On 6 June 1944 the Western Allies landed in northern France, opening the long-awaited "Second Front" against Adolf Hitler's Germany. Though they had been fighting in mainland Italy for some nine months, the Normandy invasion was in a strategically more important region, setting the stage to drive the Germans from France and ultimately destroy the National Socialist regime.
Army troops on board a LCT, ready to ride across the English Channel to France. Some of these men wear 101st Airborne Division insignia.
Forward 14"/45 guns of USS Nevada (BB-36) fire on positions ashore, during the landings on "Utah" Beach, 6 June 1944.
A convoy of Landing Craft Infantry (Large) sails across the English Channel toward the Normandy Invasion beaches on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. Each of these landing craft is towing a barrage balloon for protection against low-flying German aircraft.
Army troops wade ashore on "Omaha" Beach during the "D-Day" landings, 6 June 1944.
They were brought to the beach by a Coast Guard manned LCVP.
Wounded men of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, receive cigarettes and food after they had stormed "Omaha" beach on "D-Day"
Sinking off "Utah" Beach after striking a mine during the Normandy invasion, 7 June 1944.
USS PT-509 and USS Pheasant (AM-61) are standing by.
Photographed from USS Threat (AM-124).
Coast Guard manned USS LST-21 unloads British Army tanks and trucks onto a "Rhino" barge during the early hours of the invasion, 6 June 1944.
Note the nickname "Virgin" on the "Sherman" tank at left.
Landing ships putting cargo ashore on one of the invasion beaches, at low tide during the first days of the operation, June 1944.
Among identifiable ships present are USS LST-532 (in the center of the view); USS LST-262 (3rd LST from right); USS LST-310 (2nd LST from right); USS LST-533 (partially visible at far right); and USS LST-524.
Note barrage balloons overhead and Army "half-track" convoy forming up on the beach.
USS LST-325 (left) and USS LST-388 unloading while stranded at low tide during resupply operations, 12 June 1944.
Note: propellers, rudders and other underwater details of these LSTs; 40mm single guns; barrage balloon; "Danforth" style kedge anchor at LST-325's stern.
Senior U.S. officers watching operations from the bridge of USS Augusta (CA-31), off Normandy, 8 June 1944.
They are (from left to right):
Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN, Commander Western Naval Task Force;
Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army, Commanding General, U.S. First Army;
Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble, USN, (with binoculars) Chief of Staff for RAdm. Kirk; and
Major General Hugh Keen, U.S. Army.
Army troops on board a LCT, ready to ride across the English Channel to France. Some of these men wear 101st Airborne Division insignia.
Forward 14"/45 guns of USS Nevada (BB-36) fire on positions ashore, during the landings on "Utah" Beach, 6 June 1944.
A convoy of Landing Craft Infantry (Large) sails across the English Channel toward the Normandy Invasion beaches on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. Each of these landing craft is towing a barrage balloon for protection against low-flying German aircraft.
Army troops wade ashore on "Omaha" Beach during the "D-Day" landings, 6 June 1944.They were brought to the beach by a Coast Guard manned LCVP.
Wounded men of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, receive cigarettes and food after they had stormed "Omaha" beach on "D-Day"
Sinking off "Utah" Beach after striking a mine during the Normandy invasion, 7 June 1944.USS PT-509 and USS Pheasant (AM-61) are standing by.
Photographed from USS Threat (AM-124).
Coast Guard manned USS LST-21 unloads British Army tanks and trucks onto a "Rhino" barge during the early hours of the invasion, 6 June 1944.Note the nickname "Virgin" on the "Sherman" tank at left.
Landing ships putting cargo ashore on one of the invasion beaches, at low tide during the first days of the operation, June 1944.Among identifiable ships present are USS LST-532 (in the center of the view); USS LST-262 (3rd LST from right); USS LST-310 (2nd LST from right); USS LST-533 (partially visible at far right); and USS LST-524.
Note barrage balloons overhead and Army "half-track" convoy forming up on the beach.
USS LST-325 (left) and USS LST-388 unloading while stranded at low tide during resupply operations, 12 June 1944.Note: propellers, rudders and other underwater details of these LSTs; 40mm single guns; barrage balloon; "Danforth" style kedge anchor at LST-325's stern.
Senior U.S. officers watching operations from the bridge of USS Augusta (CA-31), off Normandy, 8 June 1944.They are (from left to right):
Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, USN, Commander Western Naval Task Force;
Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley, U.S. Army, Commanding General, U.S. First Army;
Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble, USN, (with binoculars) Chief of Staff for RAdm. Kirk; and
Major General Hugh Keen, U.S. Army.
It is an opportunity for us as a community and individually to honor the veterans of D-Day, living and dead.
To all of them we say, thank you. Always.
2 comments:
The US Coast Guard escorted and crewed Landing Craft and rescued Allied personnel during the Normandy invasion.
Read about Rescue Flotilla One at:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/d-days-matchbox-fleet/
Cool pics and info. FYI: Did you know that LST 325 has recently been returned to the U.S. and restored? It now is fully functional and gets underway frequently. It's quite a story. Check it out!
http://www.lstmemorial.org/
Buzz
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