World War 2 Talk - View Single Post - How the D-Day Beaches got there Code Names

Drew5233 · 07-01-2009, 08:06 PM

Brigadier Belchem, Chief of Staff, 21st Army Group personally chose the code names for the two British and Canadian beaches from a standard army code book. The old army manual lists short words that are easily pronounced.

The two American beaches named Utah and Omaha are thought to have been chosen by the two American corps commanders and named after the US States where they were from. However General Collins came from Louisiana, not Utah and General Gerow came from Virginia not Omaha.

Brigadier Belcham passed away in 1981 so it may never be known the true origin of the American code names for the beaches.

Cheers
Andy

07-01-2009, 08:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
Drew5233 'Certa Cito' Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Leeds Posts: 12,157	How the D-Day Beaches got there Code Names Brigadier Belchem, Chief of Staff, 21st Army Group personally chose the code names for the two British and Canadian beaches from a standard army code book. The old army manual lists short words that are easily pronounced. The two American beaches named Utah and Omaha are thought to have been chosen by the two American corps commanders and named after the US States where they were from. However General Collins came from Louisiana, not Utah and General Gerow came from Virginia not Omaha. Brigadier Belcham passed away in 1981 so it may never be known the true origin of the American code names for the beaches. Cheers Andy __________________ Combat Communicators of the British Army