2512 
Details - the second wave of assault in front of Vierville, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
(details) An LCA (of the CieB/116)
destroyed in Vierville
Story of Bob Sales of Company B of 116th Infantry Regiment
" I was on the command boat with Captain Zappacosta because I was his radio operator. I landed in Vierville-sur-Mer where I had to do it.
I climbed up to look over the side of the boat. We weren't far from the beach, but I couldn't see anyone. Company A was supposed to be on this beach, but I couldn't see any of this company's men. All I could see was bullet tracers. I yelled at Captain that I couldn't see a single man from this company on this beach and that I was just seeing machine gunshots tearing the beach, smoke was everywhere. Right after I was going down because the barter said he was going to lower the ramp The ramp was taken down, Captain Zappacosta was the first man to come out, and he was shot. He wasn't killed immediately because he was screaming. All those who went out were shot dead. We were caught in a crossfire. The only thing that saved me was that I stumbled, and I fell on the side of the ramp. I had the radio and got rid of it because I couldn't backtrack anymore, I was already on that beach where that machine gun was in action. It's the only thing that saved me, because I looked back and nobody was that quick to get out of the barge. Captain Zappacosta was yelling at me that he had been hit, I went to him but he had just sank and he didn't go up to the surface. I knew it was over for him. We were cut into pieces. Companies A, B, and D, those that landed in front of the German locations of Vierville-sur-Mer, were caught in a crossfire. Most of these men are in the cemetery there."Robert Sales, 29th Infantry Division, 116th Infantry Regiment, Company B (Oral History - Eisenhower Center)