les ▁where ▁she ▁un loaded ▁her ▁cargo ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August . ▁Ex cept ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁exc urs ion ▁on ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁to ▁carry ▁troops , ▁vehicles , ▁and ▁prov isions ▁down ▁the ▁Italian ▁coast ▁to ▁Sal erno , ▁she ▁remained ▁at ▁Nap les ▁read ying ▁herself ▁for ▁" Operation ▁Drag oon ", ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁southern ▁France . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁August ▁the ▁tank ▁landing ▁ship ▁emb ark ed ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁ 4 5 th ▁Division ▁and ▁await ed ▁the ▁order ▁to ▁depart ▁for ▁southern ▁France . ▁The ▁order ▁came ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August , ▁and ▁she ▁left ▁Cast ell am are ▁Bay ▁as ▁a ▁unit ▁of ▁Task ▁Force ▁( TF ) ▁ 8 5 , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Rog ers . ▁The ▁task ▁force ▁reached ▁B oug non ▁Bay ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁hours ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁August . ▁By ▁ 0 7 4 2 , ▁L ST - 2 8 8 ▁had ▁dispatch ed ▁her ▁L CV P s ▁and ▁D UK W s , ▁which ▁brought ▁her ▁inf antry men ▁to ▁D elta ▁Beach ▁at ▁ 0 9 3 0 . ▁Two ▁hours ▁later , ▁she ▁began ▁transfer ring ▁vehicles ▁to ▁att ending ▁L CT s ▁by ▁marry ing ▁the ▁landing ▁craft ▁to ▁her ▁bow . ▁The ▁last ▁vehicle ▁rolled ▁into ▁an ▁L CT ▁at ▁ 1 5 2 5 , ▁prompt ing ▁the ▁landing ▁ship ▁to ▁raise ▁the ▁r amp