Wittman tactics

[spidge]

Great post Redcoat.

[spidge]

By the way Von Poop, from Axis History.

This man is Staff Sergeant Lafayette G Pool. He was born 23-7-1919 in Odem Texas. He went to higher education in Taft Texas graduated as class Valedictorian and then attended higher education at university A and I in Kingsville Texas. His specialty was in Engineering. On 6-3-1941 he joined the US Army.

He was basically trained in San Antonio Texas, and then he was sent for higher training at Camp Beauregard in Louisiana. He was in the new third armoured division.

In June 1944, he was sent to the invasionfront in Normandy. He was the commander of an M 4 Sherman Tank. He was in Kompanie I of the third bataillon 32nd armoured regiment. He led his crew through France and Belgium through 21 seperate attacks.

In 80 days of fighting, he and his crew destroyed 258 German vehicles captured 250 german soldiers and killed about 1000. His final battle he was badly injured when he was blown from his Citadel by a hit with a shell. Because of this his leg had to be removed and he was later released from the US Army.

In 1948 they recalled him to duty as a teacher of armoured warfare at Fort Knox Kentucky. He finally retired in 19-9-60 as a Chief Warrent Officer second class. 5-30-1991 he died in his sleep.

Some of his war decorations were, Distinguished service cross, silver star, legion of merit, bronze star, purple heart with clusters, French croix de guerre and Belgium Fourragere.

[lancesergeant]

Cracking write up Redcoat.

[MalcolmII]

Captain Boardman of the Nothamptonshire Yeomanry became an MP after the war. A good book is TANK by Ken Tout who was there.

Aye
MalcolmII

[Owen]

Re:Wittamn's death.
Can anyone post a map of the location he and his crew perished?
I was in that area back in October but didn't read up on that incident before getting there.
Just wondering how close I came to where he died.

[HUBSCHRAUBER]

Originally Posted by Von Poop

Excellent account. Nice to see the Typhoon theory put to bed properly.

And on Tank Aces; We all know about Wittman, Carius and the like but have most probably never heard of Staff Sergeant Lafayette G. Pool.
Look him up, 258(?) vehicles destroyed but barely a mention in History even though (or perhaps because) he was on the right side.

It wasn't just Pool who took out 258 vehichles, but more like him and his crew. And what do you mean he was on the right side? Do you mean winning side?

[Erich]

funny but SS Schw Pz Abt 101 did fair that well in Normandie as did it's sister unit the 102nd which was quite nasty on Hill 112. Tank claims for the Tiger 1 unit (102) at Normandie was over 220 before losing it's stock on the Seine

[von Poop]

Originally Posted by HUBSCHRAUBER

It wasn't just Pool who took out 258 vehichles, but more like him and his crew. And what do you mean he was on the right side? Do you mean winning side?

What an oddly agressive response?
Was it not worth bringing a neglected allied success story to the fore? How else to give people an internet search tip unless I use the mans name?? And I mean 'On the right side' as in 'Not fighting for the Nazi's'...Is that controversial??
The point was on how much general knowledge and fascination there is about for the Axis and how comparatively little for the allies. Type "michael Wittman" into google and get 25,800 responses most of them refferring to this 'hero'...., Type "laffayette pool" and get 1500, most of them for a Swimming pool maintenence company.

[redcoat]

Originally Posted by HUBSCHRAUBER

It wasn't just Pool who took out 258 vehichles, but more like him and his crew.

and of course, Wittmann manned his tank single handed

[Chindit]

'After The Battle' do a book on Villers-Bocage, which will probably tell you all you need to know about that battle. Issue 132 of the magazine has an article which corrects some of the material in the book. Haven't read the book, but the article was fascinating. Their URL is http://afterthebattle.com/