‘Ike’ aids rescue of soldiers on derelict barge
By Stanley Burch
On board a British warship off invasion beaches (UP) – (June 7, delayed)
The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces, and the naval commander-in-chief, en route on their dramatic cruise across the Channel to obtain first-hand battle reports, aided today in the rescue of a handful of drifting soldiers.
About half across on the cruise that carried them within five miles of the enemy, Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsay swung his binocular toward port and then reported to Gen. Eisenhower: “There seems to be a landing barge in trouble.”
As we came nearer to the barge, lurching helplessly at the side of the convoy channel, the men signaled they needed help.
From the bridge was flashed the signal: “We’ll tell the next home going ship.”
Only a mile or so nearer France, we met a returning landing craft, passed on the message and gave the bearings of the drifting barge.
A little later, what appeared to be a drifting raft was sighted. The order came from the bridge for the doctor to stand by to remove the men.
Eisenhower peered through his glasses but as we swung nearer, the “raft” turned out to be a derelict empty patch of balloon. Eisenhower grinned and remarked, “The photographers will be disappointed.”
They were. They had been waiting for the most distinguished rescue scene of the war.
In the conferences held In the captain’s cabin, the Supreme Commander obtained up-to-date exhaustive information on the battlefront situation 30 hours after H-hour.
He undertook this audacious, unescorted trip because he knew he could obtain infinitely more valuable information on the progress of the battle than by relying on cross-Channel signals.
When Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, commander of invasion forces, left the conference and climbed down to his launch, he grinned up confidently. Eisenhower stuck up his thumb and called good luck.
Coast Guard saves 444 off invasion beaches
By Carrol Barber
With the USCG Rescue Flotilla (UP) – (June 7, delayed)
Small 83-foot cutters of the Coast Guard Rescue Flotilla, operating with both U.S. and British forces, have rescued at least 444 soldiers and sailors from drowning and have been instrumental in keeping casualty lists far below the numbers anticipated.
The wooden cutters accompanied initial invasion waves to within 1,666 yards of the beaches. Coast Guard Boat 16 commanded by Lt. (jg.) R. V. McPhail, achieved the highest record, picking up 126 survivors from three ships stricken within a half mile of the beach.
Coast Guard Boat 34, commanded by Lt. (jg.) Gordon W. Grafos, with 32 rescues achieved the best record of those cutters assigned to the Eastern Task Force, composed of British units.