Initially its Commandant was then-Lieutenant de Vaisseau (Lieutenant) Philippe Kieffer of the Free French Navy, under whose command they participated in the Normandy landings.
He appeared as the French Naval Commando leader Philippe Kieffer in The Longest Day that led to later roles in American produced films such as Lord Jim and Flight of the Phoenix.
Philippe Starck | Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans | Philippe II, Duke of Orléans | Philippe Parreno | Philippe Pétain | Philippe Herreweghe | Louis Philippe I | Philippe Pinel | Jean-Philippe Rameau | Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque | Philippe I, Duke of Orléans | Philippe Quinault | Philippe Gilbert | Philippe Entremont | Philippe Beaussant | Philippe Léotard | Philippe Jaroussky | Philippe Douste-Blazy | Philippe d'Orléans | Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil | Philippe C. Schmitter | Philippe Boesmans | Philippe Bercovici | Jean-Philippe Collard | Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans | Prince Ferdinand Philippe | Prince Charles Philippe, Duke of Anjou | Philippe Troussier | Philippe Saisse | Philippe Quint |
The FNFL took part in both naval side of the operations, Operation Neptune, and to the landing itself, with the Naval Commandos (Commandos Marine) of Captain Philippe Kieffer, climbing cliffs under fire to destroy German shore batteries.