21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Pointe du Hoc, Normandy

Pointe du Hoc, on the Normandy coast in France, was the scene of a fierce battle during the D-Day invasion, when US Rangers scaled a sheer cliff to capture heavily fortified German defensive structures. Today a memorial to the Rangers' heroism and sacrifice, Pointe du Hoc still bears the scars and remnants from the long-ago battle. This photo show the remains of German heavy artillery emplacements.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Cricqueville-en-Bessin, France
Copyright: © Virginia Hines