Coast Guardsman Charles Tyner, Fireman first class, examines the jagged shrapnel hole in the helmet he wore during the initial assault on the beaches of Southern France.

Shrapnel hole

A Texan drove this flaming Coast Guard LCPV to the beach. Bursting in flame when machine gun fire exploded a hand grenade, this Coast Guard-manned LCVP, packed with troops, was piloted safely to the Normandy beach on D-Day by a 23 year old Texan Coast Guardmen. He unloaded his cargo of soldiers and, assisted by his engineman and bowman, put out the fire and made the run back to his Coast Guard manned assault transport in a hail of German machine gun and mortar fire.(rudeerude)

D-day

African-American US Coast Guard Steward's Mate 3rd Class Dorall Austin manning his 20-mm Oerlikon autocannon aboard an assault transport in the Pacific(rudeerude)