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The Administrative and Logistical History of the ETO
PART VI
NEPTUNE: Training, Mounting, The Artificial PortsHistorical Division
United States Army Forces, European Theater
Lt. Clifford L. Jones
March 1946
Table of Contents
Volume I Chapter Page Foreword i I Background of Amphibious Operations 1 The Beginnings of Invasions Training in the United States Early Developments in the United Kingdom Arrival of American Units in the United Kingdom II Amphibious Operations in the Mediterranean 12 Planning for TORCH Operation TORCH Lessons From TORCH Training in North Africa Preparations for HUSKY Operation HUSKY Lessons From HUSKY Operation AVALANCHE Operation SHINGLE Summary III Early Training in the United Kingdom 53 Contact with other Theaters Training Policy in the United Kingdom The American School Center The Joint Q Planning School The 29th Division in the United Kingdom Miscellaneous Training Development of Doctrine Through Exercises IV Planning for OVERLORD and NEPTUNE 95 The Evolution of the Plan Planning by Engineers Plan NEPTUNE--General Plan NEPTUNE--Mounting Plan NEPTUNE--The Assault Plan NEPTUNE--Beach Operations Basic Agreements V Composition of the Forces 144 Selection of Assault Units The Assault Units Composition of Shore Units VI The Assault Training Center 164 The Background of the Center Activation of the Center Center Doctrine Setting up the Center Organization of Assault Troops Courses at the Center Development of Doctrine Center Chronology VII Exercises 211 Exercise DUCK I Exercises DUCK II, DUCK III Exercise FOX Other Assault Exercises Miscellaneous Exercises Exercise TIGER TIGER--The E-Boat Attack Exercise FABIUS VIII Mounting 275 The Base Sections Development of Marshalling Facilities Marshalling Facilities in Southern Base Section Marshalling Facilities in Western Base Section Control of Movement Equipping the Invasion Force Waterproofing Marshalling in Southern Base Section Marshalling in Western Base Section Composition of the Assault Convoys Briefing and Embarkation Volume II IX D Day, OMAHA 1 Introduction OMAHA Beach The Voyage of the Assault Convoy The Preliminary Bombardment H Hour--The Gap Assault Teams First Engineer Landings Mid-morning Mid-day Late Afternoon D Day Night X D Day UTAH 34 Introduction UTAH Beac The Voyage of the Assault Convoy Paratroop Landings and Preliminary Bombardment H Hour--The Gap Assault Teams First Engineer Landings Development of UTAH Beach on D Day XI OMAHA Beach Development to the Storm 63 The Tactical Situation Marking the Beaches Development of the Beach D plus 6--Opening the Inland Dumps Later Improvements XII UTAH Beach Development to the Storm 86 The Tactical Situation Marking the Beaches Development of the Beach Unloading Operations Dump Activities Personnel and Vehicles Beach Development XIII The Storm Period 110 Planning the Harbor Construction of the Harbor The Storm Damage caused by the Storm The Change in Plan, Arromanches Aftermath of the Storm XIV The Beaches After the Storm 135 Settling down to Normal August Operations Fall Operations Movement of Personnel Movement of Supplies Appendices A Tonnages of cargo unloaded at the beaches, 6 June to 19 Nov 44 B Personnel crossing the beaches from 6 June to 14 Nov 44 C Movement of vehicles across beaches, 6 June to 12 Nov 44 D Casualties handled at the beaches, 6 June to 4 Sep 44 E Prisoner evacuation via the beaches, 6 June to 4 Sep 44 F Breakdown of tons discharged by DUKW, ferry-craft, barge, direct to truck, 31 Aug to 20 Nov 44 Bibliography 193 Graphics 1 RATTLE Conference appreciation of beach capacities of Western France, July 1942 2 COSSAC final plan of November 1943, designating beaches, ports, future plans for lines of communications, etc, and including the changes of February 1944 3 The OVERLORD plan, including the naval plan, the SBS divisions, ports of debarkation etc. 4 Plan for the GOOSEBERRIES and MULBERRIES at OMAHA and UTAH 5 Assault Training Center map, with insert of map of England, showing location of training areas and schools mentioned in Chapter III 6 Schematic organization of an assault regiment, battalion, company, team, and their attachments etc. 7 The Mounting Plan for southern England, showing SBS and WBS, the ports, division of responsibility for mounting the assault forces, follow-up and buildup 8 OMAHA Beach, showing planned exits, dump areas, transit areas 9 UTAH Beach, showing the same plans as in Figure 8 10 UTAH Beach as it actually developed 11 Command and communications channels at the beaches, showing relationship of Navy and Army commands