American Thunder

[RichTO90]

My fourteen-plus-year book project For Purpose of Service Test has been re-titled as American Thunder: U.S. Army Tank Design, Development, and Doctrine in World War II.

Currently it is 672 pages in draft form with c. 420 photos, so should be close to 700 pages when published.

It is listed for publication by Stackpole 12/16/2023 with expected availability in warehouse on 11/16/2023.

Table of Contents:
Introduction    1
Acknowledgements    4
U.S. Army World War II Procurement and Nomenclature    6
Part One: Organization, Development, and Production from Armistice Day to VJ Day    13
Chapter 1 Stagnation and Rebirth: The Lean Years from the End of the Great War to 1 September 1939    14
Chapter 2 State of the Art: The View Looking in, Sereno Brett and Arthur Hadsell    62
Chapter 3 Learning to Walk: 1 September 1939 to 30 June 1940    73
Chapter 4 State of the Art: The View Looking Out, the Spanish Civil War    94
Chapter 5 The Sleeping Giant Stirs: 1 July to 31 December 1940    107
Chapter 6 The Threat Perceived    129
Chapter 7 Explosive Growth…and Growing Pains: 1 January to 7 December 1941    137
Chapter 8 First Blood in the Pacific: The Fall of the Philippines, 1941-1942    161
Chapter 9 Giant Steps…and Stumbles: the First Year of the War, 1942    174
Chapter 10 Hard Knocks: The Battle of Happy Valley    223
Chapter 11 Learning Curve: the Second Year of the War, 1943    244
Chapter 12 More Hard Knocks: Early Lessons Learned    291
Chapter 13 Maturity: the Third Year of the War, 1944    303
Chapter 14 Europe: the Normandy Breakout    366
Chapter 15 Endgame, the Last Year of the War, 1945    383
Chapter 16 Europe: The Winter of Discontent    426
Chapter 17 Firestorm in the Pacific    456
Part Two: Controversies    484
Chapter 18 Death Traps? Myths of U.S. Tank Development in World War II    485
Chapter 19 The Great Tank Scandal? “It is said that it takes three of our Shermans to knock out a Tiger.”    494
Chapter 20 Bigger Guns?    506
Chapter 21 Where are the Tanks? The Real Tank Scandal    524
Chapter 22 What’s in a Name?    546
Conclusion    552
Appendix I: Other Ordnance Combat Vehicles    556
Tank Recovery Vehicles    556
Mine Clearing Vehicles    558
Flame Throwing Vehicles    564
Tank Rocket Launchers    572
Engineer Assault Vehicles    574
Remanufactured Tanks    576
Appendix II: Lend-Lease    578
Appendix III: Tank ‘T’ Numbers Assigned by Ordnance, 1926-1945    590
Appendix IV: Tank Model Year, ‘Mark’, and ‘M’ Numbers Assigned by Ordnance, 1928-1945    591
Appendix V: The Cost of Ordnance    592
Appendix VI: The Cost of War: U.S. Army Armored Personnel and Tank Losses in World War II    596
Appendix VII: Firing Tests    625
Shoeburyness Test, 23 May 1944 (1st ETOUSA Test)    625
Balleroy Test, 10 July 1944 (2d ETOUSA Test)    628
1st Isigny Test, 12-30 July 1944 (3d ETOUSA Test)    629
2nd Isigny Test, 19-21 August 1944 (4th ETOUSA Test)    632
703d Tank Destroyer Battalion Test, 5-9 December 1944    636
Bibliography    638
Primary Sources    638
Armored and Infantry School Student Papers    638
Other Primary Sources    638
Secondary Sources    650
Newspaper, Magazine, and Journal Articles    660
Websites    664
Videos    666

Tables
Table 1: Organization of the Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized) 1935.    25
Table 2: Tank Production 1921-1933    60
Table 3: Tank Production 1934-1 September 1939    61
Table 4: Tank Production 1 September 1939-30 June 1940    93
Table 5: Armored Force General Staff, June 1940.    107
Table 6: Organization of the Armored Force, July 1940.    108
Table 7: The National Guard Tank Battalions    112
Table 8: Organization of the Armored Division, 1940.    114
Table 9: Tank Production 1 July-31 December 1940    128
Table 10: Medium Tank M3/Grant I Production    146
Table 11: Medium Tank M3A1 Production    146
Table 12: Medium Tank M3A2 Production    147
Table 13: Medium Tank M3A3 Production    147
Table 14: Medium Tank M3A4 Production    148
Table 15: Medium Tank M3A5 Production    148
Table 16: Medium Tank M3-Series Production    148
Table 17: British Designations for the Medium Tank M3 Series    149
Table 18: Light Tank M3-Series Production    151
Table 19: Tank Production 1 January-31 December 1941    160
Table 20: Organization of the Armored Division, 1942.    182
Table 21:Medium Tank M4 (75mm) Production    191
Table 22: Medium Tank M4A1 (75mm) Production    192
Table 23: Medium Tank M4A3 (75mm) Production    194
Table 24: Medium Tank M4A4 (75mm) Production    195
Table 25: Medium Tank M4A5 (RAM) Production    198
Table 26: Medium Tank M4A6 (75mm) Production    198
Table 27: British Designations for the Medium Tank M4-series    199
Table 28: Light Tank M5-series Production    202
Table 29: British Designations for Light Tanks M3 and M5    203
Table 30: Tank Production 1 January-31 December 1942    222
Table 31: Production of the T10 Shop Tractor (CDL)    248
Table 32: The Armored Group Headquarters    251
Table 33: Unit Assignments to the Armored Divisions before the 1943 Reorganization    252
Table 34: Organization of the Armored Division, 1943.    253
Table 35: Reorganization of the Armored Regiments, 1943    253
Table 36: Unit Assignments to the Reorganized Armored Divisions    255
Table 37: Tank Loading Capacity of Allied Landing Craft and Ships 1945    278
Table 38: Light Tank T9E1 Production    279
Table 39: Tank Production 1 January-31 December 1943    290
Table 40: Organization of the 741st Tank Battalion for D-Day, 6 June 1944.    314
Table 41: Availability of Dozer Blades in the ETOUSA    316
Table 42: Allocation of 76mm and 105mm Armed Medium Tanks January- May 1944    328
Table 43: ‘Ultimate Design’ Medium Tank M4A3 (75mm) Wet Production    340
Table 44: ‘Ultimate Design’ Medium Tank M4-Series (76mm) Wet Production    341
Table 45: ‘Ultimate Design’ Medium Tank M4-Series (105mm) Production    342
Table 46: Status of ETOUSA Medium Tanks, 20 October – 20 December 1944    342
Table 47: Medium Tank T23 Production    344
Table 48: Light Tank M24 Production    345
Table 49: Medium Tank T25 and T25E1 Production    346
Table 50: Assault Tank M4A3E2 Production    355
Table 51: Losses of the Medium (Assault) Tank M4A3E2    358
Table 52: Heavy Tank T1-Series Production    361
Table 53: Tank Production 1 January – 31 December 1944    365
Table 54: Operational Tank Strength of VII Corps on the eve of Operation COBRA.    370
Table 55: Wartime Deployment and Inactivation of the Tank Battalions    384
Table 56: Organization of the Armored Division, 1945.    388
Table 57: Heavy Tanks T26E3 issued to 3d Armored Division 20 February 1944    396
Table 58: Status of T26E3 as of 14 April 1945    402
Table 59: Heavy Tank T26E3 allocations and on hand, April 1945    402
Table 60: Status of Heavy Tanks T26, 5 May 1945    403
Table 61: Light Tanks M24 “on hand” with 12th Army Group, 3 March – 11 April 1945    409
Table 62: Allocation of Light Tanks M24 to the 12th Army Group, 12 November 1944-213 April 1945    409
Table 63: Light Tanks M24 with 12th Army Group Units, 28 April 1945    410
Table 64: American 17-pdr Tank Conversions    412
Table 65: Medium Tank M4-Series Production by Manufacturer    417
Table 66: Total OCO-D and OMP Medium Tank M4-series Production    417
Table 67: Heavy Tank T26-Series Production    420
Table 68: Tank Production 1 January – 31 August 1945    424
Table 69: Tank Production 1 July 1940-31 August 1945    424
Table 70: Change in Tank Strength, 5th Armored Division, 2200 24 November-8 December 1944.    436
Table 71: Status of HVAP as of 14 February 1945    516
Table 72: Special Projectiles Manufactured for the 3-inch, 76mm, and 90mm guns (1,000’s).    516
Table 73: Principal Ordnance Tank Periscope Systems.    520
Table 74: Principal Ordnance Tank and GMC Telescopes.    521
Table 75: Known Medium Tank Deliveries to the ETOUSA, June-September 1944    531
Table 76: 12th Army Group Monthly Medium Tank Status    540
Table 77: Average Daily Medium Tank Strength in 12th Army Group    541
Table 78: First U.S. Army Tank Allocations Oct 44-Apr 45    543
Table 79: Third U.S. Army Tank Allocations Oct 44-Apr 45    543
Table 80: Ninth U.S. Army Tank Allocations Oct 44-Apr 45    543
Table 81: Fifteenth U.S. Army Tank Allocations Jan-Apr 45    543
Table 82: 12th Army Group Tank Allocations Nov 44-Jan 45    544
Table 83: Total Tank Allocations to 12th Army Group Oct 44-Apr 45    544
Table 84: On Hand and Redeployment of ETOUSA Tank Stocks 31 May-31 August 1945.    545
Table 86: Tank Recovery Vehicle Production    557
Table 87: Mechanized and Main Armament Flamethrower Production    572
Table 88: Medium Tank M4-series Remanufactured Production    576
Table 89: Light Tank M5, M5A1, and M3A3 Remanufactured Production    577
Table 90: Medium Tank M3 Allocation to the British Empire as of July 1942    579
Table 91: 21st Army Group Sherman Tank Holdings, 21 January 1945    581
Table 92: Lend-Lease Tank Deliveries to Britain according to Hunnicutt.    582
Table 93: Lend-Lease Tanks Deliveries to the UK according to ASF    583
Table 94: Canadian Tank Situation in Northwest Europe, May and December 1944    585
Table 95: Lend-Lease Tanks Shipped to the USSR    586
Table 96: Lend-Lease Tanks Shipped to the French    588
Table 97: Lend-Lease Tank Shipments by Type and Recipient as Recorded by the War Department    588
Table 98: Estimated Value of Army Ordnance Procurement of Combat Vehicles ($-thousands)    594
Table 99: Armored Division Total Personnel Losses    598
Table 100: U.S. Tank Casualties by Theater and Year as Calculated by ORO    599
Table 101: 5th Echelon Maintenance Awaiting Completion at ETOUSA Depots    600
Table 102: Total Work Orders by First U.S. Army Ordnance Maintenance    600
Table 103: 12th Army Group Tank Losses by Armies    601
Table 104: 12th Army Group Medium Tank Losses    601
Table 105: Armored Division and Tank Battalion Tank Losses    602
Table 106: Mechanized Cavalry Tank and Armored car Losses ETOUSA    604
Table 107: First U.S. Army Tank Loss by Type, 6 June 1944 – 8 May 1945    604
Table 108: First U.S. Army Strength and Losses, June-July 1944    605
Table 109: First French Army Medium Tank Losses    606
Table 110: U.S. Army Tank Losses in North Africa and Sicily    606
Table 111: U.S. Army Tank Losses in the Pacific    607
Table 112: U.S. Marine Corps Tank Losses in the Pacific    608
Table 113: U.S. Army Tank and Armored Vehicle Losses in the European Theater of Operations    609
Table 114: First Army Operational Tanks and Losses    615
Table 115: Third Army Operational Tanks and Losses    618
Table 116: Ninth Army Operational Tanks and Losses    620
Table 117: Fifth Army Tank Losses, Italian Campaign    623

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by RichTO90

[Rick]

Autograph copy possible?

[DogDodger]

Congrats, will be looking forward to it. Feel free to tell the marketing people that one reader prefers your original title, despite the pizazz of the new one.

[RichTO90]

29 minutes ago, DogDodger said:

Congrats, will be looking forward to it. Feel free to tell the marketing people that one reader prefers your original title, despite the pizazz of the new one.

Don't even get me started... 😁

[RichTO90]

38 minutes ago, Rick said:

Autograph copy possible?

Of course, all you will need to do is come to Kitsap and avoid being impressed into the Kitsap County Militia.

 

[PCallahan]

Totally looking forward to this one

[arcweasel]

Of course when I put "American Thunder" into amazon the first hit I get in books is... American Thunder : The Garth Brooks Story

Just preordered it on Amazon (yours, not Garth Brooks). Looking forward to it.

 

[RichTO90]

1 hour ago, arcweasel said:

Of course when I put "American Thunder" into amazon the first hit I get in books is... American Thunder : The Garth Brooks Story

Just preordered it on Amazon (yours, not Garth Brooks). Looking forward to it.

 

Yep! The correct title to order - please - is
https://www.amazon.com/American-Thunder-Design-Development-Doctrine/dp/0811773817/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2ER5O40CCROUX&keywords="american+thunder"&qid=1681839751&s=books&sprefix=american+thunder+%2Cstripbooks%2C138&sr=1-7

[Angrybk]

Just looking at the table of contents, I had no idea about the Happy Valley battle(s) in Tunis, which seemed pretty nuts from my casual Googling (https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/tank-battle-in-happy-valley-1st-armored-division-in-the-run-for-tunis/). I actually had no idea that US Army ever fought a non-trivial battle against French tanks. Would love it if Rich would point out all the flaws in that account.

[RichTO90]

26 minutes ago, Angrybk said:

Just looking at the table of contents, I had no idea about the Happy Valley battle(s) in Tunis, which seemed pretty nuts from my casual Googling (https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/tank-battle-in-happy-valley-1st-armored-division-in-the-run-for-tunis/). I actually had no idea that US Army ever fought a non-trivial battle against French tanks. Would love it if Rich would point out all the flaws in that account.

I generally don't do paywalled articles but if they think there were French tanks engaged by American tanks in Happy Valley they're wrong. That occurred during Torch at Casablanca. Anyway, the core of my chapter is Freeman Daubin's account of the battle in which his M3 Light Tank was knocked out and he was severely wounded.

[Angrybk]

2 hours ago, RichTO90 said:

I generally don't do paywalled articles but if they think there were French tanks engaged by American tanks in Happy Valley they're wrong. That occurred during Torch at Casablanca. Anyway, the core of my chapter is Freeman Daubin's account of the battle in which his M3 Light Tank was knocked out and he was severely wounded.

Wasn’t paywalled for me at all (and again I was just googling, not vouching for the article or anything). Article describes the M3s knocking out 14 French R35 lights. It does mention Daubin. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Angrybk

[RichTO90]

I believe you but for whatever reason they want $2 from me to read the article. If  the article says that American M3 Light Tanks engaged and knocked out 14 R35 tanks in Happy Valley I'm not reading it, because its bullshit. The French R35 were encountered during Torch in November, not Happy Valley in December.

[RichTO90]

A little more info.

The structure of Part One juxtaposes a chapter on Organization, Doctrinal Development, and Development and Production with a following chapter on the actual experience, usually from someone that was there, writing at the time. So Chapter 8: First Blood in the Pacific, is Thomas Dooley's account of the First Provisional Tank Brigade in the Philippines.

However, Chapter 16 and 17 are slightly different.

Chapter 16 looks at the last year of armored operations in Europe and includes a firsthand account by Kenneth Peters of the 5th Armd Div experience in the Hürtgen, a compendium of experience reports from the Ordnance officers of the 12th Army Group Armored Section, and a detailed account of the "Duel at Cologne Cathedral". For the last I was lucky enough to have the leading experts on that action, Danny Fong and Dierk Lürbke, read and corrected my account. I think it is possibly the most accurate account of that fight out there.

Chapter 17 looks exclusively at the armored experience in the Pacific, with a short account of Army and Marine developments including a compendium of the various island battles but I also take a detailed look at the experience of Company C. I Corps Medium Tank Battalion USMC on Tarawa. Again, I was lucky enough to enjoy the support of some of the most knowledgeable historians on the subject, Ken Estes and Romain Cansiere.

[RETAC21]

Just make sure to start the customer review with "This is a brief overview of..."

[RichTO90]

3 hours ago, RETAC21 said:

Just make sure to start the customer review with "This is a brief overview of..."

🤣

Yeah, I had to cut out all the juicy stuff on the Tank Destroyers to reduce it by 100 pages so they would accept it. That with some other stuff may end up as a separate Tank Destroyer title.

[Tim the Tank Nut]

i liked the old title.  I don't like the new title.  Having said that I realize that the book needs to be sold outside of the tanknet community in addition to the posters here.  It's possible that the new title makes more sense from a selling it point of view.

Surely there was a better word than "thunder" to use in the marketing title.

 

At least it is coming and for that I am greatly happy.  Much congratulations on breaking the logjam. 

the dude from Animal House: "This is going to be great!!"

[RichTO90]

12 minutes ago, Tim the Tank Nut said:

i liked the old title.  I don't like the new title.  Having said that I realize that the book needs to be sold outside of the tanknet community in addition to the posters here.  It's possible that the new title makes more sense from a selling it point of view.

Surely there was a better word than "thunder" to use in the marketing title.

 

At least it is coming and for that I am greatly happy.  Much congratulations on breaking the logjam. 

the dude from Animal House: "This is going to be great!!"

So did I. Probably didn't have enough pizazz. Now if you search American Thunder on Amazon you get toilet flush valves...

[Rick]

14 hours ago, RETAC21 said:

Just make sure to start the customer review with "This is a brief overview of..."

Well, first thing in the morning and hot, black coffee almost goes through the nostrils. Nothing like good humor with your coffee.

[RichTO90]

Update - moving to production. Currently at c. 592 pages, 118 tables, and 396 photos and figures. Still slated for a release on the 79th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge.

[PCallahan]

Hopefully it arrives in time for reading during my Christmas ski trip!

[Andreas]

Amazon says delivery in January 2024?

Congrats Rich, again!

All the best

Andreas

[RichTO90]

43 minutes ago, Andreas said:

Amazon says delivery in January 2024?

Congrats Rich, again!

All the best

Andreas

Yes, sadly they've moved it back a month.