![]() Coast Guard was an integral part of Operation Neptune. The Eastern Naval Task Force, commanded by Royal Navy Rear Admiral Sir Philip Vian, landed the British Second Army on assault areas to the east of the American landings, code-named Gold, Juno and Sword. First Army to the American assault areas code named Utah and Omaha. The Western Naval Task Force, under the command of Navy Rear Admiral Alan Kirk, transported the U.S. These operations were divided between two task forces that would get the troops from ports all over Great Britain and land them on the beaches of Normandy, keep them supplied, and give them fire support. Neptune was the code name given to Overlord's amphibious assault and naval gunfire support operations. He set the invasion date, D-Day, for June 5, 1944, when tidal and moon conditions would be most favorable. Eisenhower was appointed the commander of Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, known as SHAEF. In addition, two divisions of paratroopers were to be dropped behind the coastline to help isolate the frontline German troops. When finalized the plan called for the landing of five divisions along the French coast at Normandy. In August 1943, at the Quebec Conference the combined chiefs of staff agreed to mount an invasion of France in 1944. Eisenhower, called it a "Great Crusade." The Coast Guard, along with the Army, Navy and Army Air Force participated in the crusade's onset, the greatest amphibious operation the world had ever seen. The Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Lieutenant, Junior Grade Coit Hendley, USCGR, commanding officer of USS LCI(L)-85, describing in his official Action Report what happened when his vessel approached Omaha Beach on the morning of D-Day.įifty years ago, U.S., British, Canadian and French forces invaded Adolf Hitler's Fortress Europe in an operation code-named Overlord. There was no such thing as a minor wound. The 88's began hitting the ship, they tore into the compartments and exploded on the exposed deck. The LCI(L)- 85 was one of the many Coast Guard-manned ships that participated in the landings in France on Ja day that would prove to be one of the bloodiest in the Coast Guard's long history. Slowly, as the water filled her hull, she turned her stern skyward and sank. The crew of a salvage vessel took care of the problem by placing a mine in her hull and exploded it to force her to the sea floor, a final, ignominious end for a gallant veteran that had made so many successful combat landings against hostile shores. She then capsized, exposing the bottom of her battered hull to the sky and now threatened to become a hazard to navigation to the thousands of ships and craft milling about the area. The waters of Normandy washed over the blood-stained decks as the LCI settled deeper. They stayed with the listing LCI and managed to offload the wounded on to the Coast Guard-manned attack-transport USS Samuel Chase before they had to abandon their ship. Then the crew sailed back to the transport area as the ship's list became more and more pronounced. ![]() Other landing craft approached to take off the uninjured troops while other crewmembers manned the sinking landing craft's pumps in a vain attempt to keep the vessel afloat. The ship then began to list as water poured in through the shell holes. ![]() The burning LCI backed off the beach as the crew fought the fires in the forward compartments. Those who were still able to disembark could not, because the explosions had destroyed the vessel's landing ramps. Many of the troops on board were torn to pieces before they ever got off the ship. A mine exploded and ripped a gaping hole in the forward compartments, and then German batteries pummeled the LCI. The bow soon touched bottom, and as the ship ground to a halt, so did its luck. No clear channel existed where the commanding officer's charts indicated there would be, so he ordered the landing craft straight through the obstacles that had been covered by the incoming tide. The LCI(L)- 85 was one of four Coast Guard LCI's that were destroyed on D-Day. The "85" sank shortly after this photograph was taken. The Coast Guard LCI(L)- 85, battered by enemy fire after approaching Omaha Beach, prepares to evacuate the troops she was transporting to an awaiting transport. Her crew winced as they heard repeated thuds against the vessel's hull made by the wooden stakes covering the beach like a crazy, tilted, man-made forest. The Coast Guard-manned landing craft LCI(L)- 85 approached the beach at 12 knots. troops on the morning of 6 June 1944 at Omaha Beach. A Coast Guard-manned LCVP from the U.S.S. Coast Guard photograph by CPHOM Robert F. Click here to download a PDF version of this article.
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