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Need help trying to find grandfather's LCT

Discussion in 'What Granddad did in the War' started by MBlack1987, Jul 15, 2018.

  1. MBlack1987

    MBlack1987 New Member

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    Hello all,

    It's my first time posting, but have been reading many posts, and you all seem like a knowledgeable and helpful group.

    I am hoping that someone out there can give me some advice on how to proceed with my search.

    In short, my grandfather, James Clyde Black served in the United States Navy during WW2. According to his separation papers and fold 3.com records, he served on the USS Flotilla #17 from April 18 1944-until at least April 1, 1945 as an S2C and S1C.

    I suppose I am not alone in the fact that my grandfather refused to talk about the war with his children, so I am left to try to piece what I can together based on records

    I have seen many websites that suggest the Flotilla 17 was in Normandy and took part on D-Day with some 35 LCT's being listed in groups 49-51 under a Craig Fabian. This is as far as research has gotten me. I have learned a lot, but I still have many questions:

    1. How would I go about determining which LCT he might have been apart of on D Day if in fact he was? Would Rank have had anything to do with placement?

    2. Where exactly was the Flotilla 17 on this day? I have seen one site the suggested Omaha Beach, the other Utah Beach.

    3. I printed out the muster roll of the crew and have been looking at some 600 names. If my grandfather was on that ship as a S1C for a year, how much contact might he have had with any of them? Again would rank on a ship dictate placement or living quarters?

    I thank you for your time, and I hope I haven't shown myself to be too much of an idiot with these questions. Thanks, MIKE BLACK
     
  2. JJWilson

    JJWilson Well-Known Member

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    Hello MBlack, It's great to have you aboard, you are absolutely right there are knowledgeable people here.......I'm not one of them when it comes to searching for people and their service records :D. There are NO Idiotic questions here....unless you're trolling, but you aren't, so ask away!
     
  3. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Hi Mike,

    LCT Flotilla 17 was assigned to Assault Force U for D-Day, It consisted of the following:

    LCT Flotilla 17 (USN), LCdr V.R.Y. Lynn
    Group 49: LT H.L. Reagan
    Division 67: LCT (6) 580, 581, 583, 584, and 585
    Division 70: LCT (6) 592 (Ramp), 593 (Ramp), 594 (Ramp), 595 (Ramp), 596 (Ramp), and 597 (Ramp)
    Group 50: LT C. Fabian
    Division 99: LCT (6) 620, 621, 662 (R), 763, 764, and 765
    Division 100: LCT (6) 663, 766, 777, 809, 810, and 811 (Ramp)
    Group 51: V.L. Kokenge
    Division 101: LCT (6) 812, 851, 852, 853, 854, and 855
    Division 102: LCT (6) 664, 709 (Ramp), 710 (Ramp), 778, 779, and 780

    It was split between Assault Group TARE GREEN (TF 125.4), Cmdr. A. L. Warburton, USN:
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 67: LCT (6) 583, 584 and 585
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 70 (DD-Tanks, 70th TK BN): LCT (6) 592 (snk), 593 (snk), 594, and 595

    And Assault Group UNCLE RED (TF 125.5), Comdr. E. W. Wilson, USNR:
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 67: LCT (6) 580, 581
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 70 (DD-Tanks, 70th TK BN): LCT (6) 596 and 597 (snk)
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 99: LCT (6) 620, 621, 662, 763, 764, and 765
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 100: LCT (6) 663 (dmg), 766, 777 (snk), 809, 810, and 811
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 101: LCT (6) 812, 851, 852, 853, 854, and 855
    LCT Flotilla 17, Division 102: LCT (6) 664, 709, 710, 778, 779, and 780


    world war ii landing craft tanks is the best source for starting to research LCT history, however they do get the placement of Flotilla 17 wrong. Sadly, there have been no updates to the website since 2004. See:

    http://ww2lct.org/history/documents/Joes_docs/FLOT17.305.txt
    http://ww2lct.org/history/documents/Joes_docs/LCTANALG.305.txt
    http://ww2lct.org/history/documents/Joes_docs/LCTANALR.305.txt

    Otherwise, you would need to contact the Naval Historical Center at the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard for copies of the various action reports and other records, including muster rolls for the various LCT.
     
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  4. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Rich, does the NHHC still hold those docs or have they been moved to College Park?
     
  5. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    The CORs and Deck Logs are still held by NHHC, but their website is almost nonfunctional with broken and incomplete links so it is difficult to tell what coverage they have now and what they have transferred to Archives II. I would contact them first before making a trip to them.
     
  6. MBlack1987

    MBlack1987 New Member

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    I thank everyone for the replies. Its great to be part of the group. I wanted to share some big news:

    I was looking at the different LCT#s on NavSource Naval History - Photo Archive Main Index, not really expecting to find anything, but when I got to LCT 703.....I saw this photo.

    The caption says LCT-703 Crew members looking at one of the many holes in the craft. Kneeling (L-R) Francis A. Droullard, GM2c, Willie S. Jones S1c, Charles Barone MoMM1c, Roy Raynich SM3c, and Harold Shook BM1c. Second Row (L-R) Norman M. Burrell S1c, John E. Shultz S1c, Scholas R. Madden F1c, Tyrus R. Newby S1c, Edward E. Decker S1c, James Black S1c, and Joseph Grossman SC2c. Back Row (L-R) Aiden E. Andry QM3c, Lewis A White MoMM3c, and Frank Lynn CM2c.
    A US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.

    That's my grandfather!!!! I couldn't believe it. Out of only 40 or so pics from that site on LCT's that was one of them.

    After doing some more digging, I really can concur with Rich. There seems to be a lot of differing information on the Flotilla 17. They apparently had 43 LCTs total that took part on D Day. 35 at Utah Beach, and 8 at Utah Beach.

    I found some text from I found a portion of some text from a book called "Beachhead Normandy: An LCT's Odyssey "By Tom Carter

    Page 87
    "Three LCTs had gone off to the Dog Green sector, immediately in front of the D-1 draw at Vierville (the beach sector where Company A of the 116th—the Bedford Boys—suffered so badly when they landed at H-Hour). Two of those three LCTs took severe hits. LCT 703 struck mines that knocked out her engines, and before other LCTs could pull her off, several shells struck her, setting her afire and swamping her. She lay off the beach burning for the rest of the morning."

    Page 92

    A Second Landing

    Throughout the afternoon, Leide dispatched LCTs one at a time to the beach, but as soon as these individual craft neared the shore they came under heavy mortar fire and machine gun fire. A few of these LCTs had to retract and move to a safer area. Hardly any of the vehicals from these craft got ashore in one piece. However, the Reconnaissance provided by these LCTs identified the spots on the beach that were still under direct fire or were relatively safe. By this time, exit D-1 behind the deadly Dog Green sector had been cleared by point-blank fire from the Texas and occupied by the Twenty-Ninth Division, clearing the big guns covering the western end of Omaha. Also, smoke from the still-burning LCT 703 and LCIs 91 and 92 provided cover for Dog Red and Easy Green"
    That really was overwhelming for me. I, like most of you saw "Saving Private Ryan", and to think he was part of that is just......I think I'm lucky to be here. MIKE
     

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  7. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Good searching, guys.
     
  8. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    Good find Mike. Yes, I forgot, Flotilla 17 was used to fill up some of the other flotillas. Divisions 97 and 98 reinforced Flotilla 12 at OMAHA. 703 was assigned to Division 97 and was scheduled with the H+60 wave. She carried elements of Co B, 147th Eng and elements 121st Eng.
     

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