Lot 182

DOG GREEN SECTOR, OMAHA BEACH COXSWAIN'S MAP USED ABOARD LCT-622 ON D-DAY

Previous image preload Next image preload

DOG GREEN SECTOR, OMAHA BEACH COXSWAIN'S MAP USED ABOARD LCT-622 ON D-DAY

Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000

Current Bid: $10,000

(1 Bid)

by Alexander Historical Auctions LLC
July 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
106 East Main Street, Suite 103
Elkton, MD, US 21921

DOG GREEN SECTOR, OMAHA BEACH COXSWAIN'S MAP USED ABOARD LCT-622 ON D-DAY
An item of incredible rarity and historic importance, the actual 'TOP SECRET' map issued to and used aboard the 119 foot-long Landing Craft, Tank LCT-622 when it landed on the shore of the DOG GREEN sector of OMAHA Beach a scant one hour after the first troops landed and met a rain of German fire. This sector was the most heavily contested of any of the Normandy landing beaches, with the American toehold remaining a slaughterhouse for over nine hours. The 22 x 17 in. color map, titled: 'OMAHA BEACH-WEST (Vierville-sur-Mer)', is marked 'TOP SECRET - BIGOT' and numbered '373'. It was prepared by 'COMMANDER TASK FORCE 122' and is dated April 22, 1944. This map was specifically prepared for nautical use, as attested to by the 'NOTE to COXSWAIN or NAVIGATOR' at bottom suggesting that the photo illustration of shoreline terrain features appearing beneath the chart would be more reliable than depending on matching structures, as the buildings might well be destroyed by shelling or bombing. Offshore, the map displays obstructions including rocks, sandbars, shallows, etc., currents, and vertical red lines delineating the various landing sectors 'DOG GREEN', 'DOG WHITE', and 'CHARLIE'. Onshore, the town of Vierville-sur-Mer is shown, as well as structures along the shore and inland, roads, fields, etc. The verso of the map includes a sunlight and moonlight table, and detailed information on beach gradients, currents, and tidal stages. Interestingly, there is no information provided on defensive sites, lines of fire, shore obstructions, or any other German impediments to landings and discharge of men and materiel. The map has been folded several times and shows some light soiling commensurate with use, otherwise in very good condition. The map originates from U.S. Navy Lt. William H. Nordstrom, originally second in command of LCT-622. As part of Task Unit 'O-2', Flotilla 12, LCT-622 delivered bulldozers and jeeps to the beach, one of a tiny handful to reach the shore, along with 72 members of Co. B, 116th Regimental Combat Team, who would suffer 85% casualties before an exit was forced using bulldozers from FOX GREEN via one of the draws dropping to the shore. Most of these men were no doubt killed in the process. LCT-622 also took damage, being struck by a German 88mm shell immediately after landing her troops, which killed one crewman outright, mortally wounded another, and injured a third who would later recover. Despite this, the ship was still able to take aboard half the crew of the nearby LCT-615. According to an account of the landings given by Nordstrom to family members, during the initial approach to the beach the vessel's commander, naval officer J. O. Ponder sat motionless and speechless behind the bridge, his head resting against the back wall and totally unresponsive. Nordstrom was forced to relieve Ponder of command and land the LCT under heavy fire. He would command the ship for the following four months. During that period, he would continuously shuttle men and cargo to and from the Normandy beaches. This awesome relic, used in the attack on the hardest fought sector of OMAHA Beach on D-Day (which was also memorialized in the films 'The Longest Day' and 'Saving Private Ryan'), is consigned by a direct descendant of Nordstrom along with three other related lots in this sale. A similar pair of coxswain's maps, including another copy of this map and the eastern section of OMAHA but with no D-Day provenance, recently sold for over $37,000. A memorial card for one of Nordstrom's comrades killed during the landing, Boatswain's Mate Joseph Zawacki, is included, along with substantial provenance, records concerning Nordstrom and the vessel, etc. Nordstrom's recollections of his service may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdP6Lfk9b4.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipping, handling and insurance charges will be added to all invoices. Shipments are sent via FEDEX, USPS Express, USPS International Priority, and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Shipments will only be sent to the registered bidder address, re-routing shipments is not permitted. All shipments require a direct signature, no exceptions. Shipping to certain countries is extremely expensive and will be invoiced according to dimensional weight as required! By law the full value is required by customs for international shipments. Please inquire before bidding! International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000