June 6, 1944, D--Day Invasion at Normandy

June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, is considered the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe. On this day in history, Allied troops (approximately 156,000) invaded Western Europe, completely overwhelming the German forces.

While my father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he never talked about his experiences or where he had been. Now I wished I had bothered asking him about them.

Wesley enlisted on August 26, 1942. While searching Ancestry.com, I came across U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls and found my father, Wesley Earl Loghry, on MUSTER ROLL OF THE CREW was "change of resting" on the U.S.S. LST 383 on March 1, 1944, coming from BuPers C.L. 25 & 208-43. More research is needed to figure out what that means.

I became curious about the USS LST 383 and did some research. This ship was an LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship which was built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Newport News, Virginia. It launched on September 28, 1942, and was commissioned USS LST-383. During World War II, this ship was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater. Campaigns it participated in included Sicilian occupation July 9-15, 1943; Salerno landings September 9-21, 1943, Anzio-Nettuno advanced landings January 22-March 1, 1944, and Invasion of Normandy June 6-25, 1944.

USS LST-383 high and dry on the beach at Normandy, June 1944 from https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160383.htm

He continued to appear on the MUSTER ROL OF THE CREW of the U.S.S. LST-282 for the quarters ending March 31, 1944, June 30, 1944, September 30, 1944. These dates place him at the Anzio-Netuno advanced landings (change of resting March 1, 1944) and Invasion of Normandy June 6-25, 1944.

On November 20, 1944, the USS LST 383 was decommissioned and transferred to the United Kingdom and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM-LST-383 and participated in the Malaya Invasion. The United Kingdom didn't keep it very long, either, transferring and selling it to the Netherlands East Indies Maritime Customs on June 10, 1946. The USS LST-383 earned four battle stars for World War II service.

Further research showed Wesley was transferred on the U.S.S. Wyoming for the month ending May 31, 1945, date of sailing from NOB, Norfolk, Virginia to ATB, Little Creek, Virginia. He still is on the U.S.S. Wyoming on the Report of changes for the month ending April 30, 1945, as received on April 22, 1945, from ATB, Little Creek Virginia. The last record I have been able to find shows him on the USS LSM-R 504's Report of Changes on June 11, 1945, as received.