Current Research-USRC Hudson and Frank Newcomb

For the next issue of The Daybook, we are working on an article about the USRC Hudson, an armed cutter in service with the United States Revenue Cutter Service. The tug nominally patrolled New York City before being called into Naval service for the Spanish-American War.  She and her commanding officer, a legendary Revenue Cutter Service officer named Frank Newcomb, came to the Norfolk Navy Yard (shown here) to have the ship outfitted with armor plates and two six-pounder guns before heading south to Cuba.  It is our distinct honor to have Dr. William Thiesen, Atlantic Area historian for the United States Coast Guard, research and write about this subject.

Omaha Beach Landing Map

A map used by a U.S. Navy coxswain named Hardy W. Wilbank for the Omaha Beach landings has been donated to the museum. Wilbank used the map while piloting an LCI (landing craft, infantry) during the first assault wave on June 6, 1944. The map specifically covers Omaha Beach "East," near the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. Notice that the map is labeled "Fox Red," "Fox Green," "Easy Red," and "Easy Green."  These are the names of the landing areas.  Each of the five code named beaches (Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold, and Juno) were organized into smaller sectors to serve as guides for the assault.

 This is a picture of Hardy Wilbank as a second class boatswain's mate.

A picture the coxswain took of his ship, USS Boone County (LST-389), a Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company-built LST, alongside USS Bernalillo County (LST-306) at Omaha Beach.