Soldiers of the 26th Infantry playing cards behind an M-36 Tank Destroyer of the 818th TD Bn. They're waiting for road block removal en route to Eisfeld, Germany on April 12, 1945. Signal Corps Photo. NARA #1171
Tank destroyers move forward during heavy fog to stem German spearhead near Werbomont, Belgium, 20 Dec 44. 703rd Tank Destroyer, 82nd Airborne Division.
The Signal Photo description identifies this photo as an M-10 taking out an enemy pill-box on the streets of Brest, France in 1944. It could possibly be a unit from Task Force A, under BG Herbert L. Earnest. It's actually an M-18.
An M-10 Tank Destroyer from Company B, 803rd TD Bn, firing on German positions near Saint-Lo, Normandy, France, July 18, 1944. Notice the wading trunk at the rear providing air to the engine in high water and river crossing situations.
Full crew on display in an M-10. Note the Panther painted on the rear of the turret weights.
M-3 Tank Destroyer with crew.
M-36 on display at annual WWII gathering.
Although similar in appearence, these are not M3 75mm GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) tank destroyers but T19 105mm HMC (Howitzer Motor Carriage) passing the reviewing stand during a combined French and American Parade on the occasion of Moslem Holiday Festival. General Nogues and MG George S. Patton reviewing Officers, Rabat, French Morocco 12/18/42.
Lone tank destroyer in winter white.
For those of you that aren't familiar with a Tank Destroyer, I have taken a few photos of a small 1:48 scale model I have. The Model is identified as an mid-production M-10 from A Co. 654th TD Battalion, 7th Army.
The M-10 was based on a Medium Tank M4A2 chassis. It had a 3" (76.2 mm) Gun that fired an Armor Piercing M79 shot that could penetrate 3 inches of armor at 1,000 yards. It could hold 54 rounds of the 3" ammo. It also had a .50 cal Browning M2HB machine gun mounted at the rear of the turret. The rear of the turret carried two large counterweights which gave it a distinctive shape. These counterweights changed during production util the last version which had a somewhat duck-bill look.
The M-10 utilized a General Motors 6046 Twin Diesel 6-71 powerplant putting out 375 hp. It weighed 65,000 lbs. with a top speed of 32 mph. The crew consisted of 5 men, the Commander, the Gunner, the Assistant Gunner, the Driver and the Assistant Driver/Radio Operator.
Partial rear view showing tool mountings, turret weights, track grousers(would clamp on tracks for more traction)on angled side of chassis and a few of the supplemental applique armor mounts that were never used in the field. The gun barrel travel brace can also be seen on the back of the rear deck - The gun was to be facing rearward when in non-hostile travel mode.
You can clearly see from this shot of the open turret how vulnerable the men were from overhead attack. The breach of the 3" gun is visible as well as two round seats for the crew and the shiny brass shell casing from the 3" ammo. You can also see the large rear counterweights on the back of the turret. The two small access panels shown just forward of the turret are access hatches for the driver and assistant driver who sat very low in the chassis. They could be flipped up while in a non-hostile areas to provide easy viewing of the forward path of the vehicle.
I was fortunate to obtain an original M6 periscope as used in both Tank Destroyers and Tanks. A periscope would stick up through both hatch doors with a third unit mounted through a special port, left of the driver's hatch on the both the M-10 and M-36s. Extra units were taken in case of damage.
Highly detailed illustrations of the interior of an M-10 tank destroyer can be found in the "Things" and then "Manuals" section of the website. Here the seating for two of the personnel, the rear of the gun and the ammunition storage can be clearly seen on the right side of the TD.
Members of Co. I, 313th Inf. Regt, 12th Armd Division on an M-10 in the streets of Haguenau, France. On alert against enemy patrols across the Model River. Feb 5, 1945. NARA #0012
NARA #0020
M-18 (Hellcat) with walking GI in front of a burning town. This photo was identified by its driver Sgt. Harry E. Traynor of the 704th TD Bn. The soldier in the front is Cpt. Marion Taake, The TD was named "Blondie" and it was later destroyed on February 9, 1945 by two German Panther tanks in the Bannholz Woods area of Germany. NARA #0616
Soldiers and equipment of the 3rd Inf. Div, 30th Infantry and 20th Armored Division in and around Munich during its capture. NARA #0646
A tank destroyer pushing through a roadblock in Germany. NARA #1039
A tank destroyer taking up a position on a street corner. NARA #1040
NARA #1041
NARA #1276
Overturned M-36 of the 702nd TD Bn at Fisenne, Belgium on Jan. 5, 1945. Two crew members were killed in the incident. Signal Corps Photo. NARA #1122
Overturned M-36 of the 702nd TD Bn now uprighted. Two crew members were killed in the incident. NARA #1123
Sgt. Jimmy Richardson talks to his driver, Pvt. Joe Honig, near their snow covered M-10. Both are members of Co. C, 629th TD Bn. Infantrymen of the 331st Inf. Regt, 83rd Inf. Div, warm themselves by the nearby fire. Jan 20, 1945 in Courtil, Belgium. NARA #0006
Infantrymen move forward as liberated Russians come back through the town of Nieder-Wurzbach, Germany. Signal Corps Photo. Apr 13, 1945. NARA #5001
German civilians move out to provide billets for crew of TD "Pork Chop", 2nd Cavalry, U.S. Third Army on the outskirts of Oberwesel, Germany, Mar 18, 1945. Note that the Browning .50 cal. machine gun has been remounted to the front of the turret. Signal Corps Photo. NARA #5002.
US TD passing German KIA with rifle and panzerfaust "armor fist" anti-tank weapon in the foreground. NARA #5003.
A tank destroyer moves in to offer cover to men cleaning out the few remaining snipers after St. Andreasberg, Germany was taken by infantrymen of the 1st Div., U.S. 1st Army. Apr. 4, 1945. NARA #5023
Tank destroyer of the 704th TD Bn attached to the 4th Armored Div., 3rd U.S. Army, crosses the Mosselle river at Muden, Germany, on a treadway bridge. Mar. 18, 1945. NARA #5005.
4th Infantry soldiers with machine gun and M-36 tank destroyer in background. NARA #5006
Proud and pleased, these Yanks with the 8th Infantry Div., U.S. First Army are the first allied armored group to enter the battered German city of Duren. Feb. 24, 1945. The unit belongs to B Company of the 644th TD Battalion and in a letter sent to site contributor Tom Grannis, the Company Commander, Capt. Gerald L. Hoffer (shown on left walking toward the TD) identified each of the men shown. Starting L to R is Sgt. Joe Shimek (KIA at the Ruhr 4/13/45), driver Attilio DiCesare (KIA Ruhr Pocket 3/30/45), Sgt. Frank Udiljak (WIA Ruhr Pocket 4/13/45), and Vincent Crivello (WIA 3/8/45). The image was first used on the cover of the March 11, 1945 issue of "Yank" magazine. It was also used for Steven Zaloga's book "US Tank Destroyers in Combat 1941-1945". Thanks to Tom for providing this update. NARA #5007
In the front line town of Rimling, France a tank destroyer stands in the protection of walls of bombed out building as an out-post awaiting action. Mar. 1945. NARA #5008
Soldiers of the 301st Inf. Reg., 94th Div. U.S. Third Army, duck as enemy shells whistle over Schillingen, Germany. The TD is waiting for orders to roll toward Fell, Germany. Mar. 15, 1945. NARA #5009
The No. 3 gun of 2nd Platoon, A Co., 701st TD Bn. firing on enemy positions in the Mignano sector of Italy. TD's were regularly used as artillery in this fashion. Dec. 12th 1943. NARA #5010
200 yards south of Mt. Della Torraccia, Italy, a tank destroyer hit a "Teller" mine and its tracks were blown off. Two members of the 126th Engrs of the 10th Mountain Div. sweep for additional mines. About 30 were found. Feb. 22, 1945. NARA #5024
Two U.S. tank destroyers are placed on street corners commanding main streets in the town of Krefeld, Germany. Units are of Company C, 771st TD Bn, supporting the 102nd Inf. Div. 9th U.S. Army. Mar. 3, 1945. NARA #5011
View of a tank destroyer in a maintenance area somewhere in France. Oct. 29, 1944. 818th TD Bn. NARA #5012
An M-18 supports infantry. NARA #5004
A knocked-out Tank Destroyer on a street in Mittelwihr, France. Dec. 26, 1944. NARA #5013
German prisoners and their American guard crouch behind a Tank Destroyer for protection from a barrage of German SP guns. Prisoners were captured by Infantrymen of the 4th Division, U.S. Third Army in the Prum Valley, Germany on 2/28/45. The TD is likely from the 610th Tank Destroyer battalion, which was assigned to the 4th I.D. from 1/25 to 3/10/45. Signal Corps Photo. Thanks to Tom Grannis for the additional information. NARA #0107
M-10 from the 7th Armored Div. watch as surrendering troops cross field with white flag. NARA #5014
Cpl. Theodore Herbert of Marquette, MI throws paint on the bogie wheels of an M-36 TD to camouflage it so that it blends in with the snow in Luxembourg. U.S. Third Army, Jan. 3, 1945. NARA #5015
M-36 or M-10 Tank Destroyer in recently captured Gorpdorf with dead Nazi in foreground. Town was taken by the 5th Infantry Division of the U.S. Third Army. Dated 3/5/45. Signal Corps Photo. NARA #1107
German observation posts in Aachen, Germany, are targets for these M-10s of Co. "A" 634th TD Bn. Oct 14, 1944. Signal Corps Photo. NARA #5000
From the turret of a Sherman medium tank, Cpl. Eugene McKay of Calumet City, IL searches for Germans in Aachen, Germany, while a tank destroyer in the background moves on German positions. Oct. 20, 1944. NARA #5016
A tank destroyer moves past a knocked-out Sherman tank in the battle for Oberhoffen, France. Between the vehicles you can see two medics picking up a dead American soldier who fell during the fight for the town. Feb. 3, 1945. NARA #5017
