June - July 1944
Sword - Juno - Gold - Arromanches
(Mulberry) Beach Landings
June Landings in Sword Assault Area
During June 1944 the US LCI (L) 35 participated in four (4) additional
landings in the Sword Beach Assault Area.
June 8, 1944
On Thursday June 8th while tied to HM LCI 104 at the dock with the
LCI (L) 14 alongside, additional British troops were being loaded
to go to Sword Beach and the cable on the stern anchor was replaced.
At 2115 the LCI (L) 35 got underway for the Normandy Coast.
June 9, 1944 - Sword Beach Landing
From LCI (L) 35 Deck Log
- June 9, 1944
Time |
LCI (L) 35 |
0900 |
Nearing Normandy Coast |
0945 |
Started ramps into lowering position |
1000 |
Having trouble with port ramp-got stuck on rollers. When finally
loosened, ramp was hauled beyond position ordered. It became overbalanced
and stern end was thrown off rollers into sea by rough waves which
jarred the bow of ship |
1005 |
Ramp was ordered cut away |
1006 |
Robins, Clarence SM 2/c, working on port ramp was thrown
overboard as result of accident. E.W. Eichorn QM 1/c and
J.M. Abney BM 2/c jumped in to rescue Robins who was at the
point of drowning |
1010 |
Robins was hauled aboard and immediately given artificial
respiration and first-aid by Tuggle, H.G. PHM 1/c |
1015 |
Proceeded into beach |
1150 |
Dropped anchor |
1151 |
Hit beach-smooth landing-left engines going one-third speed
ahead to stop possible swinging of ship in rough waves on beach
and to avoid possible collision with other ships and wreckage
on the beach |
1152 |
Troops disembarked on starboard ramp |
1200 |
Tuggle PHM 1/c reported Robins recovered and doing well |
1215 |
All troops disembarked. Both screws become fouled up in
considerable underwater debris. Port shaft had to be secured |
1220 |
Ship pulled off beach by stern anchor |
1230 |
Using starboard screw to get underway |
1300 |
Starboard screw also became fouled up with underwater debris
and had to be secured |
1310 |
HMLCI 104 tied up alongside portside-gave us a tow away
from shore |
1330 |
Dropped anchor-near Headquarters ship off shore |
1340 |
HMLCI 104 cast off lines-got underway |
1342 |
Signal watch posted |
1500 |
Waiting for tow back to Newhaven |
1545 and 1945 |
Signal watch relieved |
2200 |
Enemy (Nazi) planes over beachhead - dropped bombs - not
in immediate area |
2330 |
Air raid alert-sounded general quarters - enemy planes over
- dropped bombs on shore - not in immediate area - we did not
fire |
2400 |
Secured from general quarters - Signal watch relieved
|
LCI 35 Landing on
June 9, 1944 - Sword Beach
Notice the broken port ramp of the
LCI 35 in the photo above. Troops could not disembark from
this ramp and had to disembark from the starboard ramp. Clarence
Robins was catapulted from this ramp and almost drowned.
Damaged Ships on Sword Beach
View From Conning
Tower of LCI 35
** LCI 416 Sunk off Northern France, 9 June 1944
June 10 - 30, 1944
On Saturday June 10th HM LCI 378 towed LCI (L) 35 back to Newhaven
where a tugboat brought her into the harbor on June 12th where she
tied up to HM LCI 111 at the dock waiting to go into dry dock for
repair of the fouled screw and shafts. On Wednesday June 14th engineers
and shore maintenance cleared away cables, wire and other debris
twisted around both shafts and the damaged starboard screw was replaced.
The LCI (L) 35 moved out of dry dock the following day. On June
16th the port ramp became unusable and the ship was once again loaded
for troops for another landing in the assault area.
**LCI 219 Sunk off Northern France, 11 June 1944
June 17, 1944 - Sword Beach Landing
On Saturday June 17th the LCI (L) 35 at 1115 while going into the
beach with the starboard ramp in the lowering position had to drop
anchor because of a fast dropping tide. Initially the LCI (L) 35
waited for some small boats to come out and unload the troops but
when none came, the anchor was hoisted and once again the ship went
into the beach at low tide. When hitting the beach, the bow of the
ship still remained in about 2 1/2 feet of water. After waiting
for the tide to come out the troops were unloaded in 2 or 3 feet
of water off the starboard ramp.
With the troops disembarked
at 1540 and while waiting for the tide to come to get off the beach,
orders were received to unload the British Troop Transport LSI Prince
Leopold. At 1710 the 300 British troops from the Prince Leopold*
came aboard. At 1807 the LCI (L) 35 after fighting heavy surf and
high winds tied up to a pontoon dock where the 300 troops began
disembarking at 1845 from the starboard ramp onto the dock. At 1855
Wally Holman, BM 1/c rescued a British soldier who had been washed
off the pontoon dock into the water. At 1920 all troops were disembarked
and the LCI (L) 35 got underway to report back to the Headquarters
ship. Later at 2330 another air raid sounded and enemy planes overhead
dropped flares and bombs with no response from the LCI (L) 35.
*HMS Prince Leopold was torpedoed and sunk on July 29, 1944
**LCI (G) 468 Sunk Marianas Operations, Saipan, 17 June 1944
On Sunday June 18th, at 2200 the crew got their first sight of one
of Germany's Rocket Plane Bombs, which just passed directly over
them.
Between June 19th and June 24th, the LCI (L) 35 received a number
of repair and maintenance services including overhauling the outboard
forward starboard engine, repair of stanchions around the ship,
and installing a new port ramp.
June 25, 1944 - Sword Beach Landing
Troops were loaded at 1245 on Saturday
June 24th and the LCI (L) 35 got underway at 2200 heading towards
the assault area of Normandy arriving at 1200 on the June 25th.
At 1414 the LCI (L) 35 landed at the pontoon dock on the beach and troops
began disembarking. At 1420 after all troops were disembarked, as the
ramps were being taken in, the starboard ramp cable broke and
the starboard ramp dropped back on the pontoon dock. All hands were
called to pull in the stern end of the ramp while a wench held the
forward end up. The photo (below right) shows the crew pulling the
ramp.
On Monday June 26th and Tuesday June 27th the LCI 35 prepared for
an additional landing of British troops to the Normandy assault
area. While in port the LCI 35 was tied up to the LCI 33 and
LCI 16 and at the fuel dock with the USS LCI 523 and HM LCI 328. (The
photo on the right of John Laga and Frank Roachell shows the LCI
(L) 33 in the background). At 2132 on Tuesday June 27th British troops
with 48 bicycles came aboard but due to inclement weather the LCI
35 could not get underway for the Normandy Coast. At 1230 on Wednesday
June 28th troops were disembarked for a warm meal and clean up before returning
aboard the LCI 35 at 1500. The LCI 35 got underway at 2000.
June 29, 1944 - Sword Beach Landing
At 0945 the LCI 35 tied up to two pontoon barges. However, while
backing down the engines trying to get the bow of the ship off the
pontoon barges, the ship would not budge. After disembarking the
troops and bicycles at 1024 a near-by Army bulldozer pulled the
LCI 35 off the dock and the ship got underway towards the rendezvous
area at 1030 and headed back to Newhaven at 1620 where on Friday
June 30th tied up to LCI 15 at the docks.
June 1944 |
Other WWW II Action and Notable Events |
June 1, 1944 |
The British Broadcasting Corporation aired a coded message to warn the French resistance that the D-Day invasion was imminent. |
June 4, 1944 |
The U.S. 5th Army began liberating Rome. |
June 13, 1944 |
Germany began launching flying-bomb attacks against Great Britain. |
June 15, 1944 |
American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan and B-29 Superfortress bombers made their first raids on Japan. |
June 22, 1944 |
President Roosevelt signed the Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the GI Bill of Rights. |
June 26, 1944 |
The Republican national convention opened in Chicago with a keynote speech by California Gov. Earl Warren. |
June 27, 1944 |
American forces completed their capture of the French port of Cherbourg from the Germans. |
June 28, 1944 |
The Republican national convention in Chicago nominated New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for president and Ohio Gov. John W. Bricker for vice president. |
July 1-31, 1944
During July the USS LCI 35 would participate in an additional 6
landings in Normandy including landings in the Juno, and Gold Beach
areas. From Saturday July 1st through Tuesday July 4th, engineers
overhauled and rebuilt one engine, and maintenance crews welded
mufflers on the starboard side of the ship. On July 5th at 1115
troops came aboard and by 1830 the ship cast off and formed a disposition
in a convoy of USS LCIs and HM LCIs headed towards the Juno beach area.
July 6, 1944 - Juno Beach
The landing on this date was uneventful with troops disembarked
by 0935 and the ship underway going back to Newhaven where it arrived
and tied up to HM LCI 116 at East Quay at 2245.
The scene at Bernieres-sur-Mer
on Juno Beach shows the landing of the 9th Canadian Infantry
Division on D-Day.
|
The photo above from Stanley Galik's collection
may be of the Juno Beach Area (the houses close to the shore
look similar to those in the photo on the left). |
From July
7th through July 10th normal cleaning and maintenance activities
as well as preparations for repainting the entire ship were begun.
On July 11th, 143 British troops including officers boarded the
ship and at 1845 the LCI 35 was underway in a convoy of 6 USS LCIs
and 9 HM LCIs bound for Normandy.
July 12, 1943 - Gold Beach Landing
At 0750 the LCI 35 dropped anchor offshore in the Gold Area of Normandy
and waited to disembark troops. At 0900 the ship beached at low
tide and the ramps were lowered in about 4 feet of water. Troops
did not disembark immediately but waited for the beach to dry out
enough for them to disembark. Finally at 1110 all troops were disembarked
in about 1 foot of water. The ship got underway at 1217 in a convoy
of 6 USS LCIs and 9 HM LCIs. While underway vibrations were noted
in the starboard shaft.
From Thursday July 13th through July 16th the crew tended to normal
duties and started painting the ship a "dark blue" color. During
this time the LCI 35 was tied up to HM LCI 385 at East Quay.
On Monday July 17th at 1305 Canadian Armoured Corps troops came
aboard including 173 men and 10 officers. At 1820, loaded with these
troops, the LCI 35 got underway and formed a disposition in a convoy
of 12 USS LCIs and 4 HM LCIs bound for Normandy.
July 18, 1944 - Arromanches Area (Mulberry) Landing
At 1120 the LCI 35 tied up to LCI 3 at
the floating dock and at 1130 started disembarking troops with all
troops disembarked by 1145. At 1200 US LCI 193 was tied up along
starboard side and unloaded troops. At 1230 the LCI 35 cast off
lines and pulled away from the floating dock and headed back to
Newhaven in a convoy of 12 USS LCIs and 4 HM LCI where it eventually
was tied up to LCI 16 in "Sleepers Hole" across from the Newhaven
harbor on July 19th. By 1930 the LCI 35 was tied up to HM LCI 291
at the Newhaven dock. The crew continued painting the ship "dark
blue". On July 20th 166 men and 7 officers of British infantry troops
came aboard. By 1805 the ship was underway in a convoy of 7 USS
LCIs and 7 HM LCIs heading for the Arromanches area of Normandy.
Mulberry - Artificial Harbor
Arromanches Area of France
July 21, 1944 - Arromanches Area Landing
In rainy, foggy weather with a short chopping sea, moderate swells
and poor visibility, the LCI 35 tied up to the floating pier in
the Arromanches area of Normandy at 1034. Beginning at 1038 troops
began disembarking the ship and by 1055 all troops were disembarked.
HM LCI 374 tied up alongside to unload troops at 1100 and shortly
thereafter at 1105 the LCI 35 received orders to stand-by to load
the ship with German prisoners of war for transportation back to
England.
British Troops Disembarking from the USS LCI 35
July 21, 1944
July 21, 1944 - Arromanches
While waiting to pick up the German prisoners of
war, some of the crew had a "photo op" and disembarked the ship
to take a few photos.
Photos Taken of LCI 35 Crew
July 21, 1944 - Arromanches,
France
John "The Mad Russian" Laga
|
Clarence Robins
John Finnerty, Lady
(Mascot), and Phil Reed |
|
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More Photos of Arromanches
Landing
John Smith (on Starboard
Ramp), John Finnerty, Philip Reed
Photo Courtesy of Philip
Reed
German Prisoners of War - Coming Aboard the USS LCI (L)
35
German prisoners of war under British MP guards came aboard the
LCI 35 at 1600 for transportation back to Southampton, England.
The photos below were taken prior to the transfer to the LCI 35.
German Prisoners
Awaiting Transfer to LCI 35
Discussions Regarding
Transfer of German Prisoners of War
Commanding Officer Donald
A. Lewis can be seen at the center of the discussions regarding
the exchange of prisoners (in the middle of the three person discussion
on the right ).
At 1800 the LCI 35 was underway for Southampton, England arriving
at 0815 on Saturday July 22nd. While tied up to HM LCI 374 all the
German prisoners were disembarked by 0845. The LCI 35 departed Southampton
and arrived at Newhaven's "Sleepers Hole" where it tied up to HM LCI
374 at 1500.
On July 22nd and 23rd the LCI 35 while tied up to LCI 13 at the
repair dock, maintenance crews welded cracked seams in the engine
room and other bulkheads and repaired catheads. On Tuesday July
25th the ship moved to East Quay and tied up to USS LCI 16 and boarded
British troops at 1400. At 1935 the LCI 35 was underway in a convoy
of 5 USS LCIs and 11 HM LCIs heading to Arromanches.
July 26, 1944 - Arromanches Landing
By 1020 while tied up to a floating pier, all British Soldiers were
disembarked. The LCI 35 cast off and was underway at 1025 to return
to Sleepers Hole where she tied up to HM LCI 111 at 2345.
On Thursday July 27th the LCI 35 moved to East Quay and tied up
to USS LCI 13 at the docks. At 1500 while berthing on the LCI 35's
starboard side HM LCI 165's port ramp wing smashed into our No. 3
gun ready box, No. 3 bit, knocking down 4 stanchions and got stuck
on No. 3 chock. By 1645 the crew of the HM LCI 165 loosened the ship
off the chock. At 1730 on Friday July 28th troops boarded the ship
and at 1930 the ship was underway once again for Arromanches in
a convoy of 7 USS LCIs and 3 HM LCIs.
July 29, 1944 - Arromanches Landing
The LCI 35 tied up to LCI 13 at the floating dock and by 0910 all
troops disembarked the ship and at 1000 the LCI 35 was in a convoy
heading back to Sleepers Hole where she tied up to HM LCI 389 at
2045.
The month of July concluded with the LCI 35 in the repair docks
in Northeast Quay tied up to LCI 33 where the crew once again returned
to painting the ship dark blue and maintenance crews worked on repairing
the cathead port ramp roller and welded the starboard exhaust tubes.
July 1944 |
Other WW II Action and Notable Events |
July 6, 1944 |
169 people died in a fire that broke out in the main tent of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum-and-Bailey Circus in Hartford, Connecticut. |
July 9, 1944 |
American forces secured Saipan as the last Japanese defenses fell. |
July 17, 1944 |
322 people were killed when a pair of ammunition ships exploded in Port Chicago, California. |
July 18, 1944 |
Hideki Tojo was removed as Japanese premier and war minister because of setbacks suffered by his country during the war. |
July 20, 1944 |
An attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader.
President Roosevelt was nominated for an unprecedented fourth term of office at the Democratic convention in Chicago. |
July 21, 1944 |
American forces landed on Guam. |
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