Permanent historical factsheet

Operation Overlord

United States · Warfare / World War, 2nd. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.

51Records
1943–1944Date range
19Named people
19Places

Chronological records

1943

Theodore Roosevelt27 May 1943

Washington · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Churchill & Roosevelt meet in Washington where they agree a cross-Channel invasion (Operation Overlord) to be provisionally be launched on 1 May 1944

Frederick E MorganJuly 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Morgan & COSSAC advise landong in Normandy within the Bay of the Seine close to Caen

Theodore Roosevelt17 August 1943

Quebec · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Churchill & Roosevelt meet in Quebec, Canada to further discuss Overlord timetable, planning

Omar Nelson BradleyAugust 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the US First Army during Operation Overlord

Frederick E MorganSeptember 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Ordered by the CCS to take "necessary executive action" to implement Overlord

Omar Nelson Bradley20 October 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The HQ for the 1st US Army opens in England

Omar Nelson BradleyOctober 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Arrives in England to take command of the First Army

John Russell DeaneOctober 1943

Moscow · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Meets Russian representives & confirms the decision at Quebec to launch Overlord

Franklin Delano RooseveltNovember 1943

Tehran · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Agreed to mount Overlord & send a diversionary force to the south of France in May 1944

Dwight David Eisenhower6 December 1943

Cairo · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Churchill & Roosevelt agree General Eisenhower will command Allied forces for the invasion of Europe

Theodore Roosevelt6 December 1943

Cairo · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Churchill & Roosevelt agree Gen Eisenhower will command Allied forces for the planned invasion of Europe, Eisenhowers appointment as Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, publicly announced by Roosevelt

George Catlett Marshall11 December 1943

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Directs Commanders to divert as many LCS carriers as possible to Overlord & Anvil

Dwight David Eisenhower31 December 1943

Marrakech · Warfare / World War, 2nd

In December 1943, Operation Postage Able used an X-craft to collect suitable data for all of the Normandy beaches. Following Eisenhowers and Montgomerys revisions it is expanded to landings by 5 divisions and airborne descents by 3 divisions, in total, 47 divisions would be committed to the Battle of Normandy: 19 British, 5 Canadian, 21 US & 1 Free French

1944

Dwight David Eisenhower15 January 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Allies agree the plans for D-Day

Dwight David Eisenhower25 January 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

The directive appointing Eisenhower Supreme Allied Commander for Overlord is issued

Dwight David EisenhowerJanuary 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Arrives in England to assume duties as Supreme Allied Commander of Operation Overlord

Dwight David Eisenhower31 March 1944

Slapton Sands · Warfare / World War, 2nd

US D-Day beach landing training exercise (Operation Beaver) at Slapton Sands, Devon, demonstrate a dangerous lack of coordination between units

Dwight David Eisenhower7 April 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

Montgomery presents his strategy for the invasion at St Pauls School, a ninety day battle, ending when all the forces reach the Seine, pivoting on an Allied-held Caen, with British and Canadian armies forming a shoulder & US armies wheeling right

Dwight David Eisenhower28 April 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

German torpedo boats nearly discover a mock landing but all 600 soldiers are drowned

Dwight David Eisenhower3 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Allied invasion force of 150,000 departs from England on 5,300 ships

Dwight David Eisenhower4 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The weather in the Channel deteriorates & the Allied invasion force is recalled

Dwight David Eisenhower4 June 1944

Portsmouth · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Postpones Operation Overlord, due 5th June, because of bad weather

Omar Nelson Bradley5 June 1944

St Mere-Eglise · Warfare / World War, 2nd

3 Airbourne Divisions land behind enemy lines at St Mere-Eglise & Caen

Dwight David Eisenhower5 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

176,000 men & 20,000 vehicles are to be landed in 2 days

Dwight David Eisenhower5 June 1944

Portsmouth · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Gives the go ahead for Operation Overlord for 6th June

Omar Nelson Bradley6 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Lands the 2nd British Army from the river Orme to St-Vaast-La-Hogue

Omar Nelson Bradley6 June 1944

Omah Beach · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The US Army succesfully captrures Omah & Utah beaches

Joseph Collins6 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the US 7th Army Corps on Utah beach

Dwight David Eisenhower6 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Allies land 130,000 men & 22,000 parachutists & lose 9,500 killed or wounded. The Allied landings take place with 487,653 men & 89,728 making it ashore. Plans & commands the Allied capture of Germany from D-Day

Leonard Gerow6 June 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the US 5th Army Corps on Omaha beach

Alan Kirk6 June 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the ships of the Western Task force which lands forces on Utah & Omaha

Matthew Ridgway6 June 1944

River Merderet · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands a landing of paratroopers to capture a bridgehead on the Merderet

Quentin Roosevelt6 June 1944

Omaha Beach · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Lands on Omaha Beach, grandson of the late President

Teddy Roosevelt6 June 1944

Utah Beach · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Son of the late President, the only General to land with the 1st wave. Leads the 1st assault, Eighth Regimental Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division

Maxwell Taylor6 June 1944

River Merderet · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands a landing of paratroopers to capture a bridgehead on the Merderet

Omar Nelson Bradley9 June 1944

Cotentin · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands paratroopers who land on the eastern side of the Cotentin Peninsular only

Omar Nelson Bradley9 June 1944

Isigny · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The US 5th Corps capture Isigny on the way to uniting the Utah & Omaha

Eddy Manton10 June 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

Leads the 9th Div ashore at Utah Beach

Herman GoeringJune 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Instructions to construct bogus airfields to be bombed by the Allies are decrypted

Courtney Hicks HodgesJune 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

During Operation Overlord, subordinate to Bradley as Deputy Commander of the First Army

George Smith Patton7 July 1944

Warfare / World War, 2nd

Patton arrives in Normandy

Omar Nelson Bradley3 August 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Orders Patton to clear Brittany with a "minimum forces"

Omar Nelson Bradley8 August 1944

Falaise · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Orders Patton to create a "short hook" from Le Mans to Falaise to trap the Germans

George Smith Patton8 August 1944

Falaise · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Ordered by Bradley to create a "short hook" from Le Mans to Falaise

George Smith Patton9 August 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Turns the 5th & Free French 2nd northward to Le Mans

George Smith Patton13 August 1944

Argentan · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

Courtney Hicks HodgesAugust 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commander of First US Army, succeeds Bradley

Lewis H BreretonSeptember 1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Arrives in England to organize a US tactical air force in the United Kingdom

Lewis H Brereton1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Arrives in England to organize a US tactical air force in the United Kingdom. Commands the 9th US Airforce for Operation Overlord

Dwight David Eisenhower1944

Normandy · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Arrives in England to assume duties as Supreme Allied Commander of Operation Overlord. Carries out a plan to bomb the French railway system, despite Churchills opposition

George Smith Patton1944

Pas de Calais · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Helps convince the Germans he will be leading an Allied landing in the Pas de Calais

Names involved

Alan KirkCourtney Hicks HodgesDwight David EisenhowerEddy MantonFranklin Delano RooseveltFrederick E MorganGeorge Catlett MarshallGeorge Smith PattonHerman GoeringJohn Russell DeaneJoseph CollinsLeonard GerowLewis H BreretonMatthew RidgwayMaxwell TaylorOmar Nelson BradleyQuentin RooseveltTeddy RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

Provenance

This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.