Sorry if this is a dumb question but I couldn't find information online and wasn't sure where to post this. I am just curious what the tool in the picture is called, and what it was used for

Not sure what's it's actually called, but one end hooks on to a towing U-Bolt and the other end to the loop end of a towing cable. These are found on Panther and Tigers. Smaller tanks have an S shaped hook.

Thanks a bunch it has been driving me nuts trying to figure out what it was for, and not knowing the name it was hard to look it up. I guess this was an era before the tow cables had clips on them

For what it's worth, I got some hits by searching "WWII German tank 'C' hook"

Hi guys,

Quick-towing hook, technically speaking in German: "Zughaken", type "C-Haken", i.e. "C-hook", as Mike said.

Cheers

Here's my quest for the same

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/246535#2082529

In English it's called a clevis or towing clevis.

I'd call it a C-hook, this is a clevis:



Jim