I apologise if this question is a bit morbid, but having seen this film for the first time recently that whole scene really hit me hard. People say how awful it must have been for those fighting on the front lines but I think this really put it into perspective for me.
So my question is how close to reality is that scene? Was it as bad as this, or worse?
Also, I realise that this is a difficult question to answer, so any replies are appreciated.
The scene for those who haven't seen it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCLJhxfj608 (Part 1, Skip to 3:10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6TTGlYV9Q8 (Part 2)
Edit: Oh yeah, one more thing; would they really have sent flamethrowers onto the the beachhead? Seems a bit impractical to me given their range and that they explode when hit.
It's been lauded as one of the best-shot, most truthful WW2 combat scenes ever. Spielberg spent the money and time to do it right. Beyond actually being there, you won't get closer. In reality, it probably was worse...there's no substitute for having to actually live it.
Plenty of vets either approved, or had flashbacks because is the screening: http://articles.philly.com/1998-08-06/news/25724660_1_omaha-beach-va-center-nearest-va-facility
As for the flamethrowers, they absolutely hit the beach with the first wave. Infantry needs a fool-proof way to clear bunkers, and it's a lot safer than guys trying to nail a small loophole with grenades, along with all the intimidation the weapon brings.
There were a few journalists who were at D-Day, but much of their film did not survive or was not considered suitable for public audiences at the time. This was due to both its graphic nature and poor (shaky, blurry, etc.) quality.
One of the directors who covered WW2 (over several theaters) was John Ford. He helped edit together what he could from the D-Day footage. This film was viewed by Spielberg for inspiration.
you can see some of what is probably his footage here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_gXOU73Apg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpDQz_iwPtY
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/213242/John-Ford
http://www.thefilmjournal.com/issue12/ford.html
http://www.npr.org/2014/05/26/314362055/during-world-war-ii-even-filmmakers-reported-for-duty