Phoenix breakwaters Phoenix breakwaters The Phoenix breakwaters were a set of reinforced concrete caissons built as part of the artificial Mulberry harbours that were assembled as part of the follow-up to the Normandy landings during World War II. They were constructed by civil engineering contractors around the coast of Britain. They were collected at Dungeness and Selsey, and then towed by tugboats across the English Channel and sunk to form the Mulberry harbour breakwaters replacing the initial "Gooseberry" block ships. Further caisson were added in the autumn of 1944 to re-enforce the existing structure to cope with the harbour continuing in use
45th Airlift Squadron February 1944 until becoming part of IX Troop Carrier Command in England to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944. Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a third Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines