Operation Plunder, the Allied crossing of the Rhine, was underway. The total darkness of night on March 25, 1945, was the perfect opportunity to attack the Germans.
The Rhine River stretched wide. On its banks, the hushed whispers of anxious American GIs mingled with the mechanical hum of war machines.
Among them stood the crews of several Duplex Drive Sherman tanks. Also nicknamed the Donald Ducks, these were no standard M4 Shermans. They were modified amphibious vehicles designed to navigate through land and water. It was not just a tank but a symbol of American resilience.
With their hulls poised at the river's edge, engines rumbling in anticipation, the tankers knew the time had come to test their rigorous training again. They had survived D-Day but were now on German soil, and resistance was fierce.
Still, they trusted their Duplex Drive Shermans, equipped with flotation screens and propellers, to cross the river. Tension hung thick as the tank prepared to plunge into the murky waters with its modified, boat-like hull.
The river was unrelenting, its currents unpredictable, and the enemy's defenses awaited in the darkness. The tank commander surveyed the scene, feeling the weight of responsibility for his crew and the mission ahead.
Crossing the Rhine would spell the beginning of the end for Germany. The Shermans abruptly plunged into the water, one by one, to make the least amount of noise.
Slowly but steadily, the heavy war machines rose from the water and began to advance through the water, with their gunners ready to open fire at any moment. The opposing bank rose to life a second later, and hell broke loose.
30 сен 2024
