The US archives have just released some paperwork which will change the way everyone looks at Maisy Battery, and the information contained in the Maisy Cover Up book – just out on Amazon. Historically, everyone has accepted the assumption that the Rangers had a set series of missions which did not include Maisy Battery.
The Rangers were to land at Pointe du Hoc. Destroy the battery there and block the nearby road until relieved. The remaining Rangers were to land on the beach and fight inland to relieve Pointe du Hoc. After that, the fact that they were ordered to assault Maisy Battery was simply just what happened next.
The commanding officer of the Rangers James Rudder… was not supposed to lead the mission to Pointe du Hoc. However, when one of his officers a Major Cleveland A. Lytle objected to the mission suggesting that they were going to attack the wrong place and it was not a sensible target..… an argument ensued. Lytle was sacked by Rudder. Rudder then (supposedly) told his superiors that Lytle was not fit for command and he (Rudder) would lead the mission. (Lytle then went on to become a highly decorated officer in another regiment). The mission to Pointe du Hoc cost the lives of 157 US Army Rangers and was not the success it has been made out to be historically. There were no guns installed at Pointe du Hoc.
Maisy was buried after the battle and until it was dug up 7 years ago – so nothing had ever changed. Everyone assumed that Maisy was attacked as an after-thought – even though it was operational and full of guns on D-day. Until now everyone – all the veterans, official records, books etc. have all said that Maisy was not known about, and the RANGERS mission was to attack Pointe du Hoc and the beach. However, that has now changed with the release of the original 1st Infantry Division orders for D-day.
For the Rangers it says this….
If you note paragraph 6 – it clearly states that their mission on D-day was to go to Maisy….
Yet, once Major Lytle was removed and then Rudder briefed his men… there was NO mention of Maisy in his orders at all. So he effectively covered up the Maisy Batteries existence to his men and allowed himself to go on the Pointe du Hoc mission…. after all it was the “number one target for D-day” and my guess is he didn’t want to get left behind in England.
As it turned out Lytle was 100% correct and Rudder got it 100% wrong. Then the site at Maisy was ordered to be buried under 3 metres of soil. Thus nobody ever found out about the mis-brief of D-day targets.
This is something which is directly at odds with EVERY book ever written about D-day.
1.8 million people visit Pointe du Hoc every year and they are told a version of the facts which are incorrect. The major part of this book is devoted to correcting that story….and telling you the truth about what was know in advance about the Batteries at Maisy. Here are another couple of pages detailing intelligence information available at the time. As issued to Rudder and Lytle.
The full Maisy Battery story is now available in a book published by Pen and Sword. Available in hard back and for a limited time – we are offering unique author signed copies.
The Rangers’ mission on D-day was clear. They were to lead the assault on Omaha Beach and break out inland. Simultaneously, other Ranger units would scale the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc to destroy the ostensibly huge gun battery there and thus protect the invasion fleet from being targeted. But was the Pointe du Hoc mission actually necessary? Why did the Allies plan and execute an attack on a gun battery that they knew in advance contained no field guns? And more importantly, why did they ignore the position at Maisy that did – and then bury it afterwards? Using personal interviews with the surviving Rangers who fought on Omaha Beach, Maisy and at Pointe du Hoc, this book presents exceptionally detailed new research and it takes the reader into the middle of the action with the Rangers. It is a gritty first hand – yard by yard account of what combat was like in those early days for the liberation of Europe.
From the moment the Landing Craft ramp went down, the Rangers in their own words tell of the three days of hell at Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and then onto the assault on the Maisy Battery.
This book is also a painstaking study of what the Allies actually knew in advance of D-Day, including what was known about Maisy Battery. Maps, orders, and assault plans have been found in US, UK and German archives, many of which have only been recently released after having been classified for more than sixty years. Radio communications of the Rangers as they advanced inland have been uncovered, and Royal Air Force intelligence evaluations of bombing missions directed at the site have now been released. All these combine to make this book one of the most up-to-date references on the subject.
In reality it renders many previously written works inaccurate and will forever change the way you think about the battle for Omaha Beach and the importance of Pointe du Hoc. If you thought you know what happened on D-day… this will really make you think!
Available direct from the author (for a signed copy) gary@maisybattery.com or available from Amazon.
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