Following preliminary bombardment exercises off Oran, French North Africa, "Tuscaloosa" was based at Palermo, Italy, and got underway on 13 August. Two days later, "Tuscaloosa" commenced fire at 0635 and continued to pound targets ashore until the combined Allied forces stormed onto the beaches at H-Hour, 0800. Then, moving off the 100 fathom (180 m) curve, "Tuscaloosa" leisurely cruised the shoreline, visually inspecting it for targets of opportunity. A troublesome pillbox at the St. Raphel breakwater provoked "Tuscaloosa"s attention, and the cruiser's shells soon destroyed it. Air spotters located a field battery, and "Tuscaloosa"s gunners promptly knocked it out of action with three direct hits.