The Capture of Cherbourg- (41 km from Utah Beach)
Mulberry Harbors in Normandy
Horace Bennino was a member of the 315th Infantry regiment of the 79th Division, which was crucial to the capture of Cherbourg. The Allies had landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, but they needed a deep-water port in order to ship supplies and outfit the massive number of men they wanted to put ashore. As historian James L. Stokesbury writes:
Contradictory though it may seem, getting ashore in an amphibious landing is not as hard as staying there. The real supply-and-support problem comes not with the initial landing, but with the follow-up material, the men and supplies necessary to turn a landing into an invasion.”
Initially the allies solved this problem by creating an artificial harbor, or “mulberries.” But a storm that began June 19 destroyed one of the mulberries, and further proved the need for a substantial deep-water port.
Mulberry harbors in Normandy
Contradictory though it may seem, getting ashore in an amphibious landing is not as hard as staying there. The real supply-and-support problem comes not with the initial landing, but with the follow-up material, the men and supplies necessary to turn a landing into an invasion.”
Initially the allies solved this problem by creating an artificial harbor, or “mulberries.” But a storm that began June 19 destroyed one of the mulberries, and further proved the need for a substantial deep-water port.
Mulberry harbors in Normandy
Wall map at American Cemetery in Normandy- Directing towards Cherourg
Horace Bennino and the 315th regiment landed on Utah Beach on June 14, or “D-day plus 8.” Though most of the German opposition had been eliminated at that time, some German shelling still occurred and one member of the 315th was hit and killed by enemy fire, while he was on the boat coming to the beach. He was the first member of the 315th to be killed. The 79th Division led the three-pronged drive up the peninsula to Cherbourg. One of the many obstacles they encountered was the hedgerows, which slowed their advance, as well as the pillboxes and German emplacements that dotted the countryside. The creation of the tankdozer helped to ram through hedgerows but as the The Cross of the Lorraine: A combat history of the 79th Infantry Division June 1942-1945 notes, “Advancing in hedgerow country was like a game of checkers—one square at a time.”
The newly opened museum at Utah Beach posted the following comment on hedgerow fighting:
The Americans realize as soon as they arrive in Normandy that they have underestimated the difficulty of Cotentin terrain. Their training focused on mechanized operations suitable for wide open spaces, and for thousands of small fields enclosed by thorn-laced hedgerows, high embankments, and narrow sunken roads—an ideal terrain in which to establish defensive positions. Field by field the Battle of the Hedgerows is long, difficult and deadly. Rommel does everything to defend Cherbourg.
The newly opened museum at Utah Beach posted the following comment on hedgerow fighting:
The Americans realize as soon as they arrive in Normandy that they have underestimated the difficulty of Cotentin terrain. Their training focused on mechanized operations suitable for wide open spaces, and for thousands of small fields enclosed by thorn-laced hedgerows, high embankments, and narrow sunken roads—an ideal terrain in which to establish defensive positions. Field by field the Battle of the Hedgerows is long, difficult and deadly. Rommel does everything to defend Cherbourg.
June 19 was a rainy day and Horace Bennino and his fellow soldiers had trouble advancing on Valognes, their initial objective in their march to Cherbourg. After their first day of battling with the enemy, Bennino’s commanding officer re-directed them toward Hill 79 and the next day they were able to clean up the area around Valognes and even took some German prisoners and guns. As they moved toward their next objective, the high ground south of Cherbourg, they sent out patrols on June 21st to scout the area and determine the enemy’s strength. During the nights of June 21 and 22 broadcasts were made to Germans urging them to surrender.
Picture Source: A combat history of the 79th Infantry Division shows soldiers moving toward Cherbourg
315thUnit Journal at National Archives in College Park, Maryland
The heroism of Horace Bennino on June 22 cost him his life, but saved many of his fellow soldiers. His company was pinned down by German mortar fire. In order to get help, Private Bennino valiantly crossed enemy lines in order to carry a message back to a mortar platoon. As the letter awarding him the Silver Star reports:
He fought his way through the enemy barrage and despite the fact that he was mortally wounded he succeeded in delivering his message, thereby causing the elimination of the enemy mortar emplacements.
Horace was one of 50 men wounded in action that day, according to the unit’s diary on file at the National Archives.
He fought his way through the enemy barrage and despite the fact that he was mortally wounded he succeeded in delivering his message, thereby causing the elimination of the enemy mortar emplacements.
Horace was one of 50 men wounded in action that day, according to the unit’s diary on file at the National Archives.

Two days after being wounded, Horace Bennino died. Two days later on June 26, Cherbourg was captured. The 315th Regiment attacked Cherbourg from two different directions and though sporadic street fighting and four heavy concrete pillboxes caused soldiers trouble throughout the day, the city was seized. American aerial bombardment and information from French civilians contributed to its capture. In total, there were more than 22,000 Allied casualties, including nearly 3,000 killed trying to capture Cherbourg. Among the Germans, 14,000 were killed or wounded and 39,000 prisoners were taken. As A combat history of the 79th Infantry Division reports:
It was the first city of any size liberated in France and its citizens were grateful. Snipers’ bullets ricocheted overhead, but civilians packed the streets to welcome their liberators…in two weeks of combat, green troops had become veterans.