The Duplex Drive Tanks of Omaha Beach, Part (d) The Debacle Off Easy Red and Fox Green

In the early hours of the 5th of June 1944, the 64 Duplex Drive Sherman tanks of the 741st and 743rd Tank Battalions left Weymouth Bay aboard 16 Landing Craft, Tanks. It was a rough crossing, testing both men and the landing craft. But far worse trials awaited the tankers the next morning as they had to fight a deadly battle with the seas off Omaha Beach before they could even come to grips with the enemy. This installment focuses on the ordeal of the 741st Tank Battalion, which was slated for the eastern half of Omaha Beach. Specifically, it details how the errors in planning and coordination stacked the deck against these men, and examines the full story behind the decision that saw 27 of their 32 tanks sink in the waters off Omaha Beach.