All language subtitles for Americas.Secret.D-Day.Disaster.2014.1080p.WEB.h264-CAFFEiNE

["TAPS" PLAYING]

Narrator: ARLINGTON CEMETERY,

WHERE AMERICA
HAS BURIED ITS WAR DEAD

SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.

Man: WE EXPECT PEOPLE
TO BE VERY CAREFUL

WITH THE LIVES
OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS.

Narrator:
MANY OF THESE HEADSTONES

HONOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
DURING THE INVASION OF FRANCE

ON D-DAY IN 1944.

AMONG THE GRAVES

IS A PLAQUE THAT COMMEMORATES
ONE OF THE ENDURING MYSTERIES

OF WORLD WAR II,

HONORING MORE THAN 600 MEN

WHO DIED IN THE WEEKS
LEADING UP TO D-DAY

IN A TRAINING EXERCISE
GONE HORRIBLY WRONG.

Man: IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT
AND COMPLEX OPERATION,

AND MISTAKES WILL HAPPEN.

Woman:
IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

IT DIDN'T NEED TO HAPPEN.

Narrator: A TRAGIC DISASTER THAT
KILLED MEN UNPREPARED FOR WAR.

Man: WE WERE JUST TARGETS.

Narrator:
SHIPS PACKED WITH RAW RECRUITS,

UNKNOWING BAIT FOR THE ENEMY...

Man: WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO HAVE DESTROYER ESCORTS.

Narrator: RUTHLESSLY AMBUSHED
BY GERMAN TORPEDO BOATS.

[EXPLOSIONS]

Man: THERE WAS FIRE ALL OVER.

THE WHOLE SKY WAS LIT UP.

Narrator: THIS FILM REVEALS
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED,

WITH EXCLUSIVE
EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY

FROM THOSE WHO WERE THERE...

Man: THE WATER WAS
JUST COVERED WITH BODIES.

Narrator:
AND HOW AMERICAN SOLDIERS

CAME UNDER FIRE
FROM THEIR OWN SIDE...

Man: HE WAS IN ENGLAND.

HOW COULD HE
BE KILLED IN ACTION?

Narrator: LEAVING MANY
OF THE DEAD UNACCOUNTED FOR.

Woman: I'VE LIVED WITH THAT
MOST OF MY LIFE--

KNOWING THAT HE WASN'T FOUND.

Man: THE IDEA THAT
THEY WOULD LEAVE MEN

BURIED IN UNMARKED GRAVES
IS OFFENSIVE.

Narrator: DID AMERICA'S
SUPREME COMMANDER

ORDER A COVER-UP?

Man: EISENHOWER SAYS,
"FIX THE BOYS UP,

BUT YOU CAN'T
DOCUMENT ANYTHING."

Narrator: WILL THE FAMILIES
OF THE DEAD AND MISSING

AND THE SURVIVING VETERANS

FINALLY GET THE ANSWERS
THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR?

D-DAY, JUNE 6, 1944.

IN NORMANDY, THE INVASION
OF MAINLAND EUROPE BEGINS...

THE BIGGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

LANDING ON THE BEACHES
OF NORTHERN FRANCE--

156,000 AMERICAN, BRITISH,
AND CANADIAN TROOPS,

MANY OF WHOM HAVE NEVER
SEEN COMBAT BEFORE.

BUT D-DAY
DIDN'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE.

SIX WEEKS EARLIER

ON THIS DESERTED BEACH
IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND,

THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS
BEGAN REHEARSING

FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME
THEIR FINEST HOUR.

THIS IS SLAPTON SANDS
IN THE COUNTY OF DEVON.

IN APRIL 1944,

IT WAS CHOSEN TO REPRESENT
UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY,

THE DESIGNATED
LANDING POINT IN FRANCE

FOR 23,000 U.S. TROOPS.

Adrian Lewis: NORMANDY INVASION

IS THE BIGGEST OPERATION
OF THE WAR

FOR THE BRITISH
AND THE AMERICANS.

IT'S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
OPERATION OF THE WAR, BAR NONE.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE
THAT COMPARES TO IT.

Narrator: IN OVERALL COMMAND
OF THIS COMPLEX OPERATION

IS GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.

HIS BIG WORRY

IS THAT THE MEN WHO WILL BE
ASSAULTING UTAH BEACH

ARE ROOKIES.

BEFORE FACING THE GERMANS
IN COMBAT FOR THE FIRST TIME,

EISENHOWER THINKS HIS TROOPS
NEED TOUGHENING UP.

HE ORDERS A FULL-SCALE
MILITARY EXERCISE

INVOLVING 300 BRITISH
AND AMERICAN SHIPS

AND AROUND 30,000
U.S. ARMY AND NAVY SERVICEMEN

WITH LIVE AMMUNITION--

ALL TO TAKE PLACE
IN TOTAL SECRECY.

[GUNFIRE]

THE ROYAL NAVY WILL SHELL
EACH SIDE OF THE BEACHHEAD

AS THE GIs STORM ASHORE.

FROM THE BEACH,

MACHINE GUNS WILL FIRE
OVER THEIR HEADS,

CLOSE ENOUGH TO WARN
BUT NOT TO KILL,

OR SO EISENHOWER HOPED.

THE REHEARSAL CODE NAME
WAS "EXERCISE TIGER."

DAWN, APRIL 27, 1944.

TIGER BEGINS WITH BROADSIDES
FROM ROYAL NAVY SHIPS.

THE ALLIED SHIPS
ARE SHELLING THEIR OWN TROOPS.

THERE'S BEEN A MIX-UP

ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE LANDINGS
AND THE NAVAL BOMBARDMENT.

THEN IN THE EARLY HOURS
OF THE NEXT MORNING,

THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE.

A CONVOY OF LANDING SHIPS
SIMULATING THE TRIP TO NORMANDY

IS AMBUSHED
BY GERMAN TORPEDO BOATS.

Man: GO, GO, GO!
ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP!

Narrator: WHEN IT'S OVER,

MORE THAN
600 AMERICANS ARE DEAD.

EISENHOWER IMMEDIATELY DECLARES

THE ENTIRE OPERATION
TOP-SECRET--

AN ORDER THAT SPAWNS DECADES
OF QUESTIONS AND CONTROVERSY.

IT IS THE MOST MYSTERIOUS
TRAINING DISASTER OF THE WAR.

THE FAMILIES OF THE DEAD WILL
NOT BE TOLD WHAT HAPPENED

FOR MANY MONTHS, OR EVEN YEARS.

AND THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
RELATING TO THE TRAGEDY

WILL REMAIN CLASSIFIED
FOR DECADES.

70 YEARS LATER,

MANY OF THOSE WHO LOST
RELATIVES AT SLAPTON SANDS

HAVE NO CLEAR IDEA
ABOUT HOW THEY DIED OR WHY.

ONE OF THEM IS RON JENSEN,

WHO'S STILL LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.

HIS GREAT UNCLE FROM ILLINOIS
WAS SENT TO ENGLAND IN 1944

AS AN ARMY DRIVER
TO TAKE PART IN EXERCISE TIGER.

Ron Jensen:
HIS NAME WAS LELAND SIMMONS,

KNOWN AS UNCLE HAP, I GUESS,

BECAUSE OF HIS
OUTGOING PERSONALITY.

THE FAMILY DIDN'T KNOW
HOW HE WAS KILLED.

THEY JUST GOT THE TELEGRAM
SAYING HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION.

BUT I THINK IT WAS...

THEY WERE LIKE,
"WELL, HE WAS IN ENGLAND.

HOW COULD HE BE
KILLED IN ACTION?"

HE WAS 33 WHEN HE GOT DRAFTED.

HE WAS MARRIED JUST A FEW MONTHS
BEFORE HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS,

AND HE WAS IN THE 531st
SHORE ENGINEER REGIMENT.

MY MOM HAS SOME BELIEF
THAT HE WAS A TRUCK DRIVER.

AND JUST NOT KNOWING
HOW HE DIED

I THINK WAS A MYSTERY.

Narrator: ANOTHER MYSTERY
IS THE DEATH IN ENGLAND

OF 19-YEAR-OLD ARMY SERGEANT
LOUIS BOLTON FROM CALIFORNIA.

HIS RELATIVES ARE ALSO
STILL SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH.

Laurie Bolton:
THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF MY UNCLE

AND HIS WIFE IN MARCH 1944,

JUST BEFORE HE SHIPPED OVERSEAS.

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL,

I'D ALWAYS BE ASKING
MY FATHER ABOUT HIM.

HE WAS JUST NEWLY MARRIED
WHEN THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN.

WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY,

WE FOUND A BOX
WHERE SHE HAD SOME LETTERS,

AND WE OPENED IT UP,

AND THEY WERE LETTERS
FROM MY UNCLE

THAT SHE RECEIVED
AFTER HIS DEATH.

AND SHE COULDN'T BRING
HERSELF TO OPEN THEM

'CAUSE IT WAS SO PAINFUL.

AND ALSO LETTERS
SHE WROTE TO HIM CAME BACK

WITH THE WORDS STAMPED
"MISSING IN ACTION."

THIS ONE'S DATED
APRIL 12, 1944.

"DEAR MOM AND POP,
HOW ARE ALL OF YOU TODAY?

I'M FINE, AND I HOPE
YOU ARE ALL THE SAME.

IT HAS BEEN COLD HERE
FOR A FEW DAYS,

BUT IT LOOKS GOOD NOW."

Narrator: LIKE PRIVATE SIMMONS,

SERGEANT BOLTON WAS
GETTING READY TO PRACTICE

THE NORMANDY INVASION

IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND,
ON SLAPTON SANDS.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ISOLATED
AND PICTURESQUE PARTS

OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND'S
WEST COUNTRY COASTLINE.

NOW A WORLD HERITAGE SITE
OF OUTSTANDING BEAUTY,

BACK IN 1944,

IT HAD STRIKING SIMILARITIES
TO THE NORMANDY BEACH

CODE-NAMED UTAH.

PERFECT FOR SECRET
MILITARY MANEUVERS.

Harry Bennett: IT'S REMOTE.

IT'S A LONG WAY AWAY FROM REALLY
LARGE CENTERS OF POPULATION.

YOU HAVE A HANDFUL OF VILLAGES
SCATTERED IN THE VICINITY,

AND HERE YOU'VE GOT
THIS LOVELY BIG SWEEP OF BEACH,

IDEAL FOR TROOPS
TO PRACTICE TO LAND ON,

GREAT TO BRING
LANDING CRAFT IN ON

SO THEY COULD DISCHARGE
THEIR VEHICLES.

Narrator: IDEAL FOR LANDING
CRAFT AND SOLDIERS MAYBE,

BUT SLAPTON WAS NOT SO FINE
FOR HIGHLY CLASSIFIED TRAINING.

IN THE 1940s, 3,000 BRITS
LIVED AROUND THE SANDS.

TO KEEP THE REHEARSALS SECRET,

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
ORDERS EVERYONE TO LEAVE,

GIVING THE RESIDENTS
JUST SIX WEEKS

TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LIVE.

FOR MANY IT WAS
A HUGE SACRIFICE.

THEY KNEW THEIR HOMES

COULD BECOME A MILITARY
FIRING RANGE AND BE DESTROYED.

BUT FOR THEIR CHILDREN,
IT WAS FUN.

Reg Hannaford:
I WAS 13 YEARS OLD

AND CAME BACK FROM SCHOOL,

AND FATHER WAS THERE
IN THE KITCHEN WITH MOTHER,

AND THEY INFORMED US THAT
WE WERE GOING TO BE EVACUATED

AND THIS AREA HAD TO BE USED

AS A TRAINING AREA
FOR THE AMERICANS.

WE KIDS THOUGHT
IT WAS A BIG ADVENTURE,

TO BE QUITE HONEST.

THE LAST TRUCK THAT CAME,
WE SAT ON THE TAILBOARD.

THAT WAS THAT.
AWAY WE WENT.

WE WERE LAST
TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE,

AND EVERYTHING
WAS VERY QUIET AND EERIE

AND NOBODY ABOUT ANYWHERE.

Narrator: BUT KIDS
LIKE REG HANNAFORD

WERE ATTRACTED BY SECRET PLACES
AND SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

Hannaford: THE SHIPS IN THE BAY,
YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR SHIPS,

WERE SHELLING
THE FIELDS ALL AROUND,

AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW,
A LIVE AMMUNITION PLACE.

Narrator: EISENHOWER'S
D-DAY INVASION PLAN

RELIES ON HITTING
THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY

WITH AN OVERWHELMING
NUMBER OF TROOPS.

Lewis: IN 1939, WHEN THE WAR
BREAKS OUT IN EUROPE,

THE U.S. ARMY HAS 190,000 MEN.

190,000 MEN.

WHEN THE WAR'S OVER,
IT HAS OVER EIGHT MILLION MEN.

Narrator: BY APRIL 1944,

A MILLION AND A HALF
OF THOSE MEN

ARE IN ENGLAND,
PREPARING FOR D-DAY.

BACK IN AMERICA
THERE'S EVEN MORE ACTIVITY

AS INDUSTRY WORKS FLAT OUT

TO PROVIDE EISENHOWER
WITH THE EQUIPMENT HE NEEDS

TO DRIVE THE NAZIS
OUT OF EUROPE.

Martin Morgan:
ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES

WERE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
INVOLVED IN THE MANUFACTURING

OF WAR MATERIEL.

OF COURSE,
WE THINK OF COMMUNITIES

LIKE DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

THAT ARE PRODUCING
MECHANIZED VEHICLES

THAT WILL ULTIMATELY
CHURN UP THE DIRT OF NORMANDY.

BUT THEN THERE WERE
ALSO COMMUNITIES

LIKE EVANSVILLE, INDIANA,
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS
BECAME EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

IN THE BUILD-UP
TOWARD THE NORMANDY INVASION.

Narrator:
INDIANA'S EVANSVILLE SHIPYARD

WAS ONE OF THE NATION'S
LARGEST MAKERS

OF WHAT WAS TO BECOME AN
IMPORTANT ALLIED SUPER WEAPON--

A LANDING CRAFT
WITH A HUGE CAPACITY...

ONE THAT COULD SAIL
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

TO DELIVER LARGE NUMBERS
OF MEN AND MACHINES

ONTO THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY.

THEY CALLED IT
THE LANDING SHIP TANK,

OR LST.

THEY BUILT SO MANY,
THEY DIDN'T GIVE THEM NAMES.

EACH GOT A NUMBER.

Morgan: THESE LANDING SHIPS
GAVE US THIS CAPABILITY--

THE CAPABILITY
TO CONDUCT AN ASSAULT,

TO LAND OUR ASSAULT FORCE,

AND THEN TO FOLLOW
THAT ASSAULT FORCE UP

WITH THE ABILITY TO LAND
MECHANIZED FORCES

ONTO AN OPEN BEACH.

SOMETHING THAT
THE ENEMY COULDN'T DO;

SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO,
THANKS TO THE LST.

Narrator: THE LST
WASN'T PRETTY OR FAST,

BUT SHE WAS A GAME-CHANGER,

AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THE
ALLIES EVENTUALLY WON THE WAR.

Morgan: DWIGHT EISENHOWER
LABELS FOUR WEAPONS

AS HAVING BEEN CRUCIAL
TO ALLIED VICTORY,

AND THOSE WEAPONS WERE
THE M1 RIFLE, THE JEEP,

THE C-47 SKYTRAIN
TROOP TRANSPORT,

AND THE LST.

PRIME MINISTER CHURCHILL

LABELED THIS THE MOST
IMPORTANT SHIP OF THEM ALL.

Narrator: THE MOST IMPORTANT
SHIP OF THEM ALL

WAS HEADED FOR SLAPTON,

BUT ITS ROOKIE CREWS
FOUND IT NOT ONLY SLOW,

BUT ALSO HARD TO HANDLE.

THEY GAVE IT A LABEL
OF THEIR OWN.

John Casner Jr.:
LARGE STATIONARY TARGET.

YEAH!

Narrator: JOHN CASNER

IS ONE OF JUST A HANDFUL
OF REMAINING VETERANS

WHO CAN STILL TELL US
WHAT IT WAS LIKE

TO SERVE ON A LARGE
STATIONARY TARGET.

Casner: AT THE TIME,
I WAS A SEAMAN SECOND CLASS.

NOW, ON A SHIP,

THERE'S NOTHING LOWER
THAN A SEAMAN SECOND CLASS

EXCEPT THE KEEL.

OF COURSE LST DON'T HAVE A KEEL,
SO THERE YOU GO.

Narrator:
IT WAS ON AN LST LIKE THIS

THAT HE WITNESSED
THE DISASTER AT SLAPTON.

Casner: I WAS THE PHONE TALKER
FOR THE GUN CREW.

MOUNT 41 WAS MY WATCH POSITION.

THERE'S THE CAPTAIN'S
CABIN HERE.

I DIDN'T SPEND ANY TIME
IN THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN--

NOT UNLESS YOU WERE IN TROUBLE.

SO YOU'D STAY OUT OF THERE,
YOU KNOW.

Narrator: IN APRIL 1944,

MOST OF THE LSTs

HAVE COME STRAIGHT OFF
THEIR PRODUCTION LINES,

SAILING THE ATLANTIC TO GO
TO WAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THEIR CREWS ARE
EQUALLY UNTESTED.

17-YEAR-OLD THOMAS GLYNN
WAS ONE OF THEM.

Thomas Glynn:
MY FATHER GRABBED THAT

WHEN I WAS IN BOOT CAMP
WHEN I FIRST WENT IN THE NAVY.

THERE YOU CAN SEE
HOW YOUNG I WAS.

AT BOOT CAMP I WAS SENT TO
A PLACE IN JERSEY, AN AIRFIELD,

AND AT 17 I SAID, "I DIDN'T
JOIN THE NAVY TO BE ON LAND;

I JOINED THE NAVY
TO BE ON A SHIP."

HE SAYS, "SON, WHAT'S
YOUR SERIAL NUMBER?"

I TOLD HIM.

TWO DAYS LATER I WAS IN NEW YORK
WAITING FOR AN LST.

Narrator: ANOTHER SAILOR WAITING
FOR D-DAY WAS NATHAN RESNICK.

AT 18 YEARS OLD
HE'S IN AN LST ENGINE ROOM

AS PART OF THE SO-CALLED
"BLACK GANG."

Nathan Resnick:
THAT WAS THE NICKNAME

FOR THE ENGINEERING CREW--

BLACK GANG,

UNDER...

DOWN, DOWN BELOW.

I'D SAY 90% WERE NEW RECRUITS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A WELL-TRAINED
CREW, BEING ALL NOVICES.

HAD A LOT OF CONFIDENCE
THAT WE WERE GONNA BE OKAY.

THAT'S THE WAY I FELT--

NOT TO BE SAYING IT NOW,
BUT I FELT THAT WAY THEN.

Narrator: WHILE
THE BLACK GANG TOILED BELOW,

UP ABOVE, ON THE LST BRIDGES,

THE OFFICERS RUNNING THE SHOW
WERE ALSO INEXPERIENCED.

DOUG HARLANDER WAS
AN ENSIGN FROM WISCONSIN,

MORE THAN 800 MILES
FROM THE OCEAN.

Doug Harlander: I SUPPOSE
BEING UP HERE IN WISCONSIN,

WHERE I'D BEEN IN A LOT
OF SMALL LAKES FISHING

AND THAT SORT OF THING...

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY
PUT ME IN AMPHIBIOUS FORCE.

I HAD ABSOLUTELY
NO EXPERIENCE IN THE NAVY.

I WAS 22 YEARS OF AGE.

Narrator: DOUG HARLANDER
AND HIS ROOKIE CREW

WERE ARRIVING IN SLAPTON
JUST SIX WEEKS BEFORE

WHAT EISENHOWER PLANNED
WOULD BE D-DAY,

TASKED WITH GETTING PART

OF THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS
LANDING IN HISTORY

ONTO NORMANDY'S BEACHES.

FEW REALIZED

THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO BE
PUT THROUGH A REHEARSAL

THAT WOULD TEST THEM
TO THE VERY LIMIT

AND SUBJECT THEM TO
THEIR FIRST TASTE OF COMBAT.

EXERCISE TIGER
GOT UNDERWAY ON APRIL 27th,

WHEN A FLEET OF SHIPS CONTAINING
THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS

FORMED UP
JUST OFF SLAPTON SANDS.

ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL,

THE GERMANS WERE ALSO PREPARING
FOR WHAT WAS TO COME,

STRENGTHENING
THEIR COASTAL DEFENSES

AND MONITORING INCREASING
ALLIED RADIO TRANSMISSIONS.

THE FIRST PART OF THE EXERCISE

WAS THE LIVE FIRING
FROM THE SEA AND THE BEACH,

WATCHED BY GENERAL EISENHOWER,
HIS TOP BRASS,

AND BRITAIN'S
FIELD MARSHAL MONTGOMERY.

Bennett: YOU'RE ONLY A MATTER
OF A FEW WEEKS FROM D-DAY

IN TERMS OF APRIL 1944.

YOU'RE DEALING WITH EXERCISES

INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF MEN,
AIRCRAFT, AND SHIPS AT SEA.

AMPHIBIOUS EVENTS LIKE THIS
TAKE A LOT OF ACTUAL ORGANIZING.

Narrator: THE ORGANIZING CALLED
FOR A FIRST WAVE OF INFANTRY,

LANDING FROM SMALL CRAFT,

FOLLOWED LATER
BY THE BEACHING OF HUGE LSTs,

WITH THEIR HEAVY EQUIPMENT
AND SPECIALIST SUPPORT UNITS.

THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER.

Bennett: THE LOGISTICAL
AND INFORMATIONAL PROBLEMS

THAT THEY'RE FACING
IN THE RUN-UP TO D-DAY

ARE MASSIVE.

Narrator:
THE LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS START

BEFORE TIGER EVEN COMMENCES.

THE U.S. AND ROYAL NAVIES

ARE WORKING ON DIFFERENT
RADIO FREQUENCIES

AND ARE UNABLE TO TALK
DIRECTLY TO EACH OTHER.

Lewis: THERE'S
CANADIAN FORCES THERE,

AND THEY HAVEN'T
OPERATED TOGETHER.

THEY DON'T NORMALLY
OPERATE TOGETHER.

AND THE WAY
THE U.S. NAVY OPERATES

AND THE WAY
THE BRITISH NAVY OPERATES

ARE NOT THE SAME.

SO FIRST YOU HAVE TO
COORDINATE THOSE OPERATIONS

AND SYNCHRONIZE THINGS.

Narrator: NOT ONLY
DO THE TWO ALLIES

FAIL TO SYNCHRONIZE
THEIR COMMUNICATIONS,

BUT THEIR COMMANDERS ARE
WORKING TO DIFFERENT PLANS

WITHOUT EITHER REALIZING.

THE AGREED
ROYAL NAVY BOMBARDMENT

WAS DELAYED BY AN HOUR.

THE RADIO SIGNAL NOTIFYING
EVERYONE OF THE CHANGE

IS NOT PICKED UP.

THE BRITISH SHIPS
BEGIN THEIR LIVE SHELLING

JUST AS THE AMERICANS
HIT THE BEACH.

[FIRING]

THIS LIVE FIRING FOOTAGE WAS
TAKEN BY A U.S. NAVY CAMERAMAN.

IT SHOWS HOW CLOSE
THE EXPLOSIONS ARE

TO THE ROOKIE SOLDIERS.

[EXPLOSIONS]

AT THIS POINT, NO ONE KNOWS
THE EXTENT OF THE CASUALTIES.

Man: THE BUZZ
WENT THROUGH THE SHIP

AT THE ROYAL NAVY CREWS
AT HMS HAWKINS

OF PEOPLE GETTING HIT
ON THE BEACH, WHICH THEY WERE.

Narrator: FURTHER OUT
IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL,

A GROUP OF EIGHT LSTs,
NOW KNOWN AS CONVOY T4,

WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LAND
MORE TROOPS ON SLAPTON SANDS,

IS ALSO IN TROUBLE.

ONE OF ITS TWO
ROYAL NAVY ESCORT VESSELS,

GUARDING AGAINST ATTACKS

BY GERMAN SUBMARINES
OR TORPEDO BOATS,

HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN A COLLISION
AND FORCED TO RETURN TO PORT,

LEAVING THE CONVOY

AND ITS INEXPERIENCED
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS

WITH JUST A SINGLE
BRITISH CORVETTE,

HMS AZALEA.

Man: WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO HAVE DESTROYER ESCORTS,

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY.

WE JUST HAD THAT
ONE LITTLE CORVETTE.

Resnick: THERE WAS
NO PROTECTION, NO ESCORT.

THAT WAS THE BIG THING.

THINK IT WAS ONE CORVETTE
THAT WAS THERE,

BUT I NEVER SAW IT
THE WHOLE TIME.

Narrator: DESPITE
THE LOSS OF THEIR PROTECTION,

THE EIGHT LSTs
CONTINUED TO MOVE SLOWLY

AROUND THE SEA IN LYME BAY,

LESS THAN 12 MILES FROM SLAPTON,

SIMULATING
A CHANNEL CROSSING TO FRANCE,

CONFIDENT THEY ARE SAFE
FROM ENEMY ATTACK.

BUT IN GERMANY, RADIO OPERATORS
ARE PICKING UP CHATTER.

THE LACK OF A SYNCHRONIZED
RADIO FREQUENCY

BETWEEN AMERICAN
AND BRITISH FORCES

MEANS THE USUAL RADIO SILENCE
IS BEING BROKEN,

AND THE GERMANS ARE LISTENING.

Bennett: AND AT 2200 HOURS,

THEY ACTUALLY SEND OUT
THE S-BOATS,

TWO S-BOAT FLOTILLAS,

TO LOOK FOR WHAT THEY THINK
IS A STANDARD CONVOY.

Narrator: GERMANY'S S-BOATS
WERE FEARSOME WEAPONS.

THE S IS FOR SPEED,

OR IN GERMAN, "SCHNELLBOOT."

THEY WERE HUGE, HEAVILY ARMED,
FAST TORPEDO BOATS,

CAPABLE OF TAKING ON
FAR LARGER WARSHIPS.

ONLY ONE GERMAN S-BOAT
FROM WORLD WAR II SURVIVES,

NOW ON DRY LAND

IN A SMALL BOATYARD
NEAR PLYMOUTH

IN THE SOUTHWEST OF ENGLAND,

WHERE IT'S BEING RESTORED.

IT'S ONE OF THE NINE

THAT WAS SENT TO INVESTIGATE
THE D-DAY REHEARSAL.

Bennett: THIS IS A LAST SURVIVOR

IN TERMS OF THE SHEER
PHYSICALITY OF EXERCISE TIGER.

THE GERMAN S-BOATS ARE A LOT
LIKE THE APOLLO MOON ROCKET.

IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER AND FUEL.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THOSE ENGINES
TOGETHER WITH LOTS OF DIESEL

TO ACTUALLY POWER IT
THROUGH THE WATER.

SO IT'S THERE TO GO
VERY, VERY FAST.

BUT ACTUALLY THE S-BOAT IS ONLY
A WEAPONS DELIVERY SYSTEM.

AND THOSE ARE THE KEY WEAPONS
BEHIND ME.

Narrator: ON BOARD
AN S-BOAT IN 1944,

READY TO HUNT DOWN
THE T4 CONVOY

WAS AN 18-YEAR-OLD
ENGINE MECHANIC,

CARL-HEINZ THIELE--

NOW ONE OF THE VERY FEW
S-BOAT VETERANS ALIVE.

Carl-Heinz Thiele, translated:
SCHNELLBOOTS WERE BEAUTIFUL.

WHEN YOU SAW THESE BOATS
GOING WITH FULL SPEED,

IT WAS A LOVELY SIGHT.

THEY WEREN'T JUST
STRONG IN COMBAT;

THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL.

Narrator: EACH BOAT
HAD A LARGE CREW,

LIVING IN UNBELIEVABLY
CRAMPED CONDITIONS.

Thiele: WE LIVED WITH 18 MEN
IN SUCH A SMALL ROOM.

WE LIVED LIKE HERRINGS IN A TIN.

Bennett: A GERMAN S-BOAT
IS OVER 100 FEET LONG.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF A SMALL
HEAVILY ARMED DESTROYER.

IF YOU WANT TO STOP D-DAY,

S-BOATS ARE WHAT
YOU REALLY REQUIRE.

Narrator:
THEY WERE NOT ONLY VERY FAST,

BUT HEAVILY ARMED
WITH DECK-MOUNTED GUNS

AS WELL AS TWIN TORPEDO TUBES.

LUMBERING LSTs
WERE NO MATCH FOR THEM.

Resnick: IT WAS QUITE A MONSTER,
LETHAL WEAPON.

MAN, IT WAS THE FASTEST
THING OUT THERE.

IT BEAT ANYTHING THE ALLIES HAD.

Narrator: 22-YEAR-OLD
PAUL GEROLSTEIN

WAS AN LST GUNNER'S MATE.

Paul Gerolstein:
IT WAS 115 FEET LONG.

IMAGINE THAT. GOD!

IT HAD THE TORPEDO TUBES
ON THE BOW.

AND AFTER SEEING AN E-BOAT,

EVEN IF WE HIT THEM,
IT WOULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING

BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BIG
AND THEY WERE MADE OF WOOD.

Narrator: WOOD MADE THE BOATS
NOT ONLY LIGHTER,

BUT ALSO HARDER
TO PICK UP ON RADAR.

Bennett: THE WOODEN
ASPECTS OF THIS BOAT

WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY
FAMILIAR TO THE VIKINGS

IN ACTUALLY DEVELOPING
THEIR WOODEN LONGBOATS

SUCH AS THE KEEL HERE.

IT COMBINES OLD-FASHIONED
BOAT-BUILDING TECHNIQUES

WITH THE LATEST
IN CUTTING-EDGE DESIGN.

Narrator:
NINE FAST LETHAL WEAPONS

ARE NOW HEADING STRAIGHT FOR
THE COAST OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND.

MEANWHILE, OFF SLAPTON SANDS,

THE T4 CONVOY OF EIGHT LSTs

CONTINUED TO CRUISE
SLOWLY AROUND

WITHOUT REALIZING
THE GERMANS WERE ON TO THEM.

Harlander:
IT WAS BASICALLY DARK.

AND WHEN YOU'RE IN A CONVOY
AND ALL LIGHTS ARE OUT...

Resnick: THAT NIGHT
IT WAS A CLEAR, MOONLIT...

I MEAN, CALM NIGHT.

MY DUTIES ARE BELOW DECK
IN THE ENGINE ROOM.

BUT EXERCISE TIGER,
THAT NIGHT I WAS SLEEPING.

Casner: WE HAD
OUR LIFE JACKETS ON

AND OUR HELMETS

AND ALL READY TO GO.

BUT WE WERE NOT READY
TO GO TO WAR.

WE WERE ON MANEUVERS.

TEN MILES OFF
THE COAST OF ENGLAND...

YOU DON'T FIGURE YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE ANY PROBLEM.

IF WE HAD HAVE SEEN THEM,

WE'D HAVE THOUGHT THEY WERE
JUST SOMEBODY IN THE MANEUVERS.

Narrator: FOR JOHN CASNER
AND HIS FELLOW ROOKIES

THE MANEUVERS WERE ABOUT TO
TAKE ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING.

THE S-BOATS HAD ARRIVED--

ALL NINE OF THEM.

LYING LOW, RUNNING SILENTLY.

Thiele:
WE THEN WAITED IN THE DARK,

AND WE WAITED
TO COME INTO TORPEDO RANGE.

THAT WAS THE LURKING POSITION.

Narrator: THE LURKING POSITION
IS AN S-BOAT TACTIC,

A TOTALLY SILENT ATTACK,

AN AMBUSH.

EVEN THE ENGINES
ARE SWITCHED OFF.

Thiele: EVEN IF YOU JUST
LIGHT YOUR CIGARETTE,

THEY CAN SEE IT FOR MILES.

THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO
PROPERLY CLOSE THE HATCH.

ABSOLUTE SILENCE ON THE SHIP.

YOU DIDN'T SPEAK.
NOTHING, NOTHING AT ALL.

IF YOU WANTED TO COMMUNICATE,
YOU HAD TO USE SIGN LANGUAGE.

Narrator: AT 1:30 A.M.,

AFTER HOURS OF LURKING ABOUT
HALF A MILE FROM THE CONVOY,

THE S-BOAT COMMANDERS
HAVE SEEN ENOUGH.

THE AMBUSH IS ON.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Thiele: WHEN THE ATTACK STARTS,
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

THE ENGINES ARE STARTED IN SLOW,

THEN HALF POWER.

THEN FULL POWER AHEAD

UNTIL WE ARE WITHIN
600 METERS OF THE TARGET.

WE CAN'T RELEASE TORPEDOES
AT FULL POWER,

SO WE HAVE TO SLOW DOWN.

WE HAD TO SPOT THE TARGET
WITH A TARGET DEVICE,

AND THEN WE RELEASED
THE TORPEDOES.

AND OFTEN THEY HIT.

Narrator:
GUN LOADER NATHAN RESNICK

IS ON THE THIRD LST
IN THE CONVOY, NUMBER 511.

HE'S ASLEEP IN HIS BUNK
WHEN THE FIRST TORPEDO STRIKES.

Resnick:
GENERAL QUARTERS WAS SOUNDED,

SO WE GOT OUT OF OUR BUNKS.

I GOT TO MY STATION
ON A 40-MILLIMETER GUN.

Narrator: BUT THE ALERT
HAS COME TOO LATE.

THE S-BOATS ALREADY
HAVE THEIR FIRST VICTIM.

Resnick: WITHIN A FEW MINUTES,

I LOOKED TO STERN
AND I SAW A BURNING SHIP.

Narrator: THE SHIP ON FIRE

IS THE ONE RIGHT AT THE BACK
OF THE CONVOY, LST 507.

THE NEXT S-BOAT TARGET
IS THE LST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE,

531,

ON WHICH ENSIGN HARLANDER
IS OFFICER OF THE WATCH.

Harlander: ABOUT 2:18
IN THE MORNING, AT THE RADAR,

I ASSESS A LITTLE PIP
OVER HERE ON THE STARBOARD,

SO I WENT OUT
TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT,

AND I NO SOONER GOT OUT...

THE TORPEDO WENT OFF,
RIGHT BELOW ME.

[EXPLOSION]

I CAME OUT OF MY ROOM,

AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
ABOUT SIX FEET,

THE SECOND TORPEDO CAME AT ME,

AND THE HOLE CAME UP
ABOUT THAT WIDE ON THE DECK.

Thiele: THE EXPLOSION
CREATED A FIRE FOUNTAIN.

YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THAT.

IT WENT HUNDREDS
OF METERS UP IN THE AIR,

AND THEN IT COLLAPSED.

Harlander: IT LIFTED THE SHIP UP
SO QUICKLY ON THAT SIDE,

IT THREW ME UP IN THE AIR.

IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE

HIT THE BOTTOM OF MY FEET
WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER,

IT WAS SO DARN HARD.

Narrator: ON BOARD LST 511,
IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF HARLANDER,

IS NATHAN RESNICK.

Resnick: THE MOST
TREMENDOUS LOUD NOISE

I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE.

I MEAN, THE SHIP
WENT UP IN FLAMES.

THERE WAS FIRE ALL OVER,

DEBRIS FLYING EVERYWHERE.

THE WHOLE SKY WAS LIT UP.

IT WAS JUST SHEER BEDLAM.

Narrator: THE CREWS ON THE LSTs
DIRECTLY BEHIND HARLANDER'S SHIP

ALSO REALIZE FOR THE FIRST TIME

THE MORTAL DANGER
THEY ARE NOW ALL IN.

Casner: MOUNT 41
WAS MY WATCH POSITION.

5 TO 10 DEGREES
OFF DEAD AHEAD....

BOOM, THE SHIP
AHEAD OF US GOES UP.

AND WE FIGURED
THAT WAS TORPEDOES, YOU KNOW,

'CAUSE WE KNEW
WHEN A SHIP BLEW UP.

THAT THING WENT UP IN THE AIR,

AND IN ONE PIECE.

AND THAT THING,
IT WAS SO PERFECT...

THAT'S THE WAY
IT STUCK IN MY MIND.

AND I SAW WHAT I THINK
WAS A HUMAN BEING

GOING END OVER END
THROUGH THE AIR.

AND THEN IT WASN'T
LONG AFTER THAT

THEY OPENED UP
WITH THE MACHINE GUNS,

AND IT LOOKED LIKE FIREFLIES
COMING AT YOU, YOU KNOW?

Narrator:
SOME OF THE WATCHING ROOKIES

HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.

Glynn: I SAW THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
FIREWORKS I EVER SAW IN MY LIFE.

I MEAN, IT WAS
REALLY SOMETHING TO SEE.

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME
IT WAS A SHIP BLOWING UP

AND THE AMMUNITION
GOING OFF AND ALL.

Narrator: TWO LSTs,
NUMBER 507 AND 531,

HAVE NOW BEEN TORPEDOED

AND BOTH ARE SINKING.

HUNDREDS ARE NOW DEAD,

MANY OF THEM BURNED
BY A GASOLINE FIRE

RAGING ON THE SEA,

CAUSED BY FUEL-TANK SPILLAGE.

Thiele: THE ENGLISH
AND THE AMERICAN BOATS

HAD PETROL ENGINES.

THIS MADE THEIR BOATS VERY FAST,

BUT ALSO MADE THEM
A TERRIBLE FIRE RISK.

IF A PETROL ENGINE BOAT
WAS HIT IN THE FUEL TANK,

THE BOAT WOULD
BURST INTO FLAMES.

OUR BOATS, WITH DIESEL TANKS,

HAD NO RISK
WITH REGARD TO THIS.

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, DESPITE
THE EXPLOSIONS AND SHOOTING,

SOME CREWS AND SOLDIERS
ON THE OTHER SHIPS

STILL THINK IT'S ALL PART
OF THE EXERCISE.

ON LST 289, 17-YEAR-OLD
SEAMAN SECOND CLASS THOMAS GLYNN

IS SENT BELOW TO GET THE MEN
WHO ARE STILL IN THEIR BUNKS

UP AND OUT ONTO THE DECKS...

JUST BEFORE HIS SHIP, TOO,
IS HIT BY AN S-BOAT TORPEDO.

Glynn: I COME BACK UP,

AND ABOUT FIVE,
TEN MINUTES LATER

IS WHEN THE TORPEDO HIT,

SO I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

Thiele: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

YOU JUST THINK,
"THOSE POOR WRETCHES.

THEY'VE ALL GONE DOWN
WITH THEIR SHIP."

THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND

WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SEA.

IT'S HUMANS
WHO HANDLE THESE BOATS.

Narrator: AS THE S-BOATS PRESS
HOME THEIR DEADLY ADVANTAGE,

THE LSTs ARE AT LAST
ORDERED TO SCATTER

AND HEAD FOR THE PROTECTION
OF THE SHORE.

Resnick: THE CAPTAIN STARTS
TO MOVE AT FLANK SPEED...

GET OUT OF THERE.

Narrator: BUT THE S-BOATS

ARE STILL CUTTING
IN AND OUT OF THE CONVOY

AT HIGH SPEED.

THE GUNNERS ON THE LSTs FIRE
WILDLY AT ANYTHING THAT MOVES,

INCLUDING THEIR OWN SHIPS.

Resnick: THEY WERE FIRING
BULLETS UP AND ACROSS

AND THERE WAS DENTS ON THE SHIP,

AND WE HAD ABOUT
18 CASUALTIES, WOUNDED.

Narrator:
BRITISH CORVETTE HMS AZALEA

ISN'T MUCH HELP IN THE CHAOS.

THE VESSEL ASSIGNED
TO PROTECT THE CONVOY

IS SIMPLY TOO SLOW
TO CATCH THE S-BOATS.

ON BOARD THE STRICKEN LST 531,
WHICH IS NOW LISTING BADLY,

ENSIGN DOUG HARLANDER IS COPING
WITH ANOTHER DEADLY DANGER.

HIS CARGO OF AMPHIBIOUS
BEACH ASSAULT TRUCKS,

NICKNAMED "DUCKS," IS ON FIRE.

Harlander: ALL OF THESE DUCKS

WERE UNDOUBTEDLY
FULL OF GASOLINE.

THAT IS WHAT WAS BURNING.

IT WAS GOING DOWN FAST.

YOU COULD JUST FEEL IT
GOING DOWN IN THE TURRETS.

AND IT KEPT ON GETTING
MORE AND MORE DOWN.

AND BY THE TIME
IT GOT OVER 35 DEGREES,

WELL, YOU KNEW DARN WELL
IT'S JUST GONNA GO FAST.

Narrator: 22-YEAR-OLD HARLANDER
IS NOW IN COMMAND OF 531.

HIS CAPTAIN AND SENIOR OFFICERS
ARE ALL DEAD.

Harlander: THAT'S WHEN I GAVE
THE WORD, "ABANDON SHIP."

ABANDON SHIP!

ABANDON SHIP!

SO I JUMPED OFF AND SWAM.

AFTER I GOT IN THE WATER,

I HAD TO SWIM
THROUGH DIESEL FLUID,

AND THERE WAS GASOLINE
BURNING ON TOP OF IT,

SO I HAD TO SWIM AROUND IT.

Narrator: THE YOUNG ENSIGN
MANAGES TO REACH A LIFE RAFT

AND HANGS ON TO THE SIDE.

THE WATER TEMPERATURE
IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

IS AROUND 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

A LEVEL AT WHICH THE HUMAN BODY
USUALLY STARTS TO SHUT DOWN

AFTER JUST 15 MINUTES.

Harlander: THE HARDEST THING
TO DO IS NOT TO GO TO SLEEP.

Narrator: BUT FOR HARLANDER
THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE RESCUE.

HE IS IN THE FREEZING WATER
FOR FOUR AND A HALF HOURS

BEFORE A BRITISH DESTROYER
FINDS HIM.

Harlander: THEY PUT A ROPE
UNDERNEATH MY ARMS

AND THEY PULLED ME ABOARD,

LAID ME DOWN
ON THAT BLACK, DARK DECK.

BUT IT WAS
THE BEST FEELING I EVER HAD.

BEING A BRITISH DESTROYER,
THEY ALWAYS HAVE TEA.

THEY GAVE ME SOME HOT TEA,

AND I, I, I COULDN'T HOLD...

I HAD IT WEDGED RIGHT HERE.

I COULDN'T...
PUT MY FINGERS OUT LIKE THAT.

I DRANK ABOUT HALF OF IT
AND SPILLED HALF OF IT.

BUT IT'S STILL THE BEST DRINK
I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.

Narrator: WITH SO FEW
BRITISH WARSHIPS ON HAND

TO PULL PEOPLE
FROM THE FREEZING SEA,

THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE AMBUSH
WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE

IF NOT FOR ONE LST CAPTAIN
WHO BROKE RANKS,

IGNORING THE ORDER TO SCATTER
AND HEAD FOR SHORE.

AS LST 515 CIRCLED BACK,

GUNNER'S MATE PAUL GEROLSTEIN

WAS LEANING OVER THE SIDE,
LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS.

HE SEES MORE DEAD SOLDIERS
THAN LIVING ONES.

Gerolstein:
IT STARTED TO GET LIGHT,

BUT WE WERE IN...
WE WERE HEARING, "HELP!"

AND ALL THE CRYING, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS PITIFUL.

REALLY, THE WATER
WAS JUST COVERED WITH BODIES,

ARMY BODIES.

AND WE WERE GRABBING 'EM
SO THEY COULD WORK THEIR WAY UP.

WE PULLED IN OVER A HUNDRED.

WE DID THAT UNTIL
THERE WAS NO MORE SURVIVORS.

Narrator: GENERAL EISENHOWER'S
UTAH BEACH D-DAY REHEARSAL

IS NOW A FULL-SCALE DISASTER.

TWO LSTs HAVE BEEN SUNK
WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT,

AND ONE HAS BEEN BADLY DAMAGED.

WORSE STILL, AT LEAST 639
AMERICANS ARE DEAD OR MISSING.

THERE ARE NO GERMAN
OR BRITISH CASUALTIES,

AND THE S-BOATS HAVE
DISAPPEARED INTO THE NIGHT

AS SILENTLY AND SWIFTLY
AS THEY CAME.

THE SIX LSTs
THAT SURVIVE THE AMBUSH

HIGHTAIL IT TO SAFETY,

WITHOUT LANDING
THEIR TROOPS OR EQUIPMENT.

EXERCISE TIGER IS AT AN END.

AT EISENHOWER'S BRITISH HQ,

AS THE EXTENT OF THE LOSSES
BECOMES CLEAR,

THE SUPREME COMMANDER ORDERS
AN IMMEDIATE WALL OF SILENCE.

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

Resnick: THE HEADS
OF OUR DEPARTMENTS

TOLD US IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
NOT TO BE TALKED ABOUT,

YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHIN',

AND KEEP IT QUIET.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

Casner: WE WERE GIVEN ORDERS
THAT YOU CANNOT DISCUSS THIS.

IT'S TOP SECRET,

AND YOU'LL BE COURT MARTIALED
IF YOU TALK ABOUT IT.

Harlander: EISENHOWER SAYS,

"YOU CANNOT DOCUMENT
ANYTHING MEDICALLY

OR ANYTHING FROM PEOPLE."

FIX THE BOYS UP,
BUT YOU CAN'T DOCUMENT ANYTHING.

AND IF YOU DO,
YOU'RE SUBJECT TO COURT MARTIAL

REGARDLESS OF YOUR RANK.

Narrator:
EISENHOWER'S CLAMPDOWN,

COUPLED WITH AN UNCERTAINTY
ABOUT THE EXACT DEATH TOLL

SPARK RUMORS
AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES

THAT SURVIVE TO THIS DAY.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

Narrator: BEFORE THE DEAD
ARE EVEN BURIED,

IT'S BECOMING CLEAR THAT MANY
SOLDIERS DROWNED NEEDLESSLY

BECAUSE THEY WERE WEARING
DIFFERENT LIFEBELTS

THAN THOSE ISSUED TO THE NAVY.

Man: ABANDON SHIP!

Narrator: THIS IS WHAT
THE NAVY PERSONNEL WORE

DURING THE EXERCISE,

AND THEY EASILY KEEP YOU AFLOAT.

BUT ARMY PERSONNEL
ON BOARD THE LSTs

WERE GIVEN WHAT WERE CALLED
NAVY M1926 LIFEBELTS--

POTENTIAL KILLERS
IF YOU DIDN'T WEAR THEM RIGHT.

ROGER ELLIS IS A SURVIVAL EXPERT

WHO KNOWS
JUST HOW DIFFICULT IT IS

TO REMEMBER
YOUR LIFEBELT TRAINING

IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE.

Roger Ellis:
OUT OF A CAST OF THOUSANDS,

YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED TO WEAR
THIS WONDERFUL PIECE OF KIT

WHICH YOU WILL NEED TO READ.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ
WHAT IT SAYS ON THERE?

Man: "FOLD ON THIS LINE.
OUTSIDE FRONT. THIS EDGE DOWN."

Ellis:
IF YOU'D LIKE TO PUT IT ON...

AS IT SAYS ON THE INSTRUCTIONS.

MAKE SURE
YOU'VE GOT THE BUCKLES,

OKAY, IN FRONT OF YOU,
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO IT.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE
THE BEST WAY, WOULDN'T IT?

OKAY, THAT'S IT.
YOU FOLLOW IT ROUND.

REMEMBER NOW,
IT'S DARK, IT'S WINDY,

WE'RE BEING SHOT AT.

YOU NEED TO GET THIS ON QUICKLY.

WE'RE NOW GETTING EXPLOSIONS,
THERE'S LOTS OF BANGS.

OKAY, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK.

MOVE IT ROUND. THAT'S IT.

KEEP MOVING IT ROUND.
THAT'S IT.

NOW YOU WANT THE RUBBER HOSE
POINTING TOWARDS YOUR MOUTH.

THERE'S A LITTLE
KNURLED KNOB ON THE TOP.

IF WE UNSCREW IT
ANTI-CLOCKWISE...

START BLOWING HARD
INTO THE LIFE JACKET.

MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT
PLENTY OF AIR IN THERE.

THAT'S IT. NOW THEN,
TURN OFF THE TAP.

OTHERWISE ALL YOUR HARD WORK
WILL BE UNDONE.

HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

Man: TIRING.

Ellis:
VERY TIRING, ISN'T IT?

TAKE OFF THE HELMET,
TUCK IT UNDER YOUR ARM.

OKAY, CLOSE.

PUT YOUR NOSE,
OKAY, IN YOUR HANDS.

LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD.

WE'LL BE LOOKING DOWN TO MAKE
SURE THERE'S NOBODY THERE.

AND WHEN I SAY, "ABANDON SHIP,"

STEP INTO THE WATER.

ABANDON SHIP!

THAT WORKS.

Martin Morgan: THE M1926
LIFEBELT WORKED, WORKED WELL,

BUT YOU HAD TO WEAR IT
HIGH ON THE TORSO,

BELOW THE ARMPITS.

OTHERWISE
WHEN YOU HIT THE WATER,

YOU'D TEND TO FLIP OVER.

Narrator:
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN YOU HAVE IT
ROUND YOUR WAIST.

Morgan: ON APRIL 28, 1944,
ON LYME BAY,

A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS

WERE WEARING THEIR M1926
LIFEBELT AROUND THEIR WAIST,

WEARING IT INCORRECTLY,
WHEN THEY JUMPED OVERBOARD.

Narrator:
AN INCORRECTLY WORN LIFEBELT

WASN'T THE ONLY MORTAL DANGER
FOR THE EXERCISE TIGER GIs.

THEIR HELMETS
COULD BE FATAL, TOO.

Morgan: DURING EXERCISE TIGER,

THERE WAS AN UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDY
ASSOCIATED WITH THE M1 HELMET.

A LARGE NUMBER
OF THE ARMY TROOPS

HAD THE CHIN STRAP
OF THE M1 HELMET

FASTENED UNDERNEATH THEIR CHIN.

AND WHEN THEY JUMPED
FROM THE SHIP

WITH THE CHIN STRAP FASTENED
AND THEY HIT THE WATER,

JUMPING FROM A HEIGHT
10, 15 FEET,

A SUDDEN UPRUSH OF WATER
LIFTED THE HELMET,

AND WITH THE HELMET
CHIN STRAPS IN PLACE,

IT BROKE SOME MEN'S NECK.

Narrator: THE MOST
SERIOUS RUMOR CLAIMED

THAT THE TIGER REHEARSALS
KILLED AT LEAST 110 MEN

DURING THE LIVE FIRING
PART OF THE EXERCISE

AND THAT THE DEAD WERE
HASTILY BURIED IN MASS GRAVES

AS PART OF A COVER-UP.

BRITISH WRITER NIGEL LEWIS

HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING
THIS FOR YEARS.

HE'S UNCOVERED A PREVIOUSLY
SECRET ARMY RADIO LOG.

Lewis: WE HAVE EVIDENCE
FROM A RADIO TRANSMISSION

STATING SHELLS LANDING
AMONGST TROOPS,

SHELLS BURSTING
IN THE NEXT FIELD,

THIS SORT OF THING.

THE CASUALTIES SUSTAINED
IN THE FIRING ON THE 27th

WERE 29.

NO FATALITIES.

Narrator:
NIGEL LEWIS'S WRITTEN EVIDENCE

THAT THERE WERE NO FATALITIES
ON SLAPTON SANDS,

JUST FRIENDLY-FIRE INJURIES,

MIGHT ITSELF BE PART
OF A COVER-UP.

WHEN THE OFFICIAL REHEARSAL
DEATH TOLL WAS ISSUED

SOON AFTER D-DAY,

IT RECKONED
THAT 639 MEN HAD DIED.

BUT ACCORDING TO A SECRET CABLE

FROM THE OVERALL EXERCISE
COMMANDER, REAR ADMIRAL MOON,

749 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
WERE DEAD OR MISSING--

A DIFFERENCE OF 110.

Lewis: I'M UNAWARE
OF ANY OTHER DEATH TOLL

OF THE AMERICAN FORCES
IN WORLD WAR II

THAT HAS GOT THIS REALLY
VERY LARGE DISCREPANCY IN IT--

THE ONE WE FIND IN TIGER
OF 110 PEOPLE.

Narrator: ADMIRAL MOON NEVER
EXPLAINED THE LARGE DISCREPANCY.

THREE MONTHS AFTER SLAPTON,
IN AUGUST 1944,

HE COMMITTED SUICIDE.

FOR 70 YEARS,

A FIERCE DEBATE HAS RAGED
ABOUT THE FATE OF THE 110 MEN.

NIGEL LEWIS BELIEVES HE HAS
FINALLY SOLVED THE MYSTERY.

AND THE ANSWER LIES HERE,

IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL
IN LONDON,

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT,

WHERE ANYONE WHO CARES
TO LOOK CAN SEE IT.

WITHIN THE FAMOUS CHURCH'S
AMERICAN CHAPEL

IS A 500-PAGE HONOR ROLL

THAT NAMES EVERY AMERICAN
SERVICEMAN WHO DIED

WHILE STATIONED IN THE U.K.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

Lewis: THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO DIED
HERE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

IN THE COURSE OF WORLD WAR II.

ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO,

I BECAME AWARE OF
THE ST. PAUL'S HONOR ROLL,

AND I REALIZED
WITH SOME EXCITEMENT

THAT THIS COULD BE THE KEY
TO UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY

OF THE TRUE DEATH TOLL
IN EXERCISE TIGER,

WHICH HAS BEEN
DISPUTED FOR SO LONG.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE
ROSTER OF THE WORLD WAR II DEAD,

WHICH IS 490,000-PLUS PEOPLE.

WE HAVE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN
THE NAVY FIGURE, WHICH IS 639,

WHICH IS COMPOSED
OF 197 NAVY PEOPLE AND 442 ARMY.

BUT THEN WE HAVE
THIS STRANGE BLIP

OF ADMIRAL MOON
ON APRIL THE 30th

GIVING A SET OF FIGURES

THAT SEEM TO ADD UP
TO A DEATH TOLL OF 749.

THESE TWO FIGURES
DON'T MARRY TOGETHER.

THEY DON'T FIT.

ONE OF THEM IS WRONG,

AND I'M SURE
IT'S THE 749 FIGURE.

Narrator: NIGEL LEWIS'S FORENSIC
ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF HONOR

HAS IDENTIFIED THE MISSING NAMES

AND LINKED THEM
TO FATAL INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS

AROUND THE SAME TIME
AS EXERCISE TIGER,

BUT NOT IN THE VICINITY
OF SLAPTON SANDS.

Lewis: I CAN FIND NO EVIDENCE
WHATSOEVER OF THOSE 110 PEOPLE.

THEY DIED IN ANOTHER WAY,
OF OTHER CAUSES.

THEY WERE NOT ON CONVOY T4,

AND THEY DID NOT DIE
IN CONVOY T4.

Narrator: CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.

THIS IS WHERE ALMOST
4,000 AMERICAN SERVICEMEN

WHO DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE
IN BRITAIN DURING WORLD WAR II

ARE BURIED.

THEIR FAMILIES
DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM HERE

RATHER THAN BRING THEM HOME.

AMONG THEM ARE SOME
FROM EXERCISE TIGER,

INCLUDING LELAND SIMMONS,

WHOSE GREAT NEPHEW RON JENSEN

IS STILL TRYING TO DISCOVER
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HIM.

Jensen:
HE WENT OFF TO WAR, YOU KNOW,

LIKE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF GIs,

YOU KNOW,
KISSED HIS WIFE GOODBYE,

LEFT FOR WAR,
AND NEVER RETURNED.

Narrator: RON JENSEN IS THE
ONLY ONE OF LELAND'S RELATIVES

TO CONTINUE THE QUEST
TO FIND OUT HOW AND WHY HE DIED.

Jensen: MAYBE THEY'D GIVEN UP

THE FINDING
THE DETAILS OF HIS DEATH,

BUT THEY WANTED
TO KNOW WHERE HE WAS.

Narrator:
KNOWING WHERE THE DEAD ARE

IS USUALLY THE JOB OF THE ARMY'S
GRAVES REGISTRATION SERVICE--

SPECIALISTS WHO TEND TO THOSE
WHO ARE KILLED IN ACTION

AND MAKE SURE THEY RECEIVE
PROPER BURIALS.

IT'S THEIR JOB TO RECORD
WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE.

Arthur Brookes: ONE OF
THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS

THAT THE AMERICAN
GRAVES REGISTRATION SERVICE

WAS KEEN TO DO

WAS HAVE A VERY ACCURATE
PAPER TRAIL.

Narrator:
BUT FOR EXERCISE TIGER,

THERE WAS A LESS THAN ACCURATE
PAPER TRAIL.

BODIES WERE LOST AT SEA,

AND GENERAL EISENHOWER'S
SECRECY ORDER

ADDED TO THE CONFUSION.

HOWEVER, THERE IS A GRAVES
RECORD FOR LELAND SIMMONS.

Brookes: WHAT WE HAVE HERE

ARE THE HEADSTONE INSCRIPTION
INTERMENT RECORDS

FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL

BURIED HERE IN THE CAMBRIDGE
AMERICAN CEMETERY.

IF WE GO BACK FURTHER HERE
TO THE Ss,

WE'LL FIND THAT WE HAVE,
IN FACT, LELAND SIMMONS.

Narrator: EVEN WHEN THE DEAD

ARE FIRST BURIED
IN TEMPORARY GRAVES

AND THEN MOVED,

AS WAS THE CASE WITH SIMMONS,

SOMEONE USUALLY MAKES A NOTE.

Brookes: THIS IS AN ACTUAL
ACCURATE RECORD

OF WHERE HE WAS
AND WHEN HE WAS MOVED.

Narrator: LELAND SIMMONS IS
NOW BURIED HERE IN CAMBRIDGE.

WHENEVER A RELATIVE COMES TO SEE

THEIR LOVED ONE'S
FINAL RESTING PLACE,

THE NAME IS HIGHLIGHTED
WITH WET SAND,

TAKEN FROM
THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY.

Jensen: IT TOOK ALMOST 50 YEARS,

BUT SOMEBODY FROM THE FAMILY

WAS ABLE TO STAND
AT UNCLE HAP'S GRAVE,

AND I THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

Narrator: CAMBRIDGE ALSO HAS
A WALL OF THE MISSING,

A PLACE WHERE THE FAMILIES
OF GIs, LIKE LOUIS BOLTON,

WHOSE BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED
FROM THE SEA OFF SLAPTON,

CAN COME TO GRIEVE.

Bolton: IT IS DIFFERENT.

OUR FAMILY DIDN'T HAVE
A LOVED ONE TO BURY.

HIS PLATOON'S JOB

WAS GOING TO BE BURYING
THE DEAD ON UTAH BEACH

AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY
TAKING CARE OF THE DEAD

AS THE FRONT MOVED.

Narrator:
THE LOSS OF LOUIS BOLTON

AND OTHERS
FROM HIS GRAVES PLATOON

IS ANOTHER REASON WHY THERE'S
BEEN SO MUCH CONFUSION

ABOUT THE DEATH TOLL FROM TIGER.

THE VERY PEOPLE

WHO WERE TO LOOK AFTER
THOSE WHO HAD BEEN KILLED

AND CREATE THE PAPER TRAIL

WERE THEMSELVES
DEAD OR MISSING.

COUPLED WITH EISENHOWER'S
SECRECY ORDER,

THIS MEANT THE FAMILIES

WERE GIVEN
LITTLE OFFICIAL INFORMATION.

Bolton: "REPORTED MISSING
IN ACTION ON 28 APRIL, 1944,

IN THE EUROPEAN AREA.

WAS REPORTED KILLED IN ACTION
ON THAT DATE."

AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOTHING WAS
RECEIVED AFTER THE WAR, EITHER,

TO GIVE HER ANY MORE DETAILS.

Narrator: BUT ONE MAN WHO WAS
INVOLVED IN THE DISASTER

WAS ALLOWED TO COMMIT
HIS TESTIMONY TO PAPER.

ENSIGN DOUG HARLANDER,

WHO TOOK COMMAND
OF THE SINKING LST 531

WHEN HIS SENIOR OFFICERS
WERE ALL KILLED,

WAS ORDERED BY ADMIRAL MOON
TO MAKE A FULL REPORT.

IT THEN REMAINED CLASSIFIED
FOR MANY YEARS.

Harlander: THE SHIP WAS
TORPEDOED ON THE STARBOARD SIDE

BY TWO TORPEDOES...

SEPARATED BY ABOUT A MINUTE.

Narrator: PFC LELAND SIMMONS
DIED ON DOUG HARLANDER'S SHIP.

70 YEARS LATER,
HIS GREAT NEPHEW RON JENSEN

IS AT LAST ABLE TO READ
HARLANDER'S REPORT

AND FIND OUT HOW.

Jensen:
I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS REPORT.

"APPROXIMATELY 0218

THIS SHIP WAS TORPEDOED
ON THE STARBOARD SIDE

BY TWO TORPEDOES,

SEPARATED BY ABOUT
ONE MINUTE OF TIME.

SIX MINUTES AFTER
THE FIRST TORPEDO,

THE SHIP ROLLED OVER."

SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH
OF A CHANCE OF GETTING AWAY.

Narrator: IN JULY 1945,

KNOWING THAT D-DAY
HAD BEEN A SUCCESS,

GENERAL EISENHOWER PUBLISHED
HIS OWN OFFICIAL REPORT.

IT WAS 123 PAGES LONG.

HE DEVOTED JUST ONE PARAGRAPH
TO THE EXERCISE TIGER DISASTER.

BUT IN IT HE REVEALS
THAT HE USED THE LST CONVOY

NOT ONLY AS A DRY RUN
FOR THE INVASION,

BUT ALSO AS A TEST TO SEE
HOW THE GERMANS WOULD REACT--

AN ADMISSION THAT HISTORIANS
HAVE OVERLOOKED UNTIL NOW.

Bennett:
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT IT

IS HE STATES IN BLACK AND WHITE

THAT'S THERE'S A TWO-FOLD
PURPOSE TO THESE CONVOYS.

FIRSTLY THERE'S THE OSTENSIBLE
REASON OF AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING,

BUT HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT
"TESTING ENEMY REACTION

TO OUR MOUNTING PREPARATIONS."

Narrator:
PROFESSOR BENNETT BELIEVES

THAT PUTTING THE CONVOY AT RISK
TO TEST ENEMY REACTION

WAS A GAMBLE BY EISENHOWER--

ONE HE DID NOT REVEAL TO
THE ROOKIES ON BOARD BEFOREHAND.

Bennett: OF COURSE, IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCE OF EXERCISE TIGER,

THE GENERAL'S GAMBLE
DOESN'T WORK OUT.

THE GERMANS
ARE ABLE TO GET THROUGH

THAT SCREEN OF DESTROYERS
AND PT BOATS.

AND THE RESULT
IS A MASSIVE LOSS OF LIFE.

Narrator: IN HIS REPORT,

EISENHOWER DOES NOT EVEN MENTION
THAT 639 AMERICANS WERE KILLED.

Bennett:
HIS WORDING'S QUITE STRIKING.

"THERE WAS
AN UNFORTUNATE LOSS OF LIFE

IN THE SINKING OF TWO LSTs."

THERE'S NOT REALLY
A GREAT DEAL OF REGRET EXPRESSED

FOR THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS
OF AMERICAN TROOPS

IN THE COURSE OF THAT.

HE'S ALMOST SORT OF APOLOGETIC
FOR, IN GENERAL'S TERMS,

THE LOSS OF A RESOURCE
THAT'S GONNA BE USEFUL LATER ON.

Narrator: EISENHOWER'S DECISION

PROVOKES CONTROVERSY
AND EMOTION.

Lewis: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

AND PRESIDENTS
AND MILITARY LEADERS

DON'T EXPECT
ANYBODY TO DO THAT.

WE EXPECT PEOPLE
TO BE VERY CAREFUL

WITH THE LIVES OF AMERICANS.

Narrator:
FOR THE MEN WHO SURVIVED

EISENHOWER'S D-DAY REHEARSAL
AND THE INVASION ITSELF,

THERE ARE NO RECRIMINATIONS,

ONLY SADNESS.

Casner: WE WERE IN A SERIES OF
BIG MISTAKES, IT SEEMED LIKE.

Gerolstein: I DIDN'T THINK
TOO MUCH ABOUT IT

BECAUSE IT WAS ALL
PART OF OUR JOB, YOU KNOW.

Resnick: I NEVER REALLY
TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT

'CAUSE IT BROUGHT BACK
BAD MEMORIES.

Harlander: AND I HOPE
THAT THEY LEARNED SOMETHING.

Narrator: GENERAL EISENHOWER
DID LEARN FROM HIS MISTAKES.

CHANGES WERE MADE WHICH PROBABLY
SAVED LIVES ON D-DAY AND BEYOND.

A TOTAL OF 73,000 AMERICANS

LANDED IN FRANCE
ON JUNE 6, 1944.

OF THE 34,000
WHO WENT ASHORE ON OMAHA,

2,000 WERE KILLED.

ON UTAH BEACH, 23,000 LAND,

BUT ONLY 250 ARE KILLED--

LESS THAN HALF THE NUMBER
WHO DIED DURING EXERCISE TIGER.

WITHOUT THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
OF THE 639 MEN

DURING AMERICA'S
D-DAY REHEARSAL DISASTER,

NO ONE KNOWS HOW MANY MORE
AMERICANS WOULD HAVE DIED

ON THE SANDS OF NORMANDY.