GUNNERY PRACTICE ABOARD A TRANSPORT. Submarines were a danger and gun crews were constantly on the alert. (Left, U. S. Navy 3-inch gun; right .50-caliber water-cooled Browning machine gun.)] [Illustration: EN ROUTE TO NORTH AFRICA TROOPS ON TRANSPORT HEADED FOR FRENCH MOROCCO. Note rubber life belts on most of the men. These could be inflated instantly by means of gas cartridges in belts. In practice it was found that a fully inflated belt was not capable of supporting a soldier loaded down with his equipment. Men who found themselves in the water could not readily get rid of their packs and ammunition belts and several drownings occurred during the landings.] [Illustration: FRENCH MOROCCO CASABLANCA, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The landings were made at Fedala, farther north, in order to attack Casablanca overland partly because of its very strong defenses and partly because of the necessity of capturing the port in usable condition. Casablanca was a naval base. The U. S. Navy had the mission of preventing French warships from interfering with the landings. American ships came under the fire of large coastal guns on El Hank Point (in the foreground, top picture) and engaged in running battles off Casablanca. Moored in the harbor was the battleship Jean Bart which also fired heavy shells to drive the American ships from their protective stations. After three days, when Casablanca was about to be attacked by ground, air, and sea bombardment and occupied by tanks and infantry, the city surrendered. The harbor was put to almost immediate use.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRENCH MOROCCO PORT-LYAUTEY AIRPORT on the Oued Sebou north of Casablanca. The Kasba, an old walled fort, is on high ground between the lagoon at upper left and the mouth of the river. Early on 8 November 1942, one landing was made on the north and two south of the river mouth. Those between the lagoon and the river were opposed by coastal defense guns and artillery from the Kasba. Hostile aircraft strafed all beaches and fighting lasted more than two days. Early on the 10th a naval party cut the cable across the river mouth and a U. S. destroyer steamed up the river under fire from the Kasba. Raiders and infantry occupied the airport at 0800 and Army fighter planes from a carrier landed by noon shortly after the Kasba surrendered.] [Illustration: FRENCH MOROCCO