NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, Portsmouth, Va. - Among the five classes of ships NNSY built or modernized to support the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, the shipyard constructed two destroyers. The first was USS Herndon (DD-638), commissioned December 1942. On June 6, Herndon was ahead of the first wave of troops raining a volley of shells upon enemy targets on Omaha Beach. Despite drawing heavy fire, Herndon not only remained intact but stayed another two weeks shoring up the Allied grip on the region. The 1,630-ton destroyer USS Shubrick (DD-639) was also constructed in 1942, in record time, at NNSY. Shubrick supported Normandy clearing the beach at Belfast for Allied troops. Shubrick stayed in the region well into July, serving as escort, providing fire support, and conducting anti-submarine patrols.