| Original caption: “United States serviceman attend a Protestant service aboard a landing craft before the D-Day invasion on the coast of France.” Men of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment, and the Headquarters Company of the 101st Airborne Infantry Division read prayer cards. The censor has scratched out the “Screaming Eagle” unit patch on the men’s shoulders. They are standing on the decks of USS Landing Craft Infantry, Large LCI(L)-3 (left), USS LCI(L)-4 (center), and USS LCI(L)-5 (right). At this time, they have been on these LCIs for 3 days. Because of a lack of available gliders and tow transports, the entire 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, along with the 1st Battalion of the 401st, were transported by sea. They suffered heavy casualties after landing as they fought to link up with the rest of the 101st Airborne. The 2nd Battalion of the 401st was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division and landed with the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment on the night of June 7, 1944, in Operation Hackensack, which reinforced the 82nd. The 1st Battalion was held as a reserve, landing on Utah Beach with the 4th Infantry Division. Salcombe was a resort town in Devon. During World War II, a radar station was set up at Bolt Head, and Salcombe became an Advance Amphibious Base for the United States Navy in September 1943. The Salcombe Hotel became the latter’s headquarters and 60 other properties were requisitioned, and Quonset huts were built on the hill near the Rugby Club. As well, Whitestrand Quay and slipway were constructed. 137 officers and 1,793 men were based at Salcombe. 66 ships and many auxiliary vessels sailed from Salcombe, as part of “Force U” which landed on Utah Beach, Normandy. Afterwards, Shadycombe Creek and Mill Bay were used to repair damaged landing craft. USS LCI(L)-3, part of Task Group 125.5, Convoy U-1B, was moored at Plymouth on June 2, 1944, and loaded with troops from the various units: 6 officers and 42 men of Headquarters Company, 101st Airborne Division in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Roger W. Parkinson; 7 officers and 146 men of Company C, 401st Glider Infantry under 1st Lieutenant Preston E. Townes; 3 men of Battery C, 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion and their equipment. The total of United States Army personnel aboard was 204 — 13 officers and 191 enlisted men. USS LCI(L)-3 transited to Salcombe on June 5. LCI(L)-3 arrived at 0725 Hours off Utah Beach on the morning of June 6, and anchored off Uncle Red sector at 0900 Hours. While attempting to land on the beach, LCI(L)-3 collided with LCI(L)-231, but there was no damage to either ship. At 1230 Hours, after waiting for congestion on the beach to clear, LCI(L)-3, LCI(L)-4, LLCI(L)-5, and LCI(L)-8 transferred their Army passengers to Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM)s to take them the last 8 or 900 yards (800 meters) to the beach. The LCMs didn’t encounter any Nazi German fire while unloading, but observers on LCI(L)-3 could see shells landing on the beach itself. USS LCI(L)-4, also part of Task Group 125.5, Convoy U-1B, embarked 151 officers and men of Company B, 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Infantry Division, 50 officers and men of the 326th Airborne Medical Group, and a 3-man team from Battery C, 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion and their equipment on June 2, 1944, in Plymouth. On June 5, LCI(L)-4 was anchored in Salcombe’s upper channel, with LCI(L)-5 alongside. LCI(L)-4 lost power due to water in the fuel system on the way to Utah Beach. After effecting repairs, LCI(L)-4 drove on all engine power to retake her position in the convoy. LCI(L)-4 took position off Utah Beach at 0730 Hours. At 0927 Hours, she began transferring the Army personnel to LCMs, which lasted until 1237 Hours. She tHen stood off Utah Beach waiting for orders. USS LCI(L)-5, also part of Task Group 125.5, Convoy U-1B, loaded 197 officers and men of the 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Infantry Division and 3 war correspondents at Plymouth on June 2, 1944. The next day, she transited to Salcombe. At 1800 Hours, Weston C. Haynes (January 8, 1909 – May 1974), a Minneapolis Tribune photographer who was working for the Associated Press and Office of War Information, presented with recurrent malarial fever. Haynes had traveled extensively and had malaria in Benghazi during tHe North Africa campaign. Haynes, probably traveling with press photographer Peter J. Carroll (May 7, 1911 – August 27, 1966) who took this photo, was not allowed to disembark as it would’ve delayed the convoy. USS LCI(L)-5 arrived off Utah Beach at 0850 Hours. The crew watched USS LCT-777 hit a mine at 1035 Hours. Her cargo of 4 M4 Sherman tanks sank with her and 5 sailors were killed. USS LCI(L)-5 anchored a 1,000 yards off the beach at 1216 Hours and unloaded her Army personnel into USS LCM-76, USS LCM-88 and USS LCM-94. This took 20 minutes and there were no casualties. Haynes, despite his malaria, disembarked via an LCM. USS LCI(L)-5 was anchored off Utah Beach at 1350 Hours. The next day she received minor damage, including holes above her waterline, chasing down rogue pontoon barges. USS LCI(L)-8, also part of Task Group 125.5, Convoy U-1B, left Uncle Red sector at 1225 Hours and anchored offshore by 1415 Hours. USS LCI(L)-326, seen in the background, wasn’t part of a Task Group and operated as a salvage and firefighting unit on June 6. Her crew delivered her firefighting team of 1 officer and 5 enlisted men with 2 pumps by 1300 Hours. She then towed Rhino ferries for the rest of the day. Salcombe Advance Amphibious Base closed on May 7, 1945, and a plaque was erected on Normandy Way to commemorate the United States Navy. Salcombe and the surrounding district suffered a number of bombing raids during the war. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0461.jpg |
| Image Size | 887.02 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2391 |
| Photographer | Peter J. Carroll |
| Photographer Title | Office for Emergency Management, Office of War Information |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 5, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Salcombe |
| State or Province | Devon |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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