Description:

HAND-DRAWN D-DAY MAP OF OMAHA BEACH UNDERWATER OBSTACLES
A crucial, historically-important hand-drawn map titled: 'SKETCH MAP SHOWING UNDERWATER OBSTACLES BEACH #46 AS OF 25TH APRIL 1944', from the files of Lt. Col. William B. Gara, commander of the crucial 1st Engineer Combat Battalion and among the first to land on Omaha Beach. The 30 x 22 in. map, drawn on semi-transparent paper, is marked 'TOP SECRET BIGOT'. It is drawn in black ink with hundreds of tiny red marks showing the location of stakes, hedgehogs, and Belgian Gates virtually covering over 2,000 yards of the shoreline at Omaha Beach, the area including that immediately adjacent to Vierville sur Mer, Les Moulins, and Colleville sur Mer. This was the section of Omaha Beach which was the most hard-fought area of the invasion, and it includes exits D-1, D-3, E-3, F-1, and the crucial exit E-1, the first exit to be opened, and which Gara and his men with supporting troops cleared under heavy fire by early afternoon on June 6th. The beach line is shown, as is the high water and low water lines. This could be considered one of the most important maps used in the planning of the landings. Brittle, with a clean 6 in. tear at bottom and some short tears at fold junctions, all carefully repaired with archival tape on verso, file holes with some marginal chips thereat, some toning along the folds, still overall very good. Obtained directly from Gara's estate. WILLIAM B. GARA (1917-2001) was an American Army Lieutenant Colonel, commander of the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. Gara was a genuine war hero by any definition. He led his 700 men from North Africa to Sicily, he landed among the very first soldiers on Omaha Beach, was heavily engaged at the Battle of the Bulge, and fought into Germany until the end of the war. His most valiant service was at Omaha Beach where the 1st Engineers were tasked with landing minutes after the infantry, clearing obstacles to allow more landing craft to safely arrive, and continuing to clear barbed wire, mines, anti-tank obstacles and ravines, etc. from the beaches to a point a few miles inland to clear the path for infantry, tanks, and then truck transports. Under intense enemy small arms and anti-tank fire, Gara's engineers, along with elements of the 37th Engineers Battalion, opened the first and most important exit from Omaha Beach, E-1, allowing American GIs to flank the German defenses and begin their drive inland. By war's end, Gara had received two Silver Stars and two Bronze Stars.

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January 25, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000