Sergeant Taylor, the only cameraman on Omaha Beach
Documentary exhibition at Normandy Victory Museum
From June 6, 2026, the Normandy Victory Museum presents a new exhibition dedicated to Sergeant Taylor, the only cameraman to have filmed the landing on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
Through archives and personal objects entrusted by his family, this documentary exhibition revisits these images filmed during D-Day and gives us his perspective as a war correspondent who became a witness to history.
The man behind the camera
On June 6, 1944, hundreds of American soldiers landed on Omaha Beach under German fire. Among them was Sergeant Taylor, a war cameraman tasked with documenting the first hours of the landings.
Filming the landings was not simply about recording images. The camera became a tool for bearing witness, capable of capturing the movement, the waiting, the confusion, and the violence of the fighting. Unlike the numerous photographs that have become famous over the decades, filmed footage of Omaha Beach remains much rarer. The sequences shot by Sergeant Taylor now constitute a valuable record of D-Day and of the work of the war correspondents who were with the soldiers.
This exhibition revisits these images, but also the man behind the camera: his perspective and his role as a witness, through the personal archives preserved by his family since the Second World War.
From Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials
The footage shot at Omaha Beach represents only a portion of the work Richard Taylor accomplished during World War II. After D-Day, he accompanied the advance of American troops across Europe and continued to document the major events of the conflict through film and photography.
Present during the Liberation of Paris in August 1944, he continued his work as far away as Germany. In January 1945, he notably photographed the aftermath of the Malmedy massacre, during which 84 American prisoners of war were executed by SS troops. Some of his images would later be used as evidence at the Nuremberg Trials.
Long overshadowed by more famous figures like Robert Capa, Richard Taylor nevertheless left an exceptional record of the war in Europe. His story is not limited to the few minutes he filmed on Omaha Beach: he recounts several of the major events that marked the end of the war on the European continent.
An exhibition where images, archives and objects engage in a dialogue
The origins of the project
The creation of this exhibition originated from a meeting between the team of Normandy Victory Museum and Jennifer Rossel-Taylor, daughter of Sergeant Taylor. Initiated by Florent Plana, this meeting allowed the opening of the personal archives kept by the family and the birth of a project dedicated to the career of the war correspondent.
A brand new documentary
Directed by Joey Van Meesen, the documentary presented in the exhibition traces Richard Taylor's journey from D-Day to the end of the war in Europe using images and archives preserved by his family.
Sergeant Taylor's Archives and Personal Items
Among the items on display are several objects that belonged to Richard Taylor: his Silver Star, his Purple Heart, his dog tags, his M-43 jacket, and several handwritten letters, some written before and after D-Day. Preserved by his family for over eight decades, these mementos offer a more intimate glimpse into the man behind the camera.
A unique device for showcasing objects
As the film progresses, certain sections of the display cases light up when the objects or documents mentioned appear in the narrative. The film, the archives, and the objects thus interact to tell the story of the war correspondent throughout the conflict.
Practical information
- The Sergeant Taylor exhibition, featuring the cameraman of Omaha Beach, is on display at Normandy Victory Museum from June 6, 2026.
- It is included in the tour itinerary and accessible at no extra cost with the museum entrance ticket.
- The documentary film is shown in its original English version with French subtitles.
- To plan your visit or book your tickets, go to our dedicated page.