The Moroccan Landings

The Atlantic coast of Morocco is rocky, with outcroppings extending into the water. Although a few long, shelving beaches are suitable for landing, it  is necessary for vessels to lie far out at sea. Harbors are usually formed by breakwaters, and the few natural harbors at the mouths of small rivers are shallow. On the beaches the ground swells are heavy and waves often break at 30 feet. Low pressure over the North Atlantic results in rough water off the Moroccan coast, and as winter approaches these disturbances increase. Since, as has been said, the late autumn afford one feasible landing day in five, it is not surprising that the landings were followed the next day by prohibitively rough seas.

The coast was relatively well fortified with coastal defense batteries, field artillery, antiaircraft batteries, and machine-gun pillboxes. All likely landing areas were protected. Particularly strong was Fedala, about 12 miles northeast of Casablanca, while the immediate vicinity of Casablanca bristled with big guns. The battleship Jean Bart, though unable to move, lay at a jetty and added her guns to the defense. Fedala and Casablanca constituted the focal point of the central attack; Mehdia, 80 miles northeast of Casablanca, was the second; and Safi, 130 miles southwest of Casablanca, was the third.

The Amphibious Force, under command of Rear Adm. Henry K. Hewitt, consisted of a strong contingent of battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and fleet train vessels, together with an adequate number of troop and cargo ships, with the cruiser Augusta as flagship. It was planned to have a strong covering group shell Casablanca if resistance occurred at that point, with the Northern Attack Group covering the landing at Mehdia, near Port Lyautey, the Center Group covering at Fedala, and the Southern Attack Group covering Safi.

The Army contingent, under General Patton, consisted of approximately 2,000 officers and 35,000 men. There were about 250 tanks in one armored combat command and an armored combat team, the Third and Ninth Infantry Divisions, and a Ranger detachment. Before the landings were made the following orders were published to all ranks:

1. Leading waves will reach beaches 2 1/2 hours before sunrise.
2. Direct attack will be avoided. The enemy will be pinned by frontal fire and attacked from rear.
3. Attack both day and night will be prosecuted to limit of human endurance and then continue the attack. Rapid, violent, and continual attack will win.
4. Military or civilian units or individuals offering resistance will be destroyed.
5. Military or civilian authorities or military units displaying conciliatory attitude will be accorded friendly and courteous treatment.
6. Local civilian authorities in captured localities will be urged to continue their administrative and judicial functions.
7. Sultan's palace, houses of worship, mosques, cemeteries, and private homes will not be disturbed or entered unless they are used as defensive works.
8. Women, both European and native, will be treated with the utmost respect. Soldiers guilty of looting or assault on women will be shot.
9. The following will not be damaged beyond temporary interruption to prevent use by enemy:

   a. Power plants and utilities
   b. Ports and port facilities
   c. Radio stations at Rabat and Casablanca
   d. Telegraph and telephone lines between Rabat-Meknes and Rabat-Casablanca.

Off Casablanca was the largest American naval force, with Rear Adm. Robert C. Giffin in command of the covering group, subject to the control of Admiral Hewitt, commander of the Western Naval Task Force. Maj. Gen. J. W. Anderson was in command of ground forces, and General Patton, commanding all ground movements, was present in the area.

Early in the morning of the 8th, French planes attacked the fleet and soon afterward shore batteries, aided by the Jean Bart, opened fire. The American vessels returned the fire. The Massachusetts paid particular attention to the Jean Bart, and succeeded not only in silencing her guns for the day but also in damaging her so seriously that her stern settled on the bottom. The French fleet stationed at Casablanca included one light cruiser, three flotilla leaders, seven destroyers, 11 submarines, and additional small craft. The Jean Bart and three submarines had now been sunk, and three other ships either had been put out of action or were undergoing repairs. Three of the remaining submarines managed to escape. next, the cruisers, destroyers, and flotilla leaders attempted two sorties, but were driven back with a loss of six vessels. The others retreated to Casablanca.