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SUNK OFF UTAH ABOUT H-HOUR RED POINTERS MINE - Franny

CORRY, USS DD 463 Action Report 19 June 1944

Action Report & Loss of Ship
Assigned to Fire Support Unit 3, operating in Utah area off Iles St.
Marcouf, Baie de la Seine, during invasion of Normandy with Task Unit
125.8.3 on 6 June 1944. Struck mine and sank.

Station # 3.
About 4000 yards off Utah Beach p approximately 2 miles, bearing 280
degrees from St. Marcouf Islands.

H Hour 0630 B 6 June '44.

Specifically assigned duties:

1. To arrive at transport area, having escorted convoy U-2B across English
Channel at about H-4 hours. CO USS FITCH was escort commander.

2. To proceed down boat lane toward Red & Green beaches, in echelon formation,
with USS HOBSON (CDD 20) and USS FITCH at about H-2 hours, with view to
preceding first boat waves towards landings.

3. To depart boat lanes for fire support station # 3 at H-80 minutes.

4. In case of heavy enemy shore battery opposition, between H-2 hours and
H-40 minutes, signal "Zebra" would be sent to bombardment ships, which
would require CORRY firing on targets 13A and 14A approximately located
between Montebourg and Fontenay, coast of France.

5. To arrive at station # 3 at H-50 minutes.

6. To commence direct fire at beach targets # 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 and
94, extending from prospective beachhead, northwestwards towards Quineville,
at H-40 minutes. Rate of fire to be 8 rounds per minute.

7. To cease firing at H-hour upon receipt of black smoke rocket signal,
meaning "troops have landed; lift your fire."

8. To fire at target of opportunity after H-hour.

9. To answer call fire after landing of shore fire control party after H
plus 210 minutes.

The CORRY car ried out all duties as listed in Par. 1 to 5 inclusive, except
signal "Zebra" was not received and therefore targets 13A and 14A were not fired
upon.

The rest of the schedule was upset as follows:

1. At H-85 minutes FITCH and CORRY[inserted]were[end inserted] fired on by shore batteries, unlocated,
just prior to departing boat lane to report to respective fire support
stations.

2. At H-70 minutes, while en route to fire support station # 3, speed about
3 knots, commenced firing almost simultaneously with FITCH on shore
battery flashes on beach bearing about 260 degrees T from ship's position
2 mi. due west ofSt. Marcouf Islands. Fire was for purpose of covering
FITCH at this time about 3000 yards north of CORRY.

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