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In early 1945 a mission was formed, code named Zebra, to facilitate
the introduction of new equipment in the European Theater of
Operations. Among the equipment being introduced was the T-26E3
Pershing 90mm heavy tank. The first shipment of Pershings consisted
of 20 vehicles. This group of 20 was given to the First Army
and was divided evenly between 3rd Armored Division and 9th Armored
Division (10 each).
Out of this group of 20 Pershings, 3 were knocked out by enemy
action. 2 of those knocked out belonged to the 3rd Armored. The
following is a brief account of what happened to one of the two
assigned to the 3rd Armored.
FIREBALL was the nickname of T-26E3 serial number 38, registration
number 30119848 and was assigned to Company F, 1st Battalion,
33rd Armored Regiment, Taskforce Welborn, Combat Command B. FIREBALL
was the first Pershing to be knocked out.
On the night of 26Feb45 at Elsdorf, Germany, FIREBALL was
positioned to cover a roadblock and was backlit by a burning
coal pile that silhouetted the turret to the enemy. FIREBALL
was engaged and hit 3 times with 88mm AP from 100 yards range
by a German Tiger 1 from Heavy Tank Company "Hummel."
The first round hit the turret coax machinegun aperture and,
penetrating into the turret, killed the Loader and Gunner.
The second round hit the muzzle brake and set off the Pershings's
chambered round.
The third round hit the upper right corner of the turret, glancing
off and then hitting the tank commander's hatch cover.
FIREBALL did not burn and after replacing the 90mm gun barrel
and welding up the penetration at the coax machinegun aperture,
was ready to return to the fight by 7Mar45.
The Tiger 1 that did the shooting was abandoned by it's crew
after getting hung up in a pile of rubble as it backed away after
it's third shot. Later the loader of this Tiger 1 was captured
and he confirmed that it was his tank that knocked out FIREBALL.
Regarding the one Pershing lost by the 9AD, it was
knocked out on 1Mar45 when hit by large caliber (150mm) German
artillery fire during the final drive on the town of Remagen,
Germany, on the Rhine River. The Pershing was actually hit twice.
The first round started a fire outside the tank and the crew
dismounted to put it out when a second artillery round hit killing
some of the crew. Amazingly, the damaged Pershing was repaired
and returned to service.
Research Sources:
After The Battle magazine, issue #104
Pershing: A History Of The Medium Tank T-20 Series by
Hunnicut.
Spearhead In The West published by the 3rd Armored Division,
1945
M-26/M-46 Pershing Tank 1943-1953 by Zaloga
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