Report of Lieutenant Rockwell, Commanding LCT Group 35(Mark 6)
to the Commander-in-Chief of the USNavy
through the commander of LCT6 Flotilla 12 and the commanders of Task Forces 124 and 122
dated 14 July 1944
(Extracts)
"1 - 16 LCT(Mod. 6) especially rigging left Portland (England) on 3 June at 03:00, each carrying 4 tanks DD amphibious plus jeeps with trailers. Our goal was Omaha Beach on the French coast. I was on board LCT 535, where I had been tasked with commanding the 16 ships until they arrived in the anchorage zone (10 miles from Omaha Beach).
2 - Arriving in this zon around 0345 on June 6, 1944, the LCT force separated, in accordance with the plans, into 2 columns of 8 ships each; one, at the orders of Lt(jg) J.E. Barry on board LCT 549, was to launch his tanks of the 741st Battalion off Fox Green and Easy Red Beaches, as part of Force "O-1", while I was to drive the other LCT and launch the tanks of the 743rd Battalion off the "Dog Green" and "Dog White" beaches, as part of the "O-2" Force.........
............. The LCT of Force "O -2" were No.: LCT 535, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 713.
We met at Point "King" the LCS (Landing Craft Survey) to guide us to the launch line. The LCT of Force O-2 advanced along the channel (draped) of the Fire Support Force (the battleship "Texas" and the cruiser "Glasgow") on the right flank of the assault zone, arriving at 0515 at a point about 5500m from the beach, designated by the patrolman PC1225 who had taken us in charge during the descent of the dredged channel. The 8 LCTs then in column turned left and continued in parallel column to the coast, slowly because we had ample time.
Long before that time, it appeared that the sea would not be ideal for launching tanks. Before leaving Portland, the question had arisen for us of the possibility of having to continue to the beach if the sea was too strong for launch. Despite our insistence that a decision be made by a single senior Army officer for the 2 battalions, the issue of launching was finally left to the oldest officers of each of the 2 battalions, in the present case Captain Thonton of the 741st and Captain Elder of the 743rd. This decision was agreed by Colonels Skaggs and Upham, commanding the 741st and 743rd Battalions respectively.
At 05:05, we contacted Captain Elder via the tank radio and we agreed perfectly that the 743rd tanks should not be launched to the sea, but driven directly to land on the designated beaches. As a result, all the ships sailed from 90° simultaneously to 0540, and proceeded towards the beach, the guide ship, ours, LCT 535, touching the beach at 0629. The others touched within 2 minutes. Despite the rather strong firing of machine guns and higher calibres, all but one of the tanks were successfully dropped on their target ranges. All the ships withdrew successfully, although two of them suffered direct blows and losses among the crews. Later, ramps were lost as a result of damage caused by shells to lifting machinery.........
...................... However, we have not had contact with the Command of the 741st Battalion...
...........................It can be noted today that the operational reports of all the officers in charge of the LCT with DD tanks of Force O-1 submitted to us, said that they were surprised when the order of launch was given. All were ready to go to the beach and unload the tanks."