Help ID pile of tanks by a bridge

[Jack T]

Was looking at some pictures a 6th Armored vets family sent me and saw this one. Looks like a whole batch got bulldozed out of the way into this river bank. Especially since some have been flipped. Thoughts?

Jack T

[Jack T]

Close up.

[Mike Davis]

Looks like a couple of Panthers and a Stug. III.

[panzer ace]

Looks like a couple of Panthers and a Stug. III.

id have to agree.wander if there still there, i wish

[Gran Sasso]

id have to agree.wander if there still there, i wish

Unfortunately they are no longer there - I have viseted this spot many times, thats the Dasburg-bridge over the river "Our", wich forms the german (left)-luxembourg (right) border.

On this spot General v. Manteuffel crossed the river on 16th dec. 1944, the beginning of the "battle of the bulge".

In the wouded hills on the right we were able to find some pieces of blown tanks, but today nothing is left. Even pieces of armour, weighting at least 200 or 300 kilos, are gone now.

[MarioL]

Thanks for the photo Jack.
Here are 2 more of this scene.

http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewto...3016&start=525

[Jack T]

Thanks for the info guys. Mario- thanks for that link, I didn't realize this was the bridge where the SuperSixth sign was. I swear every vet in the division has a picture of that sign.

[Jack T]

Does anyone know any details of the battle that destoyed these tanks? I checked the logs of the 6th and didn't find anything about tank contact when they made the crossing. Just some infantry and pillboxes.


This photo was in the same series. Not sure if it is from the same location or not but a nice stug.

[Gran Sasso]

Does anyone know any details of the battle that destoyed these tanks? I checked the logs of the 6th and didn't find anything about tank contact when they made the crossing.

There was no tank-battle for that bridge, there was even no bridge when the germans retreatet the same way they came some weeks earlier.

As the bridge was destroyed by US planes during the "battle of the bulge", the germans blown up their tanks on the road. When the US pioniers arrived, they pushed the tanks of the road into the "Our" to clear the road, and build the replacement bridge.

[DonC]

I believe those are Hetzers, not Panthers. The StuG and the Bergepather seem to be correct from the pics from the other forum.

Don

[Gran Sasso]

I believe those are Hetzers, not Panthers. The StuG and the Bergepather seem to be correct from the pics from the other forum.

Don

The Hetzer has only 4 road-weels each side, and they were not overlapping, as seen here at those tanks in question.

[DonC]

The middle overturned tank does not look like it has overlapping road wheels to me. The far one may be a Luchs, perhaps, or the suspension may just have been badly sprung from getting bulldozed over the embankment. I can only count four main wheels on the first overturned tank (the one closest to the photographer) plus the drive and return sprockets. I believe the Panther had eight overlapping main wheels, if I am not mistaken.

Don

[Jack T]

There was no tank-battle for that bridge, there was even no bridge when the germans retreatet the same way they came some weeks earlier.

As the bridge was destroyed by US planes during the "battle of the bulge", the germans blown up their tanks on the road. When the US pioniers arrived, they pushed the tanks of the road into the "Our" to clear the road, and build the replacement bridge.

That explains why I couldn't find anything about it in the combat logs. Thanks for the explanation.

Jack T