The great fleet of over 5,000 ships and anding crafts and the sailors who manned them began the greatest naval assault ever carried out on the shores of Normandy, France. A significant presence in this invasion was the Naval Beach Battalions - attached to the Army's Engineer Special Brigades - they were used to establish communication and field hospitals and to guide and repair incoming landing craft. Three of the Navy's twelve Beach Battalions were in the Invasion - the 2nd at Utah Beach, the 6th & 7th at Omaha Beach.
An idea for a future thread?
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors of Beachmaster Unit (BMU) 1 recently spent time in the company of heroes - men who faced death to save the world from fascism nearly 60 years ago.
A handful of World War II veterans and members of the 6th and 7th Naval Beach Battalions (NBB) who took part in D-Day June 6, 1944, were honored at a ceremony at BMU-1’s headquarters at Naval Base Coronado July 10 and 11.
The veterans, who came from throughout the country, came to see their modern day counterparts operate amphibious landing craft and vehicles during the first day of a two-day visit to the command.
During the ceremony, a plaque displaying the 6th Naval Beach Battalion’s (NBB) Presidential Unit Citation was presented to the unit and mounted on BMU-1’s quarterdeck. The ceremony also commemorated BMU-1's 54th birthday.
Retired Lt. Cmdr. Joe Vaghi, Beachmaster of 6th NBB’s C-8 platoon, came from Maryland to share his experiences and be recognized by BMU-1.
“It’s amazing to be here today to tell our stories. After the war was over, I never spoke about what happened on Omaha Beach for almost 50 years,” Vaghi said. “Our unit suffered lots of casualties, and our boys showed a lot of bravery in order to get the job done.”
Moving men and equipment across the beach during the D-Day invasion was the mission of the 2nd, 6th and 7th Naval Beach Battalions at Normandy, France. They were in the first wave of Americans to land on Omaha Beach. Supporting the assault from the sea, these naval forces were components of the Army’s Engineer Special Brigades, responsible for organizing the American landings in France. The NBBs were tasked with providing battlefield medicine, establishing communications between ship to shore, marking sea lanes, boat repairs, removing underwater obstructions and directing the evacuation of casualties. In June of 2001, the 6th NBB mounted a memorial plaque on the 5th Engineer Special Brigade Monument, overlooking the beach.
“I was very impressed with the eagerness the veterans had in talking about their experiences,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jamie Shaddock, of BMU-1. “It is very inspiring.”
These Sailors were depicted in the first scenes of Steven Spielberg’s movie “Saving Private Ryan.” The NBBs were represented by the distinctive red-rainbow markings on their helmets during the graphic opening scenes of American troops under fire.
“It was an honor for us as a command to pay tribute, and to have these veterans visit us and tell us their stories,” said Lt. Cmdr. Carlos Guzman, who is BMU-1’s executive officer. “I believe it builds pride and gives us a greater appreciation for our technology and our history. They showed remarkable drive to get a job done that they knew no one else could do.”
BMU-1 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Edward J. Harrington attempted to reunite history with the present, as he remarked about the accomplishments of the NBBs and the continuing missions of today’s Naval Beach Units. “Our Delta Team left San Diego in January for Kuwait and Iraq, and some came under fire from enemy forces,” said Harrington. “They were the first Beachmasters to arrive and the last to leave.”
Although the equipment has changed greatly over the years, the job of the Beachmaster has changed little. “Even today, with all this technology, you still have to get the same job done,” said Norman Hartline, a 6th NBB signalman. “If we would have had the vehicles and equipment that these guys are now operating with, we would have really done an outstanding job on that beach.”
During closing remarks of the 54th BMU-1 birthday celebration, Robert Watson of 6th NBB and resident of Oceanside, Calif., professed his appreciation for the invitation from the command.
“This has been a wonderful, grand event. It is gratifying to be honored and recognized here after 56 years,” said Watson, referring to the presidential citation they received in 2000. “You have made some old Sailors mighty, mighty proud and happy.”
Journalist 3rd Class Jason Trevett, Amphibious Group 3 Public Affairs
Sounds good!