Prof. Greg Jackson

But between the challenges of spindrift and the dart, the transports are actually about 15 miles off course.

They're heading right toward Casablanca Harbor, right where the French fleet lies at anchor.

That guiding beacon they've been following is actually the French light cruiser, Crémanger, burning brightly after being hit by American naval fire.

Luckily, the men spot what they think is a U.S.

destroyer.

The first two landing crafts draw near, and Edward watches as a military policeman on the lead boat, perhaps company commander Captain William H. Sutton, tries to get the attention of someone on board.

The second lieutenant hears a yell in return, but he doesn't understand what's being said.

Maybe it's the loud waves?

The MP hollers.

We are American!

The overture is met by a burst of machine gun fire.

Okay, definitely not an American ship.

And definitely not a friendly Frenchman.

Only 15 yards away from the guns, Edward watches in shock and horror as bullets rip through the officer, killing him instantly.

Realizing the futility of resisting a warship's fire from a wooden landing craft, the men know they must surrender to survive.

But even as the soldiers in the first boat stand with their hands raised, some waving their torn undershirts, the unnamed French vessel opens fire again, this time with the three-inch shells.

The second lieutenant looks around and sees, as he'll later recall, that the air was full of metal.

Suddenly, the coxswain, who has been desperately, madly zigzagging the boat away from the attacking French warship, has his leg blown off.

Another officer rises to take the wheel, but he too takes a bullet to the leg.

The wooden boat is slowly becoming little more than shrapnel as a massive splinter flies into Edward's foot, reportedly taking the front of his boot in two toes.