| Original caption: “Troops move inland from the Surcouf “Charlie” beaches during the landing at Algiers, on 8 November 1942. Note U.S. Flag at left. Boat on right is from USS Almaack (AK-27).” Charlie Red 3 Beaches extended from Surcouf to the Oued (“Dry River Bed”) Reghaia, It was reserved for landing vehicles. Note the large American Flag and the British soldiers just under the beach rise. USS Almaack (AK-27) Captain Chester L. Nichols, commanding, carried 4 Landing Craft Mechanized (LCMs); 10 Landing Craft Personnel (LCPs); to embark the United States Army 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Oivision’s service and anti-tank companies. About 0346 h/ours on November 8, 1942, the crew of USS Almaack observed gunfire starting in the vicinity of the city of Algiers; action continued intermittently until dawn. Anchoring off Beach Red at 0904, Almaack ceased cargo operations at 1015, “evidently because of excessive congestion of boats” at beach Charlie Red 2. Within the hour, however, the ship resumed unloading, but only vehicles and guns, as directed. As she did so, she observed 3 German Junkers Ju 88 bombers pass overhead at 10,000 feet (3,000 m)—evidently looking for bigger game or possessing empty racks, since they dropped no bombs. The ship departed Hampton Roads for New York City on September 19, 1942. Joining Transport Division 11 in Convoy AT-26, the ship departed for Belfast Northern Ireland, on October 6. From October 6 to October 15 the ship waterproofed vehicles and practiced lowering boats before moving to Inveraray, Scotland. Without a proper landing rehearsal, the ship left a week later for Operation Torch. Working to get high priority vehicles and antiaircraft guns unloaded, Almaack soon found the wind and sea making operations difficult. A strong breeze from the northeast rendered the operation of small boats hazardous by 1400, but the unloading continued in the face of mounting difficulties. By 1645, however, after the ship had managed to put ashore some 52 vehicles and guns during the day, “loading became impossible” in the teeth of a fresh to strong breeze and a rough sea. Some of USS Almaakc’s boats were intact at the close of landing operations on November 8, but high tide caused coxswains to beach them to avoid swamping. 3 out of 11 beached boats were still usable. The lack of landing craft due to bombing and accidents led to cramming 2 vehicles into USS Almaack’s LCMs. Most of Transport Division 11’s landing craft were lost. This caused the Army to demand to operate landing craft in future operations, which General Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) denied. USS almanac entered Algiers Harbor on November 9 when hostilities ceased and began unloading through the port. Beach operations terminated. USS Almaack departed Algiers at 1800 Hours on November 12. U-155, Kapitanleutnant Adolf Piening (September 16, 1910 – May 15, 1984) in command, targeted the convoy; 3 ships, including uSS Almaack, were torpedoed in rapid succession. HMS Avenger (D14), an escort carrier, blew up with heavy loss of life. Almaack was towed to Gibraltar and salvaged in March 1943. After repairs in the United States, she served in the Pacific Theatre for the rest of the war. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0742.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.52 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 5734 x 3713 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 8, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | Surcouf |
| State or Province | Algiers |
| Country | Algeria |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | 208-N-5884 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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