Americans on board Hms LCT1074 when it was torpedoed.

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by forgottenones, Aug 11, 2021.

  1. forgottenones

    forgottenones Member

    Hello, On Aug 25 1944 my wifes uncle was aboard HMS LCT1074 when it was torpedoed & sunk. Lost in the channel was 2nd Lt Norman C Noblett an American Officer. He's On the Wall of the Missing as well as 5 other Americans on this date. Of the 14 British sailors onboard, four survived on a still floating portion of the ship It was towed in by a rescue ship. Is there any written history or logs / diary's etc . Any information would be greatly appreciated. What is my next move? So far no records exist to prove he and the other 5 Americans were on this LCT when sunk. Thanks PS: Thanks Michael
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello and welcome

    if no answers here
    you could try our sister site http://ww2f.com/

    info you might already have

    LCT 1074 was first reported as mined, but it appears that she sank during a submarine attack:

    Admiralty War Diary 25.8.44
    Following report received from S.O. of STARLIGHT 76. L.C.T. 1074 struck a mine in swept channel at 0715 August 25 between 14C and 14D buoys in 00 degs. 45' 24" W. 049 degs. 50' 00" N. The stern was blown off this craft but bow section was towed to Utah Station ship THOMAS BAKER ROBERTSON by L.T.C.800. Survivors were given medical attention at T.B. ROBERTSON.
    (C.T.F. 125.1.3, 251610B to C. in C. Portsmouth)
    LCTs at Gold Beach


    you might like to contact Roll of Honour to see where their information came from

    Noblett N C, 2nd Lt US Army, 01556028, 25/08/44, 465th Ordnance Evacuation Company, United States Army, Purple Heart & WW2 Victory Medal, HM LCT1074.



    Crewlist from HMS LCT-1074 (British landing craft) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net
    HMS LCT-1074 (British Landing craft) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net



    Lieut Norman Chester Noblett (1913-1944) - Find A...
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    Last edited: Aug 11, 2021
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  3. Temujin

    Temujin Member

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  4. Temujin

    Temujin Member

  5. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Ordnance Evacuation Companies were tasked with transporting new tanks up to the front, and hauling broken-down ones that were blocking roads and bridges back to heavy maintenance units (the maintenance units often did this themselves) The companies were not generally suitable for recovery on the battlefield as they lacked most of the heavy recovery equipment that armored divisions had.

    TO&E 9-187

    Equipment Number
    Truck, 2-1/2 ton, 6x6 - 3 ea
    Truck, wrecking, 10-ton, M1 - 3 ea
    Truck, 40-ton, tank transporter, M25 - 18 ea


    Prior to the invasion of Normandy, the US First Army reorganized four Ordnance Evacuation Companies like this, to be better suited for battlefield recovery:

    Equipment Number
    Truck, 2-1/2 ton, 6x6 - 15 ea
    Truck, wrecking, 4-ton, 6x6 - 6 ea
    Truck, wrecking, 10-ton, M1 - 6 ea
    Vehicle, Tank Recovery, T2 - 2 ea
    Truck, 40-ton, tank transporter, M25 - 6 ea
     
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  6. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    2LT Norman Chester Noblett was lost-at-sea on 25 August 1944, and presumed killed-in-action in the English Channel. 2LT Noblett graduated from Army Bomb Disposal Class #22, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. 2LT Noblett served in the 3454th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company and his last assignment was with the 465th Ordnance Evacuation Company.

    On 25 August 1944, from the 465th Ordnance Evacuation Company that were listed as lost-at-sea and presumed killed-in-action were
    SGT William Adrian Barron (18126292), Texas,
    TEC5 Loren R. Dressander (36523083), Michigan, and
    TEC5 Virgil W. Schriner (37449725), Nebraska.
    PVT Louis Benjamin Morend Jr. (36755032), of the 465th Ordnance Evacuation Company body was recovered.

    2LT Norblett was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal. Additional Facts: Service Number: O1556028; Age: 30: Born: 17 September 1913, Detroit, Michigan; Enlisted:27 July 1942, Michigan; Buried: Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Basse-Normandie, France, Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Tablets of the Missing. Son of Richard Oswald Noblett and Eva Jane Dickerson, of Ontario, Canada, later relocated to Michigan. Sister Margueret Noblett and nephew Norman Noblett.

    Lieut Norman Chester Noblett (1913-1944) - Find A...
     
  7. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    A suggestion the body of Pvt Louis Benjamin Morena, WAS RECOVERED, and he was interred in France

    [​IMG]

    Name: Pvt Louis Benjamin Morend Jr
    Birth Date: 12 Sep 1924
    Birth Place: Cook County, Illinois, United States of America
    Death Date: 25 Aug 1944
    Death Place: Caen, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
    Cemetery: Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
    Burial or Cremation Place: Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France

    Although his Service Records “may” be part of the files that were destroy in 1970 fire in the US archives, the “burial records” information was stored separately and can still be accessed.

    These files “may” contain more information on his death etc

    I have done this for my own great uncle, who died at Anguar Island in the South Pacific. His military records WERE destroyed in the fire, but the Archives redirected me the “burial records”, which did give me information.

    These records may be able to confirm if he was on HM LCT 1074 at that time…..and subsequently the other members of the 465th Ordnance Evacuation Company would have been on the same ship

    Here’s a link to the ABMC site that you can start the process.

    Search ABMC Burials and Memorials | American Battle Monuments Commission
     
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  8. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Admiralty War Diary information as pointed out by CL1 above

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    Last edited: Aug 12, 2021
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  9. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    U-Boat Attack Logs: A Complete Record of Warship Sinkings from Original Sources 1939 - 1945

    U-Boat Attack Logs
    [​IMG]
     
  10. wightspirit

    wightspirit Junior Member

  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  12. forgottenones

    forgottenones Member

    Gentleman, I ever so grateful for your help. I will try the UK Archieves as suggested. More to his story.... After receiving the telegram his father didn't believe his son was dead The message said he was missing and presumed dead. My wifes grandfather quickly joined the Merchant Marines here in the states and went overseas hoping to find him unconscious, wounded and in a hospital somewhere in France.
     
  13. forgottenones

    forgottenones Member

    I have tried the archives today looking at the casualty inquiry on the missing but I am unable to request a copy due to the high volume of requests. Thank you all
     
  14. forgottenones

    forgottenones Member

    Hello, I found this web site today ... https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?83867 . Do any of you know if they actually have under water photos of what is left of LCT 1074 in the channel? Thank you, Bruce
     
  15. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Drop them a line
    would assume if they did they would appear on website
    Also remember it is a war grave
     
  16. Darius333

    Darius333 Junior Member

    Hello friends,

    a littel more on the U 764 attack by T5 "Zaunköning" torpedoes :
    HMA

    Regards

    Darius
     
  17. Darius333

    Darius333 Junior Member

    Additional information:
    1. In the HMA database we have to correct a typo, target was LCT 1074 not LCT 1047.
    2. We recived an extract from the war diary of U 764 with the attack data.

    Regards

    Darius
     

    Attached Files:

  18. Grear War Diary extract Darius!

    There should be another correction in the HMA database: nationality of target (LCT 1074) was British, not American. Otherwise HM LCT(4) 1074 will be confused with US LCT(6) 1074.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2021
  19. Darius333

    Darius333 Junior Member

    Hi Michel,

    OK, we will change the flag, too.

    Regards

    Darius
     
  20. forgottenones

    forgottenones Member

    Was she part of a flotilla / convoy or by herself? I read a potion of her survived the attack & was towed by LCT-800 to Utah Beach. Was LCT-800 a British ship? I have seen her listed as HMS LCT-1074/ MSLCT-1074. I also see that the only remaining craft is designated as Hlct7074. Does the designations change after being lost / sold? Thanks
     

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