THIS EXTRAORDINARY SHORT FILM TELLS THE OFTEN MISSED STORY OF THE DOZEN OR SO SHERMAN TANKS WHICH WERE DEPLOYED ON D-DAY OF WORLD WAR TWO WITH THE ABILITY TO FLOAT INTO THE BEACH HEAD. THEY WERE EQUIPTED WITH FLOATATION DEVICES SO THEY MAY COAST INTO THE BATTLE ON WATER, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT. UNFORTUNATELY, OUT OF THE INITIAL 24+ TANKS KITTED OUT IN SUCH A WAY, ONLY A FEW EXCAPED A WATERY GRAVE BEFORE REACHING THE BEACH.
On D-Day 6th June 1944 two tank companies each from the 741st and 743rd Tank Battalions had a total of 64 DD Sherman tanks and were due to land on Omaha beach. 27 of the 32 from the 741st were swamped by high seas, all of those from the 743rd were landed direct on the beach. It is arguable that it was these tanks, along with other wading Shermans also landed, that made the difference between defeat and victory that day.
bethhanan 2 years ago