The assault troops were formed of three American divisions of the VI Corps, reinforced with a French armoured division. The 3rd Infantry Division landed on the left at Alpha Beach (Cavalaire-sur-Mer), the 45th Infantry Division landed in the centre at Delta Beach (Saint-Tropez), and the 36th Infantry Division landed on the right at Camel Beach (Saint-Raphaël). At Cap Negre, on the western flank of the main invasion, a large group of French commandos landed to destroy German artillery emplacements (Operation Romeo). These were supported by other French commando groups landing on both flanks, and by Rugby Force, a parachute assault in the LeMuy-Le Luc area by the 1st Airborne Task Force: British 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade, the U.S. 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team, and a composite U.S. airborne glider regimental combat team formed from the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the 550th Glider Infantry Battalion, and the 1st Battalion, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment(Operation Dove). The 1st Special Service Force took two offshore islands to protect the beachhead (Operation Sitka). Operation Span, a deception plan, was carried out to shield the main invasion.

Naval gunfire from Allied ships, including the French battleship Lorraine, British battleship HMS Ramillies, and the American capital ships USS Texas, Nevada and Arkansas and a fleet of over 50 cruisers and destroyers supported the landings. Seven Allied escort carriers provided air cover.

Over ninety-four thousand troops and eleven thousand vehicles were landed on the first day. A number of German troops had been diverted to fight the Allied forces in Northern France after Operation Overlord and a major attack by French resistance fighters, coordinated by Captain Aaron Bank of the OSS, helped drive the remaining German forces back from the beachhead in advance of the landing. As a result, the Allied forces met little resistance as they moved inland. The quick success of this invasion, with a twenty-mile penetration in twenty-four hours, sparked a major uprising by resistance fighters in Paris.

Follow-up formations included U.S. VI Corps HQ, U.S. Seventh Army HQ, French Army B (later redesignated the French First Army) and French I and II Corps, as well as the 51st Evacuation Hospital.

My dad's unit landed with the 36th Inf Div.

http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/3...al/invasion.htm

Here's film regarding the Invasion.

http://www.ihffilm.com/89.html

Trying to find a COMPLETE order of battle. Still trying...

Marion, I have no doubt you will find it.

Brooke

Thanks for the vote of confidence. This morning I'm not to sure. Whew tired! Been painting spindles for our remodeled front porch. There's about 130 spindles...

Great Response to my Notice. WE the 48th went into Red Beach with the 142 Inf, Regt. Co. B 48 was a part of the Shore Detail with a Navy Unit, H Hour. Prior to invasion WE were trained with the 540 Shore Engineers, Marions Dads Unit. It was all over by nightfall, the next day WE started our trek north. My Mess Sergeant lifted 1 ton of flour from a badly guarded QM Depot. WE had hot fresh bread for a month.

Al I didn't realize that the 48th and 540th worked so closely together for this landing. Thanks. That is exciting news for me.

I can't wait to read more about it in the archived materials that I have from NARA.

Al sent this. It is a collage of photos taken during the invasion training with the 48th and 540th Combat Engineers.

Here's an article from the new magazine America in WWII

http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/rivieradday.htm

Well thank goodness I have my buddies, for sometimes I do not know where my head is!

I received the following email from Richard Fietz last night and wanted to post it here. Yup it's the anniversary of the invasion of southern, France. As I call it, the one that NO ONE CARES ABOUT. I'm sure the boys that landed that day, and the navy that accompanied them did not share those views. Nor the people of southern France who were very grateful that we were there.

Here's Dick's note:

Dear Marion,

Just a reminder: Today is the 63rd anniversary of the landing in Southern France of the troops who really won the battle for Europe. Without the port of Marseille, the entire effort in the north of France would have failed.

Dick Fietz

I wrote back to him and said how grateful I was for the reminder, and told him how ironic it was because I always received the reminder from Al Kincer, but alas, Al is very ill, so no note.

Told him it was a very good point. No one EVER talks about the southern landing. It's as if it never occurred or was of little importance.

Went on to say that I think the same way as you. You had to have men at both fronts to stem the Nazi tide. Our boys pushed their way north, while the others pushed their way south and east. We had to have both in order for it to succeed.

So here's to ALL the men involved in the invasion and to ALL they accomplished from that day forward. Think of every battle and encounter that the the 7th Arrmy and VI Corps were involved in from August 15th through the end of the war! Nothing small or unimportant about it. Without it, 1944 and 1945 would have been very different years, and one very likely consequence of it NOT occurring, would have been the extension of the war far beyond May of 1945. Think about it!

Once again, thanks Dick for sending that email. It was a very good way to start my day. Here's to you buddy!

Told him it was a very good point. No one EVER talks about the southern landing. It's as if it never occurred or was of little importance.

 

Well you're right everybody speaks about D-Day in Normandy but no one of this landing and to my shame I must admit that I know very little about that landing well I will see if have no book about it if not I'll buy one. Thx for the tip

Dear Martin:

Well we are here to spread the word. As Frank Sinatra said, "Start spreading the news..."

A very good book that covers it well is Riveria to the Rhine. See my book section on the main site for more info. It's in my collection. Top notch!!!

:armata_PDT_37:thanks Dick & Marion!

The DDay Southern France Invasion Operation Anvil didn't get much press

and those guys NEVER NEVER got the credit they deserved.

The fall struggle through the Vosges & the Belfort Gap was no walk in the park.

Devers 6th army group did a heck of a job, but then Ike ordered 7th army north to

help 3rd army. Seventh army was stretched thin when the Germans launched

Operation Nordwind in the bitter winter if '45. Lots of our fellows lost their lives.

Highly recommend the book "From The Riviera To The Rhine". (ha! I just see Marion's

recommending it too! It's an excellent detailed source with maps etc.)

My dad was there. Our guys wore American Flag armbands to

distinguish themselves from First French Army when they hit the beaches. Here's

the armband that he wore, it still has the safety pin on the back that he used to

fasten it. He wrote on the back: "armband I wore August 15, 1944 DDay

Invasion Southern France".

Everyone outta be damned grateful to all those guys! I know I am!

Here's to 'em

love you Dad!

mary ann