338th Transportation Corps Harbor Craft Company

Does anyone here have any information on this unit while it was at Normandy? My uncle serve in this unit but I can't find any information about the unit.
Thanks
Mike

 

It does not appear in the ETOUSA Station Lists through June 1944, so probably arrived after D-Day. They did what the title sounds like, manned small craft supporting harbor operations. See Small boats and harbor craft.

 

Richard
Thank you for the reply. My Uncle died on March 27th 1945 and is buried at Normandy. He was assign according to what little I got from the Army to 338th Transportation Corps Harbor Craft Company. Unfortunately my grandmother Elsie Overton and my Mom Barbara Overton have pass away so I can't get any more information. I was told he died at Omaha Beach but I don't know if that is correct. I visited Normandy years ago and verified that he is in fact buried there. Is there some place that I can go to verify that he was assign to this unit I'm just looking to see if there might be some folks here too that may have someone who had pictures or some information about him or the unit. His name is 1stLt Otis Overton.
Thanks again
Mike

 

I have hundreds of letters from Otis Overton to my mother, mainly written when he was on board a small ship off the Normandy Coast. Then a final letter from his friend McCade, saying that Otis had caught pneumonia and was taken to a hospital where he died a few days later of a heart attack. My mother was very surprised a few weeks later when a policeman arrived at her parent's house to collect his things on behalf of his wife. She thought he was single.

 

Hello
Thank you so much for contacting me. I have so little information on Otis who is my Mom's Barbara brother. My Mom and her Mom Elsie Overton never talked much about him other than to tell me he died during the Normandy invasion. I visited his grave site at the Normandy Military Cemetery while I was in the Marine Corps serving in Vietnam. I didn't know he was married either until I started looking up my family tree on Ancestry and found her maiden name to be Jane E. Tovell. So I'm trying to understand the relation he had with your Mom and her parents? Can you clarify their of relationship good or bad.
Again thank you so much for telling about his death. I have his date of death as March 27 1945. I know the enemy V1 & 2 bombs were targeting Antwerp Sea port and I thought maybe he died as result of that. But putting together when he died and the end of the war in April 1945 it didn't seem to fit right.
Do you know or what type ship he was on? I know they used ships to ferry supplies to the front lines but didn't what they used.

 

An example letter! My mother was engaged to another US sailor who had not replied to her letters for a while:
"camp Waterloo
Lancashire 25 June 1944
Dearest: –
There is so much to say – yet, under the circumstances, so little that may be said. I find myself wishing that our paths crossed either before you met him or not at all.
Normally, I have nothing but contempt for a man who takes advantage of another’s absence – most certainly when he happens to be on active service. This is overbalanced, however, by an even greater contempt for any man – Yank or British – who chooses to treat the subject of marriage in the same light as one might contemplate the purchase of a motorcar on a trial basis – by making a small down payment to hold the article while he looked at other models. Frankly I do not care to believe that such is the case; although knowing Americans as I do, I cannot fail to recognise the possibility.
If you are sure in your own heart that you love him, then let us assume that the mails have been delayed through fleet activity or some mishap of war. I would suggest that you write directly to his family for information. In the meantime – and always – I ask only that you remember that I love you for what you are – without any mental reservation – and stand Eveready to be of service to you in matters great or small; today, tomorrow and always. And these brief hours that we have been together you have come to mean more to me than anything else in the world.
Whatever happens, dearest girl; don’t allow yourself to be led into a life that binds you to convention. Tomorrow I may be gone; although, while I live, I shall always belong to you should you need me. You belong only to the open airs of freedom – to the sea winds, the rain – the gull’s cry, the wild beauty of the storm and the silence of your mountains
Good night dear one. I only know that I love you
Your –
Oats"

 

Another with more detail of the service: "
ETO 25 November 1944
Shadow dearest: –
My 10 day silence has been due to operational duties rather than choice. Forgive me? It has been two weeks since I last receive mail of any nature and I will have to wait at least another week, or until I am able to send a courier back to the company. At the moment I am master of a very new and extremely comfortable deep sea tug working with the Royal Navy. Thus far, I have had no serious conflict with them – mainly due to the fact that we communicate only by radio or radiotelephone. It is a welcome relief to stretch out in the privacy of my cabin without having my feet in the mud and rats scampering over my face. I only need you skipper to be truly myself. I do love you – so very much!

Since my cabin is also my office, it has a large desk. I have twice started to leave your picture there, so that I could look at it as I did the necessary paperwork coincident with running a ship. I found, however, that my left shirt pocket felt empty without it, and could not concentrate on my work. Do you, suppose, darling, that you could find another printer that larger picture of you which I like so much – full face, rather sad, and not in uniform? Please? The USS “–---“ requires such a picture in order to improve her captain’s quarters and the quality of his work!

Oh Shadow but love it! It has been so many long and lonely days “and nights” since I last felt the pressure of your arm in mine. Could I but for one brief moment tonight, look into your lovely eyes and feel the warmth of your lips against mine, I should be quite oblivious of any discomfort which I may have to endure tomorrow. Since this ship is capable of crossing either the Atlantic or the Pacific unescorted – it is also capable of finding its way into the Mersey! Please God let me find such orders awaiting me one day!

This is one of “our” nights, shadow. A driving rain, and fog scudding before a force five wind.

We are sailing again early tomorrow. And it may be some time before you hear from me again. Remember – I love you! Always! Good night, darling – your oats

My love to your mother and father."

 

Thank you again for the information. My interest was of course how he died and now I know. What is personal between him and your Mom is of course their private information. The War caused many heartaches, I only hope in the case of your Mom she found peace in her life afterward.