 Observing the build @-@ up of shipping off the beach , and in an attempt to contain what were regarded as minor penetrations at Omaha , a battalion was detached from the 915th Regiment being deployed against the British to the east . Along with an anti @-@ tank company , this force was attached to the 916th Regiment and committed to a counterattack in the Colleville area in the early afternoon . It was stopped by " firm American resistance " and reported heavy losses . The strategic situation in Normandy precluded the reinforcement of the weakened 352nd Division . The main threat was felt by the Germans to be the British beachheads to the east of Omaha , and these received the most attention from the German mobile reserves in the immediate area of Normandy . Preparations were made to bring up units stationed for the defense of Brittany , southwest of Normandy , but these would not arrive quickly and would be subject to losses inflicted in transit by overwhelming Allied air superiority . The last reserve of the 352nd Division , an engineer battalion , was attached to the 916th Regiment in the evening . It was deployed to defend against the expected attempt to break out of the Colleville @-@ St. Laurent beachhead established on the 16th RCT front . At midnight General Dietrich Kraiss , commander of the 352nd Division , reporting the total loss of men and equipment in the coastal positions , advised that he had sufficient forces to contain the Americans on D + 1 but that he would need reinforcements thereafter , to be told that there were no more reserves available . 
