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NEWS: [See all News]
Sub-Lieutenant George "Jimmy" Green, 551 Flotilla, has died.
We have just learned that Jimmy Green has died. Sub-Lieutenant George Green carried the men of the A company, 116th Regiment, 29th Division onto Dog Green, Omaha Beach on landing craft in the very first minutes of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. Read more...
[Posted: 2016-05-14 09:33:04]
Virginia Beach - Cary Lee Jarvis, 94, of Virginia Beach, died April 28, 2016
He was a staff sergeant when he landed D-Day, first wave, on Omaha beach, a member of the C-Battery of the 111th Artillery Battalion, 29th Division.  Read more...
[Posted: 2016-05-03 19:10:18]
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WALL - IN MEMORY OF: [See all Messages]
WOLTERS HENRY H
1ST INFANTRY DIVISION
Every time when I go to Normandy I pay my respect to Henry Herman Wolters and send the photo's from his grave to his Family.
Honored by Herman Wolters
[Posted: 2024-02-29 20:28:14]
PALMER SAMUEL C
29TH INFANTRY DIVISION
Samuel Clinton Palmer Service ID: 35803938 From: Tallega, Lee County, Ky Birth Date November 28, 1924 Casualty Date June 6, 1944 Army Corporal HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 116 Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division Casualty Type KIA - Kill in Action Location: Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
Honored by Jeffrey Palmer
[Posted: 2023-12-25 14:40:54]
   1 - 2 / 135 messages   
OMAHA BEACH MEMORIAL - TESTIMONIES
Partager
Private James L. Lockhart

29th Infantry Division
115th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion
Company B


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I was on LCI #619 when we moved into the channel from the Port of Saltash near Plymouth, England. It seemed we were forever moving. After two or three days of continuous moving a rumor started among the personnel that we were going to some other place than the French Coast, and several were getting seasick.
By June 5, 1944 a really heavy storm hit the English Channel and the invasion was postponed due to the rough seas until the following day, June 6, 1944. When morning came most all of Company B was seasick for the D-Day Landing. I made a trip to the galley and had a meal of baked beans & bacon, which I enjoyed, alone.
Aboard LCI #619 was 180 personnel of Company B, 1st Battalion, 115th Regiment, 29th Division and a Senior Officer Lieutenant Colonel John Cooper, CO of the 110th Artillery Battalion. As the LCI started in for a landing on DOG Red area, Captain Phillip Alston told the men he would land them on dry sand if it took him all day. He made one attempt to land, but had to try another area. All of B Company was lined up facing the ramps preparing to walk ashore, but just before they did they were told the landing area was a new one and they might have to fight before they got off the beaches.
By this time the LCI was taking heavy machine gin fire on the left side of the ship near the ramp. Everyone near the ramp moved over to the right side of the ship. Then, as the ramp went down everyone moved off the LCI without hesitation. The Captain of LCI #619 had kept his promise and everyone made it to shore without getting their shoes wet. My unit did not spend anytime on the Normandy Beach, we kept moving off the beach to get away from machine guns firing at us. We made our way up a draw to keep from being killed where we landed. Soon as we got off the beach it was green fields with land mines everywhere.
After Company B reached high ground overlooking Omaha Beach, we tried to get to Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer in the direction of Langereville. German mortar fire was coming down like rain and several of my friends were injured. I can remember William Mohler getting his toes blown off and Charles Byers was hit in the spine with a large chunk of shrapnel. He was trying to crawl to safety but was not able to get back to where I was. There were Medics near, but refused to go for him under fire. I believe the first brave thing I had ever done, was taking off all my gear, and run over to Charles and carry him back to the Medics.
Several members of my platoon were replaced by new personnel before we were in position to move from one area. The Germans would not give up easily since they were dug in and had a very good field of fire. There was no end to the small fields that were surrounded by very thick hedgerows and this caused Company B to take a very heavy toll on experienced personnel.

Posted: July 16, 2011
Copyright: Laurent Lefebvre

James L. Lockhart - June 2009