D-DAY - UNITS

741st Tank Battalion (Omaha Beach)

 
In August 1943, the battalion arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey, to make final pre-embarkations preparations. From there, the battalion moved to the embarkation station at Camp Shanks, and boarded the Capetown Castle, departing New York on 20 October 1943 and arriving at Liverpool, England on 2 November 1943.
The battalion continued its training in England, where it was selected to become part of the D-Day assault force. Training first with British Valentine tanks specially equipped with the duplex drive amphibious propulsion system beginning in January 1944, they later received similarly equipped M4s with which to continue training. The units loaded out their equipment in late May and waited in port for the final order for the assault landings.
For D-Day, the battalion was attached to the 1st Infantry Division to support the 16th Infantry Regimental Combat Team landings on Omaha Beach. Company A was equipped with M4 Sherman tanks, while Companies B and C were equipped with the amphibious Sherman DD tanks. Company D, equipped with M5 light tanks, and the battalion headquarters were not part of the initial landing force.
 
      
 
Commanding Officer: Lt. Colonel Robert N. Skaggs  [view folder]
  Headquarters Company:
  Service Company: 1st Lieutenant Frank A. Klotz  [view folder]
  Medical Company: Captain Alex Hochman  [view folder]
  A Company: Captain Cecil D. Thomas  [view folder]
    1st Lieutenant Roger J. Mc Donough  [view folder]
    1st Lieutenant E. S. Sledge  [view folder]
    2nd Lieutenant Gaetano R. Barcelona  [view folder]
  B Company: Captain James G. Thornton  [view folder]
    2nd Lieutenant Florus W. Laird  [view folder]
    2nd Lieutenant Patrick J. O'Shaughnessy  [view folder]
    1st Lieutenant Albert I. Shapiro  [view folder]
  C Company: Captain Charles R. Young  [view folder]
    2nd Lieutenant Jerry B. Brown  [view folder]
    1st Lieutenant Vincent A. Cinquina  [view folder]
    1st Lieutenant John H. Covington  [view folder]
  D Company: Captain John F. Sicks  [view folder]