[VietVet]

Except that the M26 was deployed to ETO, in small numbers, and served in combat. There never were very many of them made before the end of the war, but some of them were sent into battle.

Actually, it is not at all certain that it would have been a good idea to replace the Shermans with Pershings. That would have involved pulling armored divisions out of combat to refit and retrain. And putting in new divisions equipted with M26s, even assuming that enough could have been produced in 1944 to equip a division, side by side with divisions equipted with M4s would have created one hell of a supply and maintenance problem.

[Who is John Galt?]

Actually, it is not at all certain that it would have been a good idea to replace the Shermans with Pershings. That would have involved pulling armored divisions out of combat to refit and retrain. And putting in new divisions equipted with M26s, even assuming that enough could have been produced in 1944 to equip a division, side by side with divisions equipted with M4s would have created one hell of a supply and maintenance problem.

It may be worth remembering that the M4 was not the only American armored vehicle in the ETO: the M10 and M36 tank destroyers were also in service, the latter mounting a 90mm gun. And (if I remember correctly) the M26 used many drive train components that were identical (or similar) to those used in the Shermans…