Comments on: Operation Avalanche: U.S. Navy's 4th Beach Battalion Assault on Salerno During World War II http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 25 May 2013 03:21:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tyler http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-1130797 Tyler Tue, 21 May 2013 14:22:25 +0000 #comment-1130797 My grandfather was with Dorey when he was shot in the stomach. Another platoon buddy of my grandfathers told me the whole story. I reached out to you via email. Let me know if you got the information. Thanks My grandfather was with Dorey when he was shot in the stomach. Another platoon buddy of my grandfathers told me the whole story. I reached out to you via email. Let me know if you got the information. Thanks

]]> By: Tyler http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-1130785 Tyler Tue, 21 May 2013 14:18:02 +0000 #comment-1130785 Aubrey Chafin was in A-2 of the 1st Beach Battalion. LCT550 was scheduled for UNCLE RED BEACH during the Salerno invasion. The 4th Beach Battalion landed at Paestum (south of Salerno). I believe the 1st landed at and around Salerno with British and Americans. The 1st BBN has a website with all this information...including info on your relative. Aubrey Chafin was in A-2 of the 1st Beach Battalion. LCT550 was scheduled for UNCLE RED BEACH during the Salerno invasion. The 4th Beach Battalion landed at Paestum (south of Salerno). I believe the 1st landed at and around Salerno with British and Americans. The 1st BBN has a website with all this information…including info on your relative.

]]> By: Donnie http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-1127944 Donnie Mon, 20 May 2013 18:49:14 +0000 #comment-1127944 I'm trying to uncover the circumstances concerning my wife's great-uncle. He was Aubrey C. Chafin, MoMM1c. He was on the \fathometer crew\ of LCT-550, which was a British landing craft. He was in the US Navy and thought to have been part of the crew of the USS Thomas Jeferson, APA-30, an attack transport. We know that he was a POW and believe he may have been captured at Salerno but this is unconfirmed. He was indeed a POW because of a propaganda picture naming him, He was being tortured in the photograph according to the memory of senior family members. The picture's whereabouts are unknown all these years later. He died in 1968 and his wife died in 1990. He was in Company A, 2nd Platoon and went in to the beachhead in the 4th wave. I don't know if he was in the 1st Naval Beach Battalion or the 4th. (Both battalions were there I think??) Which color coded beach name did LCT 550 land on? Can anyone help? Thanks Donnie I'm trying to uncover the circumstances concerning my wife's great-uncle. He was Aubrey C. Chafin, MoMM1c. He was on the \fathometer crew\ of LCT-550, which was a British landing craft. He was in the US Navy and thought to have been part of the crew of the USS Thomas Jeferson, APA-30, an attack transport. We know that he was a POW and believe he may have been captured at Salerno but this is unconfirmed. He was indeed a POW because of a propaganda picture naming him, He was being tortured in the photograph according to the memory of senior family members. The picture's whereabouts are unknown all these years later. He died in 1968 and his wife died in 1990. He was in Company A, 2nd Platoon and went in to the beachhead in the 4th wave. I don't know if he was in the 1st Naval Beach Battalion or the 4th. (Both battalions were there I think??) Which color coded beach name did LCT 550 land on? Can anyone help? Thanks
Donnie

]]> By: tyler http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-829570 tyler Sun, 30 Dec 2012 00:46:24 +0000 #comment-829570 just looked up my grandfathers platoon roster. Your father is on the list of 40 guys form Platoon C-9. Please email me for more information that I have collected from my grandfather who passed away in 2006 and another platoon c-9 sailor that unfortunately passed away in 2011 with TONS of detailed first hand accounts. tyler.b.elliott@gmail.com just looked up my grandfathers platoon roster. Your father is on the list of 40 guys form Platoon C-9. Please email me for more information that I have collected from my grandfather who passed away in 2006 and another platoon c-9 sailor that unfortunately passed away in 2011 with TONS of detailed first hand accounts. tyler.b.elliott@gmail.com

]]> By: tyler http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-829566 tyler Sun, 30 Dec 2012 00:38:42 +0000 #comment-829566 Contact Donald E. Palmer from Springfield, IL. He was in the 4th BBN and is currently the units "historian". He is still alive that I know of and is in good health. Please reach me if you want his phone number. Thanks Contact Donald E. Palmer from Springfield, IL. He was in the 4th BBN and is currently the units "historian". He is still alive that I know of and is in good health. Please reach me if you want his phone number. Thanks

]]> By: Clifford A Hallmark http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-829511 Clifford A Hallmark Sat, 29 Dec 2012 17:45:06 +0000 #comment-829511 I am looking for Anyone who may have new my father. His name was Benjamin Hallmark Jr. and he was in the 4th beach battalion during WW11. If there is any one who has any information about this or can lead me to finding information I would be very grateful. I am looking for Anyone who may have new my father. His name was Benjamin Hallmark Jr. and he was in the 4th beach battalion during WW11. If there is any one who has any information about this or can lead me to finding information I would be very grateful.

]]> By: Helen Brown Gellert http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-827028 Helen Brown Gellert Wed, 12 Dec 2012 02:09:09 +0000 #comment-827028 Hello. My Dad passed away January 2000. He was Harry Brown, CM1st class. I received his personnel information from the National Archives in St. Louis yesterday and have been fascinated about everything in it. Dad never told me anything about him being in the Navy. I knew he was in Africa, did something in Italy. My surprise to find out that he was past of the invasion was in Gela, Caltanissetta, Sicilia, Italy where he took part in the Invasion of Sicily, landing with the 4th Beach Battalion on the morning of D-day, 10 Jul 1943; Landed on the beach of the Gulf of Salerno on the morning of 9 Sep 1943 in the initial phase of the invasion of Italy; plus Took part in the Invasion of Southern France, landing on D-ay, 15 Aug 1944 with the 4th Beach Battaion. It says he was a member of the "Beach Party". After reading about some of the stories above, I am filled with awe. I wish my Dad would have told me some of his stories while he was alive. I miss him. Anyway, if anyone remembers him, please write me back. I would love to hear from you. Thank you. Hello. My Dad passed away January 2000. He was Harry Brown, CM1st class. I received his personnel information from the National Archives in St. Louis yesterday and have been fascinated about everything in it. Dad never told me anything about him being in the Navy. I knew he was in Africa, did something in Italy. My surprise to find out that he was past of the invasion was in Gela, Caltanissetta, Sicilia, Italy where he took part in the Invasion of Sicily, landing with the 4th Beach Battalion on the morning of D-day, 10 Jul 1943; Landed on the beach of the Gulf of Salerno on the morning of 9 Sep 1943 in the initial phase of the invasion of Italy; plus Took part in the Invasion of Southern France, landing on D-ay, 15 Aug 1944 with the 4th Beach Battaion. It says he was a member of the "Beach Party". After reading about some of the stories above, I am filled with awe. I wish my Dad would have told me some of his stories while he was alive. I miss him. Anyway, if anyone remembers him, please write me back. I would love to hear from you. Thank you.

]]> By: Ronald Richmond http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-820603 Ronald Richmond Tue, 09 Oct 2012 23:38:23 +0000 #comment-820603 Hello, My name is Ronald Richmond. My Great Uncle was Robert "Clayton" Dorey. He was my Grandmother, Addie Richmonds brother. I am named after Clayton's brother Ronald Dorey who served in Pattons Army in WWll. This was the first article with "ANY" information about what happened to my Great Uncle. My family still has his framed military photo and a letter from the president. I remember as a child, one of his unit members coming to the house and visiting with my grandmother. Nothing was ever said about what that individual shared with her. The following information in the above article pertained to Clayton. Meanwhile, at 3:45 a.m., Platoon C-9 landed on Blue Beach, midway between Agropoli and Paestum. As they waded ashore they could see three German tanks moving up to the beach. Corpsman Elmer 'John' Johnstone recalled: 'They were right behind the sand dunes….We could hear them yelling from one tank to the other.' Once in position, the tanks soon began shelling approaching boats, sometimes scoring direct hits. Aware that there were likely to be casualties on the beach, a 4th Beach Battalion medical team had landed with the assault troops and immediately set up an aid station. Corpsman Johnstone's performance was typical. As the sky rained 88 shells, Johnstone placed a gut-shot shipmate, Seaman Robert Dorey, on a litter. With a reluctant boatswain's mate helping, he carried Dorey more than a mile along an exposed beach to a waiting LST for evacuation. Sadly, Dorey died while undergoing surgery in the officers' wardroom of USS Woolsey. Most of the 4th Beach Battalion was withdrawn from Salerno on September 23. I have also found that Elmer Johnny Johnstone passed away in 1999. C9 JOHNSTONE, ELMER "JOHNNY" 8-Jun-1999 We do not know where he is buried. It says he died onboard ship. If you have any additional information, please feel free to email me at: richmond_ron@hotmail.com. Thank you. Hello, My name is Ronald Richmond. My Great Uncle was Robert "Clayton" Dorey. He was my Grandmother, Addie Richmonds brother. I am named after Clayton's brother Ronald Dorey who served in Pattons Army in WWll. This was the first article with "ANY" information about what happened to my Great Uncle. My family still has his framed military photo and a letter from the president. I remember as a child, one of his unit members coming to the house and visiting with my grandmother. Nothing was ever said about what that individual shared with her. The following information in the above article pertained to Clayton.

Meanwhile, at 3:45 a.m., Platoon C-9 landed on Blue Beach, midway between Agropoli and Paestum. As they waded ashore they could see three German tanks moving up to the beach.

Corpsman Elmer 'John' Johnstone recalled: 'They were right behind the sand dunes….We could hear them yelling from one tank to the other.' Once in position, the tanks soon began shelling approaching boats, sometimes scoring direct hits. Aware that there were likely to be casualties on the beach, a 4th Beach Battalion medical team had landed with the assault troops and immediately set up an aid station. Corpsman Johnstone's performance was typical. As the sky rained 88 shells, Johnstone placed a gut-shot shipmate, Seaman Robert Dorey, on a litter. With a reluctant boatswain's mate helping, he carried Dorey more than a mile along an exposed beach to a waiting LST for evacuation. Sadly, Dorey died while undergoing surgery in the officers' wardroom of USS Woolsey.

Most of the 4th Beach Battalion was withdrawn from Salerno on September 23.

I have also found that Elmer Johnny Johnstone passed away in 1999.

C9 JOHNSTONE, ELMER "JOHNNY" 8-Jun-1999

We do not know where he is buried. It says he died onboard ship. If you have any additional information, please feel free to email me at: richmond_ron@hotmail.com. Thank you.

]]> By: Luther Kern III http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-805823 Luther Kern III Thu, 31 May 2012 02:47:09 +0000 #comment-805823 The Luther Kern who was on Yellow Beach was an Ensign and found the channel along with two other sailors that allowed other ships to land their tanks etc. Lt. Riley put him in for an award but Cmdr "Walsh advised that there were not going to be any awards given because Luther "Dude" was doing the job that was expected of him. Walsh who was supposed to go on the beach did not and remained shipboard. Luther was my uncle. I have a lot of letters from members of c8 to my grandmother who advised Luther volunteered to go find the channel. We here never knew what happend with Walsh but would like to know. The Luther Kern who was on Yellow Beach was an Ensign and found the channel along with two other sailors that allowed other ships to land their tanks etc. Lt. Riley put him in for an award but Cmdr "Walsh advised that there were not going to be any awards given because Luther "Dude" was doing the job that was expected of him. Walsh who was supposed to go on the beach did not and remained shipboard. Luther was my uncle. I have a lot of letters from members of c8 to my grandmother who advised Luther volunteered to go find the channel. We here never knew what happend with Walsh but would like to know.

]]> By: Tyler http://www.historynet.com/operation-avalanche-us-navys-4th-beach-battalion-assault-on-salerno-during-world-war-ii.htm#comment-799031 Tyler Tue, 01 May 2012 20:32:29 +0000 #comment-799031 Gwen, please email me at stealthytyler@aol.com I have been researching the platoons experiences for some time now. I hope these stories can allow your family to gain some knowledge as to the hardships your father faced... especially at Salerno, Italy (Blue beach... in-between the towns of Paestum and Agropoli). Shoot me an email. Gwen, please email me at stealthytyler@aol.com

I have been researching the platoons experiences for some time now. I hope these stories can allow your family to gain some knowledge as to the hardships your father faced… especially at Salerno, Italy (Blue beach… in-between the towns of Paestum and Agropoli). Shoot me an email.

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