Best Tanks Aces.

Info on Wittman is pretty easy to find, so just the basics + a link here...

Michael Wittman - 138 Kills (sS.S.PzAbt. 101 Liebstandarte)-Tiger I

"In sSSPzAbt 101, Wittmann (Tiger #1331) served with other Tiger Aces like: Franz Staudegger (Tiger#1325), Helmut Wendorff (Tiger #1321) and Jürgen Brandt (Tiger #1334)"

Born: 22 April 1914 in Vogelthal/Oberplatz.
* Combat Service:
- Poland (1939),
- Balkans (1940/41),
- Eastern Front (1941-1944),
- Normandy (1944).
* Awards:
- Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class (EK II and EK I),
- Knights Cross (Ritterkreuz),
- Oakleaves to the Knights Cross (Eichenlaub),
- Swords to the Knights Cross (Schwerter).
* Total victories (kills):
- 141 tanks,
- 132 antitank guns.
* Most of this score was tailed on the Eastern Front.
* Died: Killed in action on August 8, 1944, around Cintheaux Gaumesnil near Caen, France.
* Buriede La Cambe, France - German Military Cemetery.

from http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen3.htm

 

A grain of salt in reference to some of the above info. In looking into some of these aces a bit more, I've found that http://www.panzerv-panther.fsnet.co.uk/aces.html seems NOT to be a very reliable source for info.

And further on the "reliable info" front, it seems that there is definetely some varying information out there about Otto Carius. Seems many think his kill claims are exaggerated...

Also in relation to this thread- book recommendation- "Tank Aces" by Franz Kurowski. DOn't have the ISBN and info with me at work. But I found this one this weekend in paperback. Great buy ($6 or so) for anyone interested in armored combat. Haven't read it yet, but I've heard nothing but good about it.

 

Some Tank destroyer aces...

Probably the most successful engagement involving Sturmgeschutz III Ausf F took place in Stalingrad in early September of 1942. Stug III Ausf F from Stug.Abt.244, commanded by Oberwachtmeister Kurt Pfreundtner destroyed 9 Soviet tanks in 20 minutes. On September 18th of 1942, Oberwachtmeister Kurt Pfreundtner received the Knights Cross for this achievement.

Another Sturmgeschutz ace was the Knights Cross holder Wachtmeister Kurt Kirchner from Stug.Abt.667, who destroyed 30 Soviet tanks during few days in February of 1942 during fighting in Northern Russia.

Hauptmann Peter Franz also the Knights Cross holder and the commander of Stug.Abt. "Grossdeutschland" destroyed some 43 Soviet T-34/76 tanks during the Battle for Borissovka on March 14th of 1943.

In the middle of July of 1941, Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Jaenicke (Stug number 25), commander of Stug platoon destroyed 12 Soviet BT-2 tanks along with tractors and other equipment loaded on rail platforms.

Between 1st and 4th of January of 1943, Unteroffizier Horst Naumann from Stug.Abt.184 destroyed 12 Soviet tanks during heavy fighting in the Demyansk area. On January 4th, Naumann was awarded with Knight's Cross for destruction of total of 27 enemy tanks.

The most notable of all Stug aces were von Malachowski, Franz and especially Knight's Cross holder Oberwachtmeister Hugo Primozic of Stug.Abt.667.

Hauptmann Peter Frantz was born on 24 July 1917 in Leipzig-Schleußig. He won the Knight’s Cross on 4 June 1942 and as the 228th Soldat of the German Wehrmacht the Oakleaves on 14 April 1943. He was commander of the commander of Surmgeschütz Abteilung Großdeutschland.


The most notable Waffen SS Stug ace was SS-Sturmbannfuehrer Walter Kniep, who commanded the 2nd Sturmgeschuetz Abteilung of 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich". From July 5th of 1943 to January 17th of 1944, his unit claimed destruction of some 129 Soviet tanks, while losing two Stugs. Kniep was then awarded the Knight's Cross.

JgdPanzer IV-
The most notable Jagdpanzer IV ace was Knight's Cross holder SS-Oberscharfuehrer Roy from the 12th SS Panzerjaeger Abteilung of 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend". He accounted for 36 tank kills with his Jagdpanzer IV, since the D-Day only to be killed by an American sniper, while looking out the cupola on December 17th of 1944, during the Ardennes Offensive.

Nashorn-
The most notable Nashorn ace was platoon commander of 1st company of sPzJagAbt 519, Junior Lieutenant Albert Ernst. He later commanded the 1st company of sPzJagAbt 512 (equipped with Jagdtigers). On December 23rd of 1943, he destroyed some 14 Soviet tanks in a single day using only 21 round of ammunition. The engagement took place near Vitebsk and Albert Ernst received a nickname "Tiger of Vitebsk". In December of 1943, Ernst destroyed total of 19 enemy tanks and on January 22nd of 1944, he was awarded the Knight's Cross.

all from achtungpanzer.com

 

Aaaaaaaaaaah, the StuG has been vindicated. Do not discount the value of the StuG. They can knock any tanks just as good as any jagdpanzer.

 

I have an older figure from the 1970's that states the Stug's were responsible for knocking out over 10,000 soviet tanks alone !

whoa !

E

 

PzJgr- damn right. The ONLY area where I would prefer later TDs would be firepower. The StuG simply wasn't a large enough chassis to take the 75mmL/71 gun or an 88 (as in JagdPanther).
But- the StuG was cheap, reliable, durable and like you said, could engage most any enemy tank.
Along these lines... Erich, that statistic would not suprise me at all!
In fact, let's see- wasn't the StuG in longer continuous service than any german AFV besides the PZ IV? StuG III variants served and were produced throughout the war... hence I would not be suprised if the StuG series destroyed more enemy tanks than any other vehicle.

Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have time to put together this whole "armor aces" list, along with the bio info... clean things up a bit and consolidate.

Then I can actually get into proving/disproving accuracy of some of the info!

(Again, anyone who has info on any of these aces, please post if you can! I'd like to get as much info as possible on these aces...)

 

C :

I'm trying to get the SS Pz Jagd Abt. 561 info translated and commanded by ace Jakob Lobmeyer. Equipped with the feisty little Hetzer these little quick machines would dance around the bigger T-34's and the JS II's. Keeping well hidden in the trees and brush and then come out and hit the Soviets in the flank and in the butt.
The stug's and hetzers besides having the renowned 75mm gun had a very low profile so concealment was pretty easy

E

 

Nice... no need to rush any translations though. I bet (and hope!) this thread will be updated with much information- kind of an ongoing project. So take your time!

Of course, I would love to get more info especially on any of the Tank Destroyer aces. Bit more interesting than tanks IMO.
One thing I haven't seen any mention of- I wonder if there were any aces who got most of their kills using an Elephant or Ferdinand?


Wonder if Friedrich has noticed all the info that has turned up on this?!

 

Emil Seibold

A pic of him:

http://www.forces70.freeserve.co.uk/Waffen%20SS%20Text+Images/kcholders/seibold.htm


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http://www.jjfpub.mb.ca/soldiers.htm

140.Emil Seibold was born in Switzerland, but his Hitler Jugend merit badge seen in other photos helps establish that he was German.

---------

http://www.dasreich.ca/hungary.html

On the 9th March 1945, DR panzers reinforced by III (gep.) "Der Fuehrer" overran Hill 159. On the 12th, fierce combat raged in the Kulso, Puskop, and Myr areas. Hscha. Emil Seibold in Pz.IV #831 scored his 65th kill that day.

--------

One of the men decorated for bravery in the Lutchessa Valley fighting was Oberleutnant Peter Frantz, who became the second GD soldier to be awarded the Knight's Cross in Russia. During the defensive battles around Tula in December, the 16th Company (Stug III assault guns) under his command destroyed 15 enemy tanks in one day and 46 overall. Frantz received his award the following June, and was further rewarded with the Oakleaves in 1943, still serving as an assault artillery commander with GD, holding the rank of Hauptmann.

http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm

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Franz Bake

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/wwii/books/panzertruppen/web_gallery/pages/color_009.htm

 

Pic of Knispel - http://www.lg-c.dk/uploads/knis01.jpg

 

As I was checking Emil Seibold data I found this:

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http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=27708

Seibold is cancelled as KC-holder by Veit Scherzer in his new book.
It was a so-called "Dietrich"-award, then and now an illegal bestowal.
The OdR decided in 1982. "RK ja!, 6.5.1945".
The date is the same as the "announcement" by the 6. SS-Panzerarmee.
No proof in the Bundesarchiv in any form.

-------

06.05.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Hauptscharführer and Zugfhr. in 8.Kompanie / SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 / 2.SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich” / 6.SS-Panzer-Armee, Southeastern Front (awarded in honor of his 65th enemy tank kill, which occurred on 12.03.1945. He ended the war as “Das Reich’s” highest scorer with 69 kills)(one of several awards made by “Sepp” Dietrich on that date, which, in light of new research by Veit Scherzer, were technically invalid as they were not authorized by the SS-Personalhauptamt or Heerespersonalamt)

--------

Allegedly Sepp Dietrich was allowed to bestow himself by a privilege given by the Führer in May 1944.
But Dietrich never made use of this separate treatment before, even if existing.
Dietrich told the "story" for the first time in a letter (from 08.08.1961) to von Seemen
(and for the first time these facts were published in the second edition of von Seemen' s book in 1976, ten years after von Seemen' s death !).
Nobody has ever seen the alleged affidavit of Dietrich concerning this topic.
So the so called "Dietrich-Verleihungen" are all illegal (4 swords, 4 oakleaves, 16 KC, 15 German Croo in Gold, 7 German Cross in Silver).
Also a special authorization given by Großadmiral Dönitz doesn' t ever exist for Dietrich.

Finally the bestowals of Dietrich were at that time illegal and they are illegal today too. They were done de facto, but de iure ( based on law ) they are for nothing.

 

I had never heard of this Dietrich business, awarding KC, Oakleaves, Swords and Fried Eggs by himself. Crazy :eh:

 

Very nice to see Lafayette Pool remembered here. He's a very interesting character.

I've studied many of the German aces who it must be remembered fought early against less than skilled opponents, and sometimes for years. Pool fought skilled German crews in better equipment and only for a few months.

Here is an article about him.


"THE FORGOTTEN TANK ACE"
"Staff Sergeant Latayette G. Pool, an Ameican to Remember"
[SIZE=-1]By Dean and Nan Kleffman[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
Published in March, 1998 issue of
Journal of Military Ordnance[/SIZE]


This story is about a tank commander who destroyed 258 enemy vehicles, but he never was awarded the Knights Cross. He was never presented to Hitler, he never wore a fancy black uniform with death heads and S.S. runes, and he never commanded a Panther or a Tiger. The reason? He was an American G.I., and he set the above record in a Sherman tank! Contrary to popular belief, other countries besides Germany were capable of producing tank aces too.
Staff Sergeant Lafayette G. Pool was typical of some of the fine tankers produced by the U.S. Army during World War II. Pool was born on July 23,1919, on a farm in Odem, Texas. He graduated from high school in Taft, Texas in 1938. Pool tried to enlist in the Navy. He was turned down due to an eye injury, although his twin brother was accepted. He then enrolled in an all boys Catholic Academy where he graduated as class valedictorian. Afterwards, he enrolled in Texas, A and I College, as an engineering major.
He quit to enlist in the Army on June 13, 1941. He took basic training at San Antonio, Texas, and then was sent to Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, to the newly forming Third Armored Division. Pool joined the Third Battalion, 32nd Armored Regt, when the division was reorganized in January of 1942. He took time out from training to get married to Evelyn Wright in December of 1942.
Pool had been a boxer in college and he joined the divisions golden gloves team. He became regional champ in his weight class and was to go to the national meet in Chicago, Illinois in the spring of 1942. He turned down the opportunity because the division had gotten a shipment of new M-4 Sherman Tanks and Pool wanted to start training with his men on the M-4 immediately.
Pool was a tall, lanky 6'3" Texan, who drove his men and himself and trained them rigorously. He always wanted things done right and would not tolerate slipshod methods, whether in maintenance, gunnery, or driving. He demanded the best out of his men and got it.
The 3rd Bn, 32nd Armor moved to the Desert Training Center near Victorville, California, followed by final training at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
Before sailing for England in September, 1943, Pool was promoted to Staff Sergeant in Company I. He was also given the opportunity to go to OCS, but he turned it down as he later was to turn down a battlefield commission stating "I just want to have one of the best tank crews in the division."
His crew consisted of driver, Wilbert "Baby" Richards, one of the best drivers in the ETO according to Pool; Bert "Schoolboy" Close who was just seventeen years old and was his the bow gunner. Given the choice of prison on a manslaughter rap or the Army, Del "jailbird" Boggs elected to be Pool's loader. Willis "Groundhog" Oiler was the gunner. Pool said of Oiler, "He could shoot the eyebrows off a gnat at 1500 yards." He was very quick and alert. One time near Origny in France, it was getting dark when the order came down to halt and coil up for the night. Pool opened his mouth to say "Driver Halt," but found himself looking down the barrel of a German 88mm in the gloom ahead. He said "Gunner, Fire!" and Oiler, without hesitation, holed the enemy gun before its crew could recognize the Sherman Tank.
While in England, Pool did some more boxing. In Liverpool in early 1944 he boxed against Joe Louis. It was meant to be an exhibition bout, but Pool got a little to enthusiastic and rapped Louis a few good ones. Louis put his arm around Pool and said, "White man, I'm going to teach you a big lesson. "He then proceeded to give Pool a good going over, although there was no knockout.
Pool was what we would call today a "hard charger." He was also inclined to have things his own way. He believed that the quickest way home was to smash the German Army to pieces, and he believed that he was the guy with the crew and the tank that could do it. He made friends easily and also made enemies. He had a quick temper and was not above ignoring orders when they didn't suit him.
Pool landed at Normandy in June, 1944. His battalion fought its first engagement on June 29, 1944 near Villier-Fossard, northeast of St. Lo.
The loss of Pool's first tank "In the Mood," (all succeeding tanks were named "In the Mood!") was to a Panzerfaust at the village of Les Forges not far from the beachhead. Pool's crew survived and got a new Sherman, and pushed on undauntedly against the panzers.
Falaise Gap on August 7,1944, was the big battle and Pool was, as usual, right up front. As the 3rd Armored Division was near to closing the ring with the British forces around the Germans, Lt. Col. Walter B. Richardson, commanding task force Y of CCA. 32nd Armored heard Pool say over the radio "Ain't got the heart to kill um," meaning the Germans. The rattle of machine gun fire came over the radio followed by Pool's Texas drawl "Watch the bastards run, - give it to 'em Close."
At Fromentel, Pool's tank headed the task force Y column as usual which closed the gap. During the closing, Pool's second tank was destroyed by enemy bombers, which only made Pool more mad at the Germans. Again the crew survived intact. At Colombrier, France, Pool's tank leading the column almost collided with a Panther. The Panther fired twice and missed. Oiler, the gunner, fired a single shot which penetrated the turret and internal explosions blew the turret clean off the hull of the Panther.
At Namur, Belgium, "In the Mood's" crew destroyed sixteen enemy vehicles, including assault guns, self-propelled anti-tank guns, plus several armored personnel carriers in one day. At Dison, Belgium, Pool distinguished himself while acting as a platoon leader. He decided to use his own tank to clean out an annoying pocket of resistance on the left flank of the route they were traveling. After finding and destroying six armored personnel carriers Pool discovered that the head of his column had been fired upon by a German Panther. Quickly he ordered his driver to regain the column. Upon arriving upon the scene of the action he spotted the enemy tank, gave a single estimated range to Oiler. The gunner fired an A.P. projectile at 1,500 yards to destroy the Panther.
The column then moved on with Pool again in his customary place in the lead. Although Pool had two tanks knocked out from under him, he had nerves of steel. His crew drew added confidence from his bearing and as a result they moved as a single unit, like clockwork. Pool's one problem was that he was claustrophobic and preferred to remain, as much as possible, on the outside of his tank. Col. Richardson said that Pool rode his tank like a "bucking bronco." He was always exposed in the turret or on top of it. His driver, Richards, shared his commander's condition in that he always drove with his overhead hatch open, having been trapped once with a jammed hatch. Corporal Richards said "Pool hated the Germans and thought he could lick them all. The men would draw straws to see who would lead the spearhead the next day. Pool would just say, 'Ah'm leading this time,' and stand there grinning while we cussed him out."
Pool's luck ran out at the town of Munsterbusch, south of Aachen, Germany, on September 19, 1944, while leading the breakthrough through the Westwall. The crew was due to rotate home in a few days for a war bond tour. "In the Mood" was not leading this time but was a flank guard for the task force that day. Pool spotted a heavy anti-tank gun hidden in a house. They had a substitute loader that day as Boggs was sent back for a hearing check-up prior to their rotating to the states. The new guy shoved a round in the breech of the 76mm gun and jammed it.
Unable to fire Pool yelled "Back up baby!" as the first shell hit the turret blowing Pool off the tank onto the ground. He landed running and his right leg folded like an accordion. He quickly gave himself a morphine injection, sat down and tried to cut his shattered leg off with his pocket knife. Meanwhile, a second shell hit the tank well forward as Richards backed the tank up slowly. To Richards, Oiler, the loader and Close, there was only the bell sound of the hit, the stench of powder and shower of sparks. Richards didn't know that Pool had been thrown clear of the turret and kept on backing up. Col. Richardson saw "In the Mood" slowly reach a cut bank and, as if in slow motion, topple over, almost upside down.
Oiler felt the blood on his legs and knew that he had been wounded. The others were unhurt and all four crawled out of the overturned tank.
Col. Richardson came up to Pool and gave him another shot of morphine. Aid men then reached Pool who was bleeding badly from the splinter wound. They gave him a third shot of morphine. Two of them quickly attended to Oiler. Pool cursed the Germans bitterly as the aid men bandaged his wound. As they put him on the litter he twisted suddenly and said, "Somebody take care of my tank."

The war was over for Lafayette G. Pool. He knew that he and his crew could beat the Germans. He proved it so often that his record is almost an unbelievable document of total victory. The amazing score compiled by the Texan and his crew is fully authenticated by the Third Armored Division. Pool was twice nominated for the Medal of Honor. The first time the papers were lost, the second time it was turned down as the higher-ups felt that it was a crew, not an individual effort. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, French Croix de Guerre, with Bronze Star, Belgium Fourragere, and Order of St. George Medal.
Pool's career was far from over though, but first he had an ordeal that he had to go through with his wounded right leg. After three shots of morphine he awoke nineteen days later in a hospital in Belgium. Due to rain and exposure, he contracted double pneumonia. He did not get back to the states until January, 1945. When he was wounded he weighed 196 pounds and when he returned to the United States he weighed 85 pounds! The bone in his leg from the knee to the ankle was gone but his toenail would still grow, so doctors hesitated to amputate. Later they amputated it eight inches above the knee at Temple, Texas Army Hospital. He was discharged in June of 1946, and went home with an artificial leg, later to farm and run a gas station. In 1948 he was called back to active duty along with seven other amputees because of their technical skills as specialists.
He returned as a staff sergeant and taught tank mechanics as a master mechanic. After a promotion to Warrant Officer in 1952, he worked as an ordnance inspector. He was classified as "Z.I." (no duty out of zone of interior).
While at Fort Knox, he was offered the job as technical advisor for the movie "The Tanks are Coming" (released in 1951). He refused, and decided to sue Warner Brothers for one million dollars. He was under contract to Universal Studios for his life story and he felt that Warner Brothers plagiarized his script. The judge ruled that Warner Brothers had changed the names and scenario in their version enough that it was not an infringement. Pool thought that actor Steve Cochran, in the Warner Brothers version, did do a good portrayal of himself, although the name in this movie was changed to "Sgt. Sullivan."
Pool retired from the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer Second Class, at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas on September 19,1960. Afterwards he went to business college, followed by a job as a preacher for $25.00 a week. He also coached little league.
In 1986, while living quietly in Taft, Texas, he was contacted by 3-32 Armor members who were doing research on the unit history. He was invited to visit them at Ft. Hood. He was very surprised to find out that they remembered him. The first thing that he did when he got to Ft. Hood was go for a ride in an M1 tank. Afterwards, Pool told the young 3-32 tankers gathered around him some of the differences between being a tanker in WWII and being one today. "The most important thing for a tank commander to do is to keep his crew alive. The tank crews today have the technology to do what we had to do with our eyes and ears," Pool said. "We did very little fighting at night." He added, "I only fought once at night and I never wanted to do it again. Today you have the thermal sighting capability that we didn't have."
On his third visit to the post, he watched the tanks live fire on the range. "Colonel, if we had the equipment back then that you have now, we would have cleaned up," he told the commander of the 3-32nd Armor. The colonel said of Pool, "I want him to talk to the soldiers. He tells them the same kinds of things that I try to teach them, but coming from him it's special because he's lived it."
Later Pool was the honored guest speaker at the battalion NCO ball. Three hundred and twenty-five NCO's attended. Lafayette was adopted by the 3-32 Armor and he, in turn, adopted them, referring to them as "His boys."
Desert Storm found the 3-32 Armor in the thick of battle against the Iraqi Armor. Lafayette was in a hospital bed, very ill, but he watched the war constantly on television, fretting and worrying about "his boys." When the fighting had ceased, he kept asking his wife Evelyn, "Honey, are my boys back yet?" When they finally got back to Fort Hood, Evelyn told him they were back and soon after this on May 30,1991, Pool passed away in his sleep.
Pool was survived by his wife Evelyn, three sons and four daughters. One other son, Capt. Jerry L. Pool, was missing in action in Cambodia in 1970. Before his death the Army decided to name its new Ml tank driver training simulator facility after Pool, even waving the fact that he was still alive. Dedicated on July 1, 1993, today the facility at Ft. Knox serves to train new tank drivers to drive the Ml series of tanks.
At present the facility has ten systems of two simulators each. One system has been converted to Ml AR configuration. The authors were able to try out a simulator, thanks to Irene Armstrong - secretary of protocol, and found it an excellent approach to learning to drive. The savings in fuel, thrown tracks, and wear and tear, plus damage to the real tanks is tremendous, and it will more than pay for its initial cost.
Each new tanker is given twelve hours of training before he transitions into the real thing. Scenarios can be varied from desert and arctic terrain to urban driving. Weather can vary, artillery fire can be received, the tank's main gun can be fired by the controller, plus night or day time driving with open hatches or closed down on periscopes. All these things make this simulator the closest thing to actual driving a real tank to date. Our controller, SFC Byrd, told us the simulator is much more difficult than actually driving the "real" M1.
Today Lafayette G. Pool is remembered not only as our top tank ace but also as a man who believed in training hard and doing the job right the first time, as there may not be a second time in modem warfare.

The authors' sources:
Interviews with Evelyn Pool.
Killeen Herald: vol. 35 #113.
Reprint from Yank, the Army Weekly written during WWII.
Turret (Ft. Knox newspaper); November 21, 1991.
Tribune Herald Tuesday: May 5,1987.
Speech by Col. Brewster - July 1, 1993 during dedication of
Pool Hall; Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
Disposition Form-SB-WP-ASD (350) on Naming New
Building for Driver Training Simulator, Oct. 5,1988.
Killeen Daily Herald: August 29,1987; "World War II Legend
Tells Hood Tankers 'stay alive'"

 

There are only two photos of "In The Mood" that I am aware of. Here is one.

 

Thanks for the 'In the mood' photo Jim. (and welcome!)
Pool's been an interest for a while but I don't think I'd seen that shot.

Nice post-war shot of the man (On some sites I've even read posters who seem so convinced only German Tankers deserve credit that they voraciously deny that Pool even existed... ) :

From: http://hometown.aol.com/wawabat/therock.html

Cheers,
Adam.

 

Hi Adam,

Thanks for the welcome!

I think what impresses me most about Pool is the short time he had to rack up his score, and of course that it was done in a Sherman. Not too many of these guys were real excited about taking on a Panther. Even a late model Pz. IV was a challenge.

 

Agreed, It does have to be strongly taken into account that his 'score' isn't bolstered by a long period of popping obsolete T26s and BT-5s like many German aces but is a record formed very much by going 'straight in at the deep end'.

anther: :sherman:

 

Adam,

Thank you for acknowledging that. I agree 100%.

I won't take anything away from the Germans, I just like to view those large scores realistically.

 

Hi Jim, thank you for Lafayette G. Pools story. As he is from Odom, TX, that's (by Interstate) less than 20 miles from where I sit and type this reply to you) but as the Crow flies, Odom might be about 10 miles from here.

PS, some say he was also from Taft, TX-which is just a few more miles down the road. ;-))

Anyway, thank you for more on him and best regards--C.

 

A couple Michael Wittmann videos:

YouTube - Michael Wittmann: WAFFEN SS "Tanks" 1/5

YouTube - Michael Wittmann: WAFFEN SS "Tanks" 2/5