By all accounts, the M4 Sherman medium tank was regarded as the workhorse of the US Army during World War II. In fact, virtually all of the Allied armies employed the Sherman in their armed forces, including the British, who developed an upgunned variant called the "Firefly". Eleven different US plants manufactured six basic models of the Sherman, and by June 1944 over 49,234 battle-ready vehicles had been produced. While it was no match for the German Panther or Tiger tanks, the Sherman soldiered on, using its weight in numbers to wrest control of Europe from the Wehrmacht.

The M4A3 (76mm) was a highly improved variant of the Sherman with production numbers of 1,400. Built by Detroit Arsenal and Grand Blanc, the M4A3 (76mm) had improved armor protection, as well as greater firepower, thanks to its' high velocity 76mm main gun.

This particular 1:43 scale replica of an US M4A3 Sherman medium tank armed with a 76mm gun that was nicknamed "Julia" and attached to the 761st Tank Battalion "Black Panthers", then deployed to Germany during March 1945. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-1/2-inches
Width: 2-inches

Release Date: August 2022

Historical Account: "Come out Fighting" - The 761st Tank Battalion was a separate tank battalion of the United States Army during World War II. The 761st was made up primarily of African-American soldiers, who by War Department policy were not permitted to serve alongside white troops; the U.S. military did not officially desegregate until after World War II. The 761st were known as the "Black Panthers" after their unit's distinctive insignia; their motto was "Come out fighting". The battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. In addition, a large number of individual members also received medals, including one Medal of Honor, 11 Silver Stars and about 300 Purple Hearts.

The battalion first saw combat on November 7th, 1944, fighting through towns such as Moyenvic, Vic-sur-Seille, often at the leading edge of the advance. The fighting that 761st engaged in at Morville-les-Vic was particularly brutal. The unit endured 183 days of continuous operational employment.

The 761st Tank Battalion suffered 156 casualties in November 1944; 24 men killed, 81 wounded, and 44 non-battle losses. The unit also lost 14 tanks evacuated and another 20 damaged in combat. In December, the battalion was rushed to the aid of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne. As part of the effort to drive the Germans from the vicinity of Bastogne, the battalion fought to capture the municipality of Tillet, less than 15 km west of the town, in early January 1945. Supporting the elements of the 87th Infantry Division with just 11 tanks, the battalion took control of the city from the 113th Panzer Brigade through two days of combat, losing nine tanks in the process.

After the Battle of the Bulge, the unit opened the way for the U.S. 4th Armored Division into Germany during an action that breached the Siegfried Line. The 761st smashed through dozens of German cities and towns in their rapid advance through the Reich. In the final days of the war in Europe, the 761st was one of the first American units to reach Steyr, Austria, at the Enns River, where they met with the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Soviet Red Army. On May 4th, 1945, the 761st, along with the 71st Infantry Division, liberated the Gunskirchen concentration camp; the German guards had fled not long before.

The 761st was deactivated on June 1st, 1946, in Germany. They have been called "one of the most effective tank battalions in World War II." In all, the battalion earned about 300 Purple Hearts.