"The Elsie Item" - USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

We thank you, Dr. Mueller, and all the staffofthe Museum for awonderful opening celebration and for all the great work in puttingtogether such an impressive museum. We are proud to be apart ofit..From across the border in Canada comes this message: \November 28, 2002Dear Mr. Cummer,... .I am and ex LCIer ofthe British Navy, World War Two anda member ofthe British LST and Landing Craft Association ...Our Flotilla were all built in New Jersey, New York area, I believe.During the war years, the crews for many types of shipswere sent to Asbury Park, New Jersey, staying in two hotels,namely The Berkeley Carteret, and the Monterey. Britain didnot have the capacity to build the ships that were required.I might add that the people in and around Asbury Park werewonderful, their hospitality amazing, they just could not doenough for us. I have many memories of those years, includingthe USOs, The U. S. Defense Center, Park Avenue, New York,the State Door Canteen, and so on.Sincerely,w.A. Smith87 Cornwall Road, Brampton,Ontario, Canada. L6WIN7P.S. The two hotels together, were known as HMS Asbury, butthe food and accommodations were by no means hotel standard,just in case you thought we were all living it up.Next, I want to share with you an e-mailfrom a "new old"friendfrom across the waters. Charles Eagles was a member oftheDurham Light Infantry, the outfit that my ship, the 502, helpedto land on Gold Beach on June 6, 1944. His e-mail asks a questionwhich I pass on. Can anybody from LCIs who landed Britishtroops on D-Day help in this one?that you landed on Jig Green Beach. Following the publicationofHarry Moses' history ofthe 9 th Battalion DLI [Durham LightInfantry], "the Gateshead Gurkhas", we believe that 231 Brigadelanded on Jig Green Beach and 56 Brigade landed on JigRed Beach but, as yet, we don't know the make-up of231 Brigade.We shall keep up with it.The other thing we have learned is that the 9 th DLI, my battalion,was in the second wave and landed on King Green and Red GreenBeaches (so far unable to establish which ofthe two myparticularLCI landed on). I was in the "second" LCI of 3 transportingthe 9 th DLI, which consisted of Major Mogg with "C" Companyand the remainderofHQ and Support Companies. We leftfrom King George V Dock, Southampton. As an active memberofthe LCI Association, next time you meet, could you ask ifany ofyour colleagues remember transporting Major Mogg (laterGeneral Sir John Mogg who died recently) of the 9 th DLI as itwould be great to contact them too .... "Best Wishes,Charles EaglesEast Herrington, SunderlandEnglandFormer Florida State Director Don McGranahan expressed histhanks to Jim McCarthy for the great job on the LCI Calendarand passed on some interesting reminiscences as he did so:February 1,2002Hi Jim,Just a note to let you know that the calendar I ordered for afriend, John Hooper, who was a soldier attached to the 115 thInfantry arrived. One of our LCIs landed him on D-DayNormandy, Omaha Beach. He didn't remember the number ofthe LCI he was on when he landed in Normandy and he wrote tome to see if we could find out. All he knew was that a shell hitthe LCI as he stepped into the water. After I wrote an article forthe Florida Newsletter and sent it to the Elsie Item Newsletter,he received many letters and phone calls and it was decided hewas on the USS LCI(L) 553 which is on your calendar for themonth ofJune. My ship, the USS LCI(L) 412, was right besidethe 553 and we saw it destroyed after the troops were put ashoreand the crew had to abandon ship and go on the beach ....February 6, 2002Dear John,We've been reading your e-mail of the log of the 502, and seeI thought what a great service you have done for the army andnavy by making your calendar available - But, knowing you Jim,I am not surprised as you have done more for the USS LCI NationalAssociation and the State ofCalifornia than any other LCI10