Sherman tanks equipped with snorkels en route to normandy, June 1944

June 20, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

U.S. M4 Sherman tanks equipped with snorkels aboard landing ships, preparing for D-Day invasion.

United Kingdom. June 5, 1944.
On the eve of D-Day, Allied forces gathered strength across Britain. This color photograph, a rare glimpse into the steel-clad anticipation of war, shows M4 Sherman medium tanks aboard landing ships bound for the shores of Normandy.

Each Sherman in this photo is outfitted with a snorkel kit — a vital modification enabling these 30-ton giants to wade through coastal surf and water obstacles up to two meters deep. The tanks were sealed with special waterproofing compounds at all joints and gunports. Even the gun barrels received protective sheaths to keep saltwater from ruining precision engineering.

This preparation wasn't cosmetic. It was mission-critical. On June 6th, snorkel-equipped Shermans rolled ashore at Utah Beach with the 70th and 746th Tank Battalions of VII Corps, supporting infantry as they clawed into Hitler’s Atlantic Wall.

These machines were more than metal. They were symbols of industrial will, mass-produced by Detroit and adapted by ingenuity for one purpose: to land, to fight, and to liberate.

📷 Technical photo data:
📸 Photographer: Unknown
📅 Date: June 5, 1944
📍 Location: United Kingdom