| Original caption: “United States troops embarked in an Landing Craft Assault (LCA) at Weymouth, Dorset.” At the intersection of Custom House Quay and the Esplanade on the waterfront in Weymouth, Dorset, United States Army 5th Battalion Rangers have begun boarding 5 Royal Navy Landing Craft, Assault (LCAs) for the trip out to their transport anchored in the harbor during embarkation shortly before D-Day. The Rangers carried M1 Garand 30 caliber (7.62 millimeter) rifles, Bangalore torpedoes strapped to their rifles for blowing gaps in wire obstacles, M1 30 caliber Carbines, M1 Helmets, and other assault gear. Some men have rifle grenade attachments to their barrels. 5th Ranger Battalion landed on Dog Green sector, Omaha Beach, on D-Day, while Companies D, E, and F, 2nd Ranger Battalion assaulted Pointe du Hoc. HMS Prince Leopold, a channel ferry converted into a Landing Ship Infantry, Small (LSI(S)) carried LCAs of the 504th LCA Flotilla, numbers 550, 568, 570, 571, 622, 623 and 1045. Prince Leopold’s Captain was John A. Lowe (August 21, 1905 – August 7, 1975) from December 20, 1942, until her sinking by U-621 on July 29, 1944. LCAs were only deployed from British ships on D-Day; so these LCAs had United Kingdom Royal Navy crews. You can see them in the background of this view. HMS Prince Leopold was attached to Task Group 124.6, Assault Group O4, for the Normandy invasion. Other units of 5th Ranger Battalion were carried by HMS Beaudoin, another ferry converted into an LSI. In the background, Landing Craft Infantry, Large USS LCI(L)-497, USS LCI(L)-84, and USS LCH-87 can be seen nested together alongside the quay. LCI(L)-497 served in Task Group 124.5, Assault Group O3, carrying 3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment to Easy Red sector. It was heavily damaged by a Nazi German mine and left on the beach as a total constructive loss. A Coast Guard ship, USS LCI(L)-84 was assigned to Task Group 124.4, Assault Group O2, carrying the 116th Infantry Regiment to Omaha Beach. LCH-87 was a Landing Craft Infantry, Large converted to a Headquarters ship. United States Coast Guard Captain Miles H. Imlay (November 22, 1902 – March 12, 1975), commander of LCI Flotilla 10, directed the landing operations of Coast Guard LCIs from LCH-87. Imlay, as the deputy assault commander of the Coast Guard’s Omaha Assault Task Group 124.3, Group O1, to act as a traffic policeman and to ensure that all went according to plan. He cajoled, threatened and encouraged the ships and craft all up and down the waters off the Omaha assault area all morning, making sure that they landed on the correct beaches at their appointed times. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0459.jpg |
| Image Size | 420.98 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2326 x 1844 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 5, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Weymouth |
| State or Province | Dorset |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | EA 25358 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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