Mulberry Harbors at Normandy

Mulberry Harbors at Normandy. . Following the disastrous raid at Dieppe on the French coast in August 1942, Allied commanders realized that while a port would be essential to any invasion of occupied France, it need not necessarily be wrested from enemy hands. Instead, the idea of assembling a harbor from manufactured components towed across the English Channel began to take shape. After considerable experimenting, the final design incorporated flexible bridging units resting on pontoons, connecting the shore with anchored caissons and piers protected by a breakwater. Code named “Mulberries,” these artificial harbors would allow nearly 7,000 tons of goods and vehicles to be unloaded each day, providing critical and material support to the invasion’s success. , , Construction of Mulberry harbors began even as enemy fire still rained down on invasion troops, but by 9 June the two harbors were in place - Mulberry A at St. Laurent-sur-Mer on Omaha Beach and Mulberry B at Arromanches near Gold Beach. Though only designed to last a few months until the port at Cherbourg could be taken, the Mulberry at Arromanches survived for 10 months, including a disastrous storm on 19 June that destroyed Mulberry A. More than 2.5 million men and 4 million tons of supplies were landed at Mulberry B alone. Each Mulberry consisted of "Phoenixes" - hollow concrete blocks measuring 200’ long by 60' wide and 60’ tall - towed into position and sunk to provide the foundation for piers and docks. The Phoenixes were shielded by "Gooseberries" - breakwaters created by nearly 100 dilapidated "block" ships towed across the Channel and sunk in place. The "Whale" floating roadway sat atop pontoons known as "Beetles" and connected "Spud" piers to land. A completed Mulberry was nearly one mile in length, large enough for seven Liberty ships to tie up at once. , , As essential to the invasion's success as the Mulberries were, they owe their own success to thousands of Allied service personnel who helped build, tow, place, construct, and defend them - many of whom found themselves called to do far more than simply help build a harbor on D-Day. , , After escorting a convoy of block ships across the Atlantic to serve as “Gooseberries” at Normandy, patrol Craft 1232 joined a line of ships approaching Utah Beach in the early morning hours of D-Day. There, the sub chaser provided support for landing craft, towing a disabled barge to a nearby LEVP for transport to the beach. Just 36 hours later, the PC-1232 came to the rescue of the USS Meredith (DD-726) when a mine exploded beneath its engine and boiler room on the night of June 7-8. The PC-1232 was the first to reach the stricken craft and began taking off wounded and survivors, working steadily despite the black night and the constant threat of enemy fire directed at sitting targets. Afterward, the ship returned to duty for 30 more days of patrolling, screening, and convoying craft off Omaha and Utah Beach. , , The crew of PC-1232 had done their part in helping establish a harbor for the Allied foothold on the occupied continent, but they had accomplished far more in their rescue and protection of those caught in the waters at Normandy. For its efforts, the PC-1232 received commendation and its Commanding Officer was awarded the Bronze Star. Like thousands of others who helped bring the building blocks of victory to Normandy, their story is a testament to the power of concrete, steel, and human valor. , , Dedicated to the crew of the PC-1232 by their commanding officer, Wallace Stevenson, and to Elinor Stevenson McGuire and Jean Wynkoop Stevenson (WAVES), Donald, Bruce, Wallace and Rees Stevenson, John McGuire and Robert Graham (Navy), Paul and Ralph Lafferty (10th Mountain Division), and Larry Olson and Arnold Thompson (8th Air Force) for their service in World War II by their eternally grateful sons and daughters.