VICTORY Principles: Leadership Lessons from D-Day by Colonel Leonard Kloeber, Jr.

Final Operation Overlord Plan

Operation Overlord plan-at-a-glance

•  Land three airborne divisions in the early morning hours of D-Day on the flanks of the battle zone to isolate the beaches, confuse the enemy, sieze key terrain and transportation nodes, and prevent enemy counterattacks into the battle area.
• Just after sunrise, commence a massive naval and air bombardment to destroy or neutralize the beach defenses and demoralize defenders.
• Conduct beach assualts using five assualt divisions and supporting elements on five separate beaches streaching over fifty miles along the Normandy Coast.
• Break through the beach defenses and secure a lodgement; link up the assualt forces to eliminate gaps and prevent the enemy from isolating assualt units to defeat them in detail.  Engage targets of opportunity with naval and air forces.
• Continue to reinforce success and bring in additional troops, supplies, and equipment by establishing two artifical harbors until a deep water port can be secured.
• Proceed to take the fight to the enemy; destroy their army and their ablity to resist.