[Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND ENGINEERS CONSTRUCTING A PONTON BRIDGE in England during the training period (top). Members of an antiaircraft artillery unit receiving instruction from a British officer while training with a 40-mm. automatic antiaircraft gun M1 (bottom).] [Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND GUN CREW OF AN ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY GROUP operating a 90-mm. gun M1 near the coast of England, April 1944. In order to cope with the latest developments in the fields of high-altitude bombing, a 90-mm. antiaircraft gun with longer range, greater muzzle velocity, and a larger effective shell-burst area was introduced.] [Illustration: ENGLAND EXHAUST STACKS AND AIR-INTAKE VENTS being installed on a medium tank M4 (top). After the installation was completed, the tank was tested off the coast of England (bottom). In addition to stacks, the tanks were further waterproofed by sealing all unvented openings with tape and sealing compound to render the hull watertight. Special attachments permitted rapid jettisoning of any waterproofing equipment which might interfere with satisfactory operation of the vehicles when on shore. These methods were first successfully used in the invasion of North Africa in November 1942. All vehicles which were to be driven ashore in Normandy under their own power, through water, and in the face of enemy fire, were waterproofed. Ordnance inspectors checked the vehicle in the marshalling yards a few hours before the tanks were loaded for the invasion.] [Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND LCT(R) FIRING ROCKETS DURING A TEST in Portsmouth Harbor, England (top). Close-up of the rocket launchers (bottom). These ships converted from landing craft, tank, were equipped to fire as many as 1,000 rockets.] [Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND LANDING MANEUVERS. During late April and early May 1944 these were held for the invasion troops. Infantrymen landing from an LGI(L) (top). A combination gun motor carriage M15A1 landing on the beach from an LCT (bottom). This was a highly mobile weapon, capable of a concentration of rapid fire, and designed for antiaircraft defense.] [Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND WATERPROOFED TANK RECOVERY VEHICLE M31 being loaded on an LCT during training along the English coast (top). For camouflage purposes, the normal appearance of the tank was retained as far as possible. A simulated turret without cupola was used and dummy 75-mm. and 37-mm. guns were mounted in place of the real guns. Actual armament was limited to two .30-caliber machine guns. A half-track 81-mm. mortar carrier M21 maneuvering on a road in England (bottom). The mortar could be used on the vehicle or separate from it.] [Illustration] [Illustration: ENGLAND