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The Tank Killers


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Any gamer interested in the US Tank Destroyer Force in North Africa, Italy, and the ETO might want to check out my just released book, "The Tank Killers." You can get more info--plus photos of American tanks and tank destroyers in action--at my website, World War II History by Harry Yeide. This is the second book to grow out of a certain Combat Mission addiction. I'd be happy to answer any questions regarding the history or any related topic right here. Cheers.

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Thanks for the question, HVAP; I'll stay away from the kiddie pool in the General Forum from now on.

The thing that surprised me the most was how much TD outfits did in battle that had absolutely nothing to do with fighting tanks. The recon troops were one such great surprise. They started out in North Africa acting a bit like the "Rat Patrol" out in front of the rest of the entire Allied army. They show up later clearing mines, directing artillery fire up to corps level, and mounting patrols behind German lines.

The TD story in North Africa in general came as a pleasant surprise. I knew little about it, because general histories on the theater pay almost no attention to the TDs. It really is a wild story of sweeping action over huge distances and meeting engagements against panzer forces the likes of which took place nowhere else, really. I had the great fortune to track down veterans from the first battalions to see action and get their personal stories.

One other discovery that came as a surprise after spending many years interested mainly in the Armored Force was the confidence the TDers retained in their ability to handle German armor with their 3-inch/76mm guns pretty much through the end of the war. When you read about the Sherman, you find all this hand-wringing about how inadequate even the 76mm gun was against the heavier panzers. The TD guys learned they couldn't necessarily penetrate the front armor on this class of panzer, but this troubled them only briefly, and they responded with tactical fixes that left them the masters of the armored battlefield, as far as they were concerned.

One more nibblet is that it would be nice if in CM one could mount machine guns on tank destroyers, because that is what a lot of battalions in the ETO did. The TDers in SP battalions wound up having to fill in as infantry-support tanks with great regularity as early as Normandy, and they eventually figured out that they would have to mount their own MGs because the Army wasn't going to do it for them.

Finally, for now, I found the story of the towed TD battalions a sad case of military stupidity that cost men their lives. The brass transformed half the TD Force to towed battalions after the fighting in North Africa because towed German guns had proved so effective under prevailing conditions there. The generals failed to foresee that, in Italy and Western Europe, the Americans would usually be advancing rather than defending, and that terrain conditions were going to be more than a little different.

Cheers,

Harry

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Definately interested now Harry, especially about the confidence in the 76 throughout the war. I appreciate the response. I have a lot of other questions but I feel that I would just be asking you to give away the info in your book which is not fair. So I'll just have to pick up a copy. smile.gif

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The info about the 76 *is* interesting. By tactical fix, do you mean flanking, ambush or hail fire? Ambush would be difficult on the offense, hail fire suicidal for a large portion of your force and at least in CM, if you see a way to a Panthers side you know your opfor has an AT gun in those trees.

My book budget is booked for now but good luck with it.

What was the response in the GF BTW?

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