How did this get there?

[Crewman]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
I can find no reference to the US Coast Guard being involved in the Normany Landings.

Hello Bill,

There were 97 vessels manned by the US Coast Guard at Normandy. USCG operated at Normandy beaches the ships serialled as follows:

LST Nos. 16, 17, 21, 27, 261, 262, 326, 327, 331, 381.
Total 76 USCG LSTs were used during D-Day preparations but not all were first line ships.

LCI(L) Nos. 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 349, 350.

Large AP Nos. AP-21, 61, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 121, 123.

Small AP Nos. AP-134, 135, 136, 141, 142, 143, 144, 155, 156, 124, 125, 176.

Large APA Nos. 12, 13, 14, 25, 26, 33, 35, 36, 37.

USCG Rescue Flotilla One operated also sixty 83-foot cutters serialled USCG-1 through USCG-60.

For more USCG-related data on the subject of the USCG at Normandy I highly recomend you Jonathan Gawne's book "Spearheading D-Day. American Special Units of the Normandy Invasion", Histoire & Collection, Paris 1998, ISBN 2-908-182-793.

Here it is also the link with some USCG at Normandy data.

Originally posted by Bill Murray
Somewhere, way back in time, I think I remember a reference to a small contingent of US Marines who were attached to Eisenhower's staff either as observers or as consultants for the Normandy invasion.

Yes, you are right. In the book I recomend you there is also an info about small USMC detachments at Normandy and about the greatest of them on board of USS Texas battleship.


Best regards

C.