Pointe du Hoc is the area between Utah and Omaha beaches. Allied intelligence showed a powerful German artillery battery that had the capability of bombarding ships at their beach. So the Americans handpicked 225 of their best Army Rangers to scale the 30m cliffs and destroy the guns. Due to strong ocean swells, many of the men never made it up the cliffs (only 150 made it up the top). When they arrived, they found that the German artillery guns were actually decoys. Shortly after, German reinforcements arrived and attacked the remaining soldiers. By the time the other American forces reached Pointe du Hoc, there were only 90 Rangers remaining. This picture (and the accompanying video) show Pointe du Hoc after it was hit by Allied bombing. The local residents wanted to keep it as it looked after the bombing, so the massive craters have not been filled in and the German fortifications have not been restored.
.%20%20When%20they%20arrived%2C%20they%20found%20that%20the%20German%20artillery%20guns%20were%20actually%20decoys.%20%20Shortly%20after%2C%20German%20reinforcements%20arrived%20and%20attacked%20the%20remaining%20soldiers.%20%20By%20the%20time%20the%20other%20American%20forces%20reached%20Pointe%20du%20Hoc%2C%20there%20were%20only%2090%20Rangers%20remaining.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20picture%20(and%20the%20accompanying%20video)%20show%20Pointe%20du%20Hoc%20after%20it%20was%20hit%20by%20Allied%20bombing.%20%20The%20local%20residents%20wanted%20to%20keep%20it%20as%20it%20looked%20after%20the%20bombing%2C%20so%20the%20massive%20craters%20have%20not%20been%20filled%20in%20and%20the%20German%20fortifications%20have%20not%20been%20restored.){kind=link}