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The M4 Sherman remains one of the most iconic tanks in military history, symbolizing the industrial might and innovation of the United States during the war. When the M4 tank went into combat in North Africa with the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942, it increased the advantage of Allied armor over Axis armor and was ...
The first standard-production 76 mm gun Sherman was an M4A1, accepted in January 1944, and the first standard-production 105 mm howitzer Sherman was an M4 accepted in February 1944. In June–July 1944, the Army accepted a limited run of 254 M4A3E2 Jumbo Shermans, which had very thick armor, and the 75 mm gun in a new, heavier T23-style turret ...
Originally designed in 1941, M4 variants were still used by Israel during the 1967 and 1973 wars with its Arab neighbors. [1] Sherman ARV MK I, Recovery vehicle, photographed around Caen in July–August 1944. The many special duties that a tank might be made to do were just being explored by armies around the world in the early 1940s.
The most important American design of the war was the M4 Medium Tank, or "Sherman" in British service. The M4 Medium became the second-most-produced tank of World War II, and was the only tank to be used by virtually all Allied forces (thanks to the American lend-lease program); approximately 40,000 M4 Mediums were produced during the war. [30]
The first Sherman to enter combat with the 76 mm gun (July 1944) was the M4A1, closely followed by the M4A3. By the end of the war, half the U.S. Army Shermans in Europe had the 76 mm gun. The first HVSS Sherman to see combat was the M4A3E8(76)W in December 1944. The M4A3E8 (76)W was arguably the best of the US Sherman tanks.
In exchange, the 1st Infantry Division received a company of M4 Shermans from the 753rd Tank Battalion. [32] Due to the poor terrain for tank operations, the 70th was pulled out of the line on 27 July and Company C rejoined the battalion on 31 July, although the battle for the island lasted until 17 August.
The 70th Tank Battalion was the U.S. Army's first separate tank battalion, activated on 15 June 1940, from Regular Army troops. Four more separate tank battalions (the 191st–194th) were formed soon after from National Guard tank companies from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
These devices were used to modify nearly three-quarters of the US 2nd Armored Division's M4 Sherman and Stuart tanks and M10 tank destroyers in preparation for Operation Cobra. [ 12 ] [ a ] The British Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) referred to the devices as "Prongs" and produced 24 from ex-German beach defenses, but ...