34 Brilliant Images of the VERY Effective M10 Tank Destroyer

While establishing its famous Tank Destroyer doctrine in 1941, the United States Armed Forces needed a standardized armored fighting vehicle which would lead the way to victory against the divisions of German cutting-edge panzers which sowed fear across Europe, deeming themselves invincible in the face of any opponent.

As the U.S.A. entered the war at the end of the year, it became apparent that a large part of armored warfare was to be bestowed on its troops. Thus they developed various ambush tactics and adapted their tank destroyers accordingly.

The answer to the armored menace which swept through Europe came in the form of a modified M4A2 Sherman chassis, on which a powerful 3-inch (76.2 mm) M7 gun was mounted. This was the birth of the Gun Motor Carriage M10.

It soon became the most-produced American tank destroyer in WWII, numbering 6,406 units in all its variants. The M10 pioneered the path for the further development of tank destroyers, soon leading to the production of M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson.

What constituted the main difference between the U.S. tank destroyers and a number of its counterparts at the time was its movable, yet open-topped turret. By European standards, this would put the M10 more into the tank category, as Soviet, German, and British tank destroyers all had a fixed gun, and no turret, making their silhouette lower and more suitable for defensive actions.

However, the American Tank Destroyer doctrine demanded more maneuverability for its armored fighting vehicles, as they perceived the M10 as a hybrid weapon capable of staging effective ambushes, knocking down panzers from a great distance and ravaging enemy flanks in offensive actions.

Although the U.S. Army was the primary user of the M10 saw active service as part of the British Army, the Free French Forces and the Soviet Union via the Lend-Lease policy.

After the war, a great number of M10 Tank Destroyers became surplus and these were given to countries that needed to re-develop their militaries, such as Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the M10 saw further action, serving as part of the Israeli military, who bought a number of M10s from scrapyards and dumping grounds in Europe. The guns were soon replaced with British 17-pounders and French 75 mm CN 75-50 canons.

 

M10 during IV Corps Maneuvers in Oregon 1943
M10 during IV Corps Maneuvers in Oregon 1943

 

Knocked out M10 February 1944 Italy
Knocked out M10 February 1944 Italy

 

M10 named “Accident” of Company ‘A’, 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion – Saint Jean de Daye 11 July 1944
M10 named “Accident” of Company ‘A’, 703rd Tank Destroyer Battalion – Saint Jean de Daye 11 July 1944

 

32nd Division M10 named “Hells Kitchen” on beach at Saidor Dutch New Guinea 1944
32nd Division M10 named “Hells Kitchen” on beach at Saidor Dutch New Guinea 1944

 

Civilians leave for Allied lines as M10 enters Aachen, 1944
Civilians leave for Allied lines as M10 enters Aachen, 1944

 

GI’s and German POW take cover by M10 28 February 1945
GI’s and German POW take cover by M10 28 February 1945

 

632nd Tank Destroyer Battaliont crew on M10 in Saidor 1944, PTO
632nd Tank Destroyer Battaliont crew on M10 in Saidor 1944, PTO

 

M10 of the 5th Army firing at night, 20 February 1945
M10 of the 5th Army firing at night, 20 February 1945

 

818th Tank Destroyer Battalion France
818th Tank Destroyer Battalion France

 

629th Tank Destroyer Battalion near Courtil, Belgium 20 January 1945
629th Tank Destroyer Battalion near Courtil, Belgium 20 January 1945

 

Tank Destroyers At Ford Plant In Detroit 1943
Tank Destroyers At Ford Plant In Detroit 1943

 

M10 blasts German machine gun position in Rome 6 June1944
M10 blasts German machine gun position in Rome 6 June1944

 

701st Tank Destroyer Battalion in the Monte Terminale area of Italy during the campaign in the North Apennines. 3 March 1945
701st Tank Destroyer Battalion in the Monte Terminale area of Italy during the campaign in the North Apennines. 3 March 1945

 

Tank destroyer M10 firing as artillery against Germans in Italy
Tank destroyer M10 firing as artillery against Germans in Italy

 

30th Infantry Division And 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion M10 Germany 1945
30th Infantry Division And 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion M10 Germany 1945

 

157th Infantry Regiment Supported By M10 Tank Destroyers Of A Company 645th Tank Destroyer Battalion Under Fire In Town Of Niederbronn France
157th Infantry Regiment Supported By M10 Tank Destroyers Of A Company 645th Tank Destroyer Battalion Under Fire In Town Of Niederbronn France

 

M10 Tank Destroyer And Harley Davidson In Percy France 08 1944
M10 Tank Destroyer And Harley Davidson In Percy France 08 1944

 

M5 And M10 of 2nd Armored Division In Tesey Sur Vire France 1944
M5 And M10 of 2nd Armored Division In Tesey Sur Vire France 1944

 

M10 And M4 Tanks On Production Line At Ford Plant 1943
M10 And M4 Tanks On Production Line At Ford Plant 1943

 

M10, M4, Jeep And 2 1/2 Ton Truck 76th Infantry Division Speicher 1945
M10, M4, Jeep And 2 1/2 Ton Truck 76th Infantry Division Speicher 1945

 

Tank Destroyer Heads To Battle Lines At Bir Marbott Pass East Of El Guettar In Tunisia 1943.
Tank Destroyer Heads To Battle Lines At Bir Marbott Pass East Of El Guettar In Tunisia 1943.

 

77th Infantry Division Leyte Island 1944
77th Infantry Division Leyte Island 1944

 

684th Tank Destroyer Battalion, Aachen October 1944
684th Tank Destroyer Battalion, Aachen October 1944

 

Free French 3rd Algerian Division In Omia Italy 1944
Free French 3rd Algerian Division In Omia Italy 1944

 

Tank Destroyer passes WWI Memorial in Lonlay-l’Abbaye, 1944
Tank Destroyer passes WWI Memorial in Lonlay-l’Abbaye, 1944

 

St Fromond France 703 Tank Destroyer Battalion 3 Armored Division
St Fromond France 703 Tank Destroyer Battalion 3 Armored Division

 

2nd French Armored Division M10, Halloville, France 13 November 1944
2nd French Armored Division M10, Halloville, France 13 November 1944

 

Tank Destroyer In Italy
Tank Destroyer In Italy

 

Tank Destroyers of 30th Infantry Division Magdeburg Germany 1945
Tank Destroyers of 30th Infantry Division Magdeburg Germany 1945

 

Tank Destroyers Head For Front In Tunisia 1943
Tank Destroyers Head For Front In Tunisia 1943

 

M10 Tank Destroyers On Production Line At Ford Plant 1943
M10 Tank Destroyers On Production Line At Ford Plant 1943

 

M10 with Hedge Cutter 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion Übach Germany 1944
M10 with Hedge Cutter 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion Übach Germany 1944

 

M10 Fontainebleau France 23 August 1944
M10 Fontainebleau France 23 August 1944

Nikola Budanovic

Nikola Budanovic is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE