Meetings of the men who emerged from Utah Beach and the paratroopers -- whose immediate mission was to clear causeways, bridges, and enemy held towns -- did not always take place face to face on dusty Cotentin roads. Paratroopers, who survived landings on dangerous enemy-held territory, were sometimes separated from their units and commanders. Between the 4th infantry and the 82nd and 101 Airborne lay flooded land and pockets of hedgerow-dominated terrain. Houses were occupied by armed enemy soldiers -- and because strong currents and high winds forced a landing somewhat distant from the original plan, landmarks on Utah Beach were no longer reliable. Communications had ceased between General Collins on the Bayfeld and General Ridgeway, with the under attack 82nd Airborne.

Surprising the enemy, the Duplex Drive tanks that survived the journey shed their flotation screens, revealing Sherman tanks. Ahead lay ambushes and mined swampy meadows. But, throughout June 6 and onward, many obstacles were surmounted, as unseen battles were fought beneath overgrown hedgerows, along the Merderet River -- and on the streets of Pouppeville, Sainte-Mere-Eglise, Sainte Marie du Mont, Saint-Come-du-Mont, Audouville-la-Hubert, Saint-Germain-de-Varreville, and Mezieres, to name just a few.

With the help of flotation devices, swimmers and non-swimmers in Colonel Reeder's 12th Infantry paired to successfully cross a 10 foot deep manmade lake. Led by Lt. Winters, 12 men from Easy Company knocked out a 50-man 4 cannon battery that threatened Causeway 2. Kicking in door after door, Sgt Harrison Summers, 502nd Parachute Infantry, used only a tommy gun to eliminate a 100 men-strong enemy barracks. When outside of Sainte Marie du Mont, Brigadier General Ted Roosevelt, the first Genereral on Utah Beach, met Colonel Robert Sink, commander of the 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne, Roosevelt removed his helmet in tribute to the airborne paratroopers.