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GERMAIMY S PANTHER TANK

"Sgt Ameth Anderson, Tank Commander “In our tanks we have not the ar mor to engage or withstand anything but smali German weapons. We cannot penetrate their armor with the 75 mm gun we have in our tanks unless we are at a close rangę under 1000 yards. One time I had the expen-ence ofattackmg a Mark Vat 1200yards, and it took 6 rounds ofAP and HE to knock him out. If I had a larger weapon, it would have been an easy target. The German tanks are slower than ours It is very easy to outmaneuver them, but our armor cannot stand the weight of the weapon which they use agamst us. Our smoke Shell is very good on any target and I have found the Germans do not like it. I hit a Mark V with AP five times with HE four times, at less than 1000 yards. hitting him m the front and in the turret, and but one round of smoke did the trick by hitting him under his own gun mount."

Sgt. Lawrence E. Gentry, Tank Commander “Upon en-countering German armor at Celles, Belgium, I obsen/ed the fire of our 75 mm gun. while firing on a German Mark V at a rangę of 800 yards I saw the rounds bounce off the turret of the Panther (Mark V) tank. forcmg the men to cali for heavier caliberguns to complete the attack. While bemg held up. the Panther tank successfully destroyed two M-4 American tanks from the Task Force workmg to our left flank, at a rangę of 2000 yards. “

Tec 5 John Sadlak. Tank Driver: At Floverich. Germany, the 75 mm gun did not prove successful. I have seen three AP rounds bounce off the front of a Mark V tank at 400 yards. The stepped up 75 mm on the Mark V penetrated the M-4. The first round went through the hull and knocked it out. at the same rangę"

Tec 4 Melvin O. Evans: “On 17 November 1944 in the vicimty of Puffendorf, Germany, witnessed fwe rounds of 75 mm APC hit a German Mark V tank. Four of these ricochet-ted. with only one penetrating. Ali of these shells hit broad-side."

Cpl. George C. Miller: "On 17 November 1944 m the Eremity of Puffendorf, Germany, fi red 76 mm APC at a German Mark V tank. This Shell just ricochetted off the front stopę. The rangę was 800 yards. The return fire from this enemy tank hit the right fmal dr we, penetrating though the finał dr we, stopping in the turret. This Mark V tank manned a 75 mm gun.”

Sgt. Thomas P. Welborn: “On 5August 1944 in the vicin-ity of St.Sever Calvados, France, witnessed a German Mark V tank knock out three M4 and three M5 tanks during and after being hit by at least fifteen rounds of 75 mm APC from a distance of approximately 700 yards. Ali of these shells had ricochetted, with the exception of a sixteenth round which fmally put the Mark V out of action. “

Major Paul A Bane. Jr.. ExO 3rd Bn 67th Armd Regt: 7 consider the gun as the most important feature ofa tank. The American M4 tank has been out-gunned sińce the advent of the Mark IV (Special) equipped with the 75 mm high velocitv gun and a muzzle brake The Mark V (Panther). Mark VI m. ger) and most recently the Tiger II (Royal) far out class the M4 medium tank equipped with 75 and 76 mm guns in fire power On several occasions I have obsen/ed the inability of our tank weapons to penetrate the heavy frontal armor of the Mark V and Mark VI German tanks. This is true even at short ranges of300-500 yards. whereas German Mark V and Mark Vl's have engaged and destroyed our medium tank at ranges as great as 2500-3000 yards During the November offen-swe along the Roer Rwer in the vicmity of Gereonsweiler Task Forces of this Regiment were repeatedly delayed and halted by one or two Mark V's or Mark VI's firing at long rangę I obsen/ed during this period a platoon ofM4 tanks engage a Mark V tank at about 1500 yards, scoring at least ten hits with AP by 75 and 76 mm guns, without destroying the Mark V. This same Mark V destroyed or disabled four medium tanks withm fwe minutes. ”

Sgt. Frederick H Wilson, Tank Commander: “lhave been taught that our tanks have much morę maneuverability than the German tanks. It has been proven to me just a few days ago that it isn'tso. The German Mark V, which is much heavier than our M4. beat ours around a large sized field. Madę a Sharp swen/e or reverse of direction in a shorter space than ours can possibly do. German tanks have much wider tracks and do not become bogged down as easily as ours do m muddy terram."

Cpl. Virgil Townsend. Tank Gunner: “During our attack on Gereonsweiler, Germany, a platoon ofMark Vtanks moved in on the high ground on our left flank and knocked out sev-eral of our tanks at about 3600 yards. This was out of rangę of the 75 mm gun on our M4 tank. In order to place fire on them, I was forced to elevate the gun so that the turret ap-peared completely below the graduation in the sight. We suc-ceeded in holding them off, but did no damage to their ve-hicles."

PFC Vernon M. Barnett. Asst Driver: "While I was serv-mg as a commander near Ubach, Germany, two Mark V tanks opened fire on us from about 2000 yards and knocked out two of our tanks. I saw several of our M4 tanks obtain direct hits with AP shells on the German tanks. but they did not penetrate. The enemy was forced to retreat, but sustained no damage."

S/Sgt. Curtis H. Atkinson, Platoon Sergeant: “In an engagement with the enemy my platoon was moving to an ob-jectwe when two Mark V tanks opened fire at about 800yards. Their first three shots hit and set fire to three of my tanks and they would have knocked out the remainder two had we not laid down a smoke screen The 75 mm gun on my Sherman was firing rapidly on the Mark V's but only to ricochet off their sides."

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