Page:Charles Robert Anderson - Algeria-French Morocco - CMH Pub 72-11.pdf/12



over five hours to regain its beach, to round the lagoon, and to start toward the airfield only to be pinned down by machine-gun fire the rest of the day. To the rear French reinforcements from Rabat were firing on landing team outposts. In the middle the 2d Battalion Landing Team stopped to await naval gunfire support, was then hit hard by a French counterattack, and was pushed back almost to the beach with heavy losses. While the Navy was firing on the Mehdia fortress, troops ashore did not yet have enough artillery to quiet the French batteries, whose fire kept tank lighters from landing and forced transports to move out of range, thus lengthening the route to shore. By nightfall on D-day the Americans occupied precarious positions miles from the airfield they so desperately needed.

The second day's action brought both success and frustration to the men of On the south the 1st Battalion Landing Team