Lot 624

POSTWAR D-DAY MAPS OWNED BY OMAHA BEACH HERO LT. COL. WILLIAM B. GARA

Previous image preload Next image preload

POSTWAR D-DAY MAPS OWNED BY OMAHA BEACH HERO LT. COL. WILLIAM B. GARA

Estimate: $300 - $400

Starting Bid: $160

(0 Bids)

by Alexander Historical Auctions LLC
July 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
106 East Main Street, Suite 103
Elkton, MD, US 21921

POSTWAR D-DAY MAPS OWNED BY OMAHA BEACH HERO LT. COL. WILLIAM B. GARA
WILLIAM B. GARA (1917-2001) was an American Army Lieutenant Colonel, commander of the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. Gara was a genuine war hero by any definition. He led his 700 men from North Africa to Sicily, he landed among the very first soldiers on Omaha Beach, was heavily engaged at the Battle of the Bulge, and fought into Germany until the end of the war. His most valiant service was at Omaha Beach in the initial assault fighting while they cleared obstacles where the 1st Engineers were tasked with landing to allow more landing craft to safely arrive, and continuing to clear barbed wire, mines, anti-tank obstacles and ravines, etc. from the beaches to a point a few miles inland to clear the path for infantry, tanks, and then truck transports. Under intense enemy small arms and anti-tank fire, Gara's engineers, along with elements of the 37th Engineers Battalion, opened the first and most important exit from Omaha Beach, E-1, allowing American GIs to flank the German defenses and begin their drive inland. By war's end, Gara had received two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. Postwar publication, 6.25 x 9.5 in., containing 21 foldout maps showing the movement of Allied troops during ‘Operation Overlord'. This booklet comes from the estate of Lt. Col. William B. Gara, commander of the crucial 1st Engineer Combat Battalion and among the first to land on Omaha Beach. The individual maps show: ‘The Advance Inland', ‘The Attack on Cherbourg', ‘Attack To Cut The Peninsula', ‘Securing The North Flank', ‘Toward St. Lo', ‘V Corps Advance', ‘Battle For Carentan', ‘The Second British Army on D Day', ‘Omaha Beach Assault', ‘82D Airborne Division Drop Pattern', ‘The Final Overlord Plan', and much more. Each map is exceptionally detailed, disclosing not only the Allied maneuvers, but: front lines, German defense perimeters, railroads, trains, German unit positions, beachheads, resistance pockets, glider landing areas and drop zones, German counterattacks, sea and air routes, etc. These maps, printed by ‘The Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center', are in very good to fine condition and should be seen. Consigned directly by a direct descendant of Col. William Garar and sold with our COA and provenance.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipping, handling and insurance charges will be added to all invoices. Shipments are sent via FEDEX, USPS Express, USPS International Priority, and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Shipments will only be sent to the registered bidder address, re-routing shipments is not permitted. All shipments require a direct signature, no exceptions. Shipping to certain countries is extremely expensive and will be invoiced according to dimensional weight as required! By law the full value is required by customs for international shipments. Please inquire before bidding! International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000