Elizabeth Stanton (AP 69) - Naval Cruise Book

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KJela icilu LST Discliarging Cargo Inid Pontnon. JULY 10, 1943. The meteorologists who picked July 10, 1943, as a good-weather date for our invasion should have hung their heads in shame, because on the preceding afternoon the seas became so heavy that an estimated sixty per cent of the invasion force was sea sick, and small boats could not have lived in the rough waters. Rumor quickly spread that the landings might be postponed. But paratroops had already been dropped over Sicily and could not be abandoned. As H hour approached, the sea calmed miraculously, and operations proceeded as planned; Allied troops hit the beaches just two minutes later than scheduled. ' That ' s Not Lizzie. Burial Services. 23

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Meddle a NOVEMBER 8, 1942. We arrived off Fedala on the blackest night we had ever seen, and by 0400 we had put our boats over the side. At H plus three our destroyers and cruisers began shelling the French fort overlooking the harbor — receiving answering fire from the Jean Bart, which was anchored there. Our cruise rs were located about 700 yards from Lizzie, and at times shell splashes were observed within 1,000 yards. The battle con- tinued until early afternoon, when the Navy Air Corps worked 4)n the Jean Bart. The unloading proceeded slowly due to poor beaches and the small harbor which was available. Every afternoon the swell would increase to such an extent that it was next to impossible to use the small boats after nightfall. Enemy air activity was light, most of the trouble coming from submarines. On November 1 1 three ships were torpedoed at about 2000, and all small boats were sent to pick up survivors. At sunset on November 12 the Scott, Bliss, and Rutledge were hit with two fish each. Again the small boats went to the rescue. The Bliss was about two points off the port bow at a thousand yards. Lizzie was refueling a mine layer at the time. It was cut away and all ships heaved anchor and got under way, leaving the small boats to pick up survivors. On Friday afternoon, November 13. Lizzie pro- ceeded into Casablanca harbor. All hands turned to, and by 0300 of the following morning all cargo was discharged and piled on the dock. By 0900 Lizzie was homeward bound. The amazing part of the entire operation was that the ship was able to complete her assigned tasks with a crew of officers and men of whom ninety-five per cent had never seen salt water before, and were a little uncertain as to which was port and which was starboard.

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Captured German Land Mines. Attack. Expediting Unloading of Supplies on Beachhead. 24