Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Tin Cans Save the Day on D-Day

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 3, 2026

1. Tin Cans Save the Day on D-Day Marker

Inscription. Nearly 7000 naval vessels were used in Operation Neptune on D-Day (the assault phase of Operation Overlord), including six battleships and more than twenty cruisers. Naval action was critical to moving troops ashore, defending the landings, and enabling assault forces to break out of the beachhead during the invasion. Larger ships were to provide heavy gunfire on German emplacements along the beaches. Naval Shore Fire Control Parties landed with the assault forces to coordinate naval gunfire; however, many of these teams were casualties. This prevented larger ships from identifying specific targets that needed to be eliminated. U.S. Navy destroyers stepped up to the task.

Called “Tin Cans” by their crews, these small vessels were mostly used for convoy escort and anti-submarine duty on D-Day, however, as deadly German fire continued to rip into the landing troops, a number of destroyers recognized the invasion was in peril and on their own initiative closed in on the beaches. With their “bows against the bottom”, they started delivering deadly fire from their guns. Some sailed within 1000 yards of the beaches; so close

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that German bullets hit the hulls and superstructures. They were close enough to identify the German gun emplacements and at the same time see and avoid Allied troops.

There were thirty-three American destroyers and six destroyer escorts (DE) and high-speed transports (APD) that participated at Normandy on 6 June. Within a short time, the Tin Cans with their accurate fire tipped the scales in favor of the troops on the beaches. The USS Gherardi (DD-637) fired so much that it ran out of ammunition by the end of the day. The USS Corry (DD-463) sustained several hits from German shore batteries when it was within 1000 yards of Utah Beach. Twenty-four sailors were killed and sixty wounded as the ship slipped beneath the sea.

Other U.S. destroyers providing fire support off of Utah and Omaha beaches included USS Baldwin (DD-624), Barton (DD-599), Butler (DD-636), Carmick (DD-493), David (DD-395), Doyle (DD-494), Ellyson (DD-454), Emmons (DD-457), Fitch (DD-462), Forrest (DD-461), Frankford (DD-497), Glennon (DD-620), Hambleton (DD-455), Harding (DD-625), Herndon (DD-638), Hobson (DD-464), Jeffers (DD-621), Jouett

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 3, 2026

2. Tin Cans Save the Day on D-Day Marker

Marker is located on the bottom right of the group of ten markers.

(DD-396), Laffey (DD-724), McCook (DD-496), Meredith (DD-726), Murphy (DD-603), Nelson (DD-623), O’Brien (DD-415), Plunkett (DD-431), Rodman (DD-456), Satterlee (DD-626), Shubrick (DD-639), Somers (DD-381), Thompson (DD-627), and Walke (DD-723). In addition, British, Norwegian and other Allied destroyers performed duties similar to U.S. Navy destroyers on D-Day. The HNoMS Svenner was a Royal Norwegian destroyer which also sank on the morning of D-Day, struck by two German torpedoes. Thirty-two Norwegian crewmen and one British sailor were killed.

General Bradley later wrote that the destroyers, “…moved in close to the beach, heedless of the shallow water, mines, enemy fire, and other obstacles, to give us close support. The main batteries of these gallant ships became our sole artillery…When he got ashore that night to establish his V Corps command post, [General Leonard] Gerow’s first message to me was emotional: ‘Thank God for the United States Navy’”.

In memory of the officers and crew of the U.S. Navy Destroyers in World War II. Given by Bob Garst and Anne Lowe in honor of their fathers Robert E. Garst

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 3, 2026

3. Tin Cans Save the Day on D-Day Marker

Marker is located on the bottom right of the group of ten markers.

Sr. and Andrew Bernard Lowe, who served aboard destroyers in the Pacific in World War II.

Erected by National D-Day Memorial.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 37° 19.813′ N, 79° 32.177′ W. Marker is in Bedford, Virginia, in Bedford County. It can be reached from Overlord Circle, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located at the National D-Day Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bedford VA 24523, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: USS Osprey, AM-56

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(here, next to this marker); USS Arkansas, BB-33 (a few steps from this marker); USS Texas, BB-35 (a few steps from this marker); USS Nevada, BB-36 (a few steps from this marker); USS Rich, DE-695 (a few steps from this marker); Mulberry Harbors at Normandy (a few steps from this marker); USS Augusta, CA-31 (a few steps from this marker); USS LST-5 (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bedford.

Also see . . . Destroyer. (Submitted on July 25, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 25, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 20 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 25, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.