American flag flown during D-Day invasion at Normandy up for auction

By Jacki Billings

The American flag flew on the LCI(L)-421 during the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. (Photo: Rock Island Auction Company)
An American flag flown during the invasion at Normandy on the USS LCI(L)-421 at Gold Beach in 1944 is up for grabs through Rock Island Auction Company.
The historic flag is featured in RIA’s upcoming September auction and is expected to fetch a price between $250,000 and $375,000.
The flag’s story begins midday June 6, 1944 when the 264th Royal Canadian Flotilla transported the follow-up infantry battalion of  the 56th Infantry Brigade to the D-Day landing at Gold Beach. The flotilla included three Landing Craft Infantry (Large), LCI (Large), amphibious assault ships 400, 421, and 511 attached to the U.S. Navy. Gold Beach was in the middle of the five landings and in the course of reaching the beach the flotilla encountered mortar fire, resulting in two casualties. Once on the beach, the 56th Brigade dealt with deep water, submerged shell holes and enemy fire.
The flag flew from the mast of LCI(L)-421 and was from the personal belongings of Steve Hudac, the coxswain of the LCI(L)-421 who piloted the landing craft onto Gold Beach.
“Steve told me that during the landing, he

Source: Guns.com