6th june 2011 landing on Utah BEACH !

[von der heyte]

Opération UTAH BEACH 6th june 2011

Plan by "la boutique du Holdy" and "Challenge LCVP association" with "l'association du souvenir militaire" and "the Lions of Carentan"

This crazy project for the 6th june 2011 was to land in the morning on Utah Beach with original LCVP landing craft , the first time since 1944 !

I will try to write this story , for ever in our mind !

For us all became real the 5th june evening when we went to carentan for a briefing with the LCVP association member , the occasion for us to go aboard the PA30-4 for the first time.
We talk about all point of the operation and it was a big problem , the weather !
The operation was nearly canceled , the hight wind and a very bad see made the beaching very dangerous.
The execution of the operation will be confirme or not on the 6th at 3am



First contact with PA30-4 and his crew

The night was full of doubt few of us can sleep . At 3.am .... the call here we go boys , departure in 30min !
All was getting ready , with strange feelings








Loading in a GMC a starting of a raining day , next stop Carentan.








The road was quiet , all was thinking ....





Arrived to Carentan at 4.am , some "souvenir" pictures befors boarding .

[von der heyte]

waiting ....





Out of the night the PA30-4 arrived at the RDV , 4.15am the stress it high .





It's in this small space we will pass 4 hours in hard conditions , in the dark wainting the daylight with only 4 red light .


For the boarding the crew was wearing modern stuff , later the were wearing wet weather USN dress and navy M1 and life jacket.


Stressed face before bording.

Boarding start with rain like in 1944







Our mascot a landing craft made of lego by the lions



Lets go !
A last goodbye for our friends, we were half exiting and half scared.






the worst was later .... the river befor the see in the dark

[von der heyte]

After boarding start the Carentan river with for only light our TL 122 and the 4 red light , after 1 h we were at see in the dark with rain .




Arrived in the channel the first daylight , we can see the coast .... Utah Beach !! For us watching the first daylight from an LCVP on utah beach a 6 june it's unbelievable !
The see is not so calm ans the craft is mooving , start for us turn in circle to wait the beaching .




During 3 hours we did "round in the water" in weather condition not so easy , the cold and the rain never stoped !
Some guys sleep , other smoke or eat but only one was sick !







7h we aproching the coast , the want to watch if the beaching condition are ok , near the beach we can see lot of people wainting !





to 8h we get bach at see waiting for the "H" hour .



Joined by the craft of "Sapeurs pompiers" and our "War Corespondant" the landing will be in few minutes
Last turn , one crewman say " 5 minutes !!!! "





Last equipment check and inflating the lifebelt





Last moment before the landing , the legs are shaking , we are near the heartbreak ...

[von der heyte]

Finaly we feel the lcvp touch the sand ...
Slowly the door is opening ! It's an unique vision for us !





But a bad wave sent the craft on the side we have to do it one more time .







the next landing the door is open , we don't know how deep is the water .... and Phillipe jump first with the water under his arms ....GOOOO !







We arrived on the sand under many applause , we are exausted but so happy






















Arrived at the seewall we make some souvenir pictures , it s the first time since 67years !

[von der heyte]

A Fantastic experience whe stay for ever in our heart and our mind and it's dedicated to all the youg american of the army and navy who land on Utah beach in 1944

Landing team "Dirty Dozen"

-Phillipe

-Emanuel

-Phillipe

-Damien

-Jérémy

-Ti Pierre

-Ludo

-Mathias

-Frank

-Gregory

-Erwan

-Romain

All the Crew of LCVP PA30-4 from Challenge LCVP Higgins Boat

Thanks to Cherbourg Firemen

[pete]

.

Thanks for this mate and congrats to all your group. Really nice to see and nice to see the Bangalore. When I visited the tour guide said the first 3 waves were all Engineers, I was happy she knew this detail!.... "FIRST IN! LAST OUT!". They did some real running carrying all that breaching kit along with the rest of what they had to carry across the kill zone to get behind something!

Due to the safety distances you are supposed to employ using these for real I have no doubt many were killed by their own Bangalores...

Pete

[Tobysauer]

What a wonderful experience and fitting tribute Thankyou for posting !

[Woolgar]

Fantastic!! You must of loved every minute of that ! Well done

Nick

[Douglas Jr.]

This is what I would call hardcore reenactors!
Nicely done!

[atcase]

great thread thanks for posting must of been a great experience.. drove along the beach the day befor inthe jeep in brilliant sun shine



Ashley

[tracman]

Fantastic: it doesn't get better than this.