Korean War: T-34/85 vs M4A3E8 "Easy Eight" Sherman

How evenly matched were these tanks when they met on the battlefield?

I'm guessing the "Easy Eight" held it's own against the T-34/85.

Tim

 

Uhh...huh.
That's what I thought too.

Tim

 

Not much happened in Korea as far as tank versus tank combat. Also, as far as I know most Easy Eights were used as fire support vehicles rather than as main battle tanks.

 

JC:
In the early days--Pusan Perimeter--the first tanks to arrive "in theatre" were M-24 Chaffees. They were no match for T-34/85s. (Interestingly, they were attached to "heavy" tank battalions.) They were followed by M4 "Easy-Eight" Shermans. The first US Marine-outfits to arrive had M-26 Pershings.

You are correct that after the NK offensive was stopped, and we were regaining ground in counter-offensives, most of the tankers were shooting fire-missions in support of troops, and not fighting tank vs tank actions.

Tim

 

korea

Talking to friends of the 8th.Hussars and Bays transfered to them, they reckon the tank that outclassed all else in Korea was the Cent.

 

I think I can agree with that.

 

What I have read suggests that the T-34/85 and the Sherman Easay Eight (76) were roughly comparable - and that both were outclassed by the M26 & Centurian

 

Most pics I've seen of knocked out T-34's were by aircraft.

 

Merlin:
I agree the Centurian was likely unmatched in the Korean conflict.
I'd be very interested in any insights of that era you might share... in public or private.

My dad has a book of the First Cavalry Division--he was 82nd field artillery-- in Korea, and it is full of picture-plates of armor in action, artillery, battle aftermath. Lots of knocked-out T-34s and Shermans. 'Wish I had a scanner. Most are not commonly seen photos.
US troops took a pasting in those early, desperate days. Many threw down their rifles and left all their gear in a rush to the rear. Five years of peacetime had resulted in understrength and soft occupation-troops too-used to the good-life in Japan. Man were they in for a shock when they met the well-trained and equipped NKA soldiers supported by armor.

My impression is that most NKA armor--at least in the initial offensive--was knocked-out by artillery, air-support, and off-shore navy-guns along the western coast. We had no affective armor, bazookas nor suitable AT rounds for artillery in-theatre to take-on the T-34/85. Most outfits didn't even have AT mines or hand-grenades for that matter.

Tim

 

The Easy Eight and Firefly are definetly the better looking Shermans, and apart from the Israeli Super Shermans the best realistion of the M$.

The T-34/85 has had so much said about it, most good. If you look at the fact that you can get about 3 T-34's to one M4AE8 then you know the Sherman guys have a problem. One for one with US crews in them, no doubt WW2 veteran's I would pick the M4AE8 over North Korean's new to there mounts inside war surplus T-34/85's.

Kym