Cherbourg was the first major port objective of the Allied forces after the landing in Normandy. The U.S. Army under General Collins captured the city on 26 June 1944, after German troops had mounted considerable resistance and largely destroyed the harbor. The rapid securing of Cherbourg was strategically decisive, as the Allies required a deep-water port for supply operations. Jack Lieb documented the location in color as part of his record of the advance through Normandy.