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Bill Conroy was a Signalman First Class and member of the crew assigned to the LCH 520 (which stands for "landing craft headquarters").

Let me share my recollections with you. At about 5 or 5:30 AM the 520 arrived at the line of demarcation. We were accompanied by our 14 rocket boats. Captain Lorenzo Sabin, (one of my all time heroes!) had these vessels line up to our right, and to our left, '' x '' number of yards apart, all along Omaha Beach. It was still very dark, the seas were still choppy, as they were for our crossing, as we approached h-hour, set for 6:30 am, the bombardment from the battleships let up considerably. At exactly 6:30am - I was in the conning tower -right next to the 'cap'n''- as he shouted into a bullhorn -'' go you, rocketboats, go!!!'' . In unison all the rocketboats headed toward the beach- when they reached a designated distance from the beach- again in unison- they triggered their rockets.

A murky, gray dawn was breaking but we could plainly see the hills overlooking the beach. Suddenly, the whole coastline within our view lit up like a Christmas tree- to our right and to our left- as 15,120 rockets- or certainly most of them - exploded on the ''Omaha'' hillsides.

The whole purpose was intended to be a terrifying ''wake-up'' call to let the enemy know the real battle of Omaha beach had just begun. I can't swear that every single rocket landed on Omaha beach.

/s/ Bill Conroy

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