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Post by connie on Mar 3, 2007 16:24:35 GMT -5
If anyone's interested in thinking back to early December of 1944, I am trying to get a mental picture of the landings of the 106th in France after crossing the channel from England.
I know that most of the Division crossed the channel in early December. Some went in ships and some on LST's from several different ports.
What I can't picture is the landing with an LST in a port & the subsequent removal of equipment. I know some landed at Le Havre & others at Rouen.
I picture ports as equipped for docking and offloading to the side. But, I think LST's had ramps for offloading equipment directly onto beaches. Did men and equipment offload at the same "exit"? Memories of your landing would be interesting to hear...
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iceboxboy
Member
My Father served in Regimental HQ of the 422nd
Posts: 4
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Post by iceboxboy on Mar 8, 2007 21:49:41 GMT -5
Connie,
I have been interviewing men of the 422nd Regimental HQ company and cannon company for a book I'm working on. Some mentioned arriving on the LSts and the ramp drops like the Higgin's boats right on the beach. I haven't transcribed them yet, but if I find out anymore info will post it.
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gemcmeg
Active Member
daugther of paul m eanes of nc (590th sv unit)
Posts: 34
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Post by gemcmeg on Jul 18, 2007 21:41:24 GMT -5
If anyone's interested in thinking back to early December of 1944, I am trying to get a mental picture of the landings of the 106th in France after crossing the channel from England. I know that my father left England on December 1st and on the 2nd wrote (an undated letter) while anchored some 3 miles off the coast of France ( Le Havre.) (From what I can piece together, about half of the 590th FA BN was on that LST. The rest had their anchored ripped off in storms the night before & had to make their way back to England for repairs.) A letter of the 3rd (dated thru detective work on contents) finds him heading up " a river in France" toward the end of this voyage. (I know that river to have been the Seine & the destination Rouen.) What I can't picture is the landing with an LST in a port & the subsequent removal of equipment. I know some landed at Le Havre & others at Rouen. I assume all came with equipment on LST's and all around the same time...? Is this correct? I picture ports as equipped for docking and offloading to the side. But, I think LST's had ramps for offloading equipment directly onto beaches. Did men and equipment offload at the same "exit"? Memories of your landing would be interesting to hear... Connie did you find anyone to give you the info you need. This past week i finally read my dad's hand written account of all this. You have much more detail, he only gave basics in what he wrote for the family. We have bugged him for years to get it down and he finally did - now i need to type up and get him to add the few tidbits i remember from hearing all these little stories for years. He's still living (in NC) and his memories of this time are still strong but i'm beginning to hear ever so often that he's forgotten a detail here and there. I want to get all this down .... well you know. he was 106th/590th attached to the 423rd; drove ammo to the front line and captured 12/21/44; pow at camps 7a/9Gorlitz/11-Fallingbostel - liberated by the brits on 4/23/45 left the service as Sgt. let me know i'm sure he'll be glad to answer any questions Gail Eanes McGuire daughter of Paul Eanes of NC |
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gemcmeg
Active Member
daugther of paul m eanes of nc (590th sv unit)
Posts: 34
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Post by gemcmeg on Jul 18, 2007 21:56:47 GMT -5
Connie, I have been interviewing men of the 422nd Regimental HQ company and cannon company for a book I'm working on. Some mentioned arriving on the LSts and the ramp drops like the Higgin's boats right on the beach. I haven't transcribed them yet, but if I find out anymore info will post it. Craig, Would you be interested in talking to someone of the 590th attached to the 423rd? Connie's account sounds a lot like what my dad has written. This past week i finally read my dad's hand written account of all this. She has more detail, dad gave only basics in what he wrote for the family. We have bugged him for years to get it down and he finally did - now i need to type up and get him to add the few tidbits i remember from hearing all these little stories for years. He's still living (in NC) and his memories of this time are still strong but i'm beginning to hear ever so often that he's forgotten a detail here and there. I want to get all this down .... well you know. he was 106th/590th attached to the 423rd; drove ammo to the front line and captured 12/21/44; pow at camps 7a/9Gorlitz/11-Fallingbostel - liberated by the brits on 4/23/45 left the service as Sgt. let me know i'm sure he'll be glad to answer any questions Gail Eanes McGuire daughter of Paul Eanes of NC from my notes: 11/44 Camp Miles Standish RI; approx 11/8/44 on ship to England to replace 2nd div; 3wks; Glouchester England then onto So Hampton to cross Channel to France; arvl @ LaHarue Frc (which had been bombed (june 44?); mention of LST; took Scene River to Rouin France; convoy to Belgium; (paris ammo pickup was not sent had to go back to Rouin); then onto St Vith Belgium; then he mentions he's 10 mi from St Vith;2nd div was suppose to be on r'n'r back of 99th div; on 12/16/44 dad had to return to Leage for ammo; sorry i haven't correctly a lot of the spelling here - still a work in progress |
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Post by connie on Jul 31, 2007 21:30:15 GMT -5
Gail,
I think we have a common link in the 590th. There are lots of details of those early days that we could check with each other.
It is wonderful that you have your Dad & can check these things out with him! All the info you listed matches what my Dad told me... (except I didn't have any notes on the return for ammo) Thanks!
Connie
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Post by floydragsdale on Jan 28, 2009 13:03:19 GMT -5
Hello Connie: It's me again, Floyd. The English Cannel was very rough when we crossed it,on a littlle "Banana Boat". Our ship had to lay off the coast of France for four or five days before we dis-embarked. Also,the seas were too rough for the landing craft (LST's) to come and get us. When they did come after us, the Channel was still very choppy. A large rope ladder was used for the Troops to get into the landing craft. As we commenced to go over the side on the ladder an officer yelled, "Make your aim good men, if you miss we can't help you." In other words if a GI fell in-between the ships, he were considered dead. Thank goodness, we didn't lose a man. Sea Ports had not been cleared of war debrie yet, thus we landed at Omaha Beach, where the D Day invasion took place. There was alot of War Debrie scattered all over the beach that had been pushed aside. We left the Landing Craft, just as the GI's did on D Day, when the door (up front) opened. We bivouaced near there' for a few days while waiting for a Truck Convoy to take us to the Front Lines. I believe our company vehicles crossed the channel the same way as we did, yet I'm not positive. Finally we had a five day journey, in open trucks, through France, Belgium & to the Front Lines. We relieved the 2nd Infantry Division of their Front Line dutied there. We had no idea that just days from then, we would be engaged in the largest battle of the entire war, for American Troops. By now, Floyd Note from Connie: Another channel crossing note from Floyd can be found in post # 10 under this listing: 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=duties&thread=88&page=1 |
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Carl W.
Active Member
Administrator
The Golden Lions
Posts: 265
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Post by Carl W. on Feb 7, 2009 8:59:39 GMT -5
@ Floyd: Thanks for sharing your experiences. The Division moved from England on December 1st. The artillery embarked at Weymouth on LST's. Infantry elements embarked on Dec 2 at Liverpool on the SS Monowai while their vehicles were carried across in LST's. The SS Monowai, in 1943 was transferred to Liverpool in the UK and handed over to the British Ministry of War Transport. Monowai went to Glasgow for conversion to an "Landing Ship, Infantry (Large)" or LSI(L). From June 1943 to February 1944 she was refitted with completely different armament, capacity for up to 1,800 fully equipped troops, and 20 Assault Landing Craft. She was used during the Normandy landings. In the later period of the war she was used as a troopship transporting soldiers and after the end of the war in repatriation.  Although these pictures do not show men of the 106th, but men of other divisions in France in July-August 1944, it does give a clear view of what an LST landing looks like. Just trying to shape the visual picture.   Vehicles being unloaded from the LST.  Men of an infantry unit aboard a ship waiting to go over the edge and go aboard a Higgins boat (landing craft). Best regards Carl |
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Post by connie on Sept 17, 2009 11:51:24 GMT -5
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roger
Active Member
Posts: 134 
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Post by roger on Sept 17, 2009 13:39:49 GMT -5
You can get some great info about the USS LST 325 at www.lstmemorial.org. Something I found out on the tour....some of the LSTs were equipped with an elevator system to move equipement below from top deck and then down the ramp onto the beach...worked fine unless the cable system failed! |
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Post by connie on Sept 18, 2009 10:01:28 GMT -5
Roger, Each detail is interesting. If I do any more terrestrial cross country travel, this LST will be on my list of places to see. Stories I have heard begin to merge in my mind. I thought I'd always remember who they came from, but I am not certain. Under American Ingenuity in the Lighter Moments section of this site, I had an elevator story that links well to your story. I believe this one was told to me by a fellow who was a medic attached to the 592nd. 106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=good&action=display&thread=133 |
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