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Lady Ribbon Sea
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The initial force consisted of one M8 howitzer, an M5A1 Stuart light tank, an M3 light antitank gun, an M1 mortar and an infantry element roughly the size of a platoon, including a flamethrower and a sniper. With generous use of HE fire from the M8 and Stuart, the beachhead was secured. Immediate enemy counterattacks in the form of infantry and light vehicles were soundly beaten, with captured machineguns and an antitank rifle put to immediate use.
The Stuart was exceptionally effective in clearing the beach town. While the M8 and Lance Corporal Matther Rogers's flamethrower emptied buildings of infantry, the Stuart destroyed or disabled several light vehicles and eventually rushed into the town, killing infantry and the crews of a mortar and an MG-42 preventing infantry incursion into the town. After the town was captured, the Stuart destroyed or disabled several PzIIs and three PzIIIs, before being destroyed by a PzIII. M5 AT guns had landed by this time, so while regrettable, the loss of the Stuart did not compromise the expanded beachhead. Two other Stuarts landed and engaged several PzIIIs effectively, one on each flank.
The M3 AT gun destroyed several light vehicles and from an excellent position engaged several PzIIIs effectively after the town had been secured. By the time the right flank began its push beyond the town, though, the M5 heavy AT guns had moved too far forward for the M3's field of fire to be effective and it did not have the range and firepower to engage the PzIVs that the enemy was now sending in numbers.
Pictured: LCpl Matthew Rogers and LCpl Allen Hill after the battle. While room-to-room fighting in the beach town was not necessary because of the effectiveness of the flamethrower, the rest of the battle did not see any opportunities for Rogers and Hill.
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