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Posted on 12/09/2004 12:34:49 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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3AD's "Super Pershing" vs Germany's "King Tiger" WWII's two most powerful tanks meet in a historic encounter Only three days before the 3rd Armored Division's final combat action of WWII, a Super Pershing of the 33rd Armored Regiment met and defeated the most powerful and most heavily armored German tank of the war - the legendary 77-ton King Tiger, also known as the Tiger II or Tiger Royal. It would be the first and only meeting between a King Tiger and the Super Pershing, a modified standard M26 Pershing weighing 53 tons - an almost "secret" tank that, to this day, remains largely an enigma to military historians.  Only two Super Pershings were ever built, and the 3AD had the only one in the European Theater - an experimental version with its remarkably long barrel. Arriving very late in the war (March, 1945), it was field tested and modified inside Germany and subsequently saw about ten days of actual combat action, beginning several days after the Battle of Paderborn and ending with the Battle of Dessau on the Elbe River. The Super Pershing (aka T26E4-1) was equipped with a new long-barreled T15E1 90mm gun that was designed to out-perform the German high-velocity 88mm on the King Tiger. This new U.S. gun had successfully penetrated 8.5 inches of armor at 1,000 yards at 30 degrees. Even more remarkable, it had penetrated 13 inches of armor at 100 yards. The special 90mm ammunition had produced a muzzle velocity of 3,850 feet per second, or some 600 feet per second faster than the 88mm of the King Tiger. But in testing, the new 90mm also proved to have amazing range and accuracy.  The "Super Pershing" T26E4-1 (originally designated T26E1-1) is shown at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, in early 1945, shortly before being shipped to the 3rd Armored Division inside Germany via England. Additional armor plating and other modifications were made in Germany. Army ordinance technicians (in the U.S. and Europe) had been anxious about getting the new tank into combat, hoping to match it against a King Tiger. But by April, 1945, German armor west of Berlin had dramatically thinned out, not to mention an extreme shortage of fuel, and the odds of spotting the monster German tank were slim. But in Dessau on April 21, "luck" would befall the Super Pershing crew commanded by SSgt Joe Maduri, a veteran 3AD tanker in his tenth straight month of combat. The 3AD had begun a four-pronged attack on the city, which was heavily defended. Division armor were finally able to enter the city slowly after numerous concrete tank barriers were destroyed. With 3AD tanks fanning out, and 36th Infantry riflemen following, the Super Pershing reached an intersection and began to round a corner to its right. Unknown to its crew, a King Tiger had apparently been waiting in ambush at a distance of two blocks or roughly 600 yards away, and in the same direction that the Americans were turning into.  German King Tiger, or Tiger II. At this distance, easily within its capability, the Tiger fired at the Super Pershing. But its infamous high-velocity 88mm shell, of the type that had destroyed so many American tanks and vehicles during the war, went high and was not even close. Gunner Cpl John "Jack" Irwin, only 18 years old, responded almost instantly with a round that struck the Tiger's huge angled glasis, or front plate. But the shot, a non-armor-piercing high explosive (HE) shell, had no effect. Ricocheting off the armor, it shot skyward and exploded harmlessly. The Super Pershing had been loaded with an HE only because Irwin had been expecting urban targets, such as buildings, personnel, and light anti-tank guns. "AP!", he shouted to his loader "Pete," which meant an armor-piercing shell would be next. Maduri and crew then felt a concussion or thud on the turret. It was never known if this shot came from the Tiger, or from some other anti-tank weapon. In any case, no serious damage was done - probably a lucky glancing impact. In the next instant, Irwin aimed and fired a second time, just as the royal monster was moving forward and raising up over a pile of rubble. The 90mm AP round penetrated the Tiger's underbelly, apparently striking the ammo well and resulting in a tremendous explosion that blew its turret loose. With near certainty, the entire crew was killed.  3AD soldiers above in 1945: Staff Sgt. Joseph Maduri of Massachusetts, commander of the Super Pershing, is shown in portrait at right and in middle of group photo. Corporal John P. Irwin of Pennsylvania, the tank's gunner, is at right in the group. Crewman at far left is believed to be "Pete" (last name not yet known). Not in the photo are the two remaining crewmen, whose names are not yet known (Photos from the Maduri family) But there was no time to examine their "trophy." A battle was raging, and the Super Pershing continued down the street, passing the lifeless and burning King Tiger. Tough fighting still lay ahead, as German bazooka, Panzerfaust, and machine-gun fire came from windows and doorways.  The encounter with the King Tiger had been "short and sweet," lasting less than twenty seconds. It may not have been the titanic "slug fest" that could have occurred on an open field, but it was an overwhelming victory for the quick-reacting Super Pershing crew. The battle for Dessau would end completely on the following day, but not without the Super Pershing destroying another German heavy tank (believed to be a 50-ton Panther Mark V) with two shots. The first disabling its drive sprocket, and the second round completely penetrating the tank's side armor. That apparently set off an internal blast, again probably from stored ammo. And, still in Dessau, that was followed by Maduri and crew forcing the commander of a German medium tank to surrender without firing a shot. For the German crew, out of ammo for their main gun, the intimidating "look" of that long-barrel 90mm gun that must have destroyed any remaining will to fight or flee.
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The M36 tank destroyer also had a 90mm gun on it. They were quite effective against German tanks. Unfortunately the tank during WWII was an infantry support vehicle. The Tank Destroyer Units were supposed to do after the tanks. Both the Germans and the British learned early in the war that the best thing to fight a tank was a superior tank. It took us a while to figure it out.
Yes, that kinda did take us a bit.
Sure thing.
Thank you for your service. You're going to love TreadHead Tuesdays and we have lots of folks experienced with model building here and of course we're all history buffs.
Welcome to the Foxhole.
Aim High.
I've been thinking about doing a subject index to the Foxhole articles, unless you all have already done something of that sort of which I am not aware. The only index I know of is "The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads" from February. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1082437/posts
Cool thread BTTT.
Hiya Sam
Hi miss Feather.
Getting ready to pack up my office, and move across the sidewalk.
I wouldn't mind his car!
Remember the L'il Redd Wrecker? Originally built in 1973 as the Turnpike Hauler, its name was changed by George Barris after he reworked it for comedian Redd Foxx when Foxx was filming the Sanford & Son TV show.
The "Li'l Red Wrecker," a.k.a. "The Redd Foxx Wrecker," and "Freeway Hauler," was a California Show Cars vehicle with a hand-formed steel body by Dick Dean. It was recently displayed at the 50th Detroit Autorama, and the 50th Grand National Roadster Show.
Hawkeye: "Give yourselfs up, you can't win...General MacArthur"
"It was a propaganda bomb!"- Trapper
"The ticker's very faint. Not the bomb's...mine. The bomb's ticking loud and clear."- Hawkeye
Howdy ma'am.
How's the store coming?
Morning alfa6.
I never heard about the Super Pershing before this either. Too bad the Pershing showed up so late in the war, it may have saved a lot of tankers in france and Germany in 44.
Morning Aeronaut.
Interesting vehicle. Israel has had a lot more experience in urban combat, looks like they've put it to good use.
IMHO, the HMMV is being misused, it wasn't designed for the role we've given it in Irag.
Morning E.G.C.
Rain started late this morning, we have high winds predicted for later. :-(
ping
Hi GailA.
Morning Mayor. Sometimes fear is a good thing, keeps us from doing stupid things.
Morning PE. He looks good in that jacket. :-)
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