04-29-2009, 08:52 PM
I just discovered something about D Day that I didn't know before.
A practice run of 'Utah' beach was done on a beach in England. Unfortunately the movement was spotted by Germans, and there was heavy loss of life, on top of which the Marines were fired upon by their own men.
The site of the practice was Slapton beach in Devon.
This is a quote I lifted
A practice run of 'Utah' beach was done on a beach in England. Unfortunately the movement was spotted by Germans, and there was heavy loss of life, on top of which the Marines were fired upon by their own men.
The site of the practice was Slapton beach in Devon.
This is a quote I lifted
Quote:
When the remaining LSTs landed on Slapton Beach, the blunders continued and a further 308 men died from friendly fire. The British heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins shelled the beach with live ammunition, following an order made by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, who felt that the men must be hardened by exposure to real battle conditions.
British marines on the boat recorded in its log book (the only log which has since been recovered from any of the boats) that men were being killed by friendly fire. "On the beaches they had a white tape line beyond which the Americans should not cross until the live firing had finished. But the Marines said they were going straight through the white tape line and getting blown up".
British marines on the boat recorded in its log book (the only log which has since been recovered from any of the boats) that men were being killed by friendly fire. "On the beaches they had a white tape line beyond which the Americans should not cross until the live firing had finished. But the Marines said they were going straight through the white tape line and getting blown up".
I can't think of anything more badly named or euphemistic than friendly fire.
I am sure real battle conditions really hardened those that died.
In all nearly 1000 Americans died that day.