On this day, 82 years ago, on June 6, 1944, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., age 56, landed with the first wave of infantry on Utah Beach during the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Roosevelt was the assistant division commander of the 4th Infantry Division. He suffered from arthritis and had a heart condition. He walked with a cane. Despite this, he personally requested to go ashore with the first wave of troops. His request was approved.
When Roosevelt landed, he immediately realized that the landing craft had drifted nearly 2,000 yards south of their assigned beach. The units were scattered. The beach was under fire. Shells landed nearby. German machine guns swept the shoreline. Officers and men were disoriented. Command structure was breaking down.
Roosevelt made a decision. He walked up and down the beach under fire. He located commanders. He assessed the terrain. He determined the new location could still support the mission. He ordered the troops to press forward from that point. He said, “We’ll start the war from right here.”
Throughout the morning and afternoon, Roosevelt moved across the sand and the sea wall, personally directing units, grouping scattered soldiers, and assigning objectives. He organized columns and pointed them toward exits from the beach. He made contact with naval gunfire units and adjusted fire on enemy positions inland.
He repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while moving between positions. He brought up reinforcements and guided them through minefields and along cleared paths. At multiple points, he led troops directly through enemy zones to ensure progress inland. His leadership stabilized the beachhead and enabled the division to achieve its initial objectives with fewer casualties than expected.
Roosevelt remained on the beach all day. He never sought cover. He refused to rest. He coordinated with both division staff and regimental units as they established a foothold in enemy territory.
One month later, on July 12, 1944, while serving in France, Roosevelt died of a heart attack. He was buried at the Normandy American Cemetery. His grave lies next to that of his younger brother Quentin Roosevelt, a pilot killed in World War I.
For his actions on June 6, 1944, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
