Office of the Historian

J.C.S. Files

Memorandum by the British Chiefs of Staff1

most secret
C.C.S. 286/3
[Quebec,] 18 August 1943.

Formation of U.S. Assault Forces for Operation “Overlord”

1.
The British request that the Americans man all the craft allocated to Assault Force “O,” the American Naval Assault Force for Overlord based in the Plymouth Command, was considered by the U.S. Chiefs of Staff who declined to undertake this commitment for the reasons given in C.C.S. 286/2.2
2.
There has been an opportunity during Quadrant for this matter to be further investigated by the Combined Staffs. As a result, we now wish to put forward a modified proposal. We withdraw the request that the U.S. should man the shipborne types of landing craft, namely 16 L.C.S.(M), 15 Hedgerow fitted L.C.A. and 60 ordinary L.C.A., as these will be carried in British ships. However, in view of the fact that the remaining craft will be assigned to, and will train with, the American Naval Assault Force under a U.S. Naval Commander, we suggest that it would be reasonable that U.S. crews be provided. The craft involved are 12 L.C.T.(R), 5 L.C.G.(L), 11 L.C.F.(L), 48 L.C.P.(L) fitted for smoke-laying and not hoistable, and the personnel required amount to 135 officers and 1,511 men.
3.
We ask the U.S. Chiefs of Staff to reconsider the decision conveyed in 286/2 to this extent.
  1. For the action taken on this paper at the 112th Meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, August 19, 1943, see ante, p. 891.↩
  2. Ante, p. 452.↩