Vierville-sur-Mer in Calvados, Normandy, France — Western Europe
Le port artificiel "Mulberry" d'Omaha Beach
The artificial "Mulberry" harbor at Omaha Beach
Devant cette plage, pendant six mois de 1944, un grand port artificiel, nommé le "Mulberry", a été construit et exploité. Mis en place en moins de deux semaines, il comprenait des digues de protection formées de vieux cargos sabordes et de caissons en béton armé. Des passerelles flottantes reliaient la plage à des quais flottants et des cargos accostés.
Une tempête a détruit ces installations fragiles, mais des centaines de péniches, de pontons automoteurs et de camions amphibies faisant la navette entre les cargos mouilles au large et la plage ont assuré ensuite le succès complet de l’opération.
Certains jours de l’été 1944, plus de 24 000 hommes, 2 500 véhicules et 15 000 tonnes d’approvisionnements divers sont passés par le Mulberry, un trafic jamais égalé pour un port aussi rapidement construit.
Le ponton en béton échoué à gauche est un vestige de ces quais flottants. A marée basse, des épaves de caissons en béton armé sont visibles.
A large artificial harbor named 'Mulberry' was constructed and used at this beach for six months in 1944. It was built in less than two weeks and consisted of breakwaters made from old, scuttled cargo ships and reinforced concrete caissons. Floating piers linked the floating quays and docked cargo ships with the beach.
This fragile system was destroyed by a storm, but hundreds of landing crafts, self-propelled pontoons and amphibious trucks travelling back and forth between the offshore cargo ships and the beach meant that the operation was subsequently a complete success.
On some days in the summer of 1944, more than 24.000 men, 3.500 vehicles and 15.000 tons of various supplies passed through the Mulberry. This is an unequaled level of traffic for such a rapidly constructed harbor.
The beached pontoon to the left is a relic of one of these floating quays. At low tied, the wrecks of reinforced concrete caissons are visible.
Erected by Normandie Terre de Liberté.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1944.
Location. 49° 22.764′ N, 0° 54.198′ W. Marker is in Vierville-sur-Mer, Normandie (Normandy), in Calvados. Marker can be reached from Rue de la Percée close to Boulevard de Cauvigny (Route D517). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5 Rue de la Percée, Vierville-sur-Mer, Normandie 14710, France. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Royal Air Force 6 June 1944 (here, next to this marker); Ever Forward (a few steps from this marker); National Guard of the United States Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 29th Infantry Division at Vierville-sur-Mer (within shouting distance of this marker);
Additional keywords. Le port artificiel "Mulberry" d'Omaha Beach
Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2018. It was originally submitted on September 11, 2015, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 352 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 11, 2015, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 2, 3. submitted on September 12, 2015, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.