great set of Panther pictures

World War II

 

A small insight into German Panzer crews.
The tank numbered 232 was "2nd company, 3rd platoon, 2nd vehicle."
The crews also were numbered 1-5 (for Panther) with the commander being "1" or "Erste Man". It seems thats how they identified each other rather than the American version of stating your position.
Several years ago I sat with a few former panzer crew at a biergarten at the German Bundeswehr tank school in Munster during an annual veteran's reunion held there. They explained what I wrote above among many other things, it was a good week to be TDY there (I've had to pay for every return visit...). I think 2011 will be their last year though, not many left.