The jagged cliffs that U.S. Army Rangers scaled on D-Day are undergoing major surgery.
The cliffs in Normandy, France have eroded by about 10 yards since June 6, 1944. Without remedial work, they could crumble into the sea, along with the Nazi bunker at the top.
The job is being done by a French company that specializes in delicate operations, often on sites with difficult access.
Just like the Army Rangers, some of the workers are using ropes to climb the promontory. But they're also using a crane, tons of cement and huge metal bars.
The assault on Pointe du Hoc stands out as a particularly valiant D-Day moment. The U.S. Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion went in with the 5th Battalion to climb the 120-foot spikes of limestone four miles west of Omaha Beach to put Nazi howitzers of action.
Of the 235 men who took on the cliffs, only 90 were fit for battle two days later. The rest were dead or wounded.
