The main defenses of Cherbourg were on an arc of high ground extending four to six miles (6-9km) beyond the center of the port. A deep belt of fortifications covered all lines of approach and provided for mutual support. Anti-tank ditches and steel obstacles supplemented the streams which made natural obstacles to armor. Hedgerows were cut back to clear fields of fire. The actual works were protected by wire. In some areas they were concrete emplacements with machine gun turrets, mortar emplacements, antiaircraft casemated artillery. In other areas they were well-made entrenchments. The VII Corps closed up to the outer works on June 20, and probed the positions in the night. All the patrols were sharply repelled. But Collins was encouraged by reports from prisoners of war who said that the garrison was a modey collection of detachments, exhausted and demoralized, and that the defenders were short of ammunition. Nevertheless, when Collins called on the German commander Gen. von Schlieben to capitulate on June 21, his message was ignored.
All the US divisions attacked the defenses on June 22, but the main assaults were made by 9th and 79th Divisions from the west and southwest. At 12:40, 10 squadrons of Mustangs and Typhoons attacked the defences with bombs and gunfire. They were followed at 13:00 by 562 fighter-bombers, who unfortunately hit friendly troops as well as the enemy, because smoke marking their targets had drifted south. At 14:00, 377 medium bombers attacked 11 major strongpoints. After these air attacks, which forced German infantry into underground shelters, the American infantry, sappers and armor moved up, protected by an artillery barrage. The assault forces proceeded to methodically reduce the German fortifications; intense machine gun and antitank gunfire directed at embrasures suppressed the defenders, and allowed the sappers to move forward. Once at the concrete works, the sappers used shaped charges and bazookas to blow in the steel doors, then hurled in phosphorus grenades and pole-charges until the Germans were finished.
Next day (June 23) the Germans attempted counterattacks, and some in by-passed strongpoints continued active resistance. But they were too weak to stop the progress of VII Gorps. As the American forces, learning on the job, improved the coordination of their tactical aircraft, artillery and infantry, the enemy was forced to yield ground. By the end of the 23rd, the 9th Division had seized the key ground of the Bois du Mont Roc southwest of the port. The advance was maintained from the east as well. On the 24th, the 3/12 Battalion from 4th Division attacked a position near Digosville as described in the Historical Division account: “Scouts came within 200 yards (180m) of the German emplacements before machine guns opened fire on them. The four tanks deployed, returned the fire and then overran the first gun positions. The tanks provided a base of fire with both 75mm guns and machineguns, and the platoons worked forward. Twelve P-47s dive-bombed and strafed the German positions, and, as soon as the last bombs fell, tanks and infantry closed in rapidly and destroyed the enemy in a short, sharp fight.” On the same day, the German commander of Cherbourg, von Schlieben, complained to Seventh Army HQ that his forces were being crushed by the American artillery. The fire reached a crescendo on June 25, when the US Navy gave extra support from three battleships and four cruisers. With this support the Vll Corps broke through into the town. The Germans systematically wrecked the port installations; strong fortifications like the Fort du Roule and the Arsenal were still resisting on June 26, but the Americans were in the town and German activity was uncoordinated. Gen. von Schlieben was discovered in a bunker at St. Sauveur, and surrendered. Some 10,000 German troops became prisoners of war. The Arsenal was persuaded to capitulate by a loudspeaker unit on June 27, and by the 29th the outlying forts of the harbor had been forced to submit.
The fall of Cherbourg had a depressing effect on the morale of the German Army in Normandy. A great port, very strongly fortified, had surrendered, against the express orders of the Fiihrer. The Americans felt euphoria and relief Bradley could now turn his full attention to organizing the breakout operation.
World History
