A Texas Tale
The Battleship USS Texas, which Ben has been posting about as it is being restored, played a crucial part on D Day.
At 5:50 AM on the morning of June 6, 1944, the USS Texas, lying 11 km off Omaha Beach, fired the first of a fusillade of 255 14-inch shells into Pointe du Hoc to soften the Nazi defenses in preparation for the invasion.
Eventually the USS Texas moved to a position just 3.7 km off the beach. To get more range from their guns the crew partially "sank" the USS Texas by controlled flooding:
The solution devised by the crew was both innovative and daring. By intentionally flooding the torpedo blisters on one side of the ship, they could list the USS Texas to an angle. This list effectively increased the elevation angle of the guns on the opposing side, thereby extending their range.
The torpedo blisters were compartments designed for absorbing and mitigating the impact of torpedo strikes, and by controlling the amount of water taken into these compartments, the crew could precisely manage the degree of list.
The flooding was carefully calculated and executed, allowing the USS Texas to provide more effective fire support to the troops onshore. The enhanced range of her guns meant that the battleship could reach German fortifications and defensive positions further inland, which were previously out of reach.
After the third day the USS Texas returned to Britain to reload---their ammunition spent
Last edited by Dave Grubb; 06-06-2024 at 03:56 PM.
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