Atlantic Crossing to Europe
The Queen Mary
Coming soon.
Across the Channel To Normandy
The SS Empire Broadsword
The SS Empire Broadsword was an American Type C1-S-AY-1 infantry landing ship (aka “Landing Ship, Infantry,” or LSI) built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Wilmington, California, as Yard No. 348, and launched on 16 August 1943 as the SS Cape Marshall. She was renamed Empire Broadsword before completion, transferred to England under terms of the lend-lease program, and entered into service in December 1943 for the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), operated by Cunard’s White Star Line.
Displacing 7,177 tons, she was 396 feet 5 inches (120.83 meters) long, with a beam (width) of 60 feet 1 inch (18.31 meters) and a depth (top of main deck to bottom of keel) of 35 feet (10.67 meters). She was propelled by two Westinghouse steam turbines that drove a single screw via double reduction gearing, giving her a top speed of 14 knots. She could carry 18 LCAs (Landing Craft, Assault, aka Higgins Boats) and approximately 1,000 troops. A provision was made for an additional landing craft, usually an LCM (Landing Craft, Medium), capable of transporting vehicles to the beaches.
The LCAs were lifted on and off the vessels on hoists (davits) and the LCMs were lifted onto the stern deck by crane. This additional craft was normally carried when operating with American troops. The ship was manned by Merchant Seamen with Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) personnel to operate the 4-inch gun towards the bow and 0.8 inch Oerlikon antiaircraft guns mounted on the upper deck.
On D-Day, she transported LCAs with Royal Marines aboard that landed at D+60 (an hour after the invasion began) on Sword Beach.
The Broadsword struck two German sea mines and sunk off Omaha Beach, Normandy on 2 July 1944. The wreck lies on its starboard side in 27 meters (89 feet) of water and has become a popular dive site.
Coming Home
The Marshall Victory
During World War II, the United States met the challenge of transporting men and materiel across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to multiple theaters of war by building a fleet of more than 2,700 simple, low-cost cargo vessels dubbed Liberty ships. Later, the Liberty ships were augmented by a new class of vessel, the Victory ship.
Based on the Liberty design, the Victory ships were slightly larger and had more powerful engines that enhanced their ability to avoid German submarines. A total of 531 Victory ships were built.
The first Victory ship constructed was named S.S. United Victory, and all subsequent vessels in the class included the word “Victory” in their names. After United Victory, the vessels were named after Allied countries, American cities, and U.S. colleges and universities,
The Marshall Victory was the 60th Victory ship built, and was named for Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia. She was laid down as a Maritime Commission Type VC2-S-AP2 hull (Hull No. 823). She displaced 6,055 tons (10,680 tons fully loaded), and was 455 feet long with a beam of 62 feet and a draft of 29 feet, 6 inches. Her top speed was about 16.5 knots. In addition to a crew of 50, she had space for a little over 1,200 troops.
She boasted her own publications, a newsletter, The Home Run, and a newspaper, The Marshall News, which sought to ease the transition from the ETO to stateside life during the 10-12-day trips she made between Le Havre, France, and Hampton Roads, Virginia as 1945 drew to a close.
of what her main deck looked like with over a thousand GIs on board.
