Why Being a WW2 Tank Commander Was So Dangerous

In this video, Survive History presenter Louee Dessent explains why being a WW2 tank commander was so dangerous. Filming from the turret of a genuine Sherman tank from the Second World War, he explains how tank commanders would often poke their head out of the tank access hatch for a better view, but this made them vulnerable to shrapnel and snipers.

[StarterRope]

- "Soldier, you have been promoted to a tank commander."

- "OH SHIT!"

[SEscarlett]

My Grandfather was a Sherman commander. Commanded a Sherman DD for D-Day, it didn't make the beach: skirt and tank swamped. Swam back to ship, no crew lost. New tank, lost it in Normandy hedgerows. Another tank, lost it in the relief of Bastone. Lost 2 crew & was wounded. Returned w/ new tank days before German surrender. Died of wounds and cancer in 1989.

[airplane]

I knew an old WW2 veteran who once opened up about a story of a friend of his who was a tank commander who was killed in Normandy. The commander stuck his head out the top of the turret for a better view during a battle. A German canon round took his head straight off. His body fell back into the tank minus the head. This must of really freaked out the other crew members. Around 10 years ago I took this old gentleman to the Tank museum 'Tankfest', where he told this story to a present day Tank officer. The officer was so impressed with this story that he called over a sergeant to listen to the stories from this old man, as something useful can be learnt from him. The officer commented that it would at least have been a completely painless way to die.

[nickmail]

"Clean and tidy as possible", he's never had to shit in an empty shell case then has he.

[ktlarsen]

My grandfather was a tank commander in the Korean War. They lost five tanks. After two and a half years of Hell he made it home with a bronze star with the 5 clusters (5 bronze stars).

[carlosspiceyweiner]

My great uncle was a Sherman commander, he was the only survivor on two of the five tanks he had lost. He was only 22 when the war ended, but it never really ended for him until he died in 1970.

[cleburne]

They weren't tempted to. They had to. Its called situational awareness. They had to know what was going on. They only buttoned up at the last minute. They used the hatches as shields and took all sorts of measures.
I know a historian who once asked a WW2 tanker if they ever swept or cleaned out their tank. They laughed at him. No, they didn't beyond throwing stuff away for the bare minimum hygiene.

[justme]

That's why the Germans put commander's cupolas on top the turret. They weren't perfect but better than most tanks. The cupola had the bullet resistant glass viewport all around the edges.

[leviedvalson]

I feel like after the fifth commander death they don’t care about it. They’re just kind of desensitized you know.

[ConradScroggins]

As a seven year ld ARMY Kid, I got to go inside a Sherman at Ft. Hood, Texas ... although I was a small kid, I noticed how CRAMPED it WAS, even from my perspective! I'm almost 73 now but have never forgotten that.

[FMKeb]

fury except they encounter a 20mm pom pom and a pak 40

[jtnachos]

I find it interesting noone ever points out the injuries that happened from commanders whacking their heads, necks, and spines on the rim of the hatch during manuvers and combat. I suspect that accounts for more of the TC casualties than anyone wants to admit.

[jeffbosworth]

My psych professor in college (early 1980s) told us he worked with a man who was the sole survivor of 5 different tank crews.
He was the TC. Tank would take a catastrophic hit, blow him out turret with no serious wounds and kill the rest.

[randolphstead]

Another reason for high commander death rate was because the turret was hit so often, due to being the highest and thus easiest part of the tank to spot. The turret ring was a weaker spot and aimed for as a hit there could kill the tank or jam the turret.

In hull down position the hull could be hidden and protected, but the turret still needed to be exposed in order to fire the main gun.

[GingerGully]

Could you imagine hiding in a trench and seeing an enemy tank pass by with a chicken coop on it? 😂

[Drebel]

Listened to an audiobook about a german tank gunner who complained about his commander being too much of a coward and not guiding them properly when the conditions got tough. At some point they got periscopic mirrors for the commander

[PerishingForLackOfKnowledge]

I fart a lot. I’d probably get transferred a lot.

[Superbowfin]

My father was a tank commander in the 2nd armored Hell on Wheels he started in North Africa then Sicily, after Sicily they were put on a ship my father offered to man a gun on the ship for extra combat points while manning the gun a giant ammo crate rolled on his leg braking it he was sent home to a hospital for 6 weeks then had a couple weeks of leave then was sent down south to help train new armored division then was sent back with the 14th armored the Libertors landed in Marseille France ended in Germany.

[papiparsons]

My father was a tank company commander in North Africa. He said that the tanks were so claustrophobic that tank commanders would open the hatch to relieve crew tension and some TCs died just because of that.
I could see as a young man the guilt he felt from their deaths, like he had caused it

[JvT--]

Any other M18 commanders relate to getting your head blasted off by am HE shell?