U.S. 4th Infantry Division in Normandy

 

 

U.S. 4th Infantry Division members boarding a Higgins boat bound for Normandy, 1944. They are heading to the Utah Beach.

The 4th Infantry Division was a regular army division which arrived in England in January 1944 to train and prepare for the cross-channel invasion. The 4th was assigned to conduct the initial D-Day landings on Utah Beach, at the western most end of the invasion area on the Cotentin Peninsula.

The 8th Infantry Regiment of the division was to conduct the initial assault, reinforced with an attached battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment. Its mission was to occupy the high ground along the road running between Sainte-Marie-du-Mont and Les Forges, then push westward across the Merderet River. The remaining units of the 22nd Regiment and the 12th Infantry Regiment were to be the follow-up forces and were to assist in the seizure of the causeways exiting Utah Beach and occupation of the surrounding high ground. On D-day the 4th Division also had attached one other regiment, the 359th Infantry, of the 90th Infantry Division, the first follow-on division in its sector. The 4th Division had surprisingly little difficulty in the initial assault, taking only light casualties and quickly gaining a lodgment. The assault forces were erroneously landed some 2,000 yards south of the intended beach, but this mistake proved valuable because much stronger German defenses were in position at the designated landing site. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., assistant commander of the 4th Division, made the decision to continue the landing where it was and quickly led the forces off the beach. Roosevelt had volunteered to lead the first wave of the assault force, and proved to be an inspiration to the troops on Day with his gallant conduct. His actions that day, improvising and leading an attack out of the unexpected locale, won him a Medal of Honor.

After gaining control of the beaches, the 4th Division’s lead regiment crossed the flooded areas on existing causeways and moved west to establish contact with the airborne units. Follow-on forces attacked northwest to enlarge the beachhead. By dusk most of the division had gotten ashore and pushed some 4 to 7 miles inland. The next day, the 4th Division broke through to Sainte-Mère-Église, and relieved elements of the 82nd Airborne Division. The division was then ordered to attack towards Cherbourg and secure the area beyond the beach.

The 4th Infantry Division had been the first unit to land and cross the Normandy beaches. It had also made the largest gains of the attacking forces on D-Day, while suffering only light casualties. The seizure of the westward invasion area was crucial in the success of Operation Overlord and enabled the American forces to subsequently take the entire Cotentin Peninsula by the end of June.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=272816367649866&set=gm.1685740691611347
https://normandyallies.org/d-day-allied-divisions/u-s-4th-infantry-division/
https://www.usmilitariacollection.com/boutique/bouee-de-sauvetage-m-1926-3-pressions-1942-neuve-de-stock/

US Marines Practice at Sea

 

 

Off the coast of Dunedin, Florida, autumn 1941. Marines of the Amphibian Tractor Detachment practice formation driving at sea. Semaphore flags were used to communicate since most early amphibian tractors lacked radios. The LVT-1 alligator (seen here) revolutionized ship to shore movement of troops and equipment. First intended strictly as a cargo carrier, the tractors were soon adapted and improved. FMC built about 1,200 LVT-1s, some of which saw combat service through the end of the war. Life Magazine Photo by Dmitri Kessel

LVT-1 Alligators maneuver off the western coast of Florida in the autumn of 1941. Designed by Donald Roebling, the Alligator revolutionized amphibious warfare and was the first true amphibian vehicle. The LVT-1 was the first in an evolutionary line of amtracs and is the forerunner of the AAV-7 tractor still used by Marines.

 

Autumn 1941, near Dunedin, Florida. Marines of the Amphibian Tractor Detachment practice formation driving at sea. Amtrackers used several basic formation during ship-to-shore movement: column, line and wedge. Most early amtracs did not have radios, so semaphore flags and hand signals were used to signal formation changes.

Autumn 1941, near Dunedin, Florida. Marines of the Amphibian Tractor Detachment practice water movement in a brand-new LVT-1 amphibian tractor. The detachment was formed in May 1941 near the Food Machinery Corporation plant in Dunedin, on Florida's western coast. The new tractors were delivered from the factory straight to the detachment. Such was the need that many of the initial batch of tractors were clad only in the red anti-rust coating. The Amphibian Tractor Detachment was assigned to the 1st Marine Division in December 1941, becoming the nucleus for Co A, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/Fixbayonets1985/photos/a.114279460312369/232247321848915

German Prisoners from Normandy

Some of the 1,096 German prisoners of war who have arrived on HM Landing Ship Tank (LST-165) at Gosport, Hampshire, June 1944. This is the first transport with prisoners from the Allied invasion of Normandy. They will be interrogated and distributed to various camps according to their classification. Man with the blanket under arm is wearing the ribbon of Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille) in his uniform. Probably counting himself as a lucky survivor of the war. The picture was taken by Reinhard Schultz

Source :
https://www.denverpost.com/2014/06/05/d-day-color-photos-normandy-wwii/
https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-photo/some-of-the-1-096-german-prisoners-of-war-who-have-arrived-news-photo/183097382
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/history-research-third-reich-ww2/you-war-over-period-photos-german-pows-686919-5/

Some of the First Americans to Attack on D-Day

Some of the first American soldiers to attack the German defenses in Normandy (France), transported in Higgins Boats (LCVPs), approach Omaha Beach near Ruquet, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, on 6 June 1944. They were part of E Company of the 16th Infantry Regiment. To the right is another LCVP. The soldiers are protecting their weapons with Pliofilm covers against the wetness. This picture was shot by Chief Photographer’s Mate (CPHOM) Robert F. Sargent of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

Source :
http://allthatsinteresting.com/world-war-2-in-color
https://www.historyinorbit.com/never-before-seen-colored-photos-from-d-day-landings-in-normandy-will-leave-you-breathless/
https://www.turkishnews.com/en/content/2015/12/20/d-day-in-color-photographs-from-the-normandy-invasion/
https://www.vintag.es/2017/06/26-rare-color-photos-of-d-day-show-new.html

Build-Up of US Army Vehicles Before D-Day

Castletown Road Slipway, Portland, Dorset (England), 5 June 1944. Trucks and Willys MB jeeps which will carry men and supplies of the U.S. 32nd Field Artillery Regiment / 1st Infantry Division "The Big Red One" to the front lines of the invasion in Normandy on D-Day are loaded onto an American Landing Craft. The Divisional HQ jeep at right (with Divisional HQ tactical insignia in the bumper: black star on dark yellow circle; 1-X: indication of the Division Headquarters; Star in center bumper; HQ-19: 19th vehicle of the Division Headquarters; and Barcode with five-digit number of the DivHQ) has an 15'x15' vehicle camouflage net (this type of net with interwoven twine came in different sizes) above the white star on a yellow background marking. The yellowy green (or greeny yellow) background between star and circle was a kind of gas detecting paint that was supposed to change colour during a chemical attack. Presumably these jeeps are an example of the stuff. Might also be worth noting that a yellow or white star in black and white photos would show up the same tone. Closer analysis of even quite familiar black and white pictures recently seems to be turning up even camo schemes that have been almost lost in the monochrome process. In the dust and confusion of the battles in the North Africa previously, the US star could be mistaken for a German Cross at long range (greater then 1000 yards). Tankers and armored units began painting out the stars to avoid becoming a casualty of ‘friendly fire’. The addition of the circle around the star helped to resolve this problem, though some of the more experienced units (like the 2nd Armored) stayed with the painted out stars until the Normandy landings. There they painted the vehicle number on the sides of the turret in yellow. This was painted out by D-Day + 14. After Normandy several armored divisions were sent into Europe but kept their stateside markings, except the bar, and that is why one sees so many variations in pictures.

Source :
http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIIAmphibiousUnit3/PICT0442.html
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/57160-the-liberator-collection/page-18
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/6397-yellow-circles-white-stars/

Amphibious Assault Training of the American Infantry Unit

A few photographs of the U.S. 41st Infantry Division conducting amphibious assault training in Australia in early 1942. The Division was supposed to go to the Philippines in late 1941, but there wasn't enough shipping available to get it there. As a result, it was stuck at Fort Lewis until early 1942 when shipping became available. By then, the Philippines were a lost cause and the division was deployed to Australia as one of the first American units to get overseas in World War II. The photos come from the National Archives US Army Signal Corps collection (Record Group 111-SC). They clearly show that the unit was only partially re-equipped with the standard wartime gear most GI's carried.

Source :
http://airsoftpacific.com/viewtopic.php?t=11137&start=45
http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIIAmphibiousUnits/IMG_1548.html

Sherman Tanks Unloads from LST

Hit the beach! US Army M4A1 Sherman medium tanks unloads from a Navy LST (Landing Ship Tank) during a stateside training exercise. These vessels could carry a number of the M4 Sherman tanks, or a variety of other personnel and equipment. Massive landing craft filles to the gunnels with troops and equipment came into their own during the war as the spear point for amphibious invasion in the Pacific, the Mediterranean and in Europe. The tank is obviously new to the theatre. Soon the crew of this tank will have festooned their vehicle with a variety of things to improve their living conditions and chances of survival.

Source :
Book "Patton's Third Army" by Christopher J. Anderson 
https://pacificparatrooper.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/004-615x800.jpg

US Third Army Crossing the Rhine

A group of U.S. Third Army men are waiting to be transported over the River Rhine. The man sitting in the foreground is wearing the standard wool shirt and trousers and M1941 field jacket. He has a privately acquired red bandanna around his neck to reduce chafing. This bandanna would probably have been removed closer to the front line, as its bright color could expose the wearer to unnecessary attention. Around his waist, the man is wearing a navy life-preserver. This life-preserver could be inflated with either two CO² catridges at the front of the belt or manually. Many veterans of the Normandy landings complained that when these life-belts were inflated, they caused the wearer to flip upside down! The US Third Army carried out four river assaults in late March 1945. The 5th Infantry Division undertook the first on March 22, 1945, crossing the Rhine at Oppenheim, south of Mainz. They crossed without the usual artillery preparation, a maneuver that caught German troops by surprise. Within 48 hours, four US divisions had crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim and positioned themselves to advance into Germany. Third Army troops soon also successfully assaulted the Rhine at three other locations: Boppard, St. Goar, and south of the city of Mainz. Two divisions of the US Seventh Army crossed the Rhine near the city of Worms on March 26, 1945. All of these operations were vital in facilitating the encirclement of the Ruhr and the conquest of Germany.

Source :

Book "Patton's Third Army" by Christopher J. Anderson 

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10006181

US Rangers Aboard their Landing Craft Before Normandy

U.S. Rangers from E Company, Fifth Ranger Battalion, aboard their landing craft on Weymouth Harbor, Dorset (England), waiting for the signal to sail to the coast of Normandy, 3 June 1944. In the foreground, they are, clockwise from far left, First Sergeant Sandy Martin, Technician Fifth Grade Joseph Markovich, Corporal John Loshiavo and Private First Class Frank Lockwood, with their Bazooka, Garand rifle, 60-mm mortar and Lucky Strikes. Before they boarded their vessel, these Rangers — four of perhaps 160,000 soldiers who would cross the English Channel — were penned up, away from public view, in camps policed by British officers in machine-gun towers. As they waited for their signal, soldiers of Operation Overlord hurled Army knives at playing cards nailed onto trees, played softball and, ducking into an entertainment tent, watched “Girl Crazy,” starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. But their nerves were strained; sometimes they fought one another with fists. They knew the lethal odds that faced them on the Normandy beaches. Then Martin, Markovich, Loshiavo and Lockwood were in their landing craft. One soldier insisted that these boats were designed to induce “a sense of physical discomfort, seasickness and physical degradation” so that the men would “land in such an angry condition as to bring destruction, devastation and death upon any person or thing in sight or hearing.” About 2,500 Americans were killed in the D-Day effort to make the world safe for freedom. One of them was Sandy Martin, who lies buried in the American cemetery on the bluff that looks down on Omaha Beach

Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/upshot/seventy-years-ago-next-month-came-fury-and-death-on-d-day.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/world-war-ii-the-allied-invasion-of-europe/100160/