HMS Warspite and USS Texas illustrate the scale of naval fire support available during Overlord. Destroyers could engage armour with 4.5-, 4.7-, or 5-inch guns, while battleships added 14-, 15-, and 16-inch shells. Troops ashore could request support and have a major warship service the target when its planned bombardment allowed. The reassurance is compared to modern soldiers learning that a B-52 or B-1 is answering an air-support call. Overcoming coastal defences required a fire-support system extending well beyond the beach itself.
Notable Point · 56:01-58:17
Battleship gunfire gave Overlord forces heavy support ashore
Warspite, Texas, Rodney, and supporting destroyers could answer calls from troops ashore with shells far heavier than German armoured formations could tolerate.