-
Ch 7 The French Rivierato Alsace
- Texas A&M University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
104 C H A P T E R 7 C H A P T E R 7 The French Riviera to Alsace O n August , , hospital personnel and some infantry embarked at Bagnoli, Italy, on two LCIs. Most of the hospital, without nurses and with only a minimum of equipment, traveled on LCI #. The LCI was a steelplated monster with a front loading ramp aboutfeet long with a narrow beam completely surrounded by diesel fumes. The craft’s vibrating motor threatened to tear the ship’s seams at any moment . The canvas bunks stood in tiers of four, with little space between the nose below and the body above. A narrow companionway would prove a trap if a rapid exit were necessary.Because the fumes below were so thick and choking, most men pitched a blanket roll on the crowded deck.Cold C rations were the menu d’hôte,and the customary etiquette for each meal required a crowbar to break open the case of rations, a can opener,and a soup spoon.The decks soon became slimy with spilled pork and beans and hash and obstructed with mountains of packs,halfused crates of rations, rifles, and sprawled bodies. The LCI was not designed for a leisurely cruise in the Mediterranean, yet we remained confined on one for six long days awaiting the invasion.Not a fresh vegetable or piece of fruit was to be found aboard, and, in addition, water was rationed. From Bagnoli we sailed to the Bay of Salerno,now strangely quiet,and remained here two days at anchor, diving overboard for a daily bath. Sometimes other LCIs accompanied us; sometimes we cruised the Tyrrhenian Sea without another vessel in sight. To those of us on board, it seemed we were sailing aimlessly, until some day hence when, at a signal , the convoy would reform and focus on a specific beach. This was intended to keep the enemy guessing where and when we would strike. German aircraft frequently flew overhead, and our antiaircraft batteries T H E F R E N C H R I V I E R A T O A L S A C E 105 pumped rounds into the sky. Although the planes often threatened, they never singled out LCI #. On August , , we sailed into the harbor at Ajaccio in Corsica to refill our water tanks. The long concrete dock was deserted except for a lonely Corsican who was tending a pushcart of fruits and vegetables. Troops quickly spotted him and lined the port rail as the ship slowly swung to. When the hawsers were tossed onto the dock and before the ship was secured,men jumped onto the dock and proceeded on the double.Never was an invading army so fervent in capturing its objective: the lonely Corsican with his cart.In five minutes the mission was accomplished,the objective conquered, and not a tomato or head of lettuce remained. The Corsican was on his hands and knees picking up the money strewn over the dock for him. Such was the effect of days of canned C rations. An LCI convoy carrying members of the 95th Evac makes its way from Bagnoli, Italy, to St. Tropez, France, by way of Ajaccio in Corsica. The 95th Evac would soon participate in its third D-Day invasion. [44.222.146.114] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 00:52 GMT) 106 C H A P T E R 7 On August , the convoys converged and approached the beach at St. Tropez on the French Riviera. We were pleasantly surprised to find no enemy planes harassing the fleet.A few shells sent geysers of water into the air nearby; mines were being exploded on the beach by the engineers, and the rumble of artillery on the shore was faltering.After wading ashore at H+ hours, we convened to our assembly area just beyond the beach for a repast of C and K rations and a night of relaxed sleep. The assault troops had advanced without much resistance and were taking objectives twelve to twenty-four hours ahead of schedule.This rapid advance made the selection of a site for the hospital difficult. Two possible sites, each farther inland, were abandoned before the hospital was finally set up on August in a valley near Gonfaron, France. Our first patients were French partisans and civilians who had risen up against the German occupying force in order to soften our landing. We also treated wounded...