DUKWs with extension ladders at Pointe du Hoc (Overlord)

[Temistocle]

Hi, just find an interesting modification of the DUKW amphibian veichle: maybe it is well known, but I think it deserves a thread.
During Overlord preparations, they found that Pointe du Hoc needed to be neutralized by landing forces to prevent the Germans from using the guns positioned there.
To reach the cliff from the beach four DUKW were modified installing an extension ladder, with (initially) a couple of Browning BARs at the top, then a trio of Lewis guns.
During the landing the DUKWs can not reach the position under the cliff to extend the ladders; one was sunk by the German guns, the others provided cover fire with the Lewis gun from their positions while the Rangers climbed the cliff with ropes.
More info here:

https://mikesresearch.com/2019/06/06/dukws-at-pointe-du-hoc-on-d-day/

https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/dukw-extension-ladder.html

https://vickersmg.blog/world-service/united-states-of-america/

with a link to a (terrible qualitiy) video about the training and the development of the "ladder DUKWs".

There is a shorter and better quality video here, with the GI rising from the edge with the three Lewis guns (I found it funny):

DUKW with ladder and Lewis guns

(I did not copy/paste pictures from other websites to be sure about copyrights, sorry)

 

[iverson]

Hi, just find an interesting modification of the DUKW amphibian veichle: maybe it is well known, but I think it deserves a thread.
During Overlord preparations, they found that Pointe du Hoc needed to be neutralized by landing forces to prevent the Germans from using the guns positioned there.
To reach the cliff from the beach four DUKW were modified installing an extension ladder, with (initially) a couple of Browning BARs at the top, then a trio of Lewis guns.
During the landing the DUKWs can not reach the position under the cliff to extend the ladders; one was sunk by the German guns, the others provided cover fire with the Lewis gun from their positions while the Rangers climbed the cliff with ropes.
More info here:

The machine guns are not Lewis guns. They are Vickers Gas Operated (VGO). One of the source sites says so and the photo of the grve proves it.

The VGO was originally aircraft observer gun but became surplus once power turrets were adopted. The Royal navy used them on motor torpedo boats and gunboats, and they were favored by the SAS for their comparatively high rate of fire and large magazines compared to the infantry Bren gun. I would guess that the close relationship between the US Army Rangers and British special forces was behind the use of the VGOs in this instance.