WN59 did not directly take part in the fighting on D-Day.  It is located on the cliffs west of the village of Plage de Saint-Honorine-des Pertes (locally called "les Bateaux" (the boats)).  It lies on the far eastern edge of what would be Sector Fox Red of Omaha Beach.  The strongpoint is on high ground and is a very steep climb from the village.  This was the command post of Major Werner Pluskat, who commanded 1-3 batteries of I./Art.Rgt.352.  Major Pluskat, made famous by the movie, "The Longest Day" was the first German to see the Allied armada approaching.  Local legend has it that Pluskat was sleeping with his mistress in the castle Etreham about 3 km to the south at the time the Allied armada was spotted by an Unteroffizier between 0330 and 0400.  The Unteroffizier called up Pluskat because he thought that no one at headquarters would take his report seriously.

Composition of WN59:

 - 1x R35 Tobruk tank turret 

 - 1x 75 mm FK235(b) guns

 - 1x 20 cm anti-aircraft gun

 - 2x 50 mm GrW 211(f) mortars in Tobruks

 - Several flamethrowers

WN60 is located northwest of the plateau, dominating the valley of the Revolution, north of the hamlet of Cabourg.  It is one of three support posts in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer, opposite Omaha Beach.  It serves as an artillery observation post with telephone connection to a divisional artillery battery.  Forty soldiers are stationed there.  On June 6, 1944, WN60 was under direct fire of the destroyer USS Doyle, which came close to the shore to support the landing troops.

Composition of WN60:

 - 2x 75 mm FK235(b) guns

 - 1x 20 cm anti-aircraft gun

 - 2x 50 mm GrW 211(f) mortars in Tobruks

 - 1x R35 Tobruk tank turret 

 - Several flamethrowers

2 cm Flak 30 Anti-Aircraft Gun

75 mm FK235(b) Field Gun

WN61 is located north of the plateau dominating the valley of the Revolution.  It is one of three support posts in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach.  It consists of several shelters and a casemate type H677.

Composition of WN61:

 - 2x 5 cm KWK L/42 guns

 - 1x 8,8 cm Pak 43/41 protected by a type H677 bunker

 - 1x 5 cm GrW 201(f) mortar in a Tobruk

 - 1x R35 Tobruk tank turret

 - Several flamethrowers

WN62 is located to the west of the plateau dominating the valley of the Revolution, near Colleville-sur-Mer.  It is one of three support posts in the village of Colleville, overlooking Omaha Beach.  It consists of two bunkers, one type H669 one type H667.  It is occupied by 25 soldiers of 3.Kompanie, 726.Gren.Rgt, 716.Inf-Div.

Composition of the WN62:

 - 1x 50 mm GrW 201 (f) mortar in a Tobruk

 - 2x 75 mm FK 235 (b) gun in a type H669 bunker

 - Several flamethrowers

 - 1x 5 cm KWK L/42 gun in a type H667 bunker

75 mm FK 235 (b) gun and its crew at WN62

WN62 as viewed from the beach

WN62 view of the beach

Inspection of WN62 after D-Day

WN63 is located in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer along the Colleville-aux-Moulins road.  It houses an underground command post occupied by 3.Kompanie, 726.Gren.Rgt, 716.Inf-Div. WN63 is commanded by Leutnant Bauch who controls WN59 through WN64 strongpoints.

Composition of WN63:

 - One building divided into three rooms (one of which is a radio station), with two exits.

WN63 bunker layout

WN64, located northeast of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, defends the entrance of the Ruquet valley from the counter-slope to the east.  It consists of several shelters and a casemate still under construction at the time of landing.

Composition of WN64:

 - 1x 76,2 mm FK235 (b) gun

 - 2x 80 mm GrW 278 (f) mortars

GrW 278 (f) mortar crew practicing with a wooden round

WN65, located northeast of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, defends the entrance of the valleuse of the Ruquet from the counter-slope to the west.  It consists of several shelters, Tobruks and a casemate type H667.

Composition of the WN65:

 - 2x 5 cm KWK L/42 guns

 - 1x 3,7 cm Pak 36 gun

 - 2x mortars

5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42 - the same cannon used in a variant of the Panzer III.

Soldiers with the PaK 36 in a fortified position, Denmark, 1940

WN66 is located north of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and defends the entrance of the Moulin valley connecting the village and the beach from the slope to the east.  It consists of several shelters and Tobruks.

Composition of the WN66:

 - 2x 5 cm KWK L/42 guns

 - 2x R35 tank turrets

 - 2x mortars

The Germans captured hundreds of French R-35 tanks and used their turrets on bunker tobruks along the Atlantikwall.

WN67, located near Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, is an artillery position whose mission is to support WN66 and WN68 strongpoints located directly on the sea.  It is armed by elements of 5/II/916.Inf.Rgt and Nebelwerfer-Abteilung 84. 

Only one concrete casemate is built.

Composition of the WN67:

 - 23-40 Nebelwerfer rocket launchers (28/32 cm NbW 41, 320mm rockets)

28/32 cm NbW 41 towed by SdKfz 10/1 halftrack

WN68, located northeast of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, defends the entrance of the valley of the Moulin from the counter-slope to the west. It consists of several shelters and Tobruks.

Composition of the WN68:

 - 1x 5 cm KWK L/42 gun

 - 1x 47 mm Pak 181 (f) gun

 - 2x R35 tank turrets

PaK 181(f) captured on Omaha

WN69, located between the WN67 and National Road 13, is an anti-aircraft position without concreted construction, armed by a Flak gun.

Composition of the WN69:

 - Anti-aircraft gun without a concrete shelter

Flak (88mm Flak 36) position in France

WN70 is one of the four defensive positions of the village of Vierville-sur-Mer.  It is located on the heights overlooking the beach to the east of Vierville-sur-Mer, at the place called Hamel-au-Prêtre.  It consists of several shelters and Tobruks.

Composition of WN70:

 - 1x 76.5mm FK17(t) gun

 - 1x 2 cm Flak 30 anti-aircraft gun

 - 2x 8 cm GrW 34 mortars

Knocked out German Position with 76.5mm FK17(t)

WN71 is one of the four defensive positions of the village of Vierville-sur-Mer.  It is located on the heights overlooking the beach to the northeast of Vierville-sur-Mer.  Dedicated to the close defense of the village and its accesses to the north, it consists of several shelters and Tobruks, including a casemate type SK for two machine guns (with a double embrasure).

Composition of the WN71:

 - 2x 8 cm GrW 34 mortars

 - Several machine guns

8 cm Granatwerfer 34

WN72 is one of the four defensive points of the village of Vierville-sur-Mer.  It is located at the northern entrance of the Vierville-sur-Mer valley and consists of a casemate type H677, a casemate with double embrasure for anti-tank guns and another casemate type SK for machine guns, as well as several shelters and Tobruks.

Composition of WN72:

 - 1x 75 mm Pak 97/38(f) gun

 - 1x 8,8 cm Pak 43/41 gun protected by a H677 casemate

 - 1x 5 cm KWK L/42 gun

 - 1x R35 tank turret on top of a Tobruk

 - Several flamethrowers

 - Several machine guns

7.5cm PaK 97/38(f)

PaK 43/41 in a bunker casemate

WN73 is one of the four defensive point of the village of Vierville-sur-Mer.  It is located northwest of the valley of Vierville-sur-Mer, all around a house abandoned by the local population during the installation of the Germans.  It includes a casemate for artillery guns, several shelters and Tobruks.  Nicknamed the “fortified house” by the Americans and known by the Normans as the “villa Gambier,” it was taken by assault on 6 June 1944 by the Rangers who suffered heavy losses in taking it.

Composition of the WN73:

 - 1x 75 mm FK231(f) gun

 - 2x 8 cm GrW 34 mortars

 - Several machine guns

Postcard showing the Gambier House

75 mm FK231(f) Captured French Anti-Tank Gun

Casemate for the 7.5cm Pak 97/38 at WN73

Knocked out PaK 97/38 at WN73

WN74, also known as Stp Saint-Quay, is a radar detection station of the Kriegsmarine.  Located at the top of the cliff northeast of Englesqueville, it consists of a small SK type observatory, four radar bases and several shelters, Tobruks and ammunition bunkers. The station is protected to the south by a minefield coded Mf 24.

Composition of WN74:

 - 3x 2 cm Flak 30 anti-aircraft guns

 - 2x Seeriese FuMO 214 radars

 - 1x Seetakt FuMO 2 long range radar

 - 1x Freya FuMG 80 radar

 - Several machine guns

WN74 Observation Station

FuMO 214 Radar (left) and FUmG Radar (right)

FuMO 2 Calais, on top of an S449