Although Hitler did not agree with Rommel, he ordered Von Runstedt to strengthen the ‘Atlantic Wall’ that stretched from Cherbourg to Calais.
Rommel was tasked to defend Normandy while Von Runstedt consentrated upon the Calais area. Von Runstedt, like Hitler, was convinced the allied invasion would take place in the Calais area.
Rommel had an impossible task - he received only ten percent of the additional men and equipment he requested - while Von Runstedt kept most of the available men and equipment in the Calais area.
As late as June 5, 1944, Rommel asked Hitler to give him the elite Panzer Tank Divisions stationed in Paris. When Hitler did release the tanks to Rommel it was too late, more than 15 allied divisions were ashore. This was the end for the Third Reich and Adolph Hitler.
I got involved in the destruction of the Third Reich when with two hours remaining before D-Day [June 6, 1944], I was one of the 2056 men of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (508th PIR) on our way to Normandy - for our first combat jump.
Our regiment was part of a three airborne division armada comprised of American C-47 cargo planes and British aircraft carrying paratroopers or towing fragile gliders.
The armada was an awesome sight. It took 120 C-47s to lift our regiment and about eight times that number to lift and drop the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions.
When we got the order to jump, the skies over Normandy were ablaze with antiaircraft and machinegun fire, and exploding airplanes.
I made a quick shuffle to the door and jumped. I had a helpless feeling of floating uncontrollably into German antiaircraft, machinegun and rifle fire.
A quick hopeful glance at the terrain below was enough to tell most of us that we were not in the right place, but we were probably several miles away from our designated drop area and objectives.
Days later, we ascertained that shortly after we had jumped about six divisions [over 175,000 men] had started landing on the beaches of Normandy. Within four or five days, elements of the 90th Infantry Division started to link up with 508th PIR men. This enabled the regiment to assemble as a fighting force. Thereafter we fought side-by-side with the seaborne landed invasion forces. You know the rest of the story!
| 
