Omaha Beach landing tables

Good morning. Part of the research I have been doing on my grandfather has now come down to finding out more information about the Omaha Beach landing tables. I have tried to understand the terminology, but to no avail. Perhaps someone here can help.

On this website, https://www.dday-overlord.com/.../omaha-beach/landing-table , I understand the first wave times, i.e., H Hour was about 6:30, and so forth. The Omaha Beach Second Wave listing on the right of the page, shows Q+00, etc. and Third Wave shows 3T+00, etc. What day and times were those waves? Were those on June 6?

My grandfather says in two different written memoirs that he landed on Omaha on D-Day in the second wave (and he said it wasn't much better than the first wave), about 7:30 a.m., and spent the day and night pinned down on the beach. In a third memoir, written later in life, he says something landing on the eve of D-Day (could have meant evening??) and was on the beach all night. He was an artillery officer (forward observer) and landed with the 1st Inf Div. He was part the 186th Field Art Battalion, V Corp Artillery.

 

Try the search function. Enter 'Omaha Beach'. Thread by Trux. There should be a great deal of information including easy to understand Landing Tables.

Good Luck.

Mike

 

Not sure about the 'Q' but '2T' and'3T' are the second and third tides and shouldn't be confused with the waves of the 'first tide' assault.

This quickly-googled extract suggests Second Tide was at H+9. Given H was after low water on a rising tide, Second Tide must have been around a low. More landlubber logic suggests Third Tide ought to have been around H+21-and-a-bit, let's say 0330 on D+1; presumably just enough light to land and the whole day to crack on.

I await correction...

 

I agree with Idler that it probably indicates third tide, early D+1. I cannot find any mention of 186 Field Artillery, probably because as a Forward Observation Officer he is listed with the Infantry unit he was working with. If we knew that unit we would know the planned time of landing. All landings on D+1 were delayed.

Mike

 

He (my grandfather) always said he landed with the 1st Inf Division at about 7:30 a.m. on D-Day.

 

So that means Second Tide could have been around early afternoon, perhaps 2:00 PM?

 

Hello, New here:
My father, PfC John Basil Hopkins, 32nd Field Artillery Batallion, attached 18th RCT, 1st ID landed, IFAIK, Easy Red, around mid to late afternoon, 6 June '44.
(this would have been his second "D-Day", Operation Husky, "Kool Force" 18th RCT+ 32nd FAB - Patton reserve for Gela, Sicily
I have yet to find references to landing tables for the 32nd FAB/18th RCT; On this website.
Assuming standard for Field Artillery was via LCT (Howitzers, "deuces" and Jeeps + troops)
(I have seen Periscope Film footage showing 105 Howitzers actually firing from the LCT!!
I would like to know which LCT and/or APA, actual logged landing time... along with every other related information you may have assembled.
footnote: My father was authorized an "Arrowhead" for his amphibious landing at Normandy, He was also awarded a Bronze Star w/"V" by 1st ID. (one of the few listed on the 1st ID General Orders)
Also, he was not authorized an "Arrowhead" for Husky/Sicily landing as the reserve force was not part of the initial landing
(he arrived/was assigned to 32ndFAB in the North Africa Theater of Operations (aka "NATO") on 11 May '43 and is recorded as "arriving" MTO (Mediterranean Theater of Operations) on 10 Jun. '43 (the day after Husky)
I have a copy of his WD AGO 53-55 "Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge"
many thanks for any additional information.

 

The 18th RCT including the 32d FA Bn were part of Assault Group O-3 (TF 124.5) (18th RCT), Captain Schulten, USN. Problematically, the Battalion Journal File reported they (Bn HQ) loaded on "LCT 51", which was not present at Normandy. So it may be a LTIN. The LCT assigned to O-3 were:

LCT (5): 7, 22, 202, 415, 431, 434, and 460
LCT (6): 562, 618, 619, 628, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 657, 658, 659, 667, 706, 707, 708, 711, 712, 715, 768, and 857

They also say they - Battery Commanders and Parties, Battalion Executive and Party, Liaison Officers and Parties, and Forward Observers and Parties landed on EASY RED at 1030 hours (so c. H+240). The Firing Batteries landed on EASY RED at 1730 hours. Landing was under fire and some casualties were inflicted, but no details. The Battalion was in firing position at St Laurent du Mer as of 1945 hours and had lost 25 vehicles in deep water during the landing.

Note that firing from the LCT - known as "beach drenching" - was only done by the assault waves, Assault Group O-1 and O-2 and there it was from the embarked Armored FA Battalions, the 58th and 62d (one of whose LCT was mined and sunk). The 1st Infantry Division FA battalions in the assault, the 7th, came in on DUKW and lost 7 of 12 howitzers when the overloaded craft foundered.

Hope that helps.

 

Great!! thank you,
So assumption was 32ndFAB deployment via LCT (vs. LCVP) is "believable"... Launched from LST?
Have copy/pasted from a French website, landing tables, generally wherever "Easy Red" is recorded;
H+90 (08:00) 1st Div. HQ & V Corps LST 375 LCI 491 Easy Red
H+195 (09:45) 2/18th Infantry Regiment Arundel LCI 489 Easy Red
H+210 (10:00) 1/18th Infantry Regiment & HQ 18th IR LCI 488 LCI 490 LCI 494 LCI 496 LCI 498 Easy Red
H+210 minutes3/18th Infantry Regiment LCI 487 LCI 493 LCI 495 LCI 497 Easy Red
and...
H+195 (09:45) 2nd Bn, 18th Regiment, 1st Division via mix of LCVP, "Order Numbers" 3001 thru 3021
H+210 (10:00) 1st & 3rd Bn, 18th Regiment, 1st Division via LCI, "Order Numbers" 3022 thru 3030
H+220 (10:10) 1st & 3rd Bn, 18th Regiment, 1st Division VIA LCT "Order Numbers" 3031 thru 3035... These are the only LCTs listed for the 18th...LCTs for x-port of Howitzer equipment?
"shot-in-the-dark" guess: my father (32ndFAB) landed with 1st & 3rd Bn, 18thRCT around 10:10 (H+220)
H+240 (10;30): Easy Red LCT LCT LCT LCVP LCVP Rhino Rhino "Order Numbers" 3036 thru 3038A/B

Again, thank you!
BTW: "LTIN"?

 

p.s. Re "firing Batteries":cannot find listings for 17:30 landings; only H+420 (13:30) and H+720 (18:30)... "Rhinos"

 

p.p.s. did the referenced "Order Numbers" have manifests? or Bills of Lading?
(assuming from Portsmouth)

 

(oops, "Portland")

 

LTIN - Landing Table Identification Number - not the hull number, but its position within the landing plan. It was sometimes called an "Order Number".

No, a FABN did not land from LCVP, they landed in most case from LCT loaded at the Embarkation Area. The 32d FABN Journal is quite clear. The HQ & HQ and Firing batteries loaded on LCT at Portland.

The 21 LCVP the 2d Bn, 18th Inf landed on were those of the Anne Arundel. The LCI(L) the 1st and 3d Bn landed from were preloaded in Portland. Those LCI(L) numbers again are LTIN.

Those landing tables do not list the 32d for some reason. Typically,there was one Battery per LCT. The HQ & HQ Btry was probably 3031, then A, B, and C were 3032, 3033, and 3034. 3035 could have been Cannon or AT Co or even the attached Engineer Co.. Rhino ferries generally brought vehicles preloaded with stores.

 

Hi,

Below are the extracts from the Landing Table CT 18 relevant to 32nd FA Bn.

The Landing Table Index Number corresponds to a load, and as Rich said is listed in order of its position within the landing plan. One ship or craft might have carried more than one LTIN. The "Craft or Ship Serial" aka "Army Number" is a code number allocated to a given ship or craft, so that the actual ship or craft may be changed (in case it becomes unavailable for any cause) without impacting the Landing Table.









On D Day the matches betwen Ship or Craft Serial and Hull Number (aka "Navy Number") for the vessels carrying 32nd FA Bn were:

Craft or Ship Serial = Hull Number
LCT(6) 123 = US LCT(6) 641
LCT(6) 124 = US LCT(6) 640
LCT(6) 125 = US LCT(6) 639
LCT(6) 126 = US LCT(6) 657
LCT(6) 127 = US LCT(6) 653
LCT(6) 128 = US LCT(6) 652
LCT(5) 51 = US LCT(5) 460
APA 2 = APA 45 USS HENRICO
APA 1 = APA 26 USS SAMUEL CHASE​

Michel

 

Okay, LTIN and assignments for Wave 20 and afterwards - Task Group 124.5, Assault Group O-3 - are a pain in the ass to track down. Just poorly documented. I have found the following:

LCT 431 and 434 - scheduled to land at H+220 - AT Co, 18th Inf
LCT 618 - scheduled to land at H+220 - 348th Engr C Bn
LCT-619 - scheduled to land at H+220 = Company B, 1st Engr C Bn

 

Thanks Michel! That explains LCT (5) 51. It was the Craft Serial Number, not the LTIN.

 

Brilliant! (to coin a British term)
Many thanks to you both.
Will "digest" the data provided...

Did these LCTs resolutely plow across the Channel? (vs. launch from LSTs)
Having Piloted a 26 foot, wood-hulled Chris-Craft launch on Lake Superior, "in weather"... can only imagine the journey!!
Again, many thanks,
Best regards,
John

 

Yes, indeed, the LCT was quite capable of the passage, although some had problems due to overloading or previous damage. The -5 (and British -4) were DWT and the -6 was 284. They were nearly 33 feet by 120 feet, so not small craft by any means. There is an interesting account of one LCT Flotilla's passage across the Pacific that makes for harrowing reading.

The carry and launch from LCT was not an "assault" feature, but was rather how they were typically moved long distances - no one liked taking them trans-ocean. It required reballasting the LST to give it the proper launch angle, which was problematic when the LST was loaded with other stores or troops and equipment.

 

Richard, Are you familiar with WW2lct.org ?
Evidently this was run by a disabled veteran, apparently running out of funds... all e-mails on his website kick back. Also wondering what it would cost to transfer his database.(?)
Will be poking around at NavSource...
Hoping to find a source for "manifests"/bill-of-lading/"Souls on board"
As well as either a photo or line diagram of how a Field Battery was "typically" loaded on an LCT.
Again, Thank you for all your help,
John