Central Business District in New Orleans in Orleans Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Atlantic Wall Fragments
On June 6, 1944, the three slabs of steel reinforced concrete before you constituted 20 feet and 16 tons of German fortified coastline that ran from the Franco-Spanish border in the south to Norway, over 2,400 miles to the north. "Atlantic Wall" was the bunkers that housed German troops artillery pieces, machine-gun nests, and the six million mines, barbed-wire entanglements, and landing craft obstacles that lay before it.
By D-Day, the Germans had poured 17 million cubic yards of concrete, reinforced by 1.3 million short tons of steel — enough concrete to build 270 Empire State Buildings and enough steel to build the Eiffel Tower 160 times over. Despite these efforts, the end of D-Day saw all five beachheads secured by the Allies and 10 Allied divisions ashore, advancing inland.
These fragments came from the section of the Atlantic Wall that was part of the anti-tank defense spanning Utah Beach. The pockmarks are a result of thousands of American weapons fired upon the German-held coast that day.
Gift of the Utah Beach D-Day Museum
With additional support provided by Mr. and Mrs. R. Randolph Richmond, Jr.
The National WWII Museum, 2011.292
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.
Location. 29° 56.57′ N, 90° 4.251′ W. Marker is in New Orleans, Louisiana, in Orleans Parish. It is in the Central Business District. Memorial is at the intersection of Magazine Street and Andrew Higgins Drive, on the right when traveling south on Magazine Street. Located at the National World War II Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans LA 70130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Beginning (here, next to this marker); 8 in. Columbaid Cannon (within shouting distance of this marker); Margaret's Place and Walk / Lower Garden District (approx. 0.2 miles away); Julia Row (approx. 0.2 miles away); Starting Point of the First Traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras Parade (approx. 0.2 miles away); The 747 (approx. ¼ mile away); Saint Theresa of Avila Church (approx. ¼ mile away); St. Patrick's Church (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Orleans.
Also see . . . National World War II Museum. (Submitted on April 12, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 622 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.