Utah Beach
	As D-Day began Utah Beach was completely obscured in smoke.  30,000 men and 3,500 vehicles were set to take Utah.  The landing was led by two sqaudrons of DD tanks, which had been succesfully launched two miles offshore, and when the dropped their skirts, the rubber devices that allowed them to float. and opened fire on the suprised Germans.  The first wave of US 4th infantry followed and they landed at low tide and had to cross over 500 yards of open beach, but return fire was only sporadic.  They and the tanks cleared out mines and obstacles so that the later units could land at high tide.    Although fighting was occuring around German strongholds, the infantry soon began to move across the causeways and by 1300 they had met up with men from the 101st airborne, and by nightfall a solid bridgehead was established.  The bridgehead was being attacked by random and uncoordinated German attacks.  Problems occured with  a backup on the beach.  Due to limited exits, as succeeding waves of infantry and armor landed they were often backuped in direct line of fire.  Some say the hero of Utah Beach was 57 yr old Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, son of former U.S. presidernt Theodore Roosevelt, who calmly directed the traffic problems on Utah.
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