VS.
"The armored car had been in a concealed position near the boundary
of Troop B, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and Company A, 38th
Armored Infantry Battalion, when the Tiger approached the lines at right
angles to move along a trail in front of the main line of resistance.
As the tank passed the armored car, the latter slipped out of position
and started up the trail behind the Tiger, accelerating in an attempt to
close. At the same moment the German tank commander saw the M8, and
started traversing his gun to bear on it. It was a race between the
Americans, who were attempting to close so that their 37-mm gun would be
effective on the Tiger’s thin rear armor, and the Germans, who were
desperately striving to bring their 88 to bear. Rapidly the M8 closed to
25 yards, and quickly pumped in three rounds; the lumbering Tiger
stopped and shuddered; there was a muffled explosion, followed by flames
which billowed out of the turret and engine ports, after which the
armored car returned to its position."
As reported by Major Donald P. Boyer, Jr., S3, 38th Armored Infantry Battalion and Captain W. H. Anstey (commanding Company A, 38th Armored Infantry Battalion) who witnessed the engagement during the Battle of St. Vith, 1944.
Brian
No Gutz, No Glory - those lads had plenty of both!
ReplyDeleteI know! Talk about a real life David and Goliath!
DeleteBrian