All photos courtesy of the National Archives
|
John Garrard was a part of the 315th Infantry Regiment in the 79th Infantry Division. The 315th had a very arduous route to take upon landing on Omaha Beach in June of 1944. Prior to landing, Garrard was initially stationed at Camp Shelby, a large Army base in Hattiesburg, MS. He completed his summer training in Yuma, AZ and his winter training in Kansas before finally arriving in Liverpool in April, 1944.
Garrard was an infantryman in the war, serving as the first line of defense during the invasion and following plans. They were truly the "workhorses" of the military, often responsible for transporting goods in addition to fighting. It was during these missions that Private Garrard lost his life. After landing on Omaha Beach, it was the responsibility of the 79th to travel up the Cherbourg peninsula and capture the city of Cherbourg itself. The 315th in particular was responsible for the left side of the movement North. They were to travel through St. Martin Le Guard on their way to Cherbourg. It was here, outside of Tollevast, France, that Private Garrard lost his life on June 22, 1944. Following the attack outside of Tollevast, the 79th continued on with their objectives: they took the city of Cherbourg and then continued throughout the French countryside, including going through Le Mans and ending in Luneville, as can be seen on the illustration on the right. |
Photos of the Infantry on and After D-Day
Documents from the 79th Infantry
Includes journals and day calenders from the invasion.
All photos courtesy of the National Archives