Sherman with major role at Bastogne found
Staff report
Posted : Monday Dec 29, 2008 14:04:08 EST
Army historians have identified a World War II-era tank on display at Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany as being the first tank to enter American lines 64 years ago in relief of besieged 101st Airborne Division soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.
Called the “Cobra King,” the M4 Sherman tank was used by the 4th Armored Division’s C Company, 37th Tank Battalion to break the German encirclement of U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium on Dec. 26, 1944.
Army historians from U.S. Army Europe and the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, Ky., used serial numbers and registration numbers to verify the tank’s identity.
The tank was built in mid-1944 at the Detroit Tank Arsenal, and is one of only 254 “Jumbo” models of the M4 to come off the arsenal’s assembly lines.
Because of its historical importance, USAREUR officials expect the tank will be displayed at the National Museum of the Army after construction of that facility is completed at Fort Belvoir, Va.
The relief of Bastogne signaled the defeat of the Germany Army in the Battle of the Bulge, a desperate attempt by Hitler to split Allied forces in central Europe by launching a mammoth armored offensive through the hilly and wooded Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxemburg.
The Bulge, or Ardennes Offensive, was the biggest battle in Army history, involving an army group of 800,000 soldiers.
While a stunning victory, it resulted in the deaths of some 19,000 soldiers.
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At NTC when it first opened we used Sherman Tanks as mocked up Soviet BRMs, they were small close quarter vehicle's I spent hundreds of hours over the 2 years I was at NTC in 81 and 82 I am glad they "found" this special one
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sherman with major role at Bastogne found
