Landing on the Edge of Eternity

Twenty-Four Hours at Omaha Beach

By: Robert Kershaw

Narrated by: Roger Clark

When Company A of the US 116th Regiment landed on Omaha Beach in D-Day's first wave on June 6, 1944, it lost 96 percent of its effective strength. Sixteen teams of US engineers arriving in the second wave were unable to blow the beach obstacles, as first wave survivors were still sheltering behind them. This was the beginning of the historic day that Landing on the Edge of Eternity narrates hour by hour.

Mustered on their troop transport decks at 2 a.m., the American infantry departed in landing craft at 5 a.m. Skimming across high waves, deafened by immense broadsides from supporting battleships and weak from seasickness, they caught sight of land at 6:15. Eleven minutes later, the assault was floundering under intense German fire. Two and a half hours in, General Bradley, commanding the landings aboard USS Augusta, had to decide if to proceed or evacuate. On June 6, 1944, there were well over 2,400 casualties on Omaha Beach - easily D-Day's highest death toll.

The Wehrmacht thought they had bludgeoned the Americans into bloody submission, yet by mid-afternoon, the American troops were ashore. Why were the casualties so grim, and how could the Germans have failed? Juxtaposing the American experience, Robert Kershaw draws on eyewitness accounts, memories, letters, and post-combat reports to expose the true horrors of Omaha Beach.

©2018 Robert Kershaw (P)2019 Tantor

Outstanding

I have read many, many books and several movies or tv shows about D-day/Omaha Beach . This is among the very best. It covered US, French, and German perspectives in a balanced way. Even the post scripts were excellent. I sorely missed an excellent map of the Omaha Beach area (and German strongpoints). Since the narrative made constant reference to geographical features, Villages or strong points.
I strongly recommend this book.

best d day book I've ever read. a very realistic

a very realistic account of D-Day on Omaha beach . best D-Day account I've ever read

Good introduction to first hours of D-Day.

Well researched and a very fast read. The narrator is clear and knowledgeable on German the language. Good view of both sides.

Well done!

A great read on what the men who stormed the beaches went through on D-Day.

#lestweforget

Never ever forget.....What a fantastic audio book a must read for generations to come. #lestweforget