by Mehlo, Noel
Canteen, cup, cover, on belt.
Rifle, M-1
Bayonet and Scabbard.
Gas Mask to be carried as prescribed below:
Cover, protective, gas, to be carried in gas mask.
Ointment
The Assault Section was designed to attack the enemy by means of frontal attack upon a fortified position. They were trained to provide coordinated fire and to allow the demolition team with sufficient cover to satisfy their objective. They were designed to breach the enemy defenses. Each Assault Section was headed by a Lieutenant, with a Sergeant as second in command. Section consisted of sub teams of riflemen, wire-cutters, rocketeers, machine gunners, flamethrowers and a demolition team. Each subteam was organized and equipped with the mission to ultimately advance the demolition team to the enemy structure and blow it up with explosives. Each Assault Team was to be loaded into its landing craft LCVP (landing craft, vehicle and personnel) or LCA (landing craft assault) in a predetermined manner to allow for a sequence of events to occur upon landing. Figure 154 shows the landing craft loading sequence. The descriptions and pictures of the USATC, assault methodology and mapping that follow are all included in direct collaboration with Mr. Richard T. Bass.
If the positioning of men in landing craft held true between the training and the actual assault on D-Day, S/Sgt Hull would likely have been in the Light Machine Gun Team with a Browning M1919A machine gun or more likely a BAR
Figure 154: Assault Team in LCVP (NARA) The USATC developed the following prescribed method for assaulting the beach. The following description of it is taken from Mr. Bass’s work directly. Regarding S/Sgt Hull’s role in the upcoming invasion, it is important to note the actions of the light machine gun team as described in these training instructions throughout. For B Company, 2nd Platoon, Ranger S/Sgt Copeland would serve as the Assistant Section Leader for D-Day, on the same landing craft as S/Sgt Hull.
Immediately upon debarking covered by smoke from the chemical mortars firing from landing craft, the section leader and riflemen move straight to the front in a rough V formation with about ten yards interval and about five yard distance between riflemen. The light machine gun team and the mortar team deploy to the left in that order with similar intervals and distances, in accordance with the procedure set forth in individual assault pamphlets. The wire cutting team, the flame throwing team and demolitions team initially deploy to the right in a similar fashion while the two launcher subteams deploy within the "V" about twenty yards apart and about twenty yards behind the section leader.
The assault was meticulously planned and practiced by the units training at the USATC. Prior to the beaching of the landing craft, naval and aerial bombardment, cratered the beach and full advantage of these shell and bomb craters is taken in the initial movements of the assault section. The assault section leader looked for the principal enemy fortification in his zone of action and for supporting enemy emplacements. He then established communication with his supporting tank or gun by visual signal. After this, he located the elements of his assault section. He moved forward locating possible points for breaching enemy obstacles, blind areas in the enemy fields of fire, etc., covered by the fire of his riflemen He marked out routes for the team and controlled his section of the landing zone. He did this by prearranged signals, time schedules, phase signals, visual signals (usually arm and hand) and oral orders. The soldiers often found the last two methods ineffectual because of noise, smoke and difficulty of movement.
The assistant leader, a non-commissioned officer was the last man off the landing craft. He assisted the section leader, and was prepared to take the section leader's place, if the latter became a casualty. Spatial separation of these two men in the landing craft maximized the chances of retaining the command structure under fire. His mission involved staying informed of the general situation at all times; and was particularly charged with the responsibility of locating covering fires from open emplacements and bringing mortar fire to bear upon such enemy installations.
The Light Machine Gun Team (squad) took position well to the flank of the assault section, enabling fire upon enemy installations taking care not to mask the fire of the supporting tank or gun. Once advancing riflemen moved past the team inhibiting effective fire, the gun was moved to a new position from which the original target could be engaged. The teams were taught the use of short bursts of two or three rounds fired at the embrasure. The chief use of the machine gun was neutralization of fire from enemy open installations.
The Mortar Team moved to a position where it could bring fire on possible targets with maximum protection. The Assistant Section Leader to provided fire orders to the team. They fired on open emplacements, either at the direction of the Assistant Section Leader or on their own initiative. Fire was directed until the successful conclusion of the assault, when the mortar is prepared to fire on enemy concentrations and to break up enemy counterattacks.
The Rocket Launcher Team moved up under the protecting fires of the riflemen, the machine gun and the accompanying tank until it reaches a position from which it can fire upon the embrasure. Rocketeers were trained to take positions so that they are no nearer one another than twenty yards and where if possible communication can be established with the Section Leader. Fire was opened on the pillbox with armor piercing rockets to cover the advance of flamethrower and the demolitions party. When the flamethrower signals "I am ready", by arm and hand signal, the rocket fire is lifted. At the successful assault, the rocketeers advance to the next position or to attack a new pillbox as directed.
The Flame Thrower Team moved forward by short bounds, taking full advantage of cover, under the covering fires of the riflemen, the machine gun, the accompanying tank, and the rocket party until it reaches a point from which it can bring fire to bear upon the embrasure of the enemy pill-box. The assistant flame thrower kept close contact with the demolition party, and when that party was in position to begin its assault, he signaled to the rocketeer, "I am ready", by arm and hand or other pre-arranged signal, whereupon the rocket fire is lifted. The flame thrower party then opened with jets of one or two seconds and covered the placing of charges in the vulnerable points of the embrasure by the demolitions party.
The Demolitions party were the "ball carrier" of the assault section for whom all the other teams did the "blocking". It worked its way forward under the protective fires of the other weapons until it is ready to make the final movement to place the charges to destroy the pill-box. At that time, the leader of the party signals to the flame thrower party, "I am ready". The flame thrower then opens fire, and under the protecting jet, the demolition party places the necessary charge or charges in the vulnerable portions of the embrasure. They would then repeat the process at the next enemy position.
The USATC was designated with a letter-coded area identification strategy noting certain geographic areas on the facility. Training aids within the lettered training areas were then numbered. The training areas are important to study to gain a better understanding of what was accomplished at the USATC. Strict discipline was enforced by the American Military Police, and they carried Thompson submachine guns and truncheons.
Areas A, B, C & D were part of the Braunton Burrows area. It is noted by being a vast expanse of sand dunes and slacks. It is here that most of the live firing ranges and dummy pillbox clusters were. It was at these structures that infantrymen were taught step by step the individual tasks of each component team within an Assault Section. The men practiced the assault tactics reputedly until perfected.
Area "A" was at the southern end of Braunton Burrows and included Crow Point, which is a spit of sand forming a natural sheltered beach at Broadsands where all embarkation for training and rehearsals took place. Figures 155 shows mapping of the area, while Figures 156 and 157 show various activities conducted in this area.
Figure 155: USATC, Area A map (Courtesy of Richard Bass)
Figure 156: Soldiers analyzing mock German defenses in Area
A at Braunton Burrows (NARA)
Figure 157: USATC Area A; (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass)
Area "B" included most of the mock-up landing craft where troops, vehicles, tanks and artillery endlessly practiced speedy loading and debarkation. Many of the early, experimental pillboxes were situated here (Figures 158-159). Figure 158: USATC, Area B, Practice Assault Beach, Engineer Obstacle Course (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) Figure 159: USATC, Area B, Practice Assault Beach, dragon’s teeth anti-tank obstacles (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass)
A map of Areas B is shown in Figure 160 . Prominent in this image are the demolition range, engineer’s obstacle course, rocket range and
Figure 160: USATC, Area B map (Courtesy of Richard Bass)
Area "C" was in the middle of Braunton Burrows included the majority of constructions that were attacked by Assault Sections as well as the Mine and Booby trap area and Wirecutting ranges (Figures 161-162).
Figure 161: USATC, Area C, Practice Assault Beach, Rocket wall at Assault Range (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) Figure 162: USATC, Area C, Mortar Range (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) Area "D" was at the very northern end of Braunton Burrows included the Flamethrower range, infantryman's Obstacle course and the "Hedgehog". This was a concentrated area of pillboxes, wire and trenches used for a gerund assault at the end of the three week training period. A map of Area D is in Figure 163. Photos of the training area are shown in Figures 164 and 165.
Figure 163: USATC, Area D map (Courtesy of Richard Bass)
Figure 164: USATC, Area D, Assault Range (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass)
Figure 165: USATC, Area D, Flamethrower Range (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) Area E was located at Croyde Bay and was designated "Croyde Yellow II Beach." It had two access points; one to the south alongside the holiday camp, and the other a concrete slipway below the current National Trust car park. The Croyde camp consisted of tents scattered among the dunes behind the beach to billet enlisted personnel with the officers were billeted in chalets at the holiday camp. This area was initially used to unload troops from vehicles such as the DUKW and for unloading supplies and artillery ashore. It was eventually abandoned due to uncertain surf conditions. It was later used for lectures and after action critiques in the Croyde village hall. The old village hall has been demolished and replaced by a new building. Areas E and F are shown in Figure 166.
Figure 166: USATC, Area E, Croyde Bay, Area F in top left of photo (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) Area F was at a small peninsula known as Baggy Point situated on top of the headland. Baggy Point is a headland in north Devon, England. It separates Croyde bay and Morte Bay which includes the beaches of Woolacombe and Putsborough. Ten pillbox structures formed a self-contained battlefield area for exercise "A-23 – Company in assault" and served as a surrogate for Pointe du Hoc as far as the Rangers were concerned. Also on this area, inland and behind the main assault area were concrete walls representing pillboxes for the units to perform warm-up sessions before conducting the main assault. The seaside cliffs were used for practice at infiltration and assault to train the Rangers, British Combined Operations Assault Pilotage Parties (COPP) and Office of Strategic Services (OSS) units. The 29th Infantry Division formed their own “Ranger” unit which developed and practiced small boat operations around Baggy Point known as the 29th Ranger Battalion. Their work was so successful it attracted the attention of the 2nd and 5th Ranger Infantry Battalions and COPPs
Figure 167 shows training areas E, F, G and H around Croyde Bay.
Figure 167: USATC, CROYDE BAY - AREAS "E", “F”, “G”, and “H” map (Courtesy of Richard Bass) Area G was a small area codenamed "Woolacombe Blue Beach" at the southernmost of the Woolacombe coded beaches near Putsborough. It was not widely used except for small scale landings or specialized cliff climbing exercises. The top of the cliffs had a strongpoint of concrete pillboxes and machine gun posts to practice assaulting. It is likely the Rangers used this area due to its description.
Areas H and L at Woolacombe Sands were divided into four beaches. There were Blue beach at Putsborough, Red beach directly in front of Woolacombe with Green and Yellow beaches between them. Areas H and L were the primary training beach areas for full scale amphibious assault landings.
The purpose of each amphibious assault exercise was to hold the captured beachhead and hills behind the beach. The group attacking the left flank were held up by the exercise director while the two groups attacking the centre and right flank were permitted to reach the top of their hills, which were their objectives. If the centre companies gained the top of their hill and then swung off and encircled the left hill relieving the companies there under fire, the problem was judged a success. If the centre attackers reached the top of their hill, held it and maintained a strong reserve, the exercise was considered a draw. But if they swung right or advanced, it was assumed the whole attacking force would be split and the beachhead lost. The area of sand and scrub immediately behind the beach below Marine Drive was divided, checker board style into small exercise areas, each containing different types of obstacles that engineers and infantry would encounter on the enemy shore.
Area M was located at Morte Point on the most northern boundary of the Assault Training Centre and the promontory. It was used as a target for seaborne naval gunnery and artillery practice off Woolacombe Sands. To supplement direct fire onto enemy fortifications as the assault waves closed on the shore, the Assault Training Centre came up with an ingenious scheme. Artillery fired from landing craft - staff had no knowledge of this ever being done before and after experimentation, produced impressive results. Initial experiments used two types of artillery for comparison. Towed howitzers and self propelled guns of the same caliber. Four towed 105mm howitzers were loaded onto an LCT-5 with their prime movers, one ammunition truck and three jeeps. The self propelled battery was divided with three guns on each of two LCT-5's. The target on Morte Point was a two hundred yard square divided into four, one hundred yard squares. Data taken at the time shows that accuracy on the smaller target was between 34 and 45 per cent, and on the larger 200 yard target, accuracy more than doubled. When the range was in use, a red flag would fly signifying the danger. Today, small pieces of shrapnel may still be found in the area. Areas H, L, M and N are shown in Figure 168. A modern photo of Morte Point is in Figure 169.
Figure 168: USATC, CROYDE BAY - AREAS "H", “L”, “M”, and “N” map (Courtesy of Richard Bass) Figure 169: Modern day photo of area of USATC, Area M, Morte Point (courtesy of Richard Bass) Mortehoe Station, was expanded and used as a freight depot for all USATC supplies on the railway line from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe was another facility as part of the USATC. Braunton Station was a railway station where troop trains bearing American soldiers would offload or board arriving and departing troops. The beaches of Instow were used to beach and dry out landing craft between amphibious exercises. They also used the area for maintenance and for DUKW vehicles. The US 313th Station Hospital was set up at Fremington.5
Figure 170: Combined infantry and armor landing U.S. Assault Training School, Woolacombe, England (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) As previously stated, the main body of the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion arrived at the USATC on April 3, 1944. They were not the first men from their unit to arrive at the center though. Major Sullivan asked for volunteers for a Secret mission on Saturday, March 18, 1944 while the 5th Rangers were in Scotland. The A Company volunteers included First Lieutenant Oscar A. Suchier, Jr., and two non-commissioned officers, Richard Hathaway, and James B Rooney. From B Company, 2nd Lt. Jay H. Mehaffay, S/Sgt Avery J. Thornhill and S/Sgt Walter N McIlwain volunteered. I was unable to determine volunteers from other companies at this time. The volunteers packed and were sent south to Bude, England, by a combination of truck and train. The contingent from the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion consisted of seven officers and twelve non-commissioned officers under the command of Major Richard P. Sullivan. The first night in Bude the m
en dined in the 2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion mess hall and billeted in private homes. The next day they boarded trucks along with six officers and twelve non-commissioned officers from the 2nd Ranger Infantry Battalion en route to the Braunton, U.S. Assault Training Center. Major Sullivan was placed in command of this joint team.8
Figure 171: Infantry landing at U.S. Assault Training School, Woolacombe, England (U.S. Army, courtesy of Richard Bass) When the joint Ranger team arrived at the U.S. Assault Training Center (USATC), the staff of the school assigned one of their officers to the Rangers to act as an umpire by the name of Major Stanley K Bach, an officer in the Infantry Assault Section of the cadre. The Rangers were billeted in Quonset huts with officers in one and the noncommissioned officers in another, with a third in between the Rangers for supplies, ammunition, explosives, napalm and compressed gas for their flamethrowers.
Undoubtedly, the reason for this advance party of Rangers at the USATC was to experience the training and to develop the training plan for the two battalions before they arrived so that everything would be arranged for them upon arrival. This pattern had been repeated before, with then Lt. Raaen and others travelling beforehand to set things up when the 5th Rangers were stateside. Richard Hathaway reported in his book Training for Bloody Omaha that the “the training was good, but the Rangers didn't like the restrictions placed on the trainees as safety measures. We were restricted as to when we could fire our weapons, in what direction, and for how long. This was done in order to avoid accidents and injury. We violated the orders and decided that we should use all of our fire power, explosives, and flame throwers as we would do in actual combat.” The Rangers followed the safety measures on their first assault as specified in the Braunton Sands Training Directive. After the first assault, the men decided that the measures were too restrictive and would not adequately allow the unit to train to the level of what was to be expected of them in the coming combat. On the next assault, the platoon leader, presumably Major Sullivan, reportedly stated “Let's do it our way, the way we would if we were in actual combat.”8