TankDestroyer.net

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News

Info on upcoming events, material acquisitions and other T.D. related subjects.

11/20/23….I just received a email from Matt Lynn notifying me that his 605th Tank Destroyer website is back up and running. He had some technical difficulties some time ago but has been able to get most of the site working again just fine. He has plans for a number of additions and improvements, which I am looking forward to seeing. You can see his site at the following link. www.605tdb.com

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11/6/23….A new book taken from the war diary of Captain Robert Maynard is now available. Maynard was a Captain in the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was engaged in more than 300 days of continuous combat, from the Anzio Beachhead in Italy, through southern France, across the Siegfried Line and as the war ended, all the way to Hitler’s retreat in the Austrian mountains. Maynard would come home with stark memories of times and places where survival was too often determined by the simple winds of fortune. But those memories would remain locked inside for half a century. “A Father’s Arms” was his effort, 53 years after the end of World War II to help his children understand what happened to America, and to him, in the journey from Pearl Harbor to “Victory in Europe”. Near the end of the 20th century, he compiled this volume, which his children have now chosen to share.

I had the opportunity to review the book prior to publication and I found it to be very enjoyable and I will be keeping it on my shelf, not only for its historical value but because I genuinely liked it!

All proceeds from the sale of Maynard’s book will be given to the Michigan VFW.

Website: https://www.afathersarms.com/

Amazon: Buy the Book

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10/28/23….A friend of our site, Dale Kemper, has some XL size T-shirts with the tank destroyer logo on them available for purchase. They are khaki in color and he is asking $20 each with shipping at $10 for priority mail. If you are interested, please contact Dale directly. He can provide you with photos and more details about the shirts. You can reach him at the following email address: dkemperx2@aol.com

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10/1/23….After two months of behind the scenes work by RedX Web Design, we now have an updated WordPress driven website. The site itself looks very much like the old one but believe me it is brand new and set up for many, many years of service. There is a bit of a learning curve since updates and additions to the site are done differently but we hope to get up to speed quickly.

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3/16/22….A new book, “The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion: Fighting on Both Fronts” is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

614th Tank Destroyer Book Cover

The book was authored by Samuel de Korte who I know used this site extensively for research of the book. The book not only provides historical information about the primarily black unit, but it also reveals the difficulties the men overcame on the battlefield with the enemy and with racism from their white countrymen during both their training and overseas. 

You can purchase the book at the following links:

Amazon:  Hardcover, available April 6, 2022

Barnes & Noble:  Hardcover, available April 20, 2022

Casemate Publishers:  Hardcover 

Pen & Sword Books:  For U.K. customers only

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11/19/21….We have just added our 1000th Honoree to the site. We were hoping to get to this point by the end of the year but here we are, over a month away from 2022 and we have made it. If you would have asked us twelve years ago if we could have even imagined this, we would have told you it was ridiculous. Those 1000 TD veterans and their 1000 Honoree pages really reflect 1000’s of emails and phones calls not only with the veterans themselves but recently, it reflects communication with their children, their grandchildren and most recently, their great-grandchildren.

The 1000 veterans probably only represents 1% of the total number of men that served in the TD Forces but I do think it is a good cross-section of the men. It has been a privilege for Steve and I to be part of this project and I hope it will continue for a long time.

We also want to thank all of you that have contributed to this project. We know many of the Honoree pages could not have been done without the assistance of the families as well as other researchers along the way. This is as much your site as it is ours. Thanks again for everything.

The latest addition to the site is Cpl. Elmer “Fayne” Haynes of the 612th. He had quite an interesting and difficult service in the 612th, ending up as a POW and escaping under some horrible circumstances. His Honoree page and YouTube interview are well worth a look.

Honoree page # 1000 – Corporal Elmer F. Haynes

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11/11/21….Sadly, I was just informed that Victor “Tory” Failmezger, passed away on July 2, 2021. His work to document the military career of his uncle “Tommy” and the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion will provide a lasting legacy of his dedication to preserving history.

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3/22/19….692nd Operation Reunion Tarpon Springs, Florida 2019. I just received information from Greg McQuade regarding the 692nd reunion for 2021, which will be held in June at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Tarpon Springs. A block of rooms has been reserved under “692nd Reunion” for the nights of 6/6, 6/7 and 6/8. Just call 727-945-7755 to book your room.

Any questions can be directed to Greg at the following email address: gmcquade@wtvr.com

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3/30/21…..I just received an update from the The National Mounted Warfare Foundation on the progress of the National Mounted Warrior Museum, which included a few photos and a flyer.

Mounted Warrior Museum March 2021 update

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3/30/21…..This is my first post for 2021 and WOW, what a post. Just last week I visited a local military vehicle and equipment business called, Oehme Bros. War Horse Garage. While there, I was able to not only tour their facilities but also get a ride on (and drive) an M18 Tank Destroyer they had in their shop. If you want the full story, you can find a link below along with links to their Facebook and YouTube pages, which have photos and videos of their place and some of the projects, including the M18.

         Full Story A Visit to War Horse Garage – by Rob Haldeman

         Oehme Bros. War Horse Garage on Facebook

         Oehme Bros. War Horse Garage on YouTube

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12/23/20….We have just added our 900th Honoree to the site. It was exactly one year ago today that we posted #800. Here we are, a year later, after adding 100 more veterans to our Honoree area. #900 is Clebert L. Hail, who commanded the 818th TD Bn and retired after 30 years in the military. I look forward to hitting the next milestone, hopefully next year at this time or before. It has been a difficult year for so many people but our team feels fortunate to be part of this incredible project and we’ve been able to work with so many amazing families and share the stories of their veterans. Thank you also to all those that have supported us financially, with materials, information or just a note of encouragement, you are all part of this and we could not do it without you.

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11/16/20…..The National Mounted Warrior Museum, mentioned in the previous news post, will be having their groundbreaking ceremony on November 19th, at 9:30am, which I assume will be Texas time. It’s a bit late to attend in person but if you are interested, the ceremony will be streamed from their Facebook page. You can find all the information on the following flyer.

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7/14/20…..Secretary of the Army Approves Fort Hood Museum – I just read an article in the Killeen Daily Herald (July 10, 2020), relating to the National Mounted Warfare Museum that has been in the works for many years. The article states that the Secretary of the Army, Ryan McCarthy, has now approved the museum, which will permit it to be finally started, with ground-breaking, happening as early as September 2020. This museum is to be located just outside of Fort Hood’s Main Gate and is to include information and displays relating to the tank destroyers. I was personnally contacted back in 2001, by Col. Larry Phelps, who was the Vice President of Business Development and Operations for the Mounted Warfare Foundation, for my input on the project. He told me at that point that the tank destroyers and their story would be a big part of the museum and it is my hope that his statement comes true. Article.

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12/27/19….Author Bill Kopcsak has just completed a new book titled “Ruth, More or Less”, which is the true story of a woman surviving a brutal war and blossoming into a figure of glamour and strength. The story includes information about Bill’s uncle, Lt. Col. Peter J. Kopcsak, commander of the 602nd Tank Destroyer Battalion, who married Ruth, the widow of a high-ranking German Panzer Commander. You can purchase the book at the following link.

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12/23/19…..We started this site back in 2009, and 10 years later, tankdestroyer.net has just added our 800th veteran, James J. Karnes of the 805th, to the Honoree area. I must say that I am a bit proud that we have been able to achieve this mark but it hasn’t been without a great deal of time and effort from our team, as well as material and financial assistance from our supporters. With over 110,000 men trained as TDers, we have a long way to go but we are determined to continue this important project. We appreciate all of you that have contributed in any way and look forward to hitting even more milestones in the future. 

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11/30/19…..Steve Hunter has authored the second book in his biographic military series titled “Sgt. Libby: 100 Years of Stories”. This is Steve’s second book with Charles A. Libby, who served with the 628th Tank Destroyer battalion in the European Theater. Sgt. Libby served in one of the Unit’s M20 Command Cars and regularly drove officers to and from the battle front. The book includes stories from Libby’s childhood in Pennsylvania, teenage years, joining the CCC, and his time in the military. At 100 years old, Libby has allot of stories to share. The book has 223 pages and can be purchased at the following link:

Sgt. Libby: 100 Years of Stories on Amazon

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11/27/19……Nicholas Moran has authored a new book titled, “Can Openers: The Developement of American Anti-Tank Gun Motor Carriages”. The book has 240 pages and is available in hardcover format in a 9″ x 11″ size. The book is full of reports and photographs taken primarily from Ordnance Branch and Tank Destroyer Board archives, most of it previously unpublished, tracing the development of anti-tank vehicles from the 37mm Gun Motor Carriage T2 through to the 90mm Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun M56 Scorpion. This book does not cover deployment, only development of the equipment but it is a very informative and interesting read that really hasn’t be covered to this degree before. Moran is the Director of Militaria Relations at Wargaming America and is an officer in the Nevada National Guard with deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. The book is available at the following link:

Can Openers: The Development of American Anti-Tank Gun Motor Carriages on Amazon

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10/10/19……A new book “A Common Soldier” written by author J. Steve Biggs is now available. The book captures day-by-day life in the tank destroyer platoons, specifically soldiers of Company C, of the 701st, where Steve’s father served. Over the years, Lawrence F. Biggs shared stories of his experiences with his son, and Steve has finally been able to bring his idea of a book to fruition. With additional research from this site and a few other references, Steve has been able to knit the stories together, putting them in chronological order and also providing locational accuracy (Oran through Milan). The book has 365 pages and can purchased it at the following link:

A Common Soldier on Amazon

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3/22/19….692nd Operation Reunion Richmond 2019. I just received information from Greg McQuade regarding the 692nd reunion for 2019, which will be held at the Hyatt House in Richmond, Virginia. Check in will start on June 23rd, with the reunion running through the 26th. A block of rooms has been reserved with rates of $129 and $139. Call 1-888-591-1234 or 804-360-7021 to make your reservation.

Let the agent know you’re with the 692nd Reunion. Online you will need to use the code “G-TAK1”. The Hotel website can be found at the following link: Click Here

The hotel is attached to Short Pump Town Center with plenty of shopping and dining options. Greg McQuade will be finalizing the itinerary in the coming weeks. Any questions can be directed to Greg at the following email address: gmcquade@wtvr.com

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3-6-19….”The Lucky Ones” is a new book from author Jeremy Paul Amick, who is a veteran of the Army and Missouri National Guard and a military historian/public affairs officer with the Silver Star Families of America. The book chronicles the military service of Norbert Gerling through his training, assignment to Company C of the 609th Tank Destroyer Battalion and service in Europe. Jeremy met Norbert while working on other projects and realized that his story needed to be told in full. The book is available through the Missouri at War website and booksellers, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Proceeds from the book go to Silver Star Families of America, a non-profit that honors the sacrifices of those wounded, injured or suffering an illness from their service in a combat zone.

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2-22-19….C. Ekmark Photography.  There are a number of Company and Group photos labelled on this site as being taken by C. Ekmark of San Antonio, Texas. C. Ekmark is actually Carl Ekmark who was a Sergeant during WWI and served as the Regimental Photographer for the 14th Cavalry. Most photos during that time were done by Signal Corps personnel but in some cases, commanders would choose talented soldiers from the ranks and make them the regimental photographer. After the war, Carl established a successful photography business in San Antonio and was contracted to take many of the military photos in the areas surrounding the city.

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2-3-19….”Pictorial Guide to U.S. Anti-Tank and Tank Destroyer Memorabilia” (Revised). This second addition of Paul B. Stevens book has been out since 2014, but it’s still available as of today through ASMIC (The American Society of Military Insignia Collectors) for $25.00 for non members and $22.00 for members. You can email Al Orowitz at the following email address to order it:   catalogs@asmic.org  

Paul’s first book had only 79 pages. This newer version has 128 pages and is the definitive guide to all things tank destroyer. It’s not just for the collector but also has interesting tidbits about the TDs that Paul has learned in his many, many years of research. Paul is a great supporter of our site and most of the Company Group photos seen on the site were provided by him.

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2-3-19….”Tank Destroyers Collectors” is a new public group started by Colby Kenyon whose great-grandfather, Theodore A. Stone, served in HQ Company of the 643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion. While researching Theodore’s military service, Colby began collecting TD items. How better to share his collection and see what others might share, but to start a Facebook Group. Although only a teenager, Colby has the support of his family and has enlisted a few other TD enthusiasts, to assist him as moderators. I have already seen a few interesting items and am looking forward to many more great finds. Good luck with this Colby!

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1-14-19….I was just informed that a gofundme page has been started to raise funds to erect a memorial to the men that fought in the Parroy Forest, near Lunéville, France during WWII. This would include the men of the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion. Many men were injured and killed during the battle. This memorial will create a lasting emblem of their sacrifices. The fund was initiated by Dan Rabe who has been a long term friend of our site and whose father, Ernest Rabe, fought there. Please consider a donation to this worthy cause. See more information at the following link.

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10-26-18…. Over the past few months the historians at WW2 Armor have worked with SABOT Publications on the soon to be released M18 GMC Hellcat photo reference book. WW2 Armor’s two M18 GMC Hellcats, “BRACHA” and “BUPKES”, are the center focus of the publication with descriptive and detailed up-close photos of the exterior and interior of both along with historical M18 photos. If you are just interested in TDs or maybe you have a relative that served as part of a TD crew, this book will give you a much better understanding of the equipment they were using.

The book will be available within the next two weeks and Sabot Publications is taking pre-orders now. For those interested, please visit Sabot Publication’s website for more information about their M18 Hellcat photo reference book featuring the Hellcats of WW2 Armor. 

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2-20-18…. It has been reported by television station WFAA in Dallas, Texas that a local family anonymously donated $1 million to the proposed National Mounted Warrior Museum. The museum is tentatively to be built on a 17-acre plot of land near the main gate of Fort Hood, TX (previously Camp Hood). That donation brings the project to 80% of its $36,988,177 funding goal. NMWF Vice President Bob Crouch has been in contact with me and explained that the Tank Destroyer story will be a key part of the museum’s storyline. We have pledged to help in any way we can. If you want to learn more about this project, you can read all about it on their website: www.nmwfoundation.org

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12-14-17…. I was just in contact with Matthew Lynn, creator of the 605th TD website. Due to some technical difficulty, his site is currently down. He is hopeful that his site will be back up in the near future.

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5-22-17….We just added a section under “Things” called “Militaria”, which will have a gallery featuring items such as uniforms, patches, insignias and medals. Another gallery will include weapons, firearms and small equipment used by the tank destroyer soldiers. There is nothing there now but check back regularly to see what we have added.

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3-2-17….The 692nd will be having their annual reunion from June 25th – 28th, 2017, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. If you would like to attend, we have a block of rooms available at the Hampton Inn and Suites. Starting on March 6th, please call 616-261-5500, to book a room. Mention “692nd Family” to receive the special $129 room rate. The group will have use of the hotel’s hospitality suite.

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4-26-16….Although received some time ago, we have uploaded a grouping of 112 images to the Allied Armor Section we are calling “The McManus Collection” – The photos contained in this Gallery were donated to the Tank Destroyer Association, by Norm McManus, who served on the Tank Destroyer Board, at Camp Hood, Texas. The collection includes mainly shots of the T70, which was later standardized as the M18. There are also a number of early war prototypes and weapons that never went into production. Although many of the shots are Signal Corps photos, Norm dug the negatives out of the trash, so they are not available from any other source. We will be adding descriptions to the images in the near future. Provided courtesy of the Tank Destroyer Association by L. L. Gill, TDA Historian.

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3-20-16….The 692nd will be having their annual reunion this year on June 19, 20 and 21st at the Hampton Inn, in Hagerstown, Maryland. If you would like to attend, please call 301-739-6100 to book a room. Use the code “692” to receive the special $89 room rate

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12-11-15….I just received a note from Marc Sehring, Operations Manager for the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles. He informed me that they have completed their latest restoration, an M10 Tank Destroyer. They have a number of photos of the unit on their site, showing the restoration process. Marc says that it is the most complete, operational M10 in the world. VMMV also has an M36 and an M18 as well as M8 and M20 Armored cars in their 100+ vehicle collection. They are a restoration facilty, so contact them first to schedule an appointment to visit. They are located near Nokesville, Virgina and also have yearly events to showcase all their equipment. Check out their website for more information…….vmmv.org

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12-1-15…..A new book by author Steve Hunter “From the Command Car”, which provides first-hand stories from the 628th Tank Destroyer battalion as told by Tec. 5 Charles A. Libby. The book is available in paperback from Amazon and you can get more information from their website at www.fromthecommandcar.com. Steve worked with us to add Mr. Libby to our Honoree area, so check him out there. Steve and Mr. Libby are currently out on the trail, promoting the book.

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I am also pleased to anounce a book from author David Ford, titled “Fort Hood in World War II”. It is another book in Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series and provides very interesting photos from the WWII period of the camp’s existence. The book started as a collection of images collected by the camp’s former Commander, Col. Charles M. Thirlkeld. David contacted me and utilized the Hood Panther newspapers we have on our site to assist with some of the book’s captions. He also included a nice acknowledgement for the site and myself in the book. David is currently working with me to add both Col. Thirlkeld and his son, Lt. Charles M. Thirlkeld Jr. to our Honoree area. You can order this book from Amazon also.