±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 357
Total: 357
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Home
03: Home
04: Home
05: Photo Gallery
06: Community Forums
07: Community Forums
08: Home
09: Home
10: Member Screenshots
11: Community Forums
12: Home
13: Photo Gallery
14: Community Forums
15: Member Screenshots
16: Community Forums
17: Home
18: Home
19: Community Forums
20: Photo Gallery
21: Community Forums
22: Community Forums
23: Community Forums
24: Community Forums
25: Home
26: Community Forums
27: Photo Gallery
28: Community Forums
29: Member Screenshots
30: Photo Gallery
31: Home
32: Photo Gallery
33: Community Forums
34: Community Forums
35: Downloads
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Home
39: Home
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Home
43: Community Forums
44: Community Forums
45: Community Forums
46: Home
47: Member Screenshots
48: Member Screenshots
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Member Screenshots
52: Downloads
53: Community Forums
54: News
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Member Screenshots
58: Community Forums
59: Statistics
60: Community Forums
61: Member Screenshots
62: Member Screenshots
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Downloads
66: Home
67: Community Forums
68: Home
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Member Screenshots
72: Community Forums
73: Photo Gallery
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Photo Gallery
79: Community Forums
80: Community Forums
81: Home
82: Member Screenshots
83: Community Forums
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Home
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Photo Gallery
94: News Archive
95: Community Forums
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Member Screenshots
100: Member Screenshots
101: Home
102: Community Forums
103: Downloads
104: Home
105: Home
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Home
109: Home
110: Member Screenshots
111: Community Forums
112: Photo Gallery
113: Downloads
114: Photo Gallery
115: Statistics
116: Member Screenshots
117: Community Forums
118: Downloads
119: Home
120: Member Screenshots
121: Downloads
122: Community Forums
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Home
127: Community Forums
128: Community Forums
129: Community Forums
130: Community Forums
131: Member Screenshots
132: Member Screenshots
133: Community Forums
134: Community Forums
135: Community Forums
136: Community Forums
137: Community Forums
138: Community Forums
139: Photo Gallery
140: Community Forums
141: Home
142: Community Forums
143: Photo Gallery
144: Community Forums
145: Member Screenshots
146: Home
147: Community Forums
148: Community Forums
149: Community Forums
150: Community Forums
151: Member Screenshots
152: Member Screenshots
153: Community Forums
154: Your Account
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Member Screenshots
158: Photo Gallery
159: Home
160: Community Forums
161: Downloads
162: Community Forums
163: Home
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Community Forums
167: Community Forums
168: Member Screenshots
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Home
172: Community Forums
173: Photo Gallery
174: Community Forums
175: Your Account
176: Community Forums
177: Community Forums
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Home
182: Community Forums
183: Member Screenshots
184: Home
185: Photo Gallery
186: Community Forums
187: Home
188: Community Forums
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Home
192: Community Forums
193: Member Screenshots
194: Photo Gallery
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: Member Screenshots
198: Home
199: Community Forums
200: Home
201: Community Forums
202: Photo Gallery
203: Photo Gallery
204: Photo Gallery
205: Community Forums
206: Community Forums
207: Your Account
208: Community Forums
209: Photo Gallery
210: Community Forums
211: Member Screenshots
212: Photo Gallery
213: Your Account
214: Member Screenshots
215: Community Forums
216: Community Forums
217: Community Forums
218: Home
219: Downloads
220: Community Forums
221: Member Screenshots
222: News Archive
223: Downloads
224: Member Screenshots
225: Community Forums
226: Community Forums
227: Home
228: Community Forums
229: Community Forums
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Home
233: Community Forums
234: Community Forums
235: Photo Gallery
236: Community Forums
237: News
238: Community Forums
239: Home
240: Community Forums
241: Member Screenshots
242: Downloads
243: Home
244: Community Forums
245: Photo Gallery
246: Community Forums
247: Community Forums
248: Your Account
249: Photo Gallery
250: Community Forums
251: News Archive
252: Home
253: Member Screenshots
254: Community Forums
255: Member Screenshots
256: Community Forums
257: Community Forums
258: Community Forums
259: Downloads
260: Community Forums
261: Photo Gallery
262: LinkToUs
263: Home
264: Community Forums
265: Member Screenshots
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Community Forums
269: Community Forums
270: Home
271: Home
272: Your Account
273: Community Forums
274: Community Forums
275: Photo Gallery
276: Member Screenshots
277: Home
278: Home
279: Home
280: Photo Gallery
281: Community Forums
282: Community Forums
283: Community Forums
284: Community Forums
285: Photo Gallery
286: News
287: Community Forums
288: Home
289: Home
290: Home
291: Member Screenshots
292: Community Forums
293: Home
294: Your Account
295: News
296: Home
297: Downloads
298: Community Forums
299: Community Forums
300: Downloads
301: Photo Gallery
302: Community Forums
303: Community Forums
304: Community Forums
305: Home
306: Community Forums
307: Community Forums
308: Your Account
309: Photo Gallery
310: Home
311: Community Forums
312: Your Account
313: Community Forums
314: Community Forums
315: Community Forums
316: Photo Gallery
317: Home
318: Member Screenshots
319: News Archive
320: Community Forums
321: Photo Gallery
322: Photo Gallery
323: Home
324: Member Screenshots
325: Community Forums
326: Community Forums
327: Home
328: Community Forums
329: Community Forums
330: Community Forums
331: Community Forums
332: Photo Gallery
333: Community Forums
334: Member Screenshots
335: Community Forums
336: Community Forums
337: News
338: Photo Gallery
339: Downloads
340: Home
341: Community Forums
342: Community Forums
343: Community Forums
344: Member Screenshots
345: Home
346: Your Account
347: Community Forums
348: Community Forums
349: Home
350: Community Forums
351: Photo Gallery
352: Downloads
353: Community Forums
354: Home
355: Home
356: Community Forums
357: Downloads

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Geoff_walden
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 133

PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:43 pm
Post subject: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

This ID has long been suspected or even known in the AFV community, but the Army has confirmed it:

www.stripes.com/articl...icle=59651

Vilseck tank confirmed as ‘Cobra King’
By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, December 27, 2008

A World War II-era M4 Sherman tank on display at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany has been confirmed to be the “Cobra King,” the first tank to reach besieged American troops defending Bastogne from the Germans’ counterattack during the Battle of the Bulge.

U.S. Army Europe officials announced the discovery Friday in a news release timed to coincide with the Dec. 26, 1944, anniversary of the Company C, 37th Tank Battalion’s famous arrival in Bastogne.

The tank was identified by matching serial and registration numbers, a project worked jointly by historians with U.S. Army Europe and the U.S. Army’s Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor in Ft. Knox, Ky.

Officially designated as an M4A3E2 Assault Tank, the Sherman “Jumbo” was built in mid-1944 at the Detroit Tank Arsenal. Only 254 of the tanks were built. Because of the short run, and because they were on a built-up hull, all 254 tanks were issued serial numbers in sequential order, according to Army officials.

When U.S. Army registration numbers were assigned to the vehicles, they too were issued in sequential order, allowing historians to confirm a direct match with the two sets of numbers, according to the Army release.

Some photographs of the antiquated tank can be found online.

In what appears to be an old black and white photo from World War II posted on the photo-sharing Web site Flickr, the tank is marked with large letters “First in Bastogne,” under which the smaller words “Cobra King” are legible.

The five men in the photo aren’t identified.

According to the Army’s release, “Cobra King” was under the command of 1st Lt. Charles P. Boggess, commander of Company C, 37th Tank Battalion.

Other crew members were Pvt. Hubert S. Smith, driver; Cpl. Milton Dickerman, gunner; Pvt. Harold Hafner, bow machine gunner; and loader Pvt. James G. Murphy.

“We have not yet determined if any of these men still survive …” Army officials said in the release.

Army historians recognize the “Cobra King” as a significant piece of World War II history for its role in the Battle of the Bugle, the powerful German counterattack in December 1944 in Belgium’s Ardennes forest. In a last-ditch effort, Hitler unsuccessfully tried to divide Allied forces in an attempt to bring about a negotiated peace in Germany’s favor.

In his 1946 narrative “Bastogne: The First Eight Days,” then-Col. S.L.A. Marshall wrote: “ …at 1650 First Lieutenant Charles P. Boggess, commanding officer of Company C, 37th Tank Battalion, drove the first vehicle from the 4th Armored Division to within the lines of the 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion, 101st Division, of the Bastogne forces. This was the beginning. The German encirclement was now finally broken, though some days would pass before the American lines to the south were again firm and several weeks of fighting would ensue before the siege of Bastogne was finally lifted.”

The tank is expected to go on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Army, scheduled to open in 2013 outside of Washington, D.C.
Back to top
View user's profile
TrevorLarkum
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 1596
Location: Northampton, England
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:13 pm
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

Very interesting. That photo sounds like this one:

www.strijdbewijs.nl/ar...n/bas3.htm

_________________
Trevor

Dr Trevor Larkum
Preserved Tanks: PreservedTanks.com
Armour Archive: ArmourArchive.co.uk
EVs
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
ChrisC
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 26, 2006
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:04 pm
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

I remember climbing on that tank as a kid in Vilseck, it was just a short walk from where my dad's office was.
If i'd only known the history then... I was too busy trying to find a way inside to poke around
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:16 pm
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

- ChrisC
I remember climbing on that tank as a kid in Vilseck, it was just a short walk from where my dad's office was.
If i'd only known the history then... I was too busy trying to find a way inside to poke around


Just think about having collected THAT data plate,....!!

Growing up overseas, I always was interested in locating data plates. I actually 'liberated' a few, but those were from display vehicles during 'open house' displays. As I remember there were a couple US M60's, a French AMX 30, German Leo 1, and A British Chieftain(?) Never did 'score' any old vehicles.


In case anyone was in Kaiserslautern in 1973-76, during any of the 'GAFF' (German, American, French Friendship) Week celebrations....I was 'THAT KID' who would collect berets of unsuspecting crew members. (The statute of limitations has expired so I can live without guilt on that.... Cool ) Mr. Green


Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
the_shadock
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: May 27, 2006
Posts: 2865
Location: Normandy, France
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:11 pm
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

do you think it should be restored back with a 75mm gun, as it was in Bastogne? Or should it be left with its more recent 76mm ?

P-O

_________________
soldat_ryan @ hotmail.com

Looking for photos of Sherman manufacturer's plates
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:25 pm
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

- the_shadock
do you think it should be restored back with a 75mm gun, as it was in Bastogne? Or should it be left with its more recent 76mm ?

P-O


Interesting. It would depend on whomever gets the 'nod' to do the work, and 'guidance' from the 'powers that be'.

I would hope that it gets 'dedicated funding' in the near-term and perhaps sent to 'someplace' that has facilities and personnel available to do the work. As well as being kept in the publics awareness. (hmmmmm, now wher might that be??)

This is one of those 'once in a lifetime' projects that I would love to be part of. (Just a personal thought)

Hopefully not to be stuck away for several years, only to be 'forgotten'. Too much 'history' has gone the way of obscurity and rust.

JMHO
Regards
Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
tanker2010
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Aug 20, 2006
Posts: 264
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:11 am
Post subject: Re: Vilseck Sherman Confirmed as "Cobra King"

Another take on the story:

www.network54.com/Foru...ra+king%27
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum