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October - November
1944
October, 1944
The month of October would see the end of LCI 35's duty as
a landing craft infantry ship. However, before completing its work, the
LCI 35 transferred troops at Omaha Beach, made its final landing at
Utah Beach and as its last act of service, provided escort service
for an LCT to Omaha.
October 1-7, 1944
Daily
Routine
From October 1-7 the LCI 35 crew continued with their daily
cleaning routine, deck duties and painting. Repairs were made by repacking
rudder posts and a reconditioned port generator was installed. Small
arms and ammunition were turned over to the base gunnery officer.
At 1115 on Sunday October 8th American Quartermaster Corp troops came
aboard. Captain Gabbard, the Commanding Officer, came aboard with
153 men and 2 officers. After boarding, the LCI 35 cast off to Portland
Harbor for fueling. At 1715 British Naval Officer Lieutenant Hurst,
OTC of LCI Convoy and British seaman came aboard. At 1830 LCI 35 took
up the forward position of LCI convoy as O.T.C. and sailed for Normandy.
October 9, 1944
Transfer
of Troops to LCT - Omaha Beach
At 1030 proceeding to the beach the LCI 35 tied up to LCI
33 anchored offshore at No 3 beach. The LCI 35 received orders by
blinker to get underway and discharge troops at No 5 beach and with
the LCT tied up alongside at 1400 all troops disembarked on the LCT
for transportation onto the beach. At 1500 the LCI 35 anchored off
shore waiting for the return convoy.
October 10-15, 1944
Routine Duties Continue
On Tuesday October 10th at 0530 the LCI 35 was underway and
returned to Weymouth where at 2045 she tied up to LCI 33 at the docks.
From October 11th until October 14th the crew returned to normal duties
and ship routine. Engineers installed a reconditioned starboard
generator.
As part of normal duties, Dad was sent to Lymington on October 12th.
Dad saved his pass signed by Executive Officer Lowell E. Miller as
part of his scrapbook collection.
Dad's
Pass for Lymington dated October 12, 1944
October 15 -21, 1944
American
Troops Spend Almost a Week Aboard the LCI 35 Waiting for Transport
To Utah Beach
On Sunday October 15th, American (colored)* troops from the
Aviation
Engineers** (Commanding Officer identified as Captain Del bean)
came aboard the LCI 35 expecting to be transported to Utah beach no
later than the next day. However, bad stormy weather prevented these
143 men (colored) and 3 officers (white) from sailing until October
21st. During their stay aboard the LCI 35, one of the troops, Sgt.
William J. Porter, became seriously ill, and after being tended to
by the Pharmacist Mate and an Army Medic, was taken ashore to the
US Navy Hospital by ambulance.
It was not until October 21st that the troops were disembarked for
physical exercise and returned aboard by 1600. The LCI 35 finally
sailed at 1800 in a convoy of 3 USS LCIs and 18 HM LCTs and 3 USS LCTs.
*The word colored was taken directly from the Deck Log of the LCI
35.
**During WW II, the U.S. military segregated black military members into separate units; however, many units were given a unique opportunity to do sophisticate engineering work in segregated Engineering Aviation Battalions (EABs).
Air Force Print News
February 2, 2007
October 22, 1944
Utah
Beach
In what was to be their last landing, the LCI 35 hit the beach smoothly
at 1437 and when the ship dried out at the bow, the soldiers began
disembarking at 1615 from the starboard ramp. By 1700 all soldiers
were ashore except for a clean up detail that stayed behind. Finally
at 1800 all soldiers were ashore. The LCI 35 stayed on the beach until
2330 when she backed off the beach and anchored offshore for the night.
While on the beach Lt. Commander Jackson and a British seaman came aboard
for transportation back to Weymouth.
At 0745 on October 23rd the LCI 35 was underway back to Weymouth alone
escorted by an English minelayer. Upon arrival at 1855 the LCI 35
tied up to LCI 495 at the docks in Weymouth. The crew continued cleaning
the ship as part of normal duties until Wednesday October 25th when
the LCI 35 was called upon for its final duty -- providing escort
service for a single LCT going to Omaha Beach.
**LCI 1065 Sunk off Leyte, Philippine Islands, 24 October 1944
October 26, 1944
Escort of LCT to Omaha
Beach - Final Wartime Service
On October 25th, after moving from Weymouth and dropping anchor in
Portland Harbor, the LCI 35 waited for its sailing orders. One hour
after dropping anchor the LCI 35 received its sailing orders at 1735
to take up escort service at the rear of the convoy. The LCI 495 led
the convoy. At 1030 on October 26 the LCT arrived at Omaha Beach.
The LCI 35 proceeded to Utah Beach waiting for a return convoy of
LCTs. In the rear position of the LCT convoy returning to Weymouth,
the LCI 35 slowed its speed before reaching Weymouth to ensure that
3 HM LCTs that straggled from the convoy would arrive safely. Finally,
the LCI 35 arrived in Weymouth and at 0850 on Saturday October 28th
tied up to LCI 490 at the docks. This was the last assignment of the
war for the LCI 35. Finally, the LCI 35 could proudly state - Mission
Accomplished!!
From October 28th until its decommissioning, the crew
of the LCI 35 continued routine cleaning and maintenance of the ship
and finished painting the ship a dark blue. Remaining repairs were
made and those eligible were granted liberty. On October 31st the
LCI 35 headed into Weymouth Beach for painting of the hull. At 1850
the LCI 35 tied up to LCI 231 at berth 4 where she remained until
November 12th.
October 1944 |
Other WW II Action and Notable Events |
| October 2, 1944 |
Nazi troops crushed the two-month old Warsaw Uprising, during which a quarter of a million people were killed. |
| October 3, 1944 |
U.S. troops cracked the Siegfried Line north of Aachen Germany. |
| October13, 1944 |
American troops entered Aachen, Germany. |
| October 14, 1944 |
German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel committed suicide rather than face execution for allegedly conspiring against Adolf Hitler. |
| October 18, 1944 |
Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia. |
| October 20, 1944 |
Gen. Douglas MacArthur stepped ashore at Leyte in the Philippines, two and a half years after he'd said, "I shall return."
The Yugoslav cities of Belgrade and Dubrovnik were liberated. |
| October 21, 1944 |
U.S. troops captured the German city of Aachen. |
| October 23, 1944 |
The Battle of Leyte Gulf began. |
November 1944
USS LCI (L) 35 Decommissioned- November 15, 1944
Transferred to British Under Lend-Lease
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The LCI 35
"Little
But Mighty" |
With the October 26,
1944 escort service completed, the journey of the LCI (L) 35 and
its crew that began in January 1943 was now over. The ship that
served her crew so well during the invasions and follow-up landings
of Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Normandy was turned over to the
British Navy. This little "Elsie" overcame many obstacles throughout
the war that normally would have stopped other ships. Despite
getting stuck on sandbars and needing many repairs caused by the
frequent "bumps and bruises" she suffered along the way, she served
her crew admirably throughout the war. |
While the LCI 35 did her job magnificently, the officers and crew
that served aboard her were truly the "Big Men in Little Ships" that
Commander Lorenzo Sherwood Sabin, Jr. referred. The LCI 35 crew
did their job superbly and should be remembered for a "Job Well Done"!!
 The Officers and
Crew of LCI 35
Photo Taken in August - 1944 in Newhaven,
England
On Sunday November 12th the LCI (L) 35 sailed from Weymouth up the
Thames Estuary in a single column of other USS LCIs and arrived at
the Queenborough Pier in Sheerness, England. The LCI (L) 35 tied up
to USS LCI (L) 193. In a strange coincidence, the LCI (L) 229, the ship that Dad was
on when it crossed the Atlantic Ocean in March 1943, was on the starboard side of the LCI (L) 35.
LCIs 75, 231,
229, 35, 193 and 238
Queensborough
Pier in Sheerness, England
Photo Courtesy of Philip Reed, LCI 35
On Tuesday November 14th, in preparation for turning the ship over
to the British Navy, British officers came aboard to check the ship's
inventory. All remaining 20 mm ammunition (10,700 rounds) was taken
ashore, and the inventory, fuel receipts, average and shortage lists
were checked and found correct. At 1430 the acceptance agreement was
signed by Lt. L. Mitchener, RNVR for the British Admiralty. The LCI
(L) 35 was turned over to British command and the ship's records were
sent to Exeter, UK by registered mail.
November 15, 1944 - Formal Decommissioning of LCI 35
The ship, with all hands mustered for the ceremony, was formally
decommissioned at colors (1700) on Wednesday November 15, 1944. The
ceremony was followed by hoisting the British Ensign.
November 1944 |
Other WW II Action and Notable Events |
| November 5, 1944 |
British official Lord Moyne was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt by the Zionist Stern gang. |
| November 7, 1944 |
President Franklin Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term in office, defeating Thomas E. Dewey. |
| November 24, 1944 |
U.S. bombers based on Saipan attacked Tokyo in the first raid against the Japanese capital by land-based planes. |
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