Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II by Belton Y. Cooper.

Over the next 11 months, the Third Armored Division, which began the Normandy campaign with 232 M4 tanks, would see 648 of its Shermans destroyed in combat, with another 700 knocked out of commission before being repaired and returned to service—a cumulative loss rate of 580 percent. Casualties among tank crews also skyrocketed, producing an acute shortage of qualified personnel. By late 1944, Cooper recalls, the Army was sending newly arrived infantrymen into combat as replacement tank crews. Some of these recruits received only one day of armor training before being dispatched to the front in their M4s.

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/a...ev/cooper.html

Just got the book but has anybody else read this?
Opinions on the figures or differing stats?

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I have the book. Mr Cooper has nothing good to say about the Shermans and lets the reader know thru out the book. Good details on how tanks got 'repaired', clean up of dead tankers and so on.

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I agree Cooper has nearly nothing good to say about the Shermans, he makes them sound so bad it's a wonder we won the war at all.
I do agree with Cooper that the U.S. should have built more Pershings than it did instead of relying on old technology SHermans. Politics are what got in the way as usual.
It reminds me of the japanese zero. It started out as a good plane but the japanese never upgraded it or modified it significantly as the was progressed. By the end of the was the zero was very outdated the same way as the Sherman was.

Jimbo/Framer just gave you the "Cliff's Notes", as you will see.
I agree with them about his view, not necessarily his evaluation. As VP says....grim....from his "tunnel" vision?

He was a busy & somewhat paranoid guy, both with good reason for what he was expected to do, and how quickly.

In a yes/no category?..........Yes

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"Danger Will Robinson!"

I've read it several years ago. He was a bit loose with some of the information, e.g. placing GS Patton at locations stateside at times he was elsewhere (North Africa, commanding II Corps).

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Best Regards,
JW

It's sitting on my "to read" bookshelf! Oh well! I'll read it anyways!

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Members of the Dutch Resistance with 101st AB, Eindhoven. Operation Market Garden.

Scott

I wont blame him for the boo boo's about time & place of others. The vets I've talked to/with usually didn't know a friggin thing for sure. Except to keep yer head down. Just "skuttle-butt", and the (month old) Stars & Stripes.
New people brought the new news. Like, who's winning today. Are we moving up or back?

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"Danger Will Robinson!"

It's an interesting and worthwhile book, but seems to have had an effect on perceptions of second War allied armour out of all proportion to the actuality.
I know you will Kai, but always bear in mind that Cooper's perspective was a very narrow one of dealing with almost nothing but the grim aftermath of the battlefield. When every vehicle you encounter is a burnt or shattered wreck, often with the remains of the occupants still inside then the jaded opinion stated is understandable, but in proper context it's far from the 'be all and end all' perception of the M4 that many seem to perceive the book as.

Personally I really think it's had a negative affect on the historiography. Due to it's Ambrose connection, readability, and easy accessibility so many have read it without apparently bothering to acquire a more rounded view of the subject. For instance there are many very substantial, sensible, and serious reasons the M26 wasn't produced, and that side of the story doesn't get a mention in a memoir like this.

OK read, but caution required.

Cheers,
Adam.

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"Wars cannot be fought with dream stuff" - Sir Percy Hobart.

Thanks Adam!!

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Members of the Dutch Resistance with 101st AB, Eindhoven. Operation Market Garden.

Scott

I have read it and its on my bookshelf. IMO quite a few people use it as a basis for their Sherman bashing views.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman

I certainly was not impressed with the book. For a divisional ordinance officer he really showed little technical skill or merit in the book. His discussion of the AFV he was charged with repairing is superficial at best.
It seemed to me to be more of a disjointed reminise of personal adventures during the war. That, to me, is of little or no use.

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Truth is stranger than bullshit!