TANKS ON OMAHA BEACH
By Max Poorthuis · November 29, 2023
The first units scheduled to land on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, were four companies of M4 Duplex Drive (DD) Sherman tanks, which were transported by 16 LCTs (Landing Craft Tank) across the Channel to their designated launch points. The DD tank is a standard Sherman medium tank modified with a large canvas screen around it. “That is what made them float, and they weighed thirty tons, which was a whole lot of weight,” a tank commander explained. Thirtytwo of these modified Shermans from Companies B and C of the 741st Tank Battalion were to land on the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors, respectively. “At approximately H-60 minutes the LCTs bearing the DD tanks of Companies B and C were in position of beach Omaha at a distance of 6,000 yards from the beach,” an after action report stated. “Company B was commanded by Capt. James G. Thornton, Jr., Company C was commanded by Capt. Charles R. Young. Capt. Thornton succeeded in contacting Capt. Young by radio and the two commanders discussed the advisability of launching the DD tanks, the sea being extremely rough, much rougher than the tanks had ever operated in during their preparatory training. Both commanders agreed that the advantage to be gained by the launching of the tanks justified the risk of launching the tanks in the heavy sea. Accordingly, orders were issued for the launching of the tanks at approximately H-50 minutes.” Almost immediately after entering the choppy waters, the inflatable canvas screens were ripped off causing the tanks to sink immediately. Of the 29 DD tanks that were launched into the sea, 27 quickly disappeared below the waves. “At thirty tons, they went down fast,” 1st Lieutenant Jack Browder of the 741st Tank Battalion later said in an interview. Only 2 tanks managed to swim ashore on their own power and LCT-600 later carried three more tanks directly to the beach after the unsuccessful launch of its first DD. As a result, only 5 of the 32 DD tanks from Companies B and C of the 741st Tank Battalion landed on Omaha Beach that morning.
