This sad footage shows an USMC M4A3 Sherman Tank of the 6th Tank Battalion burning after hitting a heavy Japanese IED – typically an aircraft bomb or artillery shell in conjunction with an anti-tank mine – on Okinawa, Japan in 1945. Nearby soldiers who got wounded by the explosion are carried away from the battlefield.
One member of the crew was thrown clear by the blast. Due the result of the explosion the Sherman was flipped over and the rest of the crew got trapped inside. Infantrymen tried fighting the flames with fire extinguishers in an effort to rescue the four tankmen trapped inside the Sherman. Sadly, before rescue could be effected the fire reached the ammunition in the tank, and the resulting explosion lefts only a battered metal hulk.
Remains of the Sherman after the explosion. None of the crew trapped inside survived.
See more incredible (combat) footage from World War 2 that was caught on tape.
We’re looking to identify the tank crew of this Sherman. All information or tips are most appreciated, contact us.
