Robert H.
Searl, Sr
Company A - 56th Signal Battalion
THE 56TH SIGNAL BATTALION AT
OMAHA BEACH - NORMANDY
INITIAL ASSAULT
The First US Army was composed of two separate Corps, the 5th and
the 7th. The 5th Corps was composed of two Infantry Divisions, the1st
and the 29th. Each with about 10,000 troops. Advance radio and wire
teams of our Communications Signal Battalion unit with a combat
strength of about 200 initial landing troops were assigned to support
the action by providing communications between the 5th Corps Headquarters
and the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisional Headquarters. Selected
wire communications teams, loaded on separate Naval LST craft, were
assigned and attached to the two Divisional Infantry Initial Assault
Groups. The landings were planned to be at Omaha Beach in the vicinity
of St.Laurent-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer, Sectors FOX- EASY-DOG-CHARLIE.
The assigned duty of our Signal Battalion forces was to also furnish
a communications link between the various support troops attached
to the 5th Corps; Hospital units, Artillery, Supply, Intelligence,
Anti-Aircraft, Engineering, and so on. The method of transmission
by telephone during the initial assault was mostly by stranded wire,
placed on the ground surface, in ditches and trees. In addition,
Short range Radio also was used. That was our mission during the
initial assault at Omaha Beach Easy Red sector.
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL CROSSING
- JUNE 5-6, 1944
My assigned wire team was dispatched from our station in Taunton,
England in the early morning hours of May 23, 1944, heading for
a location unknown by most, but somehow we knew that there was no
doubt that this was going to be the awaited real action. Never before
did we see such readiness and total security. Our unit arrived by
vehicle convoy at a tented camp in the vicinity of Truro, England
at 3:30 pm. After one year of training in the USA and two long years
of stationed service in the United Kingdom, the waiting and apprehension
of the beginning was calmly felt by all of us. After the complete
isolation period, on June 1, 1944 at 7:30 pm, our advance unit boarded
LST #54 at Falmouth Bay, England and sailed for France on June 5,
1944 at 1:00 am. All troops were provided with floatation gear and
vehicles were prepared for a coastal watery landing. Here at last
was the
beginning or an ending of a different course. My personal feeling
was that no matter the outcome for me, at least it was time for
the happening and there was no way I could get back to my wife and
family without this event getting underway. The thought of approaching
the unknown and not surviving was lost in the anxious circumstance
of the moment. The rehearsal beach landings with units of the Royal
Navy Academy at Dartmouth, England located at Slapton Sands in Cornwall,
England during the early Winter of 1943, were now a reality.
An LST is called a Landing Ship Tank and is about as long as a football
field and 50 feet wide. The front end opens with two large metal
doors for loading tanks and vehicles in both the lower deck and
top deck by means of an elevator. Under ideal conditions the ship
usually can reach the shallow shoreline and unload the vehicles
directly onto the beach shoreline.] On June 5, 1944, after a few
hours en route, due to rough seas and inclement weather, the landing
craft ship turned back and the entire flotilla returned to port
due to bad weather and departed early in darkness the next day,
June 6, 1944 on the same course. As LST#54 approached the Omaha
Beach site , DUKW Radio vehicles were discharged from our ship into
the waters and as they approached the shoreline, immediately began
to be under heavy enemy fire, inflicting loss of life, considerable
vehicle damage and radio equipment. Upon direct arrival at the Omaha
Beach disembarking location in the early morning hours on June 6,
1944, due to artillery fire and the lack of estimated land penetration
by our forces, our ship was forced to anchor offshore less than
a mile from the Omaha Easy Red beach. Many other landing craft began
to build up behind us in the area, and as I can recall, only landing
ships containing tanks were permitted to approach the beachead to
discharge troops and cargo. This was our crossing of the English
Channel aboard LST #54 and our DDay arrival at the assault site
at the shores of Normandy at Omaha Beach - Easy Red Sector [Exit
E-1] with the troops of the 1st Infantry Division courageously leading
the way inland.
OMAHA BEACH EASY RED SECTOR -
MY FIRST LANDING
JUNE 7, 1944, 1000 Hours
On this day, as we waited for our call to approach the beach for
unloading, it was apparent that our unit was held back due to the
lack of our troop penetration and that again, we would not be permitted
to land on this day either. In order to get some information as
to the conditions ashore, as it related to our communication activities
and proposed Command location, one of our officers and I decided
to board and go ashore on one of the Navy Higgins craft that was
going back and forth from our waiting ship, returning loaded with
wounded and disoriented enemy prisoners. We dropped down from the
rope ladder onto the craft and began the approach to the beach.
The water was filled with debris and floating youth in the recognizable
OD uniform. The tide had not yet begun to erase the oil and diluted
redness of life. As we stepped off and waded onto the beach, drifting
sand partially
covered the results of that first day of terror, both body and machine.
There was no direct small arms enemy fire, only the explosion of
occasional enemy artillery round which did cause concern. We proceeded
to Exit E-1, up the hill, with the damaged GERMAN WN#65 armament
concrete bunker to our right and headed for St. Laurent-sur-Mer
which was our intended site.
After going about a half mile inland along with the troops of the
1st Infantry Division we quickly found out that this was no place
for our communications skills and lack of confrontational training.
Sniper fire was always a danger and hedgerows were not always cleared
of enemy resistance. We finally gave up our unsuccessful search
after about 3 hours and returned back to the shore. Truckloads after
truckloads of our fallen comrades were being loaded and heading
somewhere for close-by burial. No proper time for fear, tear or
sadness, no time to think of why. We quickly found another landing
craft going back to our LST #54 and returned in company with a few
hapless looking German prisoners whose war was over. It was their
own wartime ending in survival, but only an anxious beginning for
us, with so many unforgettable unknowns yet to be.
OMAHA BEACH EASY RED SECTOR -
MY SECOND LANDING
JUNE 8, 1944, 0945 Hours
The disembarking of our Signal units from LST #54 was made on June
8, 1944 at 9:45am. The vehicles were loaded offshore to Navy Rhino
vessels which were US Navy motorized mesh rafts. After loading our
unit with troops and vehicles, the craft headed for the Normandy
shore onto the beaches to about 3 or 4 feet of water to the area
of Omaha Beach, Exit E-1. There were no cleared avenues of shoreline
landings for large LST craft available due to enemy place waterline
obstacles. As we approached closer, to the beach area a small pathway
between the enemy placed mines and obstacles had been cleared and
no difficulty with the landing was experienced. The vehicles had
been previously waterproofed and were able to make shore. No visible
silent body remains of our troops were in the water or on the beaches,
but debris was everywhere. Clothing, boxes and equipment floated
by as we approached the shore. Damaged landing craft of all descriptions
were partially submerged and resting on the bottom. Our vehicles
were de-waterproofed at the shoreline and the wire laying communications
began to be organized immediately amid occasional enemy artillery
fire.
This was our crossing of the English Channel aboard LST #54 and
our landing on the shores of Normandy at Omaha Beach - Easy Red
Sector [Exit E-1] along with the troops of the 1st Infantry Division.
Allied Navy battleships and cruisers offshore were firing rounds
far inland and the overhead roar was for us a welcome encouraging
sign. There was an abundance of smoke and fire on the immediate
horizon ahead. Returning enemy artillery fire continued to strike
the beach area, but had lessened considerably from the first days,
as we had observed from the view in our anchored landing craft.
This first evening ashore, while gathered in an apple orchard in
the darkness of early morning hours just off in the St. Laurent-sur-Mer
Omaha Beach area, a low flying enemy air raid, of what seemed like
baskets of anti-personnel bombs dropped directly overhead, caused
28 casualties of wounded and killed, to our unit alone. Our baptism
to the realities of war had begun in a very short time. The roar
of the overhead plane engines, the ground explosions and the returning
anti-aircraft fire, all occurring at the same time, produced a fearful
completely deafening sound. Surprisingly, there was no time for
fright or fear in most of the members of our group as we all tried
to attend and gather the injured in the darkness. This was the thought
and action of war we envisioned would be and were trained for, but
until it actually occurs, the real affect and reaction is hardly
known.
THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE - December
16, 1944
Our Signal Battalion arrived in the city of Eupen, Belgium in October
of 1944 after passing through Bastogne and Luxemburg in September
1944. The weather was getting colder and as I recall the supply
lines were overextended. Gasoline was in short supply along with
other food and equipment.
Our unit was quartered in a large inoperative leather processing
factory and we found the inside warm quarters quite comfortable.
The smell from the leather storage was a bit objectionable, but
not many complaints were heard. Our unit remained there for almost
three months. On the early morning hours of December 16, 1944 the
sounds and dull thuds awakened a few of us as we slept. It did not
take long before the sounds became more distinct and were recognized
as incoming artillery. As the swishing sounds became closer we all
knew that the direction was IN. not OUT.
The first thought was could this Be ???
Before long, some of the explosions were in our own back yard, damaging
some vehicles in our motor section. Alerting orders were issued
for defense, as enemy paratroops were dropping in the area which
caused problems in gathering our forces. In a few hours, my wire
unit was dispatched to leave Eupen and to retreat about 10 miles
to the rear and await further orders. Wire communications damage
to most of the Fifth Corps units in the area were disrupted and
required immediate repair at all hours. Troop movement, activity
of tanks and vehicles on and off the roadways made new wire laying
impossible. The snows and cold wet weather made wire communications
almost hopeless to maintain. The enemy air support increased and
many daytime raids and attacks were made. Air activity of fighter
planes increased considerably, with loss and damage on both sides.
The capture of a parachuting enemy pilot of one of the damaged Meschersmidt
planes by a couple of us was made as he dropped in an open field.
Almost at once, another Me109 roared overhead at about a few hundred
feet to learn the fate of his fellow airman. Covered with oil, he
was not injured in spite of some 50 caliber machine shells with
tracers, directed his way as he slowly parachuted down. This was
not usually done, however the news of the enemy massacre at Malmedy
of captured American prisoners in an open field, prompted the bitterness
in this reaction in some, I am sure. For the first time since the
early stages of the initial assault of Normandy our position seemed
troubled with the sudden strong force of the enemy and the news
of enemy troop penetration, but the success in Bastogne was welcome.
The position in the Eupen area held and as the weather cleared our
air support was more successful.
CONCENTRATION CAMP AT BUCHENWALD, WEIMAR,
GERMANY
APRIL 1945
In early April 1945, our unit left devastated Kassel, Germany, a
very heavily damaged city. The destination seemed to be directly
toward Leipzig. It was suddenly changed and our communications unit
joined the Third Army forces and turned sharply to the right and
headed south in the direction of the Czech Republic. As we neared
the city of Weimar, Germany, it brought us directly onto the concentration
Camp at Buchenwald. It was apparent that the German forces had hurriedly
abandoned the enclosure and the restraining gates were open, and
many of those forcibly retained at the camp were confused and milling
in the roadways, heading in all directions. Most were beyond the
ability of movement or willingness to travel and sat dazed by the
roadside, with no realization of direction or purpose. Hardly recognizable
as humans, most were dressed in the easily noticeable striped rags.
Directly inside the enclosure were human stacks of gaunt and emaciated
exposed naked bodies in horrible positions of death, awaiting the
oven fire of final destruction. The profound smell of death prevailed
the area. Too late for long awaited freedom or recovery for those
piled as refuse, but the motionless mercy of death had ended their
suffering. As we stared at this, our sacrifices and the price of
war seemed justifiable and our purpose made clear. The feeling was
in all of us that the end was near for enemy resistance. As we quickly
left the area the forward troop progress was almost without interference
or enemy contact, as we headed for Czechoslovakia. Our arrival in
Pilsen, Czechoslovakia during the darkness of May 6, 1945 was almost
one of complete triumph. German troops were surrendering by the
hundreds preferring to be in Allied hands. It was our own first
meeting with the Russian troops. The welcome word of the end of
hostilities a few days later was a happy one and we thought of the
long way home, after three long years away from the USA for most
of us.
Entered the US Army Military
Service, at age 23, in May 1941 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, as a Selective
Service Draftee and spent a year in basic training at Fort Jackson,
South Carolina, assigned to the 56th Signal Battalion.
After having served four years and two months, with three years
constant European overseas time, from June 1942 to July 1945, I
was honorably discharged in July 1945.
I participated in the D-Day Initial Assault of Omaha Beach on the
Normandy coast of France in June 1944 while serving with the 56th
Signal Battalion of the First US Army, Fifth Corps as a member of
a communications wire team.
At the close of hostilities our Signal unit had reached Pilsen,
Czechoslovakia, assigned the US Third Army. A distance of 1305 miles
in 335 consecutive combat days.
During my military service I was the recipient of the following
United States Army Official Governmental Medals and Awards:
Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle East Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal [Germany]
Initial Assault Bronze Arrowhead Award
Army Meritorious Unit Award
ETO Battle Campaigns
[Normandy - Northern France]
[Rhineland - Ardennes/Alsace - Central Europe]