LONDON, June 7 — Some of the first assault troops who stormed the French beaches were mowed down by German crossfire but succeeding waves climbed over their bodies until a foothold was established, an eyewitness who returned from the beachhead reported today.

Bert Brandt, 28, an Acme news photographer, spent a half-hour on the beach yesterday and several hours more cruising within gunshot of the landing scene.

... “The whole thing was an unbelievable sight,” Brandt said. “Planes criss-crossed over head constantly. You could never look up without seeing a formation of planes somewhere. P-38s and P-37s overhead all the time blasting the German defenses.

“Some boats were burning with a pall of smoke hung over the beach. I saw some bodies of our soldiers, who had been killed in the first landings floating in the water. Some of the boats were swamped in the choppy seas.”

“On the beaches the men crouched behind jeeps, tanks, anything they could find for cover. At one point they made their way up to the German concrete defense wall, and that was the first cover they found.

“Right off the beaches were tall cliffs which were scaled by the rangers. They captured gun positions within 15 minutes after they went in.”

... “On the landing boats going over, the troops were so confident, Brandt was worried.

... “As the troop went overside into smaller boats for the assault, one yelled: “If you see General Ike, tell him we're the boys who can do it.”

ALLIED SUPREME, London, June 7 — Big fleets of Allied aerial troop carriers, including a skytrain 50 miles long, poured reinforcements into France today, but front dispatches reported that two German armies personally commanded by Marshal Erwin Rommel were racing toward the beachheads for a counterattack.Indications that the Germans also were rushing troops to Normandy by air were seen in an announcement that British planes shot down five big Junkers 52 transport planes while on missions over the continent.

“ ... Thy will be done, Almighty God. — Amen”Thus President Roosevelt ended a day of prayer for millions of Americans. It was a prayer for an early triumph “over the unholy forces of our enemy” — for the welfare of more than 5,000,000 sons, brothers, fathers and friends overseas — for the success of the greatest military venture in history — for the crusade “to set free a suffering humanity.”

LONDON, June 7 — Mass formation of Allied war planes battled through low-hanging storm clouds to blast and burn the German fortifications and supply lines behind the French coast today, in the face of feeble but increasing opposition from the Luftwaffe.... There was no immediate announcement concerning the size of the Allied air forces hurled into the battle of the beachhead today, but official reports indicated the number was in the thousands.

... Scattered German rear guards were battling to stem the advance with anti-tank guns and tank destroyers, but front reports said most of these troops were stragglers left behind by the fleeing 14th army and rounded up for a suicide stand by their officers.... (Gen. Sir Harold R.L.G.) Alexander issued an appeal to Italian patriots to cooperate with his advancing troops and harass the German retreat.“In less than a month the strength of the German armies has been broken and the city of Rome has been liberated,” Alexander declared.“Rise together against the common enemy.”

EASTERN COMMAND USSTAF, Russia, June 7 — American airmen opened their own front yesterday, almost coincidental with the Allied landing in France as they carried out their first attack from Soviet bases to blast Galati, a key German airbase in Romania on the eastern invasion route to Bucharest.... Six German fighter pilots were shot down during the raid by units of the 15th air force and two of the escorting Mustang fighters failed to return to their bases.

U.S. GLIDERS FERRY FRESH TROOPSLONDON — Hundreds of American gliders ferried thousands of fresh troops into the Cherbourg area of invaded France today, and airmen said the peninsula was dotted with fires indicating the Germans might be carrying out demolitions preparatory to withdrawal.GERMAN THRUSTS AT REDS TAPERING OFFMOSCOW, June 7 — German attempts to break the Soviet lines north and northwest of Iasi, Romania, were tapering off today following the heavy loss of men and material in eight successive days of futile assaults on the Russian positions.