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The 352nd Infantry Division (''352. Infanterie-Division'') was an Infantry Division of the German Heer during World War II . A western front unit, the 352nd became notable for its tenacious defence of Omaha Beach on D-Day , 6 June 1944 . DIVISIONAL HISTORY The 352nd was formed in November 1943 in France, commanded by Generalleutnant Dietrich Kraiss from 6th November 1943 until it was destroyed in July 1944. The 916th Grenadier Regiment saw action during D-Day Operation Overlord , opposing the 1st and 29th U.S divisions at Omaha Beach . The 352nd made a good account of itself, causing many casualties and defending the bluffs above the beach for several hours before being overwhelmed. The 916th retreated in the morning hours of June 7 after the Commander Col. Ernst Goth couldn't hold the positions retaken in the night from the 6th to the 7th of June any longer. The rest of the division saw heavy fighting in the Bocage (or hedgerow) country defending St. Lo against the Americans. The 352nd was destroyed in the fighting following the invasion, and on 30 July the 352nd was declared ''abgekämpft'', meaning the division was no longer fit for combat. The division was reconstituted as the 352nd Volksgrenadier Division in September, and fought in the Battle Of The Bulge . Thereafter it fought defensively around Trier and the Moselle until it was destroyed once again in mid-March 1945, with only a small remnant escaping across the Rhine at Worms . It was partially reconstituted one last time as a battlegroup in mid-April, and ended its career near Darmstadt . Major Werner Pluskat , who was featured in Cornelius Ryan 's '' The Longest Day '' was in the 352nd Artillery (Artillerie Abteilung) and fired his guns on Omaha Beach until he ran out of ammunition. His forward observer was on WN62 - Resistance point 62 {Link without Title} - above the beach, east of the U.S. Cemetery nowadays and location of the 1st ID memorial. ORDER OF BATTLE The 352nd's order of battle on the eve of the Allied Invasion was as follows (NB: artillery component is also shown):
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