DD Tank Outfitted with a Snorkel Device on Its Intake and Exhaust

The Allied plan for D-Day was for Duplex Drive (DD) tanks to land just ahead of the infantry. Once ashore, these amphibious tanks would lay down suppressive firepower for the landing infantry. Most of the tanks never reached their objective on Omaha Beach, however, as they became swamped in the rough seas almost immediately after launching from the LCTs.  Without the tank’s heavy firepower, Allied forces became bogged down behind the seawall and its defenses. Many tank crews found ways to improve the likelihood of making it to shore by outfitting the intake and exhaust vents on their tanks with snorkels.

Courtesy of The National WWII Museum