2611
The Command Group of the 116th RCT
(extracts)
Report on the operations of the Command Group of 116th Reg.
(First part, landing on Dog White)
The LCVP 71, loaded on the LSI "USS Charles Carroll", was launched on June 6 around 06:00 (it was scheduled to approach Dog White at 07:30). It carried the following "Command Group":
Colonel Canham, CO 116th RI
General Cota, Assistant Commander of 29th I.D.
Major Howie, Officer S3/116RI
Major Jackson, Officer S2/116RI
Major Buckley, surgeon
Major Sours, Officer S4/116RI
Lt. Shea, General Cota's aide-de-camp, and its radio operator SCR300
Major Monzick, Officer S3/121 Engineer Battalion
Liaison Officer 1st DI and 2 radio crew
Liaison officer 16th RCT and its radio operator
Liaison Officer 743e Tank Bat, and its radio operator
Non-commissioned officer operations 116 RI and 4 radio operators
2 bodyguards of Colonel Canham
The barge approached the western limit of the Dog White area (village Defortescu), 700 m from the descent of Vierville, at about 7:30 a.m., the beach was under intense fire. The course to the shore was influenced (to the east and pushed by the current since the LCVP probably approached 1300m from the descent, near the future 1st US cemetery) to avoid floating mines (mostly obstacles).
The LCVP ran aground about 75m from the shore on a sand bank. In his efforts to escape, the pilot, Feliciano, made drift laterally the vessel that relied on an underwater obstacle surmounted by a Tellermine (which did not explode, probably rendered inert by his prolonged stay in the water). The boat was under machine gun fire, and the Colonel ordered to lower the ramp. Between the sandbank and shore there was a channel 1 to 2 m deep, and some members of the group had to swim. They all had water to the armpits. Coming out of the water, most ran for a while behind a DD tank on their way. Major Sours was killed before he reached the shore.
They all noticed that there was no trace of aerial bombardment on the beach. No craters by the water, no destruction of beach obstacles, and also very few traces of marine fire.
The bulk of the CieC/116 was placed along the pebble slope, and the Colonel and his staff immediately tried to get them out of the beach and out of the area exposed to the firing of machine guns, mortars and artillery that were approaching.
At about 8:15 a.m., Colonel Canham went to the left to contact his 2nd Battalion, and he was then hit by a bullet on his left wrist, crossed from side to side by approaching the bone. He returned to the PC for treatment, and continued to direct the movement of Cie C/116 (arm with a splint).
Shortly after its landing, the Command Group witnessed thearrival of LCI 91(scheduled for Dog White at 7:40 a.m., with engineers of the 121st and 147th Bat and elements of the 116th RI headquarters), carrying the 116th RI advanced headquarters, commanded by Lt-Colonel Cassell, Deputy Colonel Canham. Approximately 15 men descended without difficulty, when suddenly the port ramp was damaged by a mine. Shortly after artillery fire inflamed the ship. A lot of men jumped overboard.
Then the LCI 92 (planned for Dog White at 8:00 a.m., with the advance staff of the 6th Special Engineer Brigade and many sappers) touched ground and was immediately hit by artillery and incendiary rockets, suffering a similar fate. Many of the men who arrived at the shore were badly burned, including Colonel Chase, Cdr's deputy to the 6th Special Engineer Brigade.
Lt-Colonel Cassell made radio contact with his chief Colonel Canham, learning that he was still on the beach and was going towards Vierville (with Cie C/116). At that time, General Cota thought Colonel Canham could not secure his command. He ordered Lt-Colonel Cassell to join the Command Group towards Vierville. However, Colonel Canham refused to be evacuated and continued to lead operations for several days.
Meanwhile, with enemy fire increasing in volume and accuracy, it was decided to move the Command Group quickly to the cliff shelter. On the cliffside, there were still shots, but the smoke of the grass fires masked everything.
As they climbed the cliff, they were put in contact with elements of the G/116 Cie (Lt Hendricks and Hotaling) which had landed too eastward on the 16th RI area and had moved laterally to their Dog White area. Thus HQ learned why Dog White Beach, the target of the first wave of assault with G/116 Cie, had not been occupied by 6:30 a.m. A section of heavy machine guns from Lt.Murphy, Cie H/116, was attached to him.
The Command Group had to make its way through the cliff to the road east of Vierville. Small enemy positions of riflemen and machine guns were at the top of the slope. A "C" soldier was killed by sweeping a machine gun nest. He climbed up to the opening, threw a grenade into the casemate, killing the occupants. Many prisoners have been picked up in these locations......