As part of the D-Day operations, two full size harbor kits were built in England on the orders of Winston Churchill. The parts - great concrete lumps and floating docks were tugged across the channel. They were Mulberries A and B - truly monumental achievements of engineering - and they were meant to ensure that supplis could continue to reach the troops if the harbors of Le Havre or Cherbourg couldn't be taken - or were destroyed. Such an artificial harbor had never been tried before - but they were up and working in record time offloading supplies and tanks and other necessities of war. Unfortunately, a big storm - the harshest June gale in 40 years -came before either could be completed and while the British one needed fixing, the American operated harbor was broken beyond repair. Parts of the British floating harbor are visible from the shore in Arromanches - and the construction and operatiion of the Mulberries are featured in a museum there. Sure, there are more emotional aspects of the D-Day landings, but I think in terms of pure cleverness, forethought and ingenuity these are most impressive.
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