First off we didn't land on the sector of the beach where we were supposed to be. When we finally did reach the beach and the ramp was dropped, we were jammed against another LCVP that hit some kind of underwater obstacle, as it was cocked to one side and we were bumping it.
The water started rushing in and the sailors were yelling at us to get the lead out and hurry it up and get out. They used different language of course. When I reached for my pack board a wave knocked it from my hands but luckliy washed back to my reach. I remember being weak from throwing up so much.
The water was about 4 feet deep. My helmet fell off into the water but I made a quick grasp for it before it sank. The plastic wrap of my rifle came off during this time. The sand got into the barrel and breech, but you just couldn't hurt the M1.
Bullets were hitting the obstacles all around us. We tried taking cover behind whatever obstacle was there, but that didn't do much good. We headed for the beach as fast as we could. All you could hear was the crack of bullets wizzing past you and hitting the water. I saw many many guys fall. The Officers kept yelling for us not to stop for anyone or anything but to keep moving and to get to the seawall front.
Somehow I made it to the cover of the shingle embankment a few hundred yards from where our boat landed. I'm not sure how high it was but it did offer some cover.
Most of the guys never made it out of the water. some of the craft was hit by artillery from the concrete pillbox near the top of the bluff or cliffs. Many guys were killed on the beach or in the water before reaching it. Our platoon leader a Sgt. (I don't remember his name) was wounded. Our Captain was wounded, and many, many more of the men. Most of the guys stayed behind the embankment until some officer would come along and urge them to follow him.
The Engineers had cleared a path about 4 feet wide up the cliff as it was mined.
After scaling the cliff we came down the side to the right of us and our objective was to open the codename "Belgian Barn Doors". These were hugh metal and barbed wire gates that sealed off the gully or passageway. What took place here in detail I can't explain other than that we completed our assignment.
As for the clothing we wore, yes we wore the assault jacket. Our clothing was treated with an impregnated to resist mustard or chemical gas. Lots of pockets. I had two pockets on my right upper sleeve. In them I had two packs of cigarettes and other stuff. In some period of time during the landing I took a round that cut a pack of cigarettes in half. I found holes in other parts of my clothing also. I also took a round through my canteen bottle that exploded when it was hit, and knocked my to my side and threw me off balance.
As to the situation of our landing sector, it was plain havoc. First off all we didn't land where we were suppose to. It seemed everyone up front was falling face down. Bodies were all over the place. It was difficult to run as you were soaking wet. We were looking for bombed out craters but there wasn't any.
We took cover behind anything or obstacle that was in front of us.
There were gun positions built into the side of the bluffs. To our right was a stationary machine gun that fired straight down the beach, about a foot hight from the ground. The hardest part was not being able to help your buddies. Our orders were to move forward.
My memories at this point are just too terrible to describe ....
From a letter written on november 14, 1994.