Seven U.S. warships, eight British vessels sunk during invasion
Three U.S. destroyers are included; six of seven commanders rescued
London, England (UP) –
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s headquarters revealed today that the invasion of France cost the U.S. Navy three destroyers and four other warcraft.
The destroyers lost were the USS Corry, USS Meredith and USS Glennon.
The other U.S. losses were the transport USS Susan B. Anthony, the minesweeper USS Tide, the destroyer escort USS Rich and the fleet tug USS Partridge.
This list of losses includes the two destroyers which Mr. Roosevelt mentioned as having been lost shortly after D-Day.
British losses were three destroyers, three frigates and two other smaller craft. This was the first announcement the British have made of their naval losses during the invasion of France.
The Susan B. Anthony was the former passenger liner Santa Clara. The ship was fully loaded with troops, but only six men were lost.
Through the first days of the invasion, more than half a dozen British and U.S. battleships and about double that number of cruisers worked the Channel, bombarding German positions and protecting Allied convoys.
All of the big ships were afloat and operating at the end of the naval phase of the invasion, although some were damaged to some degree.
Six of seven U.S. commanders saved
Washington (UP) –
The Navy revealed today that six of the commanding officers survived on the seven U.S. naval vessels lost in the landings in France, although two of them were wounded.
The only U.S. skipper lost was LtCdr. Allard Barnwell Heyward of the 890-ton minesweeper USS Tide. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs. I. K. Heyward of Charleston, South Carolina.
The wounded officers were: LtCdr. Edward A. Michel Jr. of Jamestown, New York (who commanded the 1,400-ton destroyer escort USS Rich), and Lt. James C. W. White of San Diego, California (who commanded the 400-ton minesweeper USS Partridge).
The other survivors were: LtCdr. George D. Hoffman of Washington (USS Corry), Cdr. Clifford A. Johnson of Baltimore (USS Glennon), Cdr. Thomas L. Gray of Teaneck, New Jersey (USS Susan B. Anthony) and Cdr. George Knuepfer of Boston (USS Meredith).
The Navy revealed that the destroyer Meredith was the second of that name lost in this war. The other USS Meredith was lost in action in the Solomons in October 1942.
The Corry had a record as one of the scrappiest small ships in the Atlantic. Shortly before she joined the Western European invasion fleet, she played an important part in destroying a German U-boat.
The Susan B. Anthony participated in the North African expedition and the Sicilian operation.