The history of a World War II monument: the M4 Sherman 'Barracuda' tank of Bastogne

@ElentirENG ES 2·19·2024 · 23:44 0

Many towns in Europe have World War II tanks displayed as monuments. One of them is Bastoña.

The excellent museum that pays tribute to the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne
The German Military Cemetery of Recogne, where 6,807 fallen rest in Belgium

That city in Belgium is world famous for the siege that United States Army forces experienced in that place by the German Army, during the Battle of the Bulge, between December 1944 and January 1945. Although the most famous unit of that siege was the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army, among those besieged there were also armored units, specifically from the US 9th, 10th and 11th Armored Divisions.

Since 1946, in McAuliffe Square in Bastogne, named in honor of the general who led the 101st Division during that siege, there is an M4A3(75)W Sherman tank, S48935 USA 3081532 , nicknamed "Barracuda", which was hit by two German shots, the first in the back, which ricocheted, and the second in the left side of the barge, which penetrated its interior.

A few days ago The History Underground published an interesting video showing this tank and the place where it was hit by the Germans:

You can see some screenshots from the video here. Here we see the front part of the Sherman "Barracuda", which unlike other tanks converted into monuments, has preserved all its machine guns.

The bust in honor of General McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, located next to the Sherman tank.

The hole in the back of this Sherman, caused by the first shot it received. This shot entered diagonally and ricocheted. The monument has a plaque in honor of the fallen of the 10th Armored Division in those combats, a plaque that is on the left side of the pedestal, but in reality the tank on display belonged to Company B of the 41st Tank Battalion of the 11th Armored Division, as indicated by the inscription we see on its back.

The hole from the second impact that the "Barracuda" received, on the left side of its barge. This shot was the one that left the tank out of combat.