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FURY movie - article


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The only thing I know about tanks is what I've read or seen in a movie. But I recall what Bill Mauldin's "Willy" said to "Joe" (or was it the other way around?) A Sherman tank is passing them by. Willy says, "I'd ruther dig. A movin' foxhole attracks the eye!" One reason the Brits had so many Shermans "brew up" (and GI's, too) was they had gasoline engines. A bit later, diesels were substituted, which helped...a little. I did run into an Air Force security troop back in the '60's, who had been a Sherman TC in WWII. He was blown out of the turret and broke his shoulder when he landed! Guess he figured the Air Force was a better bet.

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The only thing I know about tanks is what I've read or seen in a movie. But I recall what Bill Mauldin's "Willy" said to "Joe" (or was it the other way around?) A Sherman tank is passing them by. Willy says, "I'd ruther dig. A movin' foxhole attracks the eye!" One reason the Brits had so many Shermans "brew up" (and GI's, too) was they had gasoline engines. A bit later, diesels were substituted, which helped...a little. I did run into an Air Force security troop back in the '60's, who had been a Sherman TC in WWII. He was blown out of the turret and broke his shoulder when he landed! Guess he figured the Air Force was a better bet.

 

Well sure, he already had combat flying experience. :lol:

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I read an interview with Audie Murphy and he stated that when he was inthe action that won him hisMOH the German infantry never tried to flank him or he would not have lived long that day he said his was not up against very good infantry the Germans did not always have crack troops in every battle

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The Sherman's nick-name was " The Ronson" which was a brand of lighter back then. Usually one hit from a "Tiger" and it lit up.....................fueled by gasoline, not diesel, they burned fast.

6 weeks life expectancy.............oh boy.

 

Knarley

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I read an interview with Audie Murphy and he stated that when he was inthe action that won him hisMOH the German infantry never tried to flank him or he would not have lived long that day he said his was not up against very good infantry the Germans did not always have crack troops in every battle

This Citation was awarded to Audie Murphy for “Conspicuous Gallantry and Intrepidity Involving Risk of Life Above and Beyond the Call of Duty In Action With the Enemy”, 26 January 1945.

The citation reads:

2d Lt. Murphy commanded Company B, which was attacked by 6 tanks and waves of infantry. 2d Lt. Murphy ordered his men to withdraw to prepared positions in a woods, while he remained forward at his command post and continued to give fire directions to the artillery by telephone. Behind him, to his right, 1 of our tank destroyers received a direct hit and began to burn. Its crew withdrew to the woods. 2d Lt. Murphy continued to direct artillery fire which killed large numbers of the advancing enemy infantry. With the enemy tanks abreast of his position, 2d Lt. Murphy climbed on the burning tank destroyer, which was in danger of blowing up at any moment, and employed its .50 caliber machine gun against the enemy. He was alone and exposed to German fire from 3 sides, but his deadly fire killed dozens of Germans and caused their infantry attack to waver. The enemy tanks, losing infantry support, began to fall back. For an hour the Germans tried every available weapon to eliminate 2d Lt. Murphy, but he continued to hold his position and wiped out a squad which was trying to creep up unnoticed on his right flank. Germans reached as close as 10 yards, only to be mowed down by his fire. He received a leg wound, but ignored it and continued the single-handed fight until his ammunition was exhausted. He then made his way to his company, refused medical attention, and organized the company in a counterattack which forced the Germans to withdraw. His directing of artillery fire wiped out many of the enemy; he killed or wounded about 50. 2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

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Excellent movie. Couple of scenes seemed a little implausible, but I've never been in combat.

 

On the topic of German infantry.... At the end of the war many of Germany's infantry units were sub-standard. Units had very little training and many soldiers were old men and young teenagers. Some of those units suffered horrendous casualties due to lack of training and poor leadership. I read of one account that occurred during the Battle of the Bulge. A lone soldier manning an outpost armed with a BAR stood off a whole company of Volksgrenadiers. It was night, and his first burst wiped out the company HQ. without leadership and in the dark, taken by surprise, the unit members milled around and conducted only frontal assaults. The next day, the soldier's unit sent out a patrol and found over 180 bodies in front of his firing position. I can't imagine how many magazines he went through. The soldier survived, BTW.

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Guest Hoss Carpenter, SASS Life 7843

I just saw the movie (Fury) today; thought it was good but not g reat. Myquestion to you Army types is this: the M3 (?) "Grease Gun"--- I thought was a Korean war vintage weapon. Was it "on duty" it the last stages of WW2?

 

Hoss

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I just saw the movie (Fury) today; thought it was good but not g reat. Myquestion to you Army types is this: the M3 (?) "Grease Gun"--- I thought was a Korean war vintage weapon. Was it "on duty" it the last stages of WW2?

 

Hoss

Very much so a WW2 weapon.

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