PTO Sherman's

[TreadHead]

Howdy fella's,

I've got a few PTO questions.....with any luck I can elicit some 'heated' response's from you bugger's....

O.K......first, is there anyone who can shed some light on the difference's between the ETO Sherman 'stowage', and the PTO Sherman's??....
My question is based on the fact that the basic deployment of the tank's themselves, is, by design, dissimilar.....any input?
If Dave doesn't have any intel, I'm going to simply push a pin into his 'voodoo' dummy!......Dave?......wan't some discomfort?...... ;) :lol: :lol:

Tread.

[ShermiesRule]

Not really sure what you mean there Tread.

[TreadHead]

O.K. Shermie's.... you've added 'concern' to my planetarmor repertorie.....
I'm the first to admit at least a smidgin of uncertainty regarding PTO Sherman deployment......but, embracing my compadre's here, I'll press on.

My understanding is, is that the Sherman tank's that disembarked from the PTO LCM's did so under less duress, and certainly less 'water-level' than those of the Normandy Invasion........or am I speaking with 'socks in my mouth'?

My question was directed at the 'idea' that the Sherman's of the PTO didn't have to completely 'waterproof' their exterior decks as much as the Normandy Sherman's.
Considering the fact that they (in general) didn't have to engage in as much 'swimming' as the Normandy 'DD' Serman's......

Just curious.

Tread.

[dharper]

Hello Gordon,

If I am understanding your question correctly, this may help. The terrain of the Pacific Islands is very different that the European continent. Most all of the Pacific Islands have a reef of some sort that is somtimes bigger than the actual island. These reefs make the depth of the water that the Shermans travel through from one to four feet on their way into the beach. Sometimes a shell hole or some other similar obstruction would cause the tank to sink unless it had effective wading stacks and proper waterproofing. In many cases tanks in the Pacific were landed directly on the beach via the LCM3 (a single Sherman), LCM6 ( two Shermans) or one of the larger LCT's or LCM's. The lack of a firm and reletively level undersea shelf at places like Normandy meant that the Shermans actually had to swim ashore in fairly rough seas. The amphibious warefare doctrine was really designed and employed almost exclusively in the Pacific, where there was no other way to take the objectives on those Pacific islands.

Another interesting point is that tanks landed on a Pacific battlefield, were never intended to then under their own power drive all the way to Tokyo. Tanks landed in Italy or France did in fact, then log some impressive miles as the war went on.

Hope this helps.

[ShermiesRule]

Dave you you mean there were no DDs swimming for Tokyo from Iwo? LOL