The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - M4 Sherman Medium Tank - Feb 24th, 2004

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[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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M4 Sherman Medium Tank

The U.S. Army M4 medium tank was specifically designed to favor speed and mobility over firepower. This was in accordance with U.S. Army doctrine that the tank would function as an infantry support weapon, and thus would have to be capable of keeping up with rapidly moving ground troops. To some extent, the M4 was not designed to fight other tanks.

Because of these design factors, the M4 was thinly armored and carried a small main gun. Compared to German armor, the M4 was clearly outmatched. The crews of M4 tanks were vulnerable to the superior penetrating fire of German tank guns, and were themselves hardly able to scratch the heavier armor of their German counterparts. What the M4s lacked in armor, firepower and survivability, they made up for in sheer numbers, a higher rate of fire, increased mobility, and much simpler maintenance. In late 1944 the M4 was outfitted with a 76mm gun, and its suspension system upgraded in early 1945.


The mid-production M4 medium tank. Notice the extra armor welded over the sponson ammunition racks and the front drivers' hoods

The Sherman name was a British designation, and while it was not part of the official name of the M4 tank, was commonly used and known among U.S. troops. The M4 was used by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, Britain, Canada and the Free French.

The M4 tank hull was used for a variety of vehicles, including the M32 tank recovery vehicle, M7B1 self-propelled howitzer, M10 Wolverine, and numerous British designs including the Firefly. For D-Day, one of the most significant variations was the amphibious DD Tank.


Sherman Firefly (M4A4 w/17 Pounder Gun)

Both the standard M4 and its DD version were inadequate for the close-support role that they were intended to fill on D-Day. One of the M4's few strengths, mobility, was restricted on the confined beaches of Normandy, and the weaknesses of its light armor and firepower were clearly evident. German defenders quickly attacked any tank that made it to shore, and many were destroyed before they could leave the beach or provide any support fire. The shingle at Omaha Beach was impassable by armor, and it was not until engineers could open up paths and the beach exits were secured that the M4 could make its way off the beach and make use of its maneuverability.


Sherman DD (Duplex-Drive) with screens down.

Ironically, the hedgehog obstacles that littered the beaches would later be used to help Allied tanks break through the numerous hedgerows that cross-crossed the Normandy countryside. Cut up and welded to the front of tanks, these chunks of metal allowed armor to rapidly slice through the hedgerows and quicken the Allied attack inland.


Sherman DD (Duplex-Drive) with screens up.

Between 1942 and 1945 11 production facilities manufactured almost 50,000 M4 Sherman tanks. Production orginally started at 1,000 tanks a month and was eventually upped to 2,000 tanks a month. Among the companies that produced the M4 Sherman were the Pressed Steel Car Co., Baldwin Locomotive Works, American Locomotive Co., Pullman Standard Car Co. and the Detroit Tank Arsenal. The production output of the M4 design was more than all of the tanks produced by both the British and the Germans during the war.

---

M4A1

The medium tank M4 was based on the medium tank M3, and the Sherman shared many components with the Lee. The M4 utilized the M3's suspension, lower hull, and power train.


M4A1

The M4A1's cast upper hull gave it distinctive rounded edges. This makes it the easiest of Sherman tanks to identify. Other identifying features of M4A1, which it shares with M4, are the rear of the tank and engine access panels. There are twin engine access doors in the rear hull and air cleaners at the top corners of these doors. M4A1 had twin square muffler tailpipes at the top of the rear hull above the air cleaners, a steel-covered air intake behind the turret, and solid engine access doors in the rear deck behind the turret.




Early Shermans--cast and welded hull--were built with twin fixed .30cal M1919A4 machine guns in the hull which were operated by the driver. These could be locked at any elevation between +8° and -6°. The driver's machine guns were eliminated on March 6, 1942. Also seen on early tanks were spoked idler and road wheels, three-piece differential and final drive housing, two fuel shutoff valves on the rear deck, removable headlights, vision slots for the drivers in the glacis plate, and the siren was placed on the left front fender or under a bracket just offset to the left of the glacis centerline.

On tanks with dry ammunition stowage, one-inch thick applique armor was welded over the sponson ammunition racks and to the turret on the right of the gun mount where interior armor had been ground away to make room for the gunner's controls. Heavy-duty suspension bogies, with the return roller on the rear of the bogie instead of on top like earlier bogies, were introduced by summer 1942. The new bogies had 8" (20cm) diameter springs, 1" (2.5cm) larger than the springs of the earlier type. Originally, there was only one turret hatch (the commander's) in the 75mm gun turret, but a small oval hatch was introduced for the loader in December 1943. Retrofit kits were developed for tanks built before the loader's hatch was designed. A cupola for the tank commander later replaced his circular split hatch. The main gun in the first M4A1s built was the 75mm M2, which was shorter than the M3 and needed double counterweights on the end of the barrel to be compatible with the tank's gyrostabilizer.

[Trying to understand]

O.K. I admit this is my first time on this website and my first time posting anything. I have tried to find the closest area to what I am trying to find. If I am wrong in anyway, please direct me to the correct course of action. In saying all that, I am trying to find out what the words "attached to the Rangers" means.

[SAMWolf]

attached to the Rangers

In what context? A tank Platoon attached to the Rangers? An Engineer squad attached to the Rangers? For some missions specialized units or people with a specialized skill would "be attached" to another unit. For instance, A Ranger unit might have need of some armor for a particular mission, the armor would "be attached" until it would no longer be needed (in theory). It is not an organic part of the Ranger unit, but would normally be under the command of the Rangers until "unattached". Hope this helps or someone else may have a better explaination.

[snippy_about_it]

Sam, Could this also be used in the context of a troop? "Joe is atttached to the Rangers"? I know from our talks your "unit" was attached to many bigger groups, i.e., regiments, batallions, etc and kept being moved and attached to others. (forgive my weakness in the vernacular).

[snippy_about_it]

By the way, welcome to FR and The FReeper Foxhole. You've probably come to the right place. :-)

Stick around, maybe tell give us a little more detail and you'll more than likely get your answer.

[SAMWolf]

My Company was attached to different units all the time, as needed. I've also heard of individuals being attached to a unit or even a squad. It's usually a temporary thing(though temporary can be a long time sometimes).

[snippy_about_it]

Company/unit...thanks. I have this stuff written down but not memorized yet. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Hello. Not knowing what level your question is coming from and exactly what you need I hope we are helping the best we can. I thought maybe you'd like to know more about just what and who the Rangers are.

Clic on this for a good place to find out.

[Trying to understand]

Thanks for the hospitality. My brother was killed recently and as far as I knew he was a Ranger. After he died, I received phone calls and letters from people he worked with. One call confused me because he implied that my brother was actually part of some type of special forces group that was "planted" or "attached" to this particular Ranger unit. This may be really far out there, but I just thought is was strange and really want to know as much as I can about what my brother might have done.

[Trying to understand]

Thanks for the website. My brother had a black hat, does that mean he wasn't a ranger?

[snippy_about_it]

I'm sorry for your loss and that you don't know more about your brothers service. You might contact the Army and provide them with more data to see if they can help.

[snippy_about_it]

My brother had a black hat, does that mean he wasn't a ranger?It depends on when he served really. Here is some information, not necessarily up to date but the best I can do right now. If you have anyone else in your family you can get more information from you can perhaps contact his unit website or the service directly?

Armor personnel at Fort Knox, Ky., wore the traditional British black beret, while U.S. armored cavalry regiments in Germany wore the black beret with a red and white oval.

Troops of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., started wearing the maroon beret in 1973, while at Fort Campbell, Ky., the trend exploded, with post personnel wearing red, military police donning light green, and the 101st Airborne Division taking light blue as their color. In Alaska, the 172nd Infantry Brigade began using an olive green beret.

In 1975, the Airborne Rangers got approval from the Army Chief of Staff to use the black beret as their official headgear.

Over the next few years, the whole thing got out of hand, and in 1979 senior Army officials put on the brakes, Bradford said. The leadership allowed the Rangers to keep their black berets and in 1980, agreed to allow airborne troops to continue wearing the maroon version. But all others varieties were declared off-limits.

[SAMWolf]

Unfortunately,

Effective 14 June 2001, the first Army birthday in the new millennium, the black beret will become standard wear in The Army--Active and Reserve Components. Sergeant Major of the Army Tilley will lead the effort to craft implementing guidelines, including indoctrination standards that all Soldiers will meet before they are authorized to wear the beret. Special operations and airborne units will retain their distinctive berets.

I don't know if that order was rescinded. Rangers would have the Ranger patch on their beret though.

[SAMWolf]

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your brother.

If you have any info on the unit he was assigned to someone may be able to help with more information

[Trying to understand]

He was stationed at HAAF from 94-98.

[SAMWolf]

IS HAAF, Hunter Army Airfield?

[Trying to understand]

Last question. Thank again for all of your help. I am sure the knowledge in this forum is way beyond my comprehension. Would it be strange for someone who was stationed as an Airborne Ranger 1/75 not to have actually gone to "ranger school"?

[Trying to understand]

Yes, sorry HAAF is Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA

[SAMWolf]

I'm not an expert, but if his paper work says he was an Airborne Ranger in the 1/75, he probably did go to Ranger School. Do you know if he wore the "Ranger" flash on his uniform?

[SAMWolf]

The Allied won, Nazis lost and that's the most important!

Good Afternoon, Matt

Yep, it's just that the cost in lives was increased.