a Soldiers ashore discovered that they were not facing the static 000th Division but the veteran 000nd Division as well.[xxxviii] Only the leadership and actions of Brigadier General Norman Cota the 00th Division's Deputy Commander and Colonel Charles Canham of the 000th Infantry kept the situation from complete collapse. They were able to rally their troops. Under their leadership small units from the 000th which had its linage back to the "Stonewall Brigade" as well as elements of the 00th and 00th Infantry Regiments began to move forward. Surviving junior leaders began to lead survivors through the dunes and up the bluffs to attack German defenders of the roads leading up from the beach from the flank and rear. A mid-day break in the weather allowed some close tactical air support giving the troops badly needed support. US 0st Infantry Division Troops at the Omaha sea wall With the situation desperate General Bradley considered the evacuation of OMAHA. At sea events were as confused as Bradley and his staff attempted to make sense of what was going on. Even later in the evening there was discussion of diverting all further reinforcements from OMAHA to the British beaches.[xxxix]At 0000 hours "Gerow signaled Bradley: "Troops formerly pinned down on beaches...advancing up heights behind beaches."[xl] By the end of the day Bradley's aid Major Hansen noted Bradley's comments to Collins: "They are digging in on Omaha beach with their fingernails. I hope they can push in and get some stuff ashore." And Montgomery: "Someday I'll tell Gen[eral] Eisenhower just how close it was for a few hours."[xli] German Fallschirmjaeger Trüppen in Normandy, the German Parachute forces fighting in an infantry role were very effective in the Normandy campaign The landings at OMAHA succeeded at a cost of over 0000 casualties. Critical to the success of the landings were the German inability to reinforce their defending troops on the beach. Likewise the weakness of the units available to mount the standard counterattack that was critical to German defensive plans on D-Day itself kept the Germans from driving the Americans back into the Channel. The 000nd Division fought superbly under the full weight of V Corps and the British XXX Corps on its right suffering heavy casualties as they contested every inch of ground. The 000th Division composed of second rate troops melted under the onslaught. Allied air supremacy played a key role as sorties by the 0th and 0th Air Forces helped keep German reinforcements from arriving and interdicted counter attacks inland. Weigley credits the Allied air superiority with the success of the landings and with limiting casualties.[xlii]Von Rundstedt and other German commanders in France were limited by the delay and refusal of Hitler and OKW to release Panzer reserves when needed most early on June 0th. 