bigpigeon.us webpage WWII - Germany > The ETO > The ETO Communications Zone, updated by RAC 30 Aug 2022
This webpage will contain several topics regarding non-combat aspects of European Theater operations.
In military parlance, The Communications Zone or CommZ is the rear area of a theater of operations (behind but contiguous to the combat zone) which contains the lines of communications, establishments for supply and evacuation, and other agencies required for the immediate support and maintenance of the field forces.
The Ports Problem
For months after D-Day, the European Theater of Operations lacked sufficient port facilities.
At first, Allied troops were supplied directly from the beach, especially by LST (Landing Ship Tank) ships that could run up on the beach, drop their ramps, and unload onto land. This capability was weather-dependent, and fortunately for the next several months the weather was generally cooperative, except for the storm mentioned in the following paragraph.
Immediately after D-Day, two artificial ports, called Mulberries, were put in place off the invasion beaches, one off Omaha Beach and one in the British sector at Arromanches. Both Mulberries were fully functional by 18 June, but the Omaha Beach Mulberry was destroyed in a storm on 19 June. The Arromanches Mulberry, called Port Winston, was used for ten months and landed four million tons of supplies. Remains are still scattered in Arromanches harbor.
The first major French port, Cherbourg in Normandy, was captured on 29 June but port destruction was so great that it was mid-August until it was available for limited use.
The second major port, Brest in Brittany, had been heavily used by the American Expeditionary Force in 1917-19 during World War I. Such was not the case in World War II. When Brest finally surrendered on 19 September, the port facilities had been thoroughly destroyed by the Germans that Brest was not of use during the remainder of the four.
Rouen, in the Seine estuary, surrendered to Canadian forces on 30 August, and Le Harve, near the entrance of the Seine River, surrendered to the British on 12 September.
The third major port, Antwerp in Belgium, was seized in good condition by the Canadian Army on 4 September. However, the approach to Antwerp was up a long estuary, which was not cleared of German troops until November.
Several hundred miles away to the south, the port of Marseilles was seized by French troops on 26 August. Despite the distance, the rail network in Southern France soon led to a third of the supplies needed by the Allied armies being landed in Marseilles and then shipped northward.
In addition to a shortage of port facilities, the Communications Zone experienced other logistics issues:
At first, Allied troops were supplied directly from the beach, especially by LST (Landing Ship Tank) ships that could run up on the beach, drop their ramps, and unload onto land. This capability was weather-dependent, and fortunately for the next several months the weather was generally cooperative, except for the storm mentioned in the following paragraph.
Immediately after D-Day, two artificial ports, called Mulberries, were put in place off the invasion beaches, one off Omaha Beach and one in the British sector at Arromanches. Both Mulberries were fully functional by 18 June, but the Omaha Beach Mulberry was destroyed in a storm on 19 June. The Arromanches Mulberry, called Port Winston, was used for ten months and landed four million tons of supplies. Remains are still scattered in Arromanches harbor.
The first major French port, Cherbourg in Normandy, was captured on 29 June but port destruction was so great that it was mid-August until it was available for limited use.
The second major port, Brest in Brittany, had been heavily used by the American Expeditionary Force in 1917-19 during World War I. Such was not the case in World War II. When Brest finally surrendered on 19 September, the port facilities had been thoroughly destroyed by the Germans that Brest was not of use during the remainder of the four.
Rouen, in the Seine estuary, surrendered to Canadian forces on 30 August, and Le Harve, near the entrance of the Seine River, surrendered to the British on 12 September.
The third major port, Antwerp in Belgium, was seized in good condition by the Canadian Army on 4 September. However, the approach to Antwerp was up a long estuary, which was not cleared of German troops until November.
Several hundred miles away to the south, the port of Marseilles was seized by French troops on 26 August. Despite the distance, the rail network in Southern France soon led to a third of the supplies needed by the Allied armies being landed in Marseilles and then shipped northward.
In addition to a shortage of port facilities, the Communications Zone experienced other logistics issues:
- Insufficient depots, especially in port areas.
- Inadequate rail and road infrastructure to move supplies to the front. The US Air Force had worked over much of the French transportation network earlier in 1944.
- Pilfering.
The Mysterious Fifteenth Army
The US Fifteenth Army was activated in France late in 1944. It was meant to become the US Occupation Army in Germany in case the First, Third, Seventh and Ninth Armies were all reassigned to the War with Japan.
During its lifetime, the Fifteenth Army performed a number of rear-area functions but very seldom did its troops experience combat. The War with Japan ended earlier than expected, and the Seventh Army was assigned to be the US Occupation Army in Germany. Thus I rarely mention the Fifteenth Army.
The XXII and XXIII Corps were assigned to the Fifteenth Army. With one exception, I don't know which US divisions were assigned to the Fifteenth Army.
During its lifetime, the Fifteenth Army performed a number of rear-area functions but very seldom did its troops experience combat. The War with Japan ended earlier than expected, and the Seventh Army was assigned to be the US Occupation Army in Germany. Thus I rarely mention the Fifteenth Army.
The XXII and XXIII Corps were assigned to the Fifteenth Army. With one exception, I don't know which US divisions were assigned to the Fifteenth Army.
The Ill-fated 66th Infantry Division
In late December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, the raw 66th Infantry Division was rushed across the English Channel to Cherbourg. Part of the division was approaching Cherbourg on the Belgian liner Leopoldville on December 24 when the Leopoldville was torpedoed and then, after several hours, exploded and sank. Help was late reaching the Leopoldville, and the loss of combat troops was high. Three men from the Pottawattamie area died on the Leopoldville.
Subsequently the 66th Division was never sent to the front lines and remained in western France. It presumably was training the large number of French combat units assigned to it.
On 31 March 1945, the 66th Division was assigned to the Fifteenth Army.
Subsequently the 66th Division was never sent to the front lines and remained in western France. It presumably was training the large number of French combat units assigned to it.
On 31 March 1945, the 66th Division was assigned to the Fifteenth Army.
Sources for the The ETO > ETO Communications Zone webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - The ETO > ETO Communications Zone:
1 - Deaths Coming into Theater:
† Koebel, Leonard Lavern, SN O-726911, US Army Air Force, Pima Co., AZ
† Aid, Alvin Eldred, SN 37-503-126, US Army; Page & Taylor Cos.
† Humes, William A., SN O-450902, US Army, Pott. Co.
† Busey, Robert W., SN 37-467-059, US Army, Pott. Co.
- None at this time.
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - The ETO > ETO Communications Zone:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
1 - Deaths Coming into Theater:
† Koebel, Leonard Lavern, SN O-726911, US Army Air Force, Pima Co., AZ
- 401 Bomb. Sqdn., 91st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #41-24451 bombardier; DNB 3 Oct 1942 Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; crash en route from US, eight died, two survived; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-51295 navigator w/ pilot Darwin D. Gant; DNB 21 Jul 1944 en route to England between Bluie West 1, Greenland and Meeks Field, Iceland; probable ditching, no survivors; The ETO > ETO Comm Zone; BNR.
† Aid, Alvin Eldred, SN 37-503-126, US Army; Page & Taylor Cos.
- 3206th Quartermaster Service Co., based at St. Anthony, near Falmouth, Cornwall, England; KIA 28 Apr 1944 off Slapton Sands, Devon, England; on Landing Ship Tank LST-531 which was sunk by German E-boats; Operation Tiger - The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone; BNR.
- Co. K, 168th Inf. Regt., while stateside transferred to Co. K, 133rd Inf. Regt., both 34th Inf. Div.; DNB 6 Jun 1942 Coleraine, Londonderry, Northern Ireland; railroad accident; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- Co. F or D, 322nd Engr. Regt., Newport, England; DNB 22/23 Aug 1942, gunshot wound; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
† Humes, William A., SN O-450902, US Army, Pott. Co.
- C.O., 543 Signal Depot Co., Signal Depot S-891, Paris, France; WIA by V-2 rocket en route to Liege, Belgium; DOW 16 Dec 1944, Belgium; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- 3597 Quartermaster Truck Co.; KIA 2 Jan 1945, France (sic) (RAC: possibly accident in Chiligny, Lorraine, France, as Third Army moved supplies from Lorraine north into the Ardennes); The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- 714 Engineer Depot Co.; DNB 2 Dec 1944, 166th General Hospital, France (location unknown); accident; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- Earlier service on Destroyer Tender USS Melville (AD-2); unit & location at death unknown; d. British Isles 14 Feb 1944; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone; BNR.
† Busey, Robert W., SN 37-467-059, US Army, Pott. Co.
- 821st Tank Destroyer Bn.; DNB 27 Jun 1945 Deichshausen, N of Bremen, Germany, accidental gunshot wound; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- Army Transportation Corps, units mentioned are 62nd Transportation Bn. & 9th T. R. G.; DNB 14 Jun 1945 at Dudweiler, near Saarbrücken, Germany; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- Co. G, 359th Inf. Regt., 90th Inf. Div.; DNB 20 Nov 1945, Sulzbach, E of Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany; handgun accident; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.
- 66th & 396th Armored FA Bns.; DNB 5 Oct 1945 Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany; head injury from jeep accident; The ETO > ETO Comm. Zone.