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How many American airborne troops were flown to the Cotentin Peninsula before the Utah Beach landing?
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Utah Beach
Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division wade ashore at Victor sector, Utah Beach, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Amphibious tanks are lined up at the water's edge.
In the predawn hours of D-Day, more than 900 C-47 aircraft transported 13,000 American paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions to the Cotentin Peninsula to support the Normandy Invasion at Utah Beach.
These airborne troops were tasked with securing inland causeways and key crossroads to isolate German forces and facilitate the seaborne landing. Despite significant scattering caused by enemy fire and navigation challenges, their presence successfully confused German commanders and prevented a coordinated counterattack against the amphibious assault.1