Lot 181

THE 'NEPTUNE MONOGRAPH', D-DAY INVASION PLANS USED ABOARD LCT-622 AT 'DOG GREEN', OMAHA BEACH

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THE 'NEPTUNE MONOGRAPH', D-DAY INVASION PLANS USED ABOARD LCT-622 AT 'DOG GREEN', OMAHA BEACH

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

THE 'NEPTUNE MONOGRAPH', D-DAY INVASION PLANS USED ABOARD LCT-622 AT 'DOG GREEN', OMAHA BEACH
An excessively rare item of great historic importance, the actual 'TOP SECRET' D-Day invasion plans 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 there to face a devastating rain of German artillery and gunfire. This sector was the most heavily contested of any of the Normandy landing beaches, with the Americans taking enormous casualties there for over nine hours. The 8 x 13 in. book is titled 'NEPTUNE Monograph', Apr. 21, 1944, containing 88pp. with maps, photographs and illustrations throughout. Additionally, there are nine further maps and diagrams included as appendices at the rear of the text. These are abbreviated invasion plans, created for elements of Task Force 122 (TF 122), commanded by Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk. It was the force responsible for the naval assault and amphibious landings at Utah and Omaha beaches. Pages throughout the text are Boldly marked 'TOP SECRET - BIGOT', and the cover of the monograph bears the issuing number '953'. Every possible topic and contingency is considered within. The first discussion involves weather and flying conditions, tides, currents, and astronomical data with extensive graphs. There follows descriptions, maps and photographs of the terrain and coast, with further up-close photographs of several of the landing beaches. A special section is dedicated to the OMAHA and UTAH beaches alone, citing beach conditions, natural and German-emplaced obstacles (estimated at one thousand at OMAHA), exits, roads, and defenses ('heavily defended'). This is followed by the 'Enemy Order of Battle and Capabilities' which warns of submarine and fast surface attack vessels, mines, air strength, and chemical warfare. The following section considers 'Enemy Defenses' which the plan clearly warns are strong and extensive. Various batteries are identified, described in detail and numbered, typical emplacements and beach obstacles are illustrated and described, and maps show the disposition of German troops and reserves on the Cotentin Peninsula. Another map shows all of the Allied landing beaches. Other sections of this battle plan discuss German radar, radio controlled bombs, flame throwers, smaller regional ports (with photographs), France under German occupation, and more. The nine illustrations in the rear of the monograph include: 'Omaha Beach East (Colleville Sur Mer)', 'Omaha Beach West (Vierville Sur Mer)', 'Utah Beach South (La Madeleine)', 'Utah Beach North (Ravenoville)', aerial view of Omaha Beach, aerial view of Utah Beach, 'Profiles of Light German Warships', 'Landing Craft Profiles' (two different), and 'Disposition of Known German Forces France & Low Countries as of 16 April 1944' (damaged: splits, some loss along one fold.) This crucial manual has been well used - soiling to the covers, improvised wire binding, rear cover badly chipped and a few pages with minor marginal loss but generally very good and obviously an honest, battle-used relic. The monograph is entirely complete, with no pages missing and with all appendices present. With extensive government records and provenance. This copy of the monograph was originally issued to either Navy officer J. O. Ponder, who commanded LCT-622 on D-Day, or to his second in command, Lt. William H. Nordstrom, from whose estate it originates. As part of Task Unit 'O-2', Flotilla 12, LCT-622 delivered bulldozers and jeeps to Dog Green, one of a tiny handful to reach the shore, 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 historic 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 four other related lots in this sale. Nordstrom's recollections of his service may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdP6Lfk9b4.

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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