M10 Wolverine tank destroyer
On 2 May 1942, an important conference was held at Aberdeen Proving Ground between General Bruce, the president of the Tank Destroyer Board, and representatives of Ordnance and of the Requirements Division of the War Depaitment. During this meeting a 3 inch GMC T35 developed by General Motors Corporation and the Ford Motor Company was exhibited and tested with a view to standardizzing it as a primary tank destroyer.
General Bruce did not approve the standardization of this self-propelled mount, deeming it another expedient. The speed of the vehicle was 30mph and the weight was approximately 30 tons. In spite of these handicapo, this vehicle was standlardized in two forma -- the 3 inch GMC M10, a General Motors product with twin diesel eniglnea, and the 3 inch C24C M10Al, a Ford Motor product with a V-8 tank engine. Both types were issued to the tank destroyer bnattaliona.
Designers married an open topped turret carrying a three-inch antiaircraft gun to an M4 medium tank chassis to create the M10 tank destroyer. The 3" Gun Motor Carriage M-l0 and M-10Al is a modification of the standard M4A2 Medium Tank chassis, mounting the 3" Gun M7 in an open top, hand-operated, 360 degree traversable turret. Vehicle weight is 32 tons, carrying a crew of five and 54 rounds of 3" ammunition. Vehicle is powered by a 375 horsepower, twin 6 diesel engine, providing a top speed of 30 miles per hour, with a maximum gradeability of 50%. Fording depth is 36". The 3" Gun Motor Carriage M10A1 differs from the M10 only in power plant, which is a 500 horsepower Ford V-8 engine providing approximately the same performance characteristics as the Ml1.
The three inch naval anti-aircraft gun was modified and placed on a motor carriage. Thousands of these powerful units, quickly produced, helped to turn the tide against the Germans in Africa, Italy, and France. This Gun Motor Carriage was made by mounting the three inch gun and recoil mechanism in a special turret on the M4 tank chassis. The designwas completed and the vehicle standardized in July 1942. As mounted, the gun. had a range of 16,000 yards, and with the'armor-piercing ammunition available from the start, it could penetrate four inches of the best armor plate at 1,000 yards. This new weapon was designed for the tank destroyer battalion, which had the mission of destroying enemy tanks.
The resulting vehicle combined the positive aspects of the M4 Sherman’s mechanical reliability and maneuverability with the negative aspects of M4 medium tank protection vulnerability in the hull. The open top and extremely thin armor of the M10 turret proved to be extremely vulnerable to all types of enemy fire. Army planners always intended the M10 tank destroyer to serve as an interim vehicle until a purpose built and designed tank destroyer became available.
In February 1944, German forces attempted to expel Allied units that had established a beachhead in the vicinity of Anzio, Italy. The American Fifth Army was attempting to envelop the German Tenth Army with the seaborne assault at Anzio and it was critical to maintain this foothold. In the Third Infantry Division’s area of operations, the eastern half of the beachhead, Lt. Tom Welch and his crew singlehandedly defeated a German armor attack by destroying five Panzer Mark IVs with their M10 Wolverine tank destroyer. Their effort, as well as many others, defeated the German offensive. It was an audacious victory, but the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion’s tour was far from over.
The M10 served in large numbers in Europe throughout the war, however, and was roundly criticized as being too lightly armored and too lightly gunned. Late in the war the US Army replaced the three-inch gun in the M10 tank destroyer with a high velocity, 90-millimeter antiaircraft gun to create the M36 tank destroyer.
Soldiers preferred the more survivable M10 to the faster M18 or the more lethal M36. As Colonel (COL) F. H. Morse noted in his observations with Fifth Army, in the summer of 1944: "The M10 Tank Destroyer vehicles, with which most units in this theater are equipped, is considered by all to be very efficient and desirable. Preliminary tests and study of the new T70 (M18) Tank Destroyer vehicle results in unfavorable comparison and lack of desire on the part of anyone in this theater for units to be equipped therewith. Although no T71 (M36) Tank Destroyer vehicles have yet been received, it is felt by most of the personnel that not more than two battalions equipped with these vehicles will be needed or desired for this theater. All are thoroughly convinced that there is no need for towed tank destroyer units."
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