Robert Lochner (engineer) harbours to Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The decision to go ahead was taken and full-scale trials of the floating breakwater started in April 1944. During the trial, an onshore gale produced heavy seas, but Robert's bombardons calmed the waves effectively. Assembling two Mulberry Harbours the day after the landings on 7 June 1944 was one of the most remarkable engineering feats in history. A total of 1,500,000 tons of harbour equipment had to be taken across the channel in an operation involving 150 Allied tugs, and by D-Day 'plus 12', most of Lochner's concrete breakwaters were in position. On
71st Special Operations Squadron during D–Day in June 1944. Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a 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 and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in