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Sources are Omaha A Flawed Victory by Adrian Lewis, D-Day by Steven Ambrose and D-Day by Tute, Costello and Hughes

In addition to the Navy’s warships and the Air Force’s fighters and bombers, there was a third element in the Joint Fire Plan: the direct fire support by the tanks, machine guns, artillery and rockets mounted or loaded onto landing craft of various types. The mission of these light forces was “to furnish during the approach to the beaches and prior to touchdown, area fire on and in rear of the beaches, fire on strong points, beach defenses and to take part in the beach drenching.” This support of Omaha and Utah Beaches was provided by the U.S. Navy’s Eleventh Amphibious Force. This command consisted of 14 LCT(R)s, 9 LCH(L)s, 11 LCFc, 26 LCT(A0s and 48 LCP(L)s.

The LCT(R) or landing ship, tank, rocket were outfitted with 5-inch rocket launchers. They were designed to deliver a large volume of preparatory fire on the landing beaches at the last moment before the assault. Five were deployed at Utah Beach and nine at Omaha Beach. The LCT(R) carried 1,064 5-inch rockets. Racks holding six rockets each were installed on the upper deck and canted at a 45-degree angle. These racks were non-trainable, in other words the landing craft had to be aimed directly at its target. Each rocket carried a 29-pound high explosive warhead and could reach their maximum range of 3,500 yards in 26 seconds. The warhead had a bursting radius of 30 yards. The rockets were fired electrically in 24 to 26 salvos of 39-42 rockets pe salvo. Because the angle of fire could not be adjusted, the rockets had to be fired at a precise distance from the target in order to have the desired effect. The width of the pattern laid by the rockets was a maximum of 700 yards and this could not be adjusted. The depth of the pattern could vary from 300 to 1,000 yards depending on the concentration of fire desired. To determine distance, each LCT(R) was fitted with radar as well as a gyro compass. The LCT(R)s were to follow 2,700 yards behind the leading assault wave and fire their rockets exactly 26 seconds before the assault wave was 300 yards from the shore. The rockets were intended to impact at the water’s edge and clear lanes through the beach obstacles and minefields. The shock power of a single LCT(R) was estimated by FUSA as being 2.5 times more powerful than a battleship salvo. The LCT(R)s were deployed with enough reserve rockets to reload their racks once, this process would take the 19-man crew from 4-6 hours to complete. The LCT(R)s were considered to be the most important of the gunfire support craft and expectations of their firepower were high.

The LCG(L) or landing craft, gun, large were fitted with two 4.7-inch naval guns, two 2-pounder pom-poms and two 20mm AA guns. They were intended to provide direct support against beach positions for the first waves, firing from the flanks of the assault waves. They could also be beached and employed as stationary gun platforms. The navy deployed five at Omaha Beach and four at Utah Beach.

The LCF or landing craft, flak were fitted with either eight 2-pounder pom-poms and four 20mm AA guns or with four pom-poms and eight 20mm AA guns. Their missions was to provide close-in air defense for the assault waves as well as engaging beach defenses. The Navy deployed seven of these vessels at Omaha Beach and four at Utah Beach.

The LCT(A) or landing craft, tank, armored each carried two Sherman tanks as part of the leading assault waves. They were to proceed directly to the beach, disembark their tanks and return to the transport area for shuttle duty. The tanks were to open fire as soon as range and visibility permitted, take part in the beach drenching fire program and then join the assault troops. Eighteen LCT(A)s were deployed at Omaha and another eight at Utah. Additional LCT(A)s carried M-7 self-propelled howitzers. While not part of the amphibious force, these were to approach to within 1,000 yards of the beach and support the attack with indirect fire.

The LCP(L) or landing craft, personnel, large were equipped with smoke generators. Thirty-two were deployed at Omaha and sixteen at Utah.

The last component of the gunfire support program was the three battalions of DD Tanks. These battalions would each deploy two companies of DD tanks (17 each) about 5,000 yards offshore, the tanks would them proceed under their own power to the beach where they would engage beach defenses. The third company of each battalion as well as their light tank companies were fitted with wading gear and deployed from LCTs in the follow-up waves.

The 70th Tank Battalion was deployed at Utah Beach, there, due to the rough seas, the decision was made not to deploy them offshore, but to land them with the assault troops, four of the DD tanks and four of the deep wading tanks were lost.

On Omaha Beach, the 741st and 743rd Tank Battalions were deployed. Of the 32 DD tanks assigned to the 741st, 27 were lost in the rough waters. Of the 743rd, most of the tanks got to the shore, but some 19 Shermans were lost.