King Tiger 332? (1 Viewer)

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dragon53

Command Sergeant Major
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Does anyone know if any US infantry ever encountered King Tiger #332 during the Battle of the Bulge?

I know it was abandoned on road N33 near the village of Coo-Biester on December 25 after being hit by a smoke shell from a Sherman of the 740th Tank Battalion. It was removed by an Army recovery crew the next day on December 26.

I haven't seen any information on US infantry that were on N33 around Christmas that might have seen King Tiger #332.
I know the 82nd Airborne and the 30th Infantry were a few miles away around La Gleize, but haven't seen anything stating they might have seen #332.
 
I'm sure that you have seen; http://www.ss501panzer.com/Saga_of_332.htm

One might think that there weren't too many infantry around or 1) they may have destroyed the tank to prevent its recovery by the Germans and 2) the crew came out of the woods cold and hungry. That would seem to imply that there weren't a lot of American troops around in the day between the tank being hit at the side of the road and the Ordnance guys coming to recover it. The whole Ardennes campaign was a story of small unit actions on trails and road junctions with both sides moving through the woods. Peiper had sneaked his 800 survivors out of La Gleize only a few days before by moving cross country even though he was "surrounded". If #332 had made into La Glieze it probably would have been burned/blown up like the other tanks and AFVs Peiper left there.

Gary B.
 
BINDER001:

Thanks.
What got me wondering was the Sherman of the 740th that fired the smoke shell at #332---I assumed Shermans might be clearing the way for infantry. If so, what unit did the infantry belong to?
 
I have seen this tank on display at fort knox,ky in 2008. From what I have been told
by the museum staff was the tank was left abandoned by the crew. This is how it was found when U.S. forces recovered it for eventual transport to the U.S. :salute::
 
dragon53 said:
BINDER001: Thanks. What got me wondering was the Sherman of the 740th that fired the smoke shell at #332---I assumed Shermans might be clearing the way for infantry. If so, what unit did the infantry belong to?
Click to expand...

I think that the 740th Tank Battalion was attached to the 82nd Airborne at that point, but the entrapment of Kampfgruppe Peiper involved elements of the 30th Division, 3rd Armored Div, 82nd Airborne, and others.

Gary B.
 
BINDER001:

That's possible. Another collector who is based at Fort Benning and has toured the Battle of the Bulge battlegrounds suggested that on another board awhile back. My research does confirm the 740th Tank was officially attached to the 82nd Airborne in January---several weeks after the Christmas day incident involving the 740th Sherman and King Tiger #332.

I thought I had found an article which stated the 740th was attached to the 30th Infantry Division around Christmas---which led to my speculation that some soldiers with the 30th Infantry may have seen #332 around Christmas.

Unfortunately, I can't find that article anymore---which is why I was hoping some expert here could confirm one way or the other about any US infantry encountering King Tiger #332.

Also, the other collector said King Tiger #332 is now at Fort Benning.
 
Yes, this is true. They moved the Patton museum along with the Tiger Tank to Fort Benning as part of the overall move of the Armor Center from Fort Knox to Fort Benning . ^&cool
 
I just remembered to check Stanton's "US Army WW2 Order of Battle". The 740th Tank Battalion was attached to the 30th Division from 19DEC44 to 28DEC44. I don't have "Daredevil Tankers" available but I have another recent veterans' remembrance of the 740th and they don't mention the encounter with the King Tiger, but they do mention Company C (of the 740th TB) supporting infantry as they entered La Glieze to find 175 destroyed/captured German vehicles. So if here was infantry around Sgt George's tank it was likely from the 30th Division.

Gary B.
 
GARY B:

Thanks very much for the info. I found an article about the 740th supporting the 30th Infantry awhile back but could never find it again, so your info confirmed it.

Also, on another message board, one of the collectors is based at Fort Benning and was at the entrance when King Tiger #332 arrived from Fort Knox. He posted these photos of #332 arriving----now if only I can find a CS King Tiger #332 on sale.

KT332-1.jpg

KT332-2.jpg
 
dragon53 said:
GARY B:

now if only I can find a CS King Tiger #332 on sale.
Click to expand...

With all the publicity, they may sell out long before they would go on sale. I think it is the best looking of the CS KT's and the most historically accurate. In September 1944, all 3 Kompanies of schwere SS-Pz.Abt. 101 which had been equipped with Tiger I were re-equipped with Henschel KT's. The Kompanies were identified by the colour of the tank numbers. 1st Kompanie was a large black number with a white outline, 2nd Kompanie numbers were Red with a white outline, and 3rd Kompanie numbers were blue with a yellow outline.

The CS model is of 332 from 3rd Kompanie, 3rd Zug, tank 2. The tank was commanded by SS Unterscharfuhrer Otto Blase. These tanks were used at the Battle of the Bulge where most were lost including 332.

Terry
 
Even with me being "notorious" as the forum's Sherman fancier I do have a special place for Tiger #332. In all my years of studying tanks, that is the only real Tiger tank I have actually touched :). I couldn't resist reaching across the rope at Ft. Knox. I just had to say I have actually laid hands on a Tiger tank.

On the bad news, the Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen sectioned the side armor to allow interior viewing. On the good news the volunteers at the Paton Museum did a lot of clean up and repair and put plexiglass over the open areas. They found some surplus post-war US 90mm ammo. It was painted to German WW2 standards and was placed in the ammo racks. I hope somebody at Benning takes care of the tanks that they pirated from Knox. Many of them had been restored to pretty good shape and it would be a shame to see them get ruined by sitting outside until they get a home.

Gary B.
 
binder001 said:
Even with me being "notorious" as the forum's Sherman fancier I do have a special place for Tiger #332. In all my years of studying tanks, that is the only real Tiger tank I have actually touched :). I couldn't resist reaching across the rope at Ft. Knox. I just had to say I have actually laid hands on a Tiger tank.

On the bad news, the Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen sectioned the side armor to allow interior viewing. On the good news the volunteers at the Paton Museum did a lot of clean up and repair and put plexiglass over the open areas. They found some surplus post-war US 90mm ammo. It was painted to German WW2 standards and was placed in the ammo racks. I hope somebody at Benning takes care of the tanks that they pirated from Knox. Many of them had been restored to pretty good shape and it would be a shame to see them get ruined by sitting outside until they get a home.

Gary B.
Click to expand...

I live in MD and have seen the tanks at Aberdeen. However, it was disappointing to see them sitting outside rusting away. The 2 Panthers they have were my favorite. Fortunately, they are moving the museum to an indoor facility in Virginia and are supposed to restore all the tanks. Also, a Tiger I is being restored by Bovington (I believe), and will meet the rest of the tanks in Virginia eventually.
 
See attached photo standing next to this tank when it was at Fort Knox.My ex girlfriend said this tank was "MY REAL TRUE LOVE". I guess that's why she is an ex !!!
{sm3}
 

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GJB22 said:
I live in MD and have seen the tanks at Aberdeen. However, it was disappointing to see them sitting outside rusting away. The 2 Panthers they have were my favorite. Fortunately, they are moving the museum to an indoor facility in Virginia and are supposed to restore all the tanks. Also, a Tiger I is being restored by Bovington (I believe), and will meet the rest of the tanks in Virginia eventually.
Click to expand...

The Tiger tank at Bovington is the only one in the world that still work but don't think it going to the USA {sm2}
 
uksubs said:
The Tiger tank at Bovington is the only one in the world that still work but don't think it going to the USA {sm2}
Click to expand...

Bovington has the only running Tiger 1 (that I am aware of). The Tiger I that had been at APG was "loaned" out to Germany (if I remember right) for restoration and seemed to take a long time to get back. Some reports said that the Army was waiting until the new Ordnance Museum is ready at Ft. Lee before they bring it back.

The French tank museum at Samaur had the only operational Tiger II that I am aware of. There is/was a project in Switzerland to restore a Tiger II and there were rumors that the Wheatfield Collection in England was assembling parts to make a "new" Tiger II out of various scrap items mixed with new parts.
 
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