According to my friend Lawrence McKelvey, a mechanical engineer who is also a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, the Sherman tank was not designed to fight enemy tanks. Instead, its primary function was to support American troops in the field. Granted, it sat high off the ground and looked somewhat old-fashioned; however, the Sherman was not nearly as prone to getting bogged down in the mud as the much heavier German Tiger.

Also, according to McKelvey, the U.S. Army tank destroyer was very effective at protecting our Shermans; it packed a 90-mm gun and could go up to 60 miles per hour. “It was the original lethal weapon,” McKelvey stated, “because that big gun—combined with speed—could easily take out a Panzer.”

We are very aware of the Sherman tank. However, you virtually never hear or read anything about our tank destroyer. It would appear that this highly effective weapon is one of the unsung heroes of World War II.