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.
This is a picture of Hardy Wilbank as a second class boatswain's mate.
No comments:
Post a Comment