RESEARCH REFERENCES

 

June 15, 2000

 

Action Reports:

 

Action reports were obtained from Naval Archives in College Park Maryland as well as first-hand reports from members of the LCT Flotillas group as listed:

 

Action Report CTF 125 Commander Force "U", Admiral D. P. Moon

 

Action Report Gunfire Support Craft, Captain Lorenzo S. Sabin

 

Action Reports:

CTU 125.5.3, Commander 19th Wave, Lt. W. M. Skinner, USNR

CTU 125.4.6, Green, Primary Control, Lt. John B. Ricker, Jr.

CTU 125.7.2, Fire Support Unit Seven, Lt. L. W. Carr, USNR

CTU 125.7.1, Fire Support Unit Six, LCdr. V. H. Webb, USNR

CTU 127.2.8, LCdr Q. R. Walsh, USCG

LCT(DD) 594 Keith Dixon OinCh and Donald Eidemiller, AOinCh

LCT(DD) 592 H.W. Collier, AOinCh

LCT(DD) 510 J. S Rhodes, AOinCh

LCT(A) 2402 A. E.Gold, AOinCh

LCT(A) 2310 J, M. Suozzo, OinCh

LCT(A) 2282 P.P.Salatiello, OinCh, W. L Galinet, AOinCh

LCT(A) 2309 W.H. Scott, OinCh

LCT(A) 2488 Frank Grace, OinCh LCT(A) 2309 William H. Scott, OinCh

 

Force "U" filed an Operations Report which contained recommendations as to Operation Neptune. The report was divided into sections:

1. Annex Baker : the assembly and sortie of 850 ships from ports in southern england.

2. Loading and Landing Summary.

3. Minesweeping analysis

4. Communications

5. Tidal Data and Beach gradients

6. Medical summary

7. Gunfire support summary.

 

Books:

 

Jensen, Marvin. Strike Swiftly: The History of the 70th Tank Battalion

 

Neillands, Robert, and de Normann, Roderick. D-Day, Voices from Normandy.

 

Military Books. Turner Publishing.

 

Morison, Samuel E. USS Navy Operations, WW II Vol XI

 

Utah Beach to Cherbourg, 6 June-27 June, 1944. Historical Division

of the Department of the Army.

 

Magazine Articles:

 

Ambrose, Stephen E. "Normandy, Why and How." USNaval Institute: June 1944.

 

"The Amphibs." Amphibious Training Command, US Atlantic Fleet.

 

Cluster, Herbert R. "D-Day, No way to storm a beach." USNaval Institute: June 1944 issue.

 

"Landing Craft for invasion." National Geographic. June 6, 1944

 

Time. 6 June, 1944

 

US News and World Report: May 23, 1944

 

US News and World Report: June 6 1944

 

Newspaper Articles:

 

Caen, Herb. San Francisco Examiner

 

San Diego Union Tribune: June 6 1944

 

Stars and Stripes: June 6 and 7 June, 1944

 

Personal Correspondence:

 

Ahearn, Captain US Army John L. "Commanding Co.'C' 70th Tank Battalion."

 

Kaufmann, LCdr USNR Ervin L. "Birth of the US Navy Gunfire Support Group."

 

Research Assistance:

 

Clement Unangst, Eisenhower Center, New Orleans, LA

 

This report is dedicated to Larry Noel, who was of invaluable assistance in putting into perspective the role of the LCTA's and LCT(DD)'s on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Not to be forgotten are those who gave their lives on D-Day.

 

 

 

 

Joseph M. Suozzo, Cdr USNR (Retired)