In October, 1943, Mr. Barish endured his most harrowing moment of the war when German bonbers released their new radio-controlled glider bombs on his convoy in the Bay of Biscay off the French coast. He was supposed to be below deck, but remained above and watched the crew manning the 3-inch gun on the stern opened fire on a plane just as it released a bomb causing it to swerve, and the bomb as well which splashed into the water and just narrowly missed a destroyer escort.
"I could see the bomb falling. I could feel my blood pressure rising, muscles tensing."
In addition to service at D-Day, in December 1944, the crew helped rescue more than 700 men from the troop tansport Empire Javelin which had been torpedoed off France. Skipper Lt. Cmdr. Clifford Missier, was awarded the Bronze Star for the rescue.
As a class, the LSTs were tough and seaworthy and suffered few losses considering operating in dangerous waters. Of the 1,051 built, only 26 destroyed by enemy action and another 13 sank in storms or accidents. Just one 325 sailor died during the war--a sailor who plunged to his death off the side of a drydock in England.
Sure Glad This Ship Is Still Around. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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