Comments by Dan Fong, Web Staff:
The above M4A1 Sherman with 75mm gun has been
"up-armored" by welding on a couple pieces of steel
plate to the front slope. By 1945 it was common knowledge, even
to the higher command, that the M4 series was badly under armored.
The above particular arrangement seems to have been a division-wide
effort by the 3AD in 1945. Signal Corps photos show similar arrangements
on other M4's and the M26 Pershing.
The above German tank is a Panzerkampfwagon
4, Ausfrung J (in English: Mark 4, model J). The Mark 4 was the
most numerous German tank and was the standard medium tank of
the German army from 1943 though 1945. During the fighting in
France and Germany of 1944-45, the German tank divisions had
one Panzer Regiment consisting of two Panzer Battalions. One
Battalion would be equipped with the Panzer 4 and the other with
the Panther. That would be around 100 tanks total in a Panzer
Division.
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