D-Day09 This is what's left of Pointe du Hoc after a half century of erosion. However, during WWII, it was a more formidable obstacle that was given to US Rangers to overcome. This forbidding spur of land, which was considered by the Germans to be virtually unassailable from the beach because of its steep cliffs, affords a commanding view of both UTAH beach to the west and OMAHA beach to the east. Enemy long-range artillery on the point could direct deadly fire onto either shore. The Allies considered it a key defensive stronghold which had to be taken out. The task fell to three companies of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder led the 225-man Ranger force. Their mission was to land on the beach, scale the steep cliffs using rocket-fired grappling hooks and rope ladders, and destroy the guns. Despite rigorous Allied aerial and naval bombardments, the enemy remained and desperately attempted to ward off the attackers with grenades and small arms fire. Displaying raw courage and with the aid of the climbing equipment, the Rangers successfully stormed and captured the cliffs. Upon reaching the top they found only empty gun emplacements among the craters of the pre-invasion bombardments. The force then gradually advanced inland where two Rangers spotted the well-camouflaged 155 mm gun batteries, now positioned south of the point and sitting mysteriously silent. With the enemy gun crews close by, the two men employed thermite grenades and destroyed the guns. At the end of the day, Rudder sent a message to V Corps saying "Located Pointe du Hoc--mission accomplished--need ammunition and reinforcement--many casualties". Due to navigational difficulties the assault had commenced forty minutes late and the follow-on force, assuming the attack had failed, landed to the east of OMAHA Beach. For two days the small force held out alone against increasingly aggressive enemy counterattacks. By the time the Rangers were relieved by V Corps units, only 90 combat-effective fighting men of the original 225 remained. This 30-acre battlefield. turned over to the American government on January 11, 1979 for care and maintenance in perpetuity, is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.