Article by Ed
As the German Wehrmacht (Army) Blitz'd across Poland, France and the Low Countries with stunning combined arms speed, US military commanders struggled with anti-tank doctrine back home. In late 1941 and early 1942, as war in North Africa was soon approaching for the US--and as German Panzers drove deep into Russia using Heinz Guderian's lightning tactics--large-scale US Army maneuvers were being held in Louisiana and Texas. Theses exercises demonstrated that the anti-tank forces under Lt Col Andrew Bruce could make a huge impact during battle (in one exercise engagement, a single TD unit destroyed 97% of an entire tank division's tracked vehicles).
Stepping into the TD doctrine debate was Army Ground Forces commander, General Lesley J. McNair (he was later killed in action by allied bombers during combat near Saint Lo, France). McNair envisioned a new type of separate battalion; a well-led, highly trained unit of Tank Destroyers roaming the battlefield decimating enemy tanks so allied combined tank and infantry formations could quickly exploit the holes and leap forward under the watchful eye of the TD crews. Reality versus McNair's vision for TDs is somewhat harder to define and clouded with Army leadership failures, although no one should underestimate the effectiveness of US TD units during the war.
In Harold Yeide's excellent book "The Tank Killers", he describes the formation of WWII US TD units, their training and employment in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany (as well as in the PTO). The book also describes the heartbreaking saga of poor utilization and faulty command decisions. Despite those issues, these brave men and their machines risked much to engage the enemy and relied on flanking speed, smart recon and expertise to stay alive. North Africa's Allied combat operations versus Rommel's German forces would validate some ideas and change others. One critical change was the need for improved mobile gun carriage platforms; beyond the standard towed anti-tank artillery and crudely deployed half-track mounted hybrid anti-tank weapons (e.g. the M7 Priest).
Thus was born the open-top turreted, lightly armored, extremely agile and mobile Tank Destroyers (M10s, M18 Hellcats, & M36s primarily). During the war, a tank battalion commander with an attached TD outfit would say during his briefing, "Can Openers versus Cans"...meaning TDs were Can Openers" and tanks were "Cans". In the wooded hedgerows (bocage country) of France and among the dug-in strong boxes of Italy, US TDs would engage the enemy more effectively than all other crew-served weapon systems, while oftentimes suffering extremely heavy causalities. I find TD history very interesting because despite their impact on the war, TD units were immediately eliminated and the equipment mostly dismantled at the end of combat operations in the European and Pacific theaters. And largely relegated to lore and history books, minus some minor employment later in the Korean War as armored scouts.
> Up next on the workbench, for my "Kit Face-Off", I am building Taiwan's 1/35 scale AFV Club M36 Jackson (90mm) model and Japan's Tamiya 1/35 scale newly-retooled & released M10 (3 inch/76.2mm) Mid-Production model. I have acquired the new AMMO by Mig"Solution Box" for US ETO vehicles and a host of extras to help me better round-out these kits; Aber barrels, E.T. Model PE, Legend gear, Archer transfers, etc. As well as some fine 1/35 Mini-Art US Crew Member kits. I am still exploring options for tracks although Master Club will be most likely.
> More to follow as I start to dig in...
My project on www.tankandfile.com by Ed
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