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Who was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., at 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.
At Utah Beach during the Normandy Invasion of World War II, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., served as the assistant division commander of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.1
When the initial landing craft were pushed off course by strong currents and landed approximately 1,800 meters (2,000 yards) away from the intended sector, Roosevelt quickly assessed the situation. Recognizing the error, he famously declared, “We’ll start the war from here!” and ordered the division to advance from their new position. His decisive leadership helped turn a potentially disastrous landing into a successful operation, as the force had inadvertently landed in a less-defended area of the beach.1