| Original caption: “Invaders snatched from death – Lines heaved from a Coast Guard landing barge are grasped by survivors of a small vessel which collided with a Nazi mine close by the shores of the French Invasion Coast. Many of the crew were unconscious when rescued, being held safely afloat by their kapok life jackets. The rescue of these two survivors was made by a Coast Guard LCVP running to the beach with a load of Army Troops from a Coast Guard assault transport.” A number of Allied ships hit mines or other foundered beginning on June 4, 1944: HMS LCT-2498 foundered in the English Channel. 31 American soldiers were rescued by USS Barton (DD-772). On June 5, The Channel Tanker CHANT 63 capsized and sank in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire. USS LCT-428 a Landing Craft Tank Mark 5-class, was lost in the English Channel. Raven-class minesweeper USS Osprey struck a mine and sank in the English Channel. On June 6, HMS Centurion (Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom Royal Navy) Operation Neptune: The target ship, a former King George V-class battleship, was sunk as a breakwater in the English Channel off Normandy, France. USS Corry (DD-463), a Gleaves-class destroyer was shelled and sunk off Utah Beach, Normandy by German shore-based artillery with the loss of 24 of her 276 crew. Survivors were rescued by USS Butler (DD-636), USS Fitch (DD-462), USS Hobson (DD-464)and USS PT-199. USS LCI(L)-85, a LCI-1-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft, struck a mine and then was shelled and sunk off Normandy. USS LCI(L)-91, a LCI-1-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft struck a mine and sank off Normandy. USS LCI(L)-92, a LCI-1-class Landing Craft, Infantry was shelled, burned, and abandoned off Normandy. USS LCI(L)-93, a LCI-1-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft was holed by a submerged object, then shelled, beached, and abandoned off Normandy. HMS LCI(L)-185, a LCI-1-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft was lost off Normandy. USS LCI(L)-232, a LCI-1-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft was lost off Normandy. USS LCI(L)-416, a LCI-351-class Infantry Landing Craft, struck a mine and sank off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCI(L)-497, a LCI-351-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft, struck a mine and sank off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCI(L)-553, a LCI-351-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft, was shelled and sunk off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCT-22, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was lost off Normandy. USS LCT-25, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was shelled, burned, and sunk off Normandy. 2 crewmen killed. USS LCT-27, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft ran aground, then capsized and sank in shallow water off Normandy. Heavy weather pushed the wreck ashore. Survivors rescued by USS LCT-207. USS LCT-30, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft, was shelled and sunk off Normandy. 1 crewman killed. USS LCT-52, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft, was shelled and sunk off Normandy. USS LCT-197, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft capsized and sank from mine damage off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCT-229, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was lost off Normandy. USS LCT-294, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was damaged by a mine and scuttled off Omaha Beach, Normandy. Survivors rescued by USS LCT-20. USS LCT-305, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCT-332, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine off Normandy. USS LCT-362, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craftsank in heavy weather off Normandy. USS LCT-364, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine and a shell off Omaha Beach, Normandy. USS LCT-397 Operation Neptune: The Landing Craft, Tank struck a mine and sank off Utah Beach. USS LCT-555, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine off Normandy. Was later scrapped.USS LCT-703, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine off Normandy. HMS LCT-2039, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft, was swamped and capsized in heavy weather off Gold Beach, Normandy. Scuttled by Royal Navy ships.2 crewmen killed. HMS LCT-2191, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was shelled and sunk by German 88MM artillery off Sword Beach, Normandy. HMS LCT-2283, a Mark 5 Class Tank Landing Craft was lost off Normandy. HMS MTB-248, a White 73-foot-class Motor Torpedo Boat, was sunk in a collision in the English Channel. USS Meredith (DD-726), Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off Utah Beach with the loss of at least 7 crew. Salvage efforts were abandoned on June 9, following Luftwaffe bombing which split the ship in 2. USS Bates (DE-68) rescued 163 survivors from her 336 crew. The wreck was raised and scrapped in September 1960. USS PC-126, a PC-461-class submarine chaser, was shelled and sunk by German coast artillery off Normandy. Steamship Sambut, a Liberty ship, was shelled and sunk in the Strait of Dover by German artillery. HNoMS Svenner (G03) An S-class destroyer, was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off Normandy with the loss of 35 of her 219 crew. On June 7, United States Army transport ship USAT Francis C. Harrington struck a mine and sank off Normandy. 26 wounded were rescued by USS Blessman (DE-69). USS LCI(L)-416 a Mark 5-class Infantry (Large) Landing Craft, was sunk by a mine off Omaha Beach, Normandy. HMS LCT-427 a Mark 3-class Tank Landing Craft, was sunk in a collision with HMS Rodney off Southampton. USS LCT-458 a Mark 5-class Tank Landing Craft was sunk by a mine off Utah Beach, Normandy. 35 members of B Battery, 29th Field Artillery Battalion were killed and 22 wounded. USS LCT-486, a Mark 5-class Tank Landing Craft, was sunk by a mine off Normandy. Transport ship USS Susan B. Anthony (AP-72) struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off Normandy All 2,689 people were rescued by USS Blessman (DE-69), USS Pinto (AT-90) and a 3rd ship. USS Tide, an Auk-class minesweeper, struck a mine and sank in the English Channel off Normandy. Under the command of United States Coast Guard Captain Lyndon Spencer (January 26, 1898 – April 12, 1981), USS Bayfield served as command ship of Force “U” and stood off Utah Beach from June 6 until June 25, 1944. During that time, Bayfield’s Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel (LCVPs) often served as rescue craft for ships foundering from mines. Bayfield’s War Diary noted that on June 13, 1944, 3 LCVPs were dispatched to rescue survivors of USS LCT-467, which sank after striking a mine. Seaman 1st Class John H. Lofton (September 10, 1925 – June 19, 1944), United States Coast Guard Reserve, “went into the water to effect rescue work on arrival at the scene.” His Navy and Marine Corps Medal citation reads, “Upon approaching the stricken craft two soldiers were seen to be struggling in the water one of which appeared to be badly injured. The LCVP could not get close to the men because of the rough sea. Seaman First Class Lofton without hesitation or regard for his own personal safety jumped over board and swam to the assistance of the soldiers. He placed a life ring around the uninjured soldier and went on in an attempt to save the wounded man. When he reached the latter it was evident that the soldier was dead. He brought back the body of the craft and then swam out and brought the unwounded man back.” Bayfield’s June 1944 War Diary reported, “Prior to the arrival of the accommodation ship, and afterwards when conditions warranted, survivors were brought aboard, given medical attention when necessary, fed, and accommodated. Evacuees from the beach, principally Glider Pilots, were taken aboard temporarily during the early stages of the operation, and were routed back to the United Kingdom. The efforts of the Medical Staff, headed by 3 doctors and 1 dentist of the United States Public Health Service and augmented by 1 Navy Medical Officer attached to the Staff, were nothing short of heroic. On D+11, a total of 419 casualties had been brought aboard and cared for, the treatment involved ranging from appendectomies and amputations to the dressing of gunshot and shrapnel wounds. 307 of these casualties were brought aboard in 1 night. They were distributed throughout the ship, in Junior Officers’ Quarters, Troop Officers’ Quarters, Troop Quarters and Mess deck, in addition to the Sick Bay. Approximately 75 of these were wounded Prisoners of War. On D+13 (June 19), when USS LST-523 struck a mine and sank, Bayfield was again called upon to act as rescue, emergency, and hospital ship. All available boats were dispatched to the scene of the explosion, and subsequently 49 casualties, 70-fove survivors, and 2 dead were brought aboard. Survivors and casualties were cared for, quartered, and outfitted. All these men were kept aboard until D+17 (June 23) due to weather conditions. Seaman Lofton was aboard USS LST-523 when it struck a mine. 42 of her men perished in the incident. He was 1 of them. His body was never recovered. He was declared dead on June 20, 1945. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2061.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.35 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 3181 x 2397 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Coast Guard |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 6, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Normandy |
| Country | France |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | 26-G-2375 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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