▁US ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁during ▁the ▁second ▁group ▁of ▁assault ▁waves , ▁at ▁ 0 7 2 5 . ▁She ▁lost ▁three ▁of ▁her ▁boats ▁in ▁the ▁initial ▁assault ▁wave ▁and ▁two ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁wave . ▁That ▁evening , ▁the ▁transport ▁left ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Port land ▁the ▁next ▁morning ▁to ▁remain ▁" on - call " ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 th . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Drag oon ▁On ▁ 4 ▁July , ▁Th ur ston ▁got ▁under way ▁and ▁proceeded , ▁via ▁O ran , ▁to ▁Nap les ▁with ▁a ▁load ▁of ▁l or ries ▁and ▁M 4 ▁t anks . ▁After ▁un loading ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 7 th , ▁she ▁remained ▁at ▁Nap les ▁until ▁ 1 3 ▁August , ▁when — loaded ▁with ▁assault ▁troops — she ▁sort ied ▁with ▁the ▁Ass ault ▁Group ▁of ▁T F ▁ 8 4 ▁( Alpha ▁Force ) ▁for ▁Operation ▁Drag oon , ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁southern ▁France . ▁She ▁was ▁off ▁Ba ie ▁de ▁P amp el onne , ▁France , ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁and ▁launched ▁the ▁assault ▁wave , ▁which ▁went ▁ash ore ▁with ▁little ▁opposition . ▁The ▁next ▁morning , ▁she ▁got ▁under way ▁for ▁O ran . ▁ ▁Late ▁in ▁September , ▁the ▁transport ▁loaded ▁French ▁troops ▁and ▁land ed ▁them ▁at ▁L ard ier ▁on ▁the ▁ 3 0 th . ▁She ▁then ▁operated ▁in ▁res upp ly ▁con vo ys ▁from ▁North ▁Africa ▁and ▁Italy ▁to