Norman's Experience
Norman Foster was drafted just two weeks after graduating high school. He enlisted on June 16th, 1943, in Denver, Colorado. He traveled to Ft. Knox, Kentucky, where he went through basic training. While there he trained with one of his hometown friends, Stewart Coles. Together they became soldiers. According to Stewart, they learned maintenance of their weapons and how to crawl safely on their elbows and knees. In their brief amounts of down time, they enjoyed getting drinks at the Post Exchange(PX) and relaxing on the lawn.
While at Ft. Knox, Norman learned of his assignment to England, and shortly afterwards departed to Ft. George Meade, Maryland. From there he traveled to England where he joined the 70th Tank Battalion as a replacement. Previously the 70th Tank Battalion had been fighting in Northern Africa with the 9th Infantry Division. The 70th Tank Battalion was unique in that it could be attached to any division where necessary- it was independent. In the case of Normandy it was attached to the 4th Infantry Division. Norman was assigned to A Company as a driver of an M4 Sherman DD tank. He was to be part of the initial amphibious invasion, Task Force U, assaulting Utah Beach on D-Day.
A Company's sister unit, B Company, was also part of Task Force U. B Company's daily journal is in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) research facility. A and B Company would have been doing the same things at the same time, providing a great deal of insight into what Norman's journey in England leading up to D-Day would have been like.
December 29th, 1943, was spent in Swindon, England, with a field day. Much confusion ensued in their practice that day. January through February of 1944 was spent learning about Sherman DD Tanks. They spent time sighting in, practicing with the guns, using the British wireless, and training on British Valentine tanks (the first DDs). 12 men joined B Co on February 13th, and they spent their first day cleaning equipment. Just like these 12 new men, Norman would be joining up with A Co as a replacement at some point in early spring. Going into late February, the company resolved equipment struggles and malfunctions. On March 4th they departed to Yormouth, England.
On June 2nd the Landing Craft Tanks (LCTs) were loaded in preparation for D-Day. June 3rd the 70th Tank Battalion embarked from Dartmouth, England for Utah Beach. The B Company journal talks about all of the men being seasick. June 4th-5th they stayed at sea and did not attack at the scheduled time of D-Day. The seas were too rough for a safe landing. All of the men were "so very sick."
Finally, on June 6th, the men prepared to launch, drank one last java, and admired the air corps bombing. At H hour + 30 the men launched from the LCTs. Norman's LCT, 593, hit an underwater mine. All four tanks were blown 50-100 feet into the air and there was only one survivor, Staff Sergeant Glen E. Gibson.
While at Ft. Knox, Norman learned of his assignment to England, and shortly afterwards departed to Ft. George Meade, Maryland. From there he traveled to England where he joined the 70th Tank Battalion as a replacement. Previously the 70th Tank Battalion had been fighting in Northern Africa with the 9th Infantry Division. The 70th Tank Battalion was unique in that it could be attached to any division where necessary- it was independent. In the case of Normandy it was attached to the 4th Infantry Division. Norman was assigned to A Company as a driver of an M4 Sherman DD tank. He was to be part of the initial amphibious invasion, Task Force U, assaulting Utah Beach on D-Day.
A Company's sister unit, B Company, was also part of Task Force U. B Company's daily journal is in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) research facility. A and B Company would have been doing the same things at the same time, providing a great deal of insight into what Norman's journey in England leading up to D-Day would have been like.
December 29th, 1943, was spent in Swindon, England, with a field day. Much confusion ensued in their practice that day. January through February of 1944 was spent learning about Sherman DD Tanks. They spent time sighting in, practicing with the guns, using the British wireless, and training on British Valentine tanks (the first DDs). 12 men joined B Co on February 13th, and they spent their first day cleaning equipment. Just like these 12 new men, Norman would be joining up with A Co as a replacement at some point in early spring. Going into late February, the company resolved equipment struggles and malfunctions. On March 4th they departed to Yormouth, England.
On June 2nd the Landing Craft Tanks (LCTs) were loaded in preparation for D-Day. June 3rd the 70th Tank Battalion embarked from Dartmouth, England for Utah Beach. The B Company journal talks about all of the men being seasick. June 4th-5th they stayed at sea and did not attack at the scheduled time of D-Day. The seas were too rough for a safe landing. All of the men were "so very sick."
Finally, on June 6th, the men prepared to launch, drank one last java, and admired the air corps bombing. At H hour + 30 the men launched from the LCTs. Norman's LCT, 593, hit an underwater mine. All four tanks were blown 50-100 feet into the air and there was only one survivor, Staff Sergeant Glen E. Gibson.
Letters Home
Although this tank was not from the 70th Tank Battalion, it does show what would have become of those lost off Utah Beach.