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What objectives did the 101st Airborne Division have behind Utah Beach?
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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.
The 101st Airborne Division, commanded by Major General Maxwell Taylor, had several critical objectives behind Utah Beach to support the Normandy Invasion:
- Secure Beach Exits: They were tasked with seizing the inland sides of the four causeways leading from the beach, which was essential for allowing the U.S. 4th Infantry Division to exit the landing area during the dawn invasion.
- Destroy Infrastructure: The division was ordered to destroy two highway bridges and one railroad bridge located north of Carentan. These were the primary routes across the swamp that German forces could have used to flank the invasion area.
- Control Strategic Points: They were to seize and hold the lock at La Barquette, which controlled the flooding of the lowlands and marshes in the region.
These efforts were part of a broader mission to isolate the seaborne invasion force from defending German units, ultimately contributing to the success of the landings.1