Normandy

Robert Capa’s photograph on the cover of the May/June issue brought back strong memories. I was on an LCI-L 94, and Mr. Capa came aboard after he had taken pictures while we were unloading troops on Omaha Beach. We were pinned down under fire at the time, and tangled with cables anchoring German mines. Some of our crew had been killed, and Mr. Capa photographed the wounded being treated. After about an hour under fire our captain’s fine seamanship allowed us to retract our anchor and then float again, and we returned to a transport with the wounded and Mr. Capa. He later printed his picture in Life magazine. Of the four ships on that section of the beach, we were the only LCI-L to get under way again. I remember Capa coming into the engine room to dry his film, so nervous he was smoking cigarettes in both hands. He boarded a transport to return to England with his film.