ermo ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁for ▁passage ▁to ▁Scotland . ▁After ▁a ▁week ▁at ▁G ou rock , ▁the ▁transport ▁got ▁under way ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁the ▁last ▁day ▁of ▁November ▁and ▁reached ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁ 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Over l ord ▁Th ur ston ▁carried ▁troops ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 ; ▁to ▁G ou rock ▁in ▁February ; ▁and ▁to ▁Card iff , ▁Wales , ▁in ▁April . ▁When ▁the ▁ship ▁finished ▁un loading ▁at ▁Card iff ▁on ▁ 4 ▁April , ▁she ▁proceeded ▁to ▁L och ▁Long ▁for ▁three ▁weeks ▁of ▁landing ▁exer cis es ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁Operation ▁Over l ord , ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Hitler ' s ▁" F ort ress ▁Europe ." ▁She ▁anch ored ▁at ▁Port land , ▁England , ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 9 th ▁and ▁sust ained ▁minor ▁damage ▁there ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁May ▁when ▁a ▁German ▁bomb ▁expl oded ▁ 3 0 ▁yards ▁off ▁her ▁port ▁side . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 5 ▁June , ▁Th ur ston ▁began ▁the ▁channel ▁crossing ▁to ▁Norm andy ▁with ▁Ass ault ▁Group ▁O - 3 . ▁At ▁ 0 3 3 3 ▁the ▁next ▁morning , ▁she ▁was ▁anch ored ▁about ▁ ▁off ▁the ▁O ma ha ▁be aches ▁and ▁land ed ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁ 2 9 th