D-Day Invasion - Normandy 6th June 1944

Mute 35mm b/w footage shot by US Coast Guard cameraman Chief Photographer’s Mate Whitwer showing GIs from the 16th Regimental Combat Team setting off from attack transport USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) and landing on EASY RED Beach late morning on D Day 6th June 1944 and the rescue of battle casualties from a sinking infantry landing craft off OMAHA Beach later that day. 01:00:06 On board an LCM pitching up and down in the rough seas as GIs laden down with battle kit climb down netting on the leeward side of USS Samuel Chase to drop into the landing craft. 01:00:42 On board one of USS Samuel Chase’s LCMs in rough seas, another LCM and US sub-chaser PC-1291 close by. 01:00:59 A dramatic three-shot sequence filmed at high tide circa 10.30-11.00hrs showing scattered groups of GIs on EASY RED Beach, more wading through water of varying depths towards the shore and GIs crowding at the open bow ramp before disembarking on board Whitwer’s LCM, with the bluffs above the Ste Laurent draw visible in the background, GIs also landing from another LCM (PA26-1) on Whitwer’s right hand side and from LCVP (PA26-30) on his left. There is no sign of destroyed or disabled landing craft and the beach itself is clear of any vehicles. Only a few steel obstacles can be seen at the high tide line, suggesting that combat engineers may have succeeded in clearing this section of the beach. 01:01:20 GIs and sailors on board the USS Samuel Chase lower a battle casualty on a steel stretcher from a badly-damaged infantry landing craft safely on board - Force O’s headquarters ship USS Ancon can be seen in the background. 01:01:39 Views from the leeward side of USS Samuel Chase as the crew of LCI-85, an infantry landing craft holed below the waterline by a German mine and listing sharply to port prepare to abandon ship after evacuating of its dead and wounded and send it in reverse away from the larger ship: a US tugboat reverses towards the stricken vessel to pick up survivors, with HMS Empire Anvil and other attack transports anchored nearby. 01:02:23 Views from the Chase’s leeward side as two battle casualties lying on steel stretchers are lifted clear of the sinking LCI onto the larger ship whilst useful items of equipment like unused stretchers are transferred to an LCM on the far side of the stricken vessel. 01:03:26 The crew of a US CG cutter conducts a search in the water for survivors from LCI-85: a flotilla of LCIs carrying reinforcements for V Corps and flying into barrage balloons as protection against enemy dive-bombers heads towards OMAHA Beach 01:03:56 Shots taken in good weather and calmer sea conditions ten miles off OMAHA Beach  showing a US Navy Buckley-class destroyer-escort (probably USS Blessman (DE-69) which was assigned the role of protecting USS Ancon on D-Day) sporting a distinctive splinter camouflage scheme heading past the Force O headquarters ship USS Ancon and numerous invasion craft and passing close to USS Samuel Chase 01:04:28 Top shots filmed from the leeward side of USS Samuel Chase sometime in the afternoon of D Day showing US CG and army personnel loading two battle casualties on stretchers onto a crate, lifting them by rope pulleys from the LCM and onto the deck of the much larger vessel for medical treatment down below.