49 22.734 W000 54.189
These positions to west of Omaha controlled the exit from the beach, named by
the Americans "Draw 1". The National Guard who arrived in the first waves had no
immediate answer and suffered very high causalities for very little or no gains
in the first few hours.
Traces of WN71 can still be found on top of the cliffs of the mortar and machine
gun positions. There was also a Fire Control Post situated close to the white
house that is visible today. The main armament of WN72 was placed just above the
beach with the inclusion of a 88 mm cannon housed in a type H667 casemate.
The gun is still in situ although it has been pushed further into the casemate.
To the west was also a casemate which can still be seen, it housed a 50 mm gun
that could cover both the west and east from its position.
Above the casino was a double Tobruk housing two heavy machine guns.
The coast road housed an anti tank ditch and was also mined. Its position during
the occupation was a little further inland and was just a sand track.
