D-Day minus 1 (June 5, 1944) U.S. Invasion craft jammed into harbor at Weymouth, England, the day before D-day, during World War 2. Troops sitting on deck of LSI(L) 88, drinking coffee and playing dice game. One soldier looking through binoculars, at an English woman,in doorway of her flat, who is looking back through her binoculars. Several other women in the flat complex are hanging laundry out to dry.The American soldier cups his hands and tries to call out to the woman.One of his friends joins in the fun. Scene shifts to Formation of U.S. B-26 bombers in flight. A city is viewed from a bomber, with smoke rising from bomb bursts. Formation of U.S. B-17 bombers escorted by P-47 fighters. Scene shifts back to troops at port of embarkation, where large group is seen at a Catholic mass being held on a pier by U.S. chaplain.LCI(L)s numbers 49, 89, and 93, are seen tied up in background. A U.S.Coast Guard officer briefs his crewmen. Several of the invasion fleet ships begin moving out of the harbor. A U.S. Navy Captain, conversing with Major General Clarence R. Huebner, Commander, U.S. 1st Infantry Division, on deck of a ship. Buckley-Class Destroyer escort, in camouflage paint, is seen with other other escorting warships. Barrage Balloons fly aloft. View from LCI(L) departing pier in Weymouth. Several others preparing to depart as well. LCI(L) 498 is seen closeby. Columns of invasion craft underway. Captain Miles Imlay,USCG, deputy commander, Assault Group O-1, and Commander of Flotilla 10, on the bridge of his flagship, LCI(L) 87. The U.S. Attack transport USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) is seen. Soldiers loading rounds into an ammunition belt. Crew members on an invasion ship man an antiaircraft gun (as friendly aircraft fly overhead). An 83-ft Coast Guard rescue cutter. U.S. Battleships. Soldiers napping on deck of the USS Samuel Chase. Below decks, a Coast Guard Commander joins others being briefed with help of a mockup of the Normandy coastline.
Loading of USS Burnett County (LST-512) at Polgwidden (a.k.a. Trebah) beach, Helford River, near Falmouth, England during World War 2. View from top deck of the LST, as vehicles drive up a ramp and into positions on the deck. An M3 half track pulls up a trailer on the ramp of the LST. View from antiaircraft gun emplacement overlooking embarkation point. A sailor aboard the LST signals. Army vehicles are seen moving down a road and assembling at the embarkation wharf. (Note: Although these troops and equipment embarked on June 1, 1944, they remained aboard 5 days as foul weather delayed the actual D-Day landings until June 6, 1944)
A dramatized film entitled "Beachhead to Berlin" describes preparations for the Allied invasion of France and the drive toward Berlin. Film combines actors and actual footage. Harbor in Greenway England in July, 1944. U.S. Coast Guard Barracks. Coast Guard men playing cards. One on a bunk contemplating. Chaplain's office: Chaplain typing and smoking a pipe. Audio narration of his letter being read, describing how things transpired at the Normandy beaches during the Invasion of France. Then actual footage of wounded being transported on ships after D-Day Normandy invasion. In England, footage of LCIs, LCVPs, Coast Guard cutters, including the Flying Angel Rescue Cutter. All of these ships participating in "dry run" practices for the actual Normandy landing. Coast Guard crews on decks of ships. Infantry loading landing crafts in England for dry runs. Landing craft arriving on English beaches during dry runs. A jeep drives off a landing craft and gets stuck on metal mesh on the beach. A tank is driven off a landing craft. Men maintaining ships. Scraping rust from the deck, painting identifications on ships, repairing rope ladders, and welding. (World War II period).
D-day minus 1 (June 5, 1944) during World War 2. U.S. soldiers eat a meal while seated on the deck of a Large Landing Craft Infantry LCI(L) number 88, docked in Weymouth, England. (This ship would be the first LCI(L) to carry troops to the Easy Red landing zone during the second wave of landings at Omaha beach, on D-Day. Among troops landing there would be the 16th Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, with support from 7th Field Artillery Battalion;1st Engineer Combat Battalion; 1st Medical Battalion; 741st Tank Battalion (DD); 62d Armored Field Artillery Battalion; and 20th Engineer Combat Battalion.) A Captain and a field grade officer sit next to each other on the ship's deck. One soldier looks through his binoculars at an English woman standing outside her back door, looking back at him through her binoculars. Wash is drying on her line. The soldier tries to call out to her, but stops, realizing it is futile. Several of his buddies are amused by the whole event. Scene shifts to U.S. Army Air Forces B-26 bombers flying in formation, and then to aerial views from an aircraft, of bombs exploding on the ground in a city below. Next, a formation of B-17 bombers is seen, escorted by P-47 fighters. Scene shifts back to Weymouth harbor again, where American troops attend a Roman Catholic mass on the pier, adminstered by a military chaplain, wearing traditional clerical garb. LCL(L)s number 89 and 93 are seen tied up in the background. Coast Guardsmen gather around one of their ship's officers who briefs them on the operation.
Loading of a U.S. LST (Landing Ship, Tank) at Polgwidden (A.K.A Trebah) beach , Helford River, near Falmouth, Cornwall, England during World War 2. (From the superstructure visible this is probably LST 532, USS Chase County.) A jeep pulls a trailer aboard the LST. Two jeeps on the elevator of the LST as it rises to upper deck. The upper deck of the LST shows a truck backing up on a ramp. (Note:This footage was taken on June 1, 1944, as the troops and equipment embarked for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. They spent the next 5 days very uncomfortably aboard due to stormy weather that delayed the landings until June 6th.)
Loading of U.S. LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank) at Polgwidden (a.k.a. Trebah) Beach, Helford River, near Falmouth, Cornwall, England, on 1st June 1944.in World War 2. U.S. LST 27, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy LST 533 are loading vehicles in readiness for the invasion of Normandy. A truck pulls a trailer up the ramp of LST 27. A jeep enters the LST. Some sailors and troops seen on the deck of the LST. A barrage balloon in the sky. U.S.Army vehicles travel through the village of Mawnan Smith on their way to embarkation at Trebah (Polgwidden).