21 April 1944

ANNEX "J" TO OPERATION PLAN NO. 2-44

Serial 00144

LOGISTICS PLAN

  1. FUEL AND LUBRICANTS (P.O.L.)

    1. All ships and craft operating from the near shore will fuel to capacity. All APA's will take aboard, in addition to fuel and lubricants required for their operation and maintenance, sufficient fuels and lubricants to replenish and maintain the ferry craft which attend them. All LSI(L) will take aboard in addition to fuel and lubricants required for their operation and maintenance, sufficient fuels and lubricants for one and one-half capacity fills of the craft which they carry. LCI(L) Ferrying from LSI(L) must fuel from LBO's, fuelling trawlers or APA's, or rotate with shuttle LCI(L) so as to get fuel from the near shore. All LST's, coasters and M/T ships will take aboard, in addition to fuel and lubricants required for their operation and maintenance, packed fuels and lubricants sufficient to replenish the ferry craft which attend them. All small craft which are towed across or carried aboard ships shall be fuelled to capacity prior to departure. All small craft which sail from the near shore under their own power should, in addition to fuelling to capacity, carry sufficient packed fuel and lubricants to replace fuel and lubricants consumed en route, so that they will reach the far shore with fuel and lubricants on board for full endurance. All the above is subject to operational requirements as to draft and trim.

    2. The Admiralty will be responsible for supplying at loading and other fuelling points on the near shore all bulk fuels and packed lubricants required for ships and craft of this force operating from the near shore, including such quantities as are required for the purpose of replenishing ferry craft which will attend them. Estimates of quantities and grades desired will be furnished to the Admiralty in advance by Commander Service Force, through Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe.

    3. Services of Supply, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army will be responsible for provisioning each coaster or other vessel with a stock of packed fuel and lubricants sufficient to replenish ferry craft of this force which attend them. In addition, the First U.S. Army will provide emergency packed fuel and lubricants on the far shore. Estimates for both requirements will be supplied in advance by Commander Service Force through Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe. Personnel for actual handling of the packages in the refuelling operations will be provided by the vessels concerned.

    4. The Admiralty will be responsible for supplying by oiler bulk fuels and packed lubricants off enemy beaches to LBO's and fuelling trawlers for this force.

    5. The Admiralty will also be responsible for supplying by collier such coal as is required by smoke trawlers and other ships or craft operating off U.S. beaches and for stocking a reserve supply of coal in certain of the Gooseberry blockships.

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    1. Fuelling facilities will be constructed in the Omaha area so as to make gasoline and diesel oil available at Mulberry "A" by approximately D plus 10. The U.S. Army will be responsible for the construction of all pipelines landward of the high water line and of all storage facilities. The Army will also construct two ship to shore lines at grid reference 7228088580. The U.S. Navy will construct fuelling facilities within Mulberry seaward of the high water line. The Army will maintain and operate all facilities which serve Army requirements. The Navy will maintain and operate the ship to shore lines and all facilities which serve Navy requirements. In emergencies, the Army and Navy will supply gasoline to each other from their respective storages.

  1. WATER

    1. Potable water shall be strictly rationed by all ships and craft. Every effort shall be made to reduce make up feed requirements to a minimum. Ships equipped with distilling plants shall operate such plants as necessary to keep all potable water and reserve feed water tanks filled to capacity at all times.

    2. Services of Supply, European Theater of Operation, U.S. Army will supply Jerri-cans to MT ships, coasters and LST's, which will be used to replenish the water supply of the ferry craft which attend them. Ferry craft other than LCT and PCI(L) will carry water in 5 gallon containers sufficient for 2 days with a reserve for an additional 2 days. Services of Supply, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army will supply the jerri-cans for such ferry craft. Ships and craft not equipped with distilling plants shall take on water at every opportunity. The minimum standard quantity of water which should be made available to each man per day is as follows:

      3. All - 1 gallon
      Casualties - Additional 2 gallons

      Water in excess of this minimum shall be furnished as practicable. All the above is subject to operational requirements as to draft and trim.

    3. Each APA AKA will have on board at least 2 portable 600 gallon water tanks that can be loaded in LCVP. These will be used to transport water to the beaches as required.

    4. Assault troops will come aboard with full canteens. Each ship and craft will make necessary provisions for the expeditious filling of canteens of assault troops immediately prior to disembarkation.

    5. LBW's of this force will furnish water to ships and craft off enemy beaches as practicable. The Admiralty will be responsible for supplying water by tanker to refill LBW's of this force off enemy beaches. The facilities of ships with distilling plants shall be utilized to provide water for ships and craft not so equipped when transfer is practicable.

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    1. Beach Battalions will receive water from the U.S. Army as a component of the Engineer Shore Brigade. All other naval personnel ashore on the far shore will obtain water from the U.S. Army as required, the water referred to in (c) above being also available if needed.

    Note: The following paragraph was incorrectly numbered "2" in the source document. It should have been numbered "3", as shown below.
    - HyperWar Editor.

  1. PROVISIONS, CLOTHING AND SMALL STORES, SHIP'S STORE STOCK, GENERAL STORES

    1. Provisions

      1. Initial stocks of fresh, refrigerated and dry provisions for ration prescribed to be served in AGC's, APA's, AKA's, LST's, depot ships, accommodation vessels and minor support craft will be procured in ports of the U.K. as prescribed in Basic Logistical Plan for the ETO (ComNavEu Restricted ltr. Serial 883 of 23 February 1944). Replenishment of stocks by AGC's, APA's, AKA's will be in accordance with the reference quoted. Replenishment by LST's will be at U.S. Hards and Piers from stocks made available and loaded by the U.S. Army. If necessary for LST's to replenish at British Hards and Piers in an emergency a similar type of ration will be provided by the British from available stocks.

      2. Provisions (U.S. Army 10-in-1 ration) prescribed for vessels in the shuttle service other than those listed in (1) above will be supplied initially, loaded and replenished by the U.S. Army at U.S. Hards and Piers in the U.K. for both embarked troops and crews of vessels. Replenishment at Hards and Piers in the U.K. having no U.S. Army supply facilities will be made by the Royal Navy from stocks of a similar type of ration of the British Army.

      3. Replenishment of depot ships and accommodation vessels stationed off the far shore will be made by the U.S. Army direct from cargo vessels despatched from the U.K. Depot ships and accommodation vessels will in turn replenish the stocks of vessels of the ferry service, including LBK's. Crews of small craft not having subsistence facilities will procure prepared meals from LBK's, depot ships, accommodation vessels or any other vessels available where meals are required. Beach Battalions will be subsisted by the U.S. Army as a component of the Engineer Shore Brigade. All other naval activities on the far shore will obtain provisions from the U.S. Army as required.

      4. Landing Craft operating in the ferry service off British beaches will be subsisted by a U.S. accommodation vessel located in this area. Subsistence will be furnished by British depot ships and accommodation vessels when this is not practicable.

    2. Clothing and Small Stores

      1. Stocks of clothing and small stores will be procured in the U.K. in accordance with Basic Logistical Plan for the ETO (ComNavEu, Restricted ltr. serial 883 of 23 February 1944). Stocks will be maintained at all U.S. Bases in the U.K.

      2. Limited stocks will be available in depot ships and accommodation vessels. Stocks also will be available at U.S. naval activities of the far shore as soon as such facilities are established and stocks can be provided.

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      1. Selected articles for issue to survivors will be available at U.S. Hards and Piers in the U.K., on depot ships and accommodation vessels off the far shore, and at U.S. facilities on the far shore as soon as such facilities are established and stocked. During the assault period survivors will be treated as ambulatory casualties.

    1. Ship's Store Stock

      1. Ship's Store Stock will be procured in the U.K. in accordance with Basic Logistical Plan for the ETO (ComNavEu Restricted ltr. serial 883 of 23 February 1944).

      2. Gratuitous issue of specified items will be made to crews of U.S. Naval vessels and craft in which troops of the U.S. army embark except AGC's, APA's, and AKA's, to crews of all minor supporting craft and to Naval Personnel on the far shore on the same basis as such articles are supplied to personnel of the U.S. Army. Special stocks will be furnished to such vessels for this purpose. When a Communication Zone has been established by the U.S. Army on the far shore and the sale of such articles to Army personnel is resumed the Navy will then draw such stores from the U.S. Army and resume the sale to Naval Personnel.

    2. General Stores

      1. General stores will be procured in the U.K. in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Logistical Plan for the ETO (ComNavEu Restricted ltr. serial 883 of 23 February 1944). Limited stocks will be available in the U.K. at all U.S. loading Hards and Piers and at all U.S. Bases. General stores also will be available at U.S. Bases on the far shore as soon as established and stocked.

      2. In an emergency available articles of general stores may be procured at British Hards and Piers in the U.K. and from British depot and accommodation vessels off the far shore.

      3. Expendable Quartermaster Supplies (housekeeping and office) will be furnished to depot ships and accommodation vessels off the far shore by the U.S. Army from cargo vessels despatched from the U.K. Vessels of the ferry service will procure these articles from depot and accommodation vessels. Similar articles will be available from U.S. Army sources on the far shore for use of U.S. Naval activities located thereon.

    3. General

      1. Vessels of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet assigned to OVERLORD will procure all provisions, clothing and small stores, ship's store stock and general stores direct from the United States and shall not draw on sources in the U.K. or on the far shore except in cases of emergency.

      2. Comply with Commander Task Force, ONE TWO TWO secret ltr. serial 00786 of 26 February 1944, requiring all ships and craft to be complete in all respects with stores and ammunition before proceeding to their assembly areas. During the period immediately prior to the operation they must be maintained at full capacity.

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  1. AMMUNITION SUPPLY

    2. The supply of reserve ammunition is covered by Appendix 3 of Annex D.

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  1. REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES

    1. Near Shore - U.S. repair facilities are under the command of Commander Service Force. They exist primarily for maintenance and repair of landing craft. Major repairs and docking if essential will be arranged by base commanders through COREP, (Coordination of Repair Committee), which will operate in each port at which U.S. craft will operate. It must be remembered that all repair and docking facilities both U.S. and British and private and naval are taxed to the utmost and requests will be kept to absolute essentials.

    2. It has been agreed as basic U.S.- British policy that the U.S. bases should have as their primary task, the work of effecting repairs and maintaining the craft of this force. However, U.S. bases will promptly undertake repairs on British manned craft of British forces whenever facilities are available beyond those needed for repairs to the craft of this force; conversely similar assistance will be rendered by British repair facilities.

    3. At each hard or loading point from which U.S. manned craft operate there will be a small maintenance party to do minor repair work. This maintenance party will keep in close touch with local COREP. The commanding officers of craft needing major repairs will arrange for them through hard maintenance party.

    4. There will be available the AD U.S.S. MELVILLE, the two ARL's ADONIS and ATLAS and the four 475 ton N.L. Pontoon Drydocks to be stationed where they can render the best service. The U.S.S. MELVILLE with one drydock will operate for the early period on the South Coast probably at Portland. As early as conditions warrant the two ARL's will move to the far shore and operate in the two Gooseberries. As soon as practicable two N.L. Pontoon drydocks will be towed to the far shore to operate in conjunction with the ARL's.

    5. Far Shore - On D-day there will be off the assault beaches 18 LCM(3)'s equipped with pumps and special repair crews. They will operate in close cooperation with beach salvage units of the beach battalions. As promptly as conditions warrant they will be followed by 24 LBE repair barges to operate off shore, E-9 units will be set up on the beaches and LBE will land with their repair lorries as the beach is cleared. A block ship in each Gooseberry may be fitted as a repair station that will be able to lift onto its deck LCM(3) and smaller craft. ARL's will be brought over as the situation permits. The far shore repair facilities are primarily for the maintenance of ferry craft. These ships and craft in the shuttle service should use these facilities only to the extent necessary to enable them to return to the U.K. where the facilities are greater.

    6. To maintain U.S. manned craft operating off British beaches it has been agreed with Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force that a U.S. repair party will be placed

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      aboard a U.S. Accommodation ship in the British sector. In case of repairable damage beyond the capacity of this repair party the damaged craft should be returned to the U.S. sector and replaced if possible with an operational craft. The maintenance staffs of the British manned LBE operating with U.S. forces will undertake similar repairs to British craft operating off U.S. beaches.

 

A. G. KIRK,
Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy,
Naval Commander Western Task Force.

 

/s/
R. T. CRAGG,
Flag Secretary.

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