La Pointe du Hoc

D-Day: June 6th, 1944.
La Pointe du Hoc is the top of a cliff between the nicknamed Utah and Omaha beaches in Normandy, sitting atop cliffs 100 feet in height. The German control and defense of the cliffs made them a power position, making it one of the most dangerous German positions on the Norman coastline.
Considering the allies planned to land on the beaches located in front of Pointe du Hoc, the Germans recognized its strategic importance. With this in mind, a battery of 155 mm guns was installed on the cliff point. They had a 20,000 yd wide range, giving the ability to cover both beaches with their gunfire. Furthermore, Pointe du Hoc was defended by the 716th and 352nd Infantry Divisions, making it a fortified vantage point for the Wehrmacht, meaning "defense force".

The Germans believed La Pointe du Hoc to be inaccessible by sea, and didn't even consider an allied attack on the fortress to be imaginable. However, the allies believed that, with the help of ropes and ladders, soldiers arriving at low tide would be able to scale the cliff walls. And so, General Eisenhower, with the help of his staff, assigned the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, under Lieutenant James Rudder, the mission of destroying the enemy position atop the cliff.

When given his assignment, Rudder was astonished. He was supposed to do the impossible, and yet, the weight of his mission bore strongly on him. A comrade, Lieutenant Bradley, wrote in his memoir, 

“No soldier in my command has ever been wished a more difficult task than that which befell the thirty-four-year-old Commander of this Provisional Ranger Force.”  

Set on D-Day, Rudder and the 2nd Ranger Battalion (225 soldiers), alongside Lieutenant Schneider and the 5th Ranger Battalion in support, would commence the operation. The plan demanded the use of a force with 3 separate elements (Force A, B, and C). Force A was made up of 3 companies (D, E, and 5. The 2d Ranger Battalion would land on the beaches below Point du Hoc. Assault teams would arive in a group of 9 British-crewed LCA boats carrying 22 men apiece. LCAs 668 and 858 carried Company D. LCAs 861, 862, and 772 would carry Company E as well as Rudder's command force. LCAs 887, 884, and 883 carried Company F. Additionally, DUKW amphibious vehicles would carry Force A. Companies E and F landed on the Eastern side of Point du Hoc, with Company D in the west. Force B had its own special mission. Company C was to land on Omaha beach, to the right of 116th's landing site. Upon its arrival in Omaha, Force B was set to climb the cliffs of Pointe de la Percée.
At 6:45 am, when Company C landed on Omaha Beach, they immediately met German artillery fire. The lead craft was hit, and 15 men were brutally killed. Another LCA was hit with fire, and another 15 men were killed/wounded. After the landing of Company A, the men worked their way to the cliff's base and began their climb. Only 35 of 75 of Captain Goranson's men were left to reach the top. After their arrival at the top, the Rangers set off, taking out enemy strong points and made their way towards the rest of the army at Point du Hoc. In the meantime, Force A faced a major set back. Because of currents, they had traveled 3 miles away from their landing point! The waters were too choppy and currents too strong to correct their mistake, and by the time they did, they were way behind schedule. The Naval ships responsible for covering Force A had stopped their fire at 6:25 because the original time for landing was 6:30. When the rangers arrived at 7:10, the Germans had recovered and lay heavy artillery fire on the incoming D, E, and F companies. The Rangers were instructed to land all companies to the east of Point du Hoc, and came under heavy fire upon their arrival. Rangers in the rear covered their leading counterparts, which took cover in a small cave at the base of the cliff.
When beginning their ascent of the cliffs, the Rangers faced many difficulties. The ropes were wet because of rainfall, making them slippery. Furthermore, mud weighed down the soldiers, making climbing difficult. However, tides turned when the army arrived at the top of the cliffs. German soldiers were killed, and pushed back from their stronghold. However, this in part was due to airstrikes from an aerial bombing campaign in Normandy and Northern France, additionally from naval fire from allied ships.
Ultimately, the rangers maintained their position along the coast, all the while facing snipers, artillery fire, and counterattacks. They received reinforcements with Campany A and Lieutenant Parker and his 1st platoon. However, 3 strong counterattacks drove the Rangers back just north of the coastal highway.
A small force broke through on the 7th of June, a larger relief force arriving on the 8th, composed of all three of the 116th Infantry's battalions.