JIM IRVING, D - DAY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT

The following is an eyewitness account of Jim Irving, a veteran of the 538th Quartermaster, 6th Brigade, who landed on Omaha Beach on D Day at H plus 30 minutes with the 149th Engineer Combat Battalion.

6TH ENGINEER SPECIAL BRIGADE
       MEMORIAL FUND INC.                                                       23 November 1996

Dear George,

There was a great difference in the 5th and 6th Brigades, compared to the other 4 Brigades. The lst Brigade which landed D Day on Utah Beach in support of the 4th Infantry Division was basically like the 3 Brigades in the Pacific. The 5th & 6th were basically the same and I have included a list of the assigned and attached units of the 6th Brigade as it was on 6 June 1944. Half of our battalion was to land on Utah and half on Omaha Beaches. On 27 April 1944 the 3206th QM Co. which had been C Company of our battalion was lost during a training exercise when their LST was sunk by German torpedo boats.

A total of 460 Americans were lost that night all from the lst Brigade and this was over twice as many as were lost D Day on Utah Beach. Then the 3207th (D company and the second platoon of 3205th B company were sent to Utah in their place as well as other units who lost people that day. the 3204th A Company and the lst Platoon of the 3205th B Company of which I was a member landed on Omaha Beach. Due to being split up our platoon of 16 squads landed on 16 different landing craft at 16 different times on Dog and Easy Beaches.

Our squad was first to land and hit the beach at H + 30 minutes with the 149th Engineer Combat Battalion and we supported the 29th Infantry Div. Our main objective was to clear 8 lanes for landing craft on the 2 beaches. This was impossible as the infantry and tank Battalion landing in front of us were pinned down at the waters edge. At 0900 the beach master stopped additional vehicles and supporting troops due to congestion on the beach. Only engineers and infantry were allowed to be incoming on Omaha Beach until finally at about 11 am with all troops on shore at that time we cleared the beach and got to base of the cliff.

The Germans had a field day with all the troops pinned down and were shelling landing craft when they dropped their ramps. We, as well as signal, ordnance, chemical and everyone else fought as infantry for 2 days then we were ordered back to the beach to begin our secondary objectives that were to start 2 days previous. It was a real Chinese fire drill and the sight of our men falling still lingers in my mind.I am sending along some articles about the Amphibians; some you may have. A couple I wrote during the years. I stayed in the Army and retired in May of l972 with rank of Lt Col Airborne,

As well as returning to Europe upon completion of OCS and parachute school I have attended other infantry and command schools. Two tours of duty in Korea with the last as a company commander then later two tours in Viet Nam. The second tour was, my most memorable in 30 years. First I had the honor just after promotion to Lt. Col. to be invited for dinner aboard the U S S Prichet a destroyer on duty in Tokin Bay at time.

My son was an M M 2nd and had no idea of my promotion or even being in Viet Nam again. Then on 3 January 1971 just 3 months before I was due to return to states I went on a rescue mission with 4 helicopters to try and evacuate 15 men trapped by the enemy. Some of these men I knew and had been their C 0. When we went to land to rescue then the helicopter I was on was hit by ground fire and when about 12 foot from land blew up killing the pilot and COpilot while both gunners were wounded and when I hit ground I broke an ankle, 6 fingers and 1 wrist along with receiving burns from the fuel fire. Luckily we were rescued along with the 15 men.

During the 30 years duty I received 3 purple hearts, bronze star, silver star, was twice cited by the French Govt receiving the Croix de Guerre and second time the bronze palm for it. All in all it was an eventful career and upon retirement I went to work for a truck company here in town as Operations Manager and retired second time in Oct. 1988. My wife passed away in November 1986 and I live alone with my dogs and cat and help my son refinish an old building he bought. He also lost his wife in 1994 so between us we try to rule his 3 teen age boys and 1 girl. I believe I have had a good life in spite of losing my wife and daughter in law and I travel to visit buddies from all 3 wars and attend reunions of my W W 2 company every year. We have about 30 men attend each year including our Company Commander, lst Sgt & Mess Sgt Andenjoy. We enjoy wining the war over each year.

Someplace in the jungle I call my desk is probably more info on Amphibs and if I uncover any will send to you. I have written a history of our company and now working on history of the Brigade and it will (I hope) have a chapter for each unit. I have attended 4 or 5 other the other units reunions and have a hell of a time keeping up letter writing but so far have answered everyone sent info and received info and have really enjoyed hearing from men from the other Brigades. Please write when you have a spare minute.

Sincerely,

PS: The other 2 men from the 4th Brigade are: Robert Jarvis 951 Pemberton Rd. Grosse Pointe, Mich 48230 member of Co. B. 534th EB&SR Bernard Boerger 203 Redbud Ct. Warrenton, Mo. 63383 member of H Q Co. 534th EB&SR Thought you might like to write them to rehash old times.