"Big Men In a Little Ship"

Stanley Galik, Ships Cook 2nd Class (SC2) served on the LCI (L) 229, with the Flotilla Two Staff (Pool), and aboard the LCI (L) 35 during WW II. Dad crossed the Atlantic with the USS LCI (L) 229 arriving in Tenes, Algeria as part of Flotilla One Group 3 of Task Force 60 (Task Unit 60.2.4) in the 3rd Landing Craft Convoy. He was reassigned to the Flotilla Two Staff Pool immediately after arriving in North Africa.

Dad came aboard the LCI (L) 35 on August 17, 1943 and remained until the ship's decommissioning on Wednesday November 15, 1944.

About This Section

Note: Most of the photos and other visual materials included in this site begin in July, 1943.

The following story chronicles the journey of the USS LCI (L) 35 during World War II beginning with the crew coming aboard on January 25, 1943 and ending with the ship's decommissioning on November 15, 1944. The story begins in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and ends in Sheerness, England. In between, the LCI 35 sailings from Virginia to North Africa and its subsequent participation in the invasions of Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Normandy will be highlighted with photos, action reports and other related information.

The information used to tell this story was obtained from Dad's scrapbooks, the National Archives, other research, and personal conversations with surviving shipmates. Other US or British LCIs, LST, LCTs, and other ships that were noted in the LCI 35 Deck Log, in the War Notes and War Diaries of the Flotilla and Group Commanders are included to assist visitors to the site with any research they may want to undertake.

There are separate links to information About the Landing Craft Infantry (Large) and the LCI 35 Officers and Crew including photos and other related information.