During the landing on Omaha Beach, Hanks and his fellow soldiers throw themselves against a berm to shield themselves from enemy fire. As they’re lying there, Hanks calls for a long pipe device. He and the others appear to assemble several of these pipes together and push them through the berm into the enemy territory. They then detonate this device and advance into the newly created trench.
What is this device called and how was it used? Do armies have a similar device today?
And an even more general question: Would a landing against a fortified beach be a necessity in any modern war or battle?