This small memorial pays tribute to the Special Engineers whose D-Day mission was to clear a path through the beach defences at the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach.
It’s a simple memorial for an incredible feat. They were some of the first to land in this sector of Omaha at 6:33am on June 6, 1944, and were tasked to open the beach up so troops and vehicles could move inland. Their mission was carried out while operating under heavy fire from the many German defences in this area.
The inscription on the memorial names two engineers but pays tribute to all the men who took on this arduous task.
It reads:
“In Memory of Army 1st Lt. Joseph J. Gregory, Navy Ensign Lawrence S. Karnowski, and all 40 members of Gap Assault Team 10 SPECIAL ENGINEER TASK FORCE.
Here at Easy Red, approximately 6:33am, they faced impossible odds to open one of 16 lanes of approach through the obstructed sands of Omaha Beach.
Army Engineers say, "ESSAYONS" - "LET US TRY".
Lt. Gregory (146th ECB) and Ens. Karnowski (NCDU #45) didn't merely "try".
They DID!”