description
Object description
recto, whole: five words set on separate lines, staggered from left to right. The text is black, except for the second
line which is red. The type is set in Gill Sans on an off-white background.
recto, image: no image
recto, text: 'UTAH
OMAHAGOLDJUNOSWORD'
verso, whole: a block of centred grey type set on an off-white background with a title in bold beneath a number at the top of the
sheet.
verso, image: no image
verso, text: '22
Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword
So, who chose these names and why? It has been suggested that the commanding officers responsible for the "American" beaches chose them
because that's where they were born. Except that one commander was born in Louisiana and the other in Virginia!
Major General Belchem, Head of Montgomery's Operations Staff, claimed responsibility for the "British" codenames, suggesting that
originally they were all to be based on fish: gold-fish, sword-fish and... jelly-fish When it was pointed out that "Jelly" would mean "Jam"
to American and Canadian forces, it was changed to "Juno". Given the similarity of this word to June (the month of the invasion) it is hard
to believe that no-one questioned the security implications.
We may never know the truth.'
Physical description
no. 22 of 31 cards plus an introductory card in a black cardboard sleeve
50/50