The U.S. Navy at Normandy: Fleet Organization and Operations in the D-Day Invasion

by Greg H. Williams

Overview

In the many historical accounts of D-Day, the Navy, Coast Guard and merchant marine, who transported troops to the invasion beaches and supported the attack, are often given scant attention. Film clips of landing craft unloading men into the surf and battleships firing on enemy emplacements are familiar yet comparatively little is known about the contributions of the marine services and what they accomplished during the Normandy Invasion.

This book describes the Allied naval command structure for Operation Neptune and offers a comprehensive look at integrated offshore operations--how they were organized, who the sailors were and what they experienced.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476640372
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	10/13/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	443
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Greg H. Williams served four years in the Navy, including duty on the converted Liberty ship USS Granville S. Hall (YAG–40). He was one of 27 volunteer crewmen who made the entire five month voyage from San Francisco to Europe on the Jeremiah O’Brien in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He lives near Noti, Oregon.
Greg H. Williams served four years in the Navy, including duty on the converted Liberty ship USS Granville S. Hall (YAG-40). He was one of 27 volunteer crewmen who made the entire five month voyage from San Francisco to Europe on the Jeremiah O'Brien in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He lives near Noti, Oregon.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Amphibious Operations
Fleet Organization
The Sailors
The Wave Schedule
Atlantic–Pacific Turning Points
Chapter I
British Offensive Strategy
The First Front
­Pre-Invasion Planning Begins
Chapter II
Fortress Europa and the Second Front
Chapter III
The Western Front
The Landing Site and General Plan
American Bases and Geography
Churchill’s Harbour
Chapter IV
Landing Craft and Equipment
The Magic Box
Barrage Balloons
Duplex Drive Tanks
Chapter V
Dieppe, the First Test
Chapter VI
Tugs and Barges to England
Ammunition
Chapter VII
What Will Jerry Do?
The First Attack
Submarines, Mines and Obstacles
Chapter VIII
Invasion Support Services
News Coverage
Chapter IX
Allied Expedition Command
Allied Naval Command
Western Task Force Command
Motor Launches
Chapter X
Countdown Highlights from May 1
Destroyer Nelson
Destroyer Endicott
The Portland Air Raid
The Date Is Set
“Y” Day
Admiral Ramsay’s Special Order
Security
The Diversion Operation
The Postponement
“OK, we’ll go.”
Chapter XI
The Early Minesweepers
The UM Convoys
The Demolition Units
Chapter XII
The Main Assault and ­Follow-up Convoys
Freight, Oil and Water Convoys
American Assault Forces in the Eastern Sector
Chapter XIII
Tuesday, June 6
“The Big Show”
Reports from the Beaches
Chapter XIV
After ­D-Day: June 7–24
Chapter XV
The Capture of Cherbourg
Epilogue
One Family’s Story
Glossary
Appendix I
Appendix II
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

[Williams] describes in fascinating detail the Allied Command structure for Operation Neptune and presents in easy to digest [form] the integrated offshore operations, how they were organized, who the sailors were, and what they experienced as they, too, joined in the battles.”—ARGunners Magazine

From the Publisher