Ok I know some of you have heard me tell this information.. but hear goes anyway.
Was the M4 better? hear it both way by those whom were in them during and after WWII
Dad loader mechanic went in at end of war was in Germany no battles but still had many stories to tell such as track blown off and sliding down a big hill in to a german apple orchard. He said they could swap out a engine in a few hours in the Sherman. Sorry I got pictures but cant get them to post of him and his brothers. dad in the 8th
Dad still living .. 93 in nursing home will see his in morning.
my uncle dads brother tank driver 749th landed D-day +1 Utah beach by end of war had 3 tanks destroyed he was in and he and the gunner made it out of all of them wounded but made it and was in bigger gun Sherman in one of the units farthest in Germany at end of the war. the 749 under Patton lost 222 men wounded and 73 killed and a lot more slightly wounded. Uncle Jess receipient of Purple heart. the 749th and Uncle Jess traveled over 2000 milesby the end of the war. Uncle Jess was in the tank group under patton the night they ran out of gas and it all went to hand to hand by that morning, its where he was wounded. he was out of action only 2 weeks and back to the tank. His tank was the first to run out of gas. (he signed release for his name used in the Patton movie) Bailey's tanks out of gas.
in an interview by a local college about 20 yrs ago Quote " we use to try to work in groups of 3 tanks against a tiger or panther shoot and scoot trying for one tank to maneuver behing and get a shot from behind. It was a dangous business said Jess". He erned 5 battle stars for action in Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, Rhineland and central Europe. was one of the tanks that was moved from fighting a battle to join Pattons unit that move in to the battle of the buldge and bastone. Little did he know but my other uncle (dads brother) was infantry in that battle he helped save. found out monthes later.
after the war he came home to southern Indiana and worked as a dozer and dragline operator in the coal mines.. He died 2014.
Spent the day with dad and uncle and son n law several years ago at the Patton tank museum was very interesting letting them show us the tanks and hear them and other old tankers tell there stories...wish I could have recored that.
Dad living 93 tanker WWII at end of war and occupation after the war
father n law living 96 master sargent infantry Italy and France
Dads brother passed 749th tanker WWII Normandy through Germany
Dads brother passed infantry WWII france and Germany
Dads brother passed infantry WWII Italy and France
Unclle (moms side) passed infantry WWII north Afracia and Italy
My wifes 3 uncles passed WWII infantry and 1 south pacific
They all made it home after the war. so many did not.
Sorry to ramble but proud of my family and of all that have and are serving. THANK YOU.
I only regret not recording there stories I listened to for so long. I still have the ammo belt Uncle wore in Africa. Not only are the big battle stories you hear but the little battles that history doesn't remember and how they lived there daily lives for 2 years some good stories of kindness and the horrors of war seeing there best friends getting killed and wounded. One thing uncle said he never forgot even if he wanted to was the smell of battle and the noise and seeing what there actions could do to folks.
IF you get the chance listen to those who served and are serving because they will fade fast.
Thank You.