The Navy's D–Day

The Navy’s D–Day by William S. Dudley, PhD everal years ago, it was brought to the attention of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS)1 that over the many years since the end of World War II, no monument had been erected to commemorate 1,068 Amer- Sican sailors who had died on the first day of the invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944. This seemed a grievous omission, since the fallen of many other military services and nations had been so recognized. Since the Naval Order’s chosen mission is to recog- nize and promote the history of the US Navy, the implication was obvious. The Naval Order took on the task in 2005. After a challenging three years of creating a design, fundraising, finding a sculptor, casting, and transporting the monument, it was set in place and unveiled overlooking Utah Beach near Ste. Marie du Mont, Nor- 2 mandy. It seems appropriate on the occa- images and captions courtesy naval history and heritage command th sion of the 75 anniversary of D-Day to Landing ships putting cargo ashore on Omaha Beach at low tide during the first days of offer this brief appreciation of what the US the operation. Among identifiable ships present are LST-532 (in the center of the view); Navy accomplished that day, on behalf of USS LST-262 (3rd LST from right); USS LST-310 (2nd LST from right); USS LST-533 those who sacrificed their lives. (partially visible at far right); and USS LST-524. Note barrage balloons overhead and The war to defeat Germany’s domina- Army “half-track” convoy forming up on the beach. LST-262 was one of ten Coast Guard- tion of Europe began in 1939. Five years manned LSTs that participated in the invasion of Normandy, France. later, after the loss of millions of lives, the Allies had invaded Africa, Sicily, and Italy. several nations. The D-Day invasion be- to combat ships, 87,000 to landing craft, The one remaining redoubt was Hitler’s came the world’s largest naval operation. and 22,000 at naval bases and other train- massive “Atlantic Wall,” built along the It required a vast armada manned by ing sites. The American ships included in coast of France. To stage a successful am- 124,000 US Navy sailors (75%) and Coast the Western Naval Task Force, which car- phibious invasion would require a cast of Guardsmen (25%) who had assembled in ried the assault troops across the English tens of thousands from all services and England. Of those, 15,000 were attached Channel and supported the landings on Utah and Omaha beaches at the foot of the Cotentin Peninsula. The Royal Navy, moving in coordination with US Navy, led the Eastern Naval Task Force that landed and supported the British, Canadian, and other allied troops who landed on Gold, Juno, D-Day morning broke over the Normandy coast to find USS Arkansas (BB-33), matri- arch of the battle fleet, conscientiously bang- ing away at the beachhead with her main battery guns. To seaward, the French cruisers George Leygues and Montcalm sent shells hurtling into their captive homeland. Assault waves of landing craft streamed toward the beaches while attack transports filled the horizon. This was the view of the “Arkie” as seen through binoculars from the bridge of USS Emmons (DD-457) at a bombardment station farther inshore. 22 SEA HISTORY 167, SUMMER 2019 and Sword beaches. To support the landing forces, the US Navy contributed three battleships (Nevada, Arkansas, and Texas), three cruisers (Augusta, Tuscaloosa, and Quincy), thirty-one destroyers, 168 LSTs, and more than 1,600 other landing and small craft. Opposing the allied landing forces, the Germans had erected formidable de- fenses all along the European coast from Spain to Norway, but had concentrated their efforts at the most obvious, closest landing point, the Pas de Calais, though they built strong points along the Nor- mandy coastline on the Bay of the Seine. The enemy’s resources were relatively thin but still potent. Germany’s troops were USS Arkansas (BB-33) fires her 12-inch guns at German positions, committed in Italy and the Balkans, and while supporting the Omaha Beach landings, 6 June 1944. were on the retreat in the USSR. What remained of the Luftwaffe was primarily that awaited their arrival. Timing of the with rocket launchers let loose from dis- fighter defense used against the round- landings was crucial, not only for the ele- tances of 5,000 to 7,000 yards until small the-clock bombing raids staged from Eng- ment of surprise, but also because the tide landing craft made it past them. While this land. This left General Irwin Rommel’s had to be right. The Germans anticipated was happening, a German 210 mm battery Seventh Army charged with coastal defense the landings to take place at high tide to let loose on USS Corry (DD-463). Her in Normandy. He reinforced the Atlantic reduce the distance the invaders have to commanding officer ordered evasive action, Wall shore battery fortifications, built make to dry land, but the Allies timed their but the ship then struck a mine, which beach obstacles, laid naval mines, readied arrival for low tide, so that the enemy’s exploded below her engineering spaces and torpedo craft (E-boats), and held Panzer beach obstructions would be visible and all power was lost. Within minutes, she (tank) units back from the coast so they could be destroyed before the landings took had broken amidships and her main deck could be thrown in wherever the invasion place. To cope with this dangerous task, was under two feet of water. The order threat materialized. Had German intelli- they collaborated in the formation of 32 was given to abandon ship, and her sur- gence units been more alert, they might joint gap assault teams made up of Army vivors treaded water some two hours under have realized that the real threat was not Engineers and Naval Combat Demolition constant shelling until they were rescued an invasion at the Pas de Calais, but at Units, originally part of the Navy’s Beach by Fitch (DD-462), Hobson (DD-464), Normandy.3 Battalions. Each team included 42 men Butler (DD-636), and PT-199. Of her crew, After a day’s delay due to bad weather, divided into two mine-clearing crews and six were killed, sixteen were missing, and the invasion fleet approached the Nor- two demolition crews, commanded by na- another thirty-three were injured. mandy coast during the night of 5–6 June, val officers. These teams landed early on 6 The ships of Destroyer Squadron 18 with minesweepers preceding the troop June on both Utah and Omaha beaches were first assigned to screen positions to transports and gunfire support ships by and worked effectively to clear lanes to the protect the heavier anchored gunfire sup- several miles. As they swept mines and beaches, but they took heavy casualties. port ships. Soon, however, they were sent cleared the channels selected for the land- The Omaha Beach units had a 52% casu- in closer to the beaches at about 1,000 yards ing beaches, the first naval casualties oc- alty rate, with 31 naval demolition men off to provide close support off Omaha and curred. USS Osprey (AM-56) struck a float- killed and 60 wounded. Off Utah Beach Utah beaches. Here they became the key ing mine and sank with the loss of six the casualties were far fewer, with just six to troops breaking through and taking crewmembers. Despite continuing efforts killed and eleven wounded. control of the beaches. The Germans had to clear the waters, German mines of all Meanwhile, the gunfire support ships machine gun nests with intersecting fields types would account for the majority of began their bombardment. Decades later, of fire crisscrossing the beaches; lower on ship losses during the operation. The battle- the soldiers and crews of the landing craft, the cliffs the Germans had built pillboxes ships, cruisers and larger troop ships an- who had made their way through the still with more powerful weapons that targeted chored at sea several miles out. The trans- rough waters, could recall with chilling the LCVPs and LCTs as they approached ports transferred their troops, tanks, and detail the great tremors felt by concussions the shore. Once landed, many soldiers were other vehicles to smaller amphibious vessels of the 14-inch guns of the battleships and pinned down, wounded, or killed in the that were to make the long, dangerous voy- the 8-inch cruiser batteries. US and Royal surf and on the sand before they had a age to the beaches and the enemy weapons Navy destroyers and landing craft equipped chance to get organized. Those who did SEA HISTORY 167, SUMMER 2019 23 and were able to approach the cliffs on As the destroyer proceeded toward the By this time, Admiral Bryant had be- Omaha Beach had great difficulty moving western end of the beach, I continued to come alarmed and ordered the other de- up the steep slopes. At one point, General watch her and wondered how she could be stroyers to take close-in positions. These Omar Bradley, on board USS Augusta, so close without taking any artillery or included Baldwin, Carmick, Harding, Em- heard such disturbing reports that he con- mortar hits. I watched her go farther and mons, McCook, Doyle, Satterlee, and Thomp- sidered withdrawing the troops and moving farther from me and expected to see her son.

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