I'm looking for info regarding Sherman Dozer tanks used on D-Day.
Were they all fitted with wading gear?
Were any M4A3 76mm fitted with the dozer?
About all I do know is that the 70th, 741st, 743rd TBs, the 146th, 237th, 299th CEBs had them.
Any and all info will be greatly appreciated.
TIA

I don't believe the 76mm were dozers at DDay. It is my understanding that the 76mm didn't appear until July 44. Therefore I don't think any 76mm Dozers appeared during Overlord. However there may have been some by Cobra although I doubt it considering so few 76mm were available and they were prized vehicles for combating Panthers.

To be honest I have never seen a pic of a dozer with waders or a 76mm with waders. Would like to see a pic if one exists

I didn't think any 76ers were there but, it never hurts to ask.
Funny thing with Shermans is just when someones says "it didn't exist", someone else comes up with a pic.

Okay all you self-titled 'Sherman experts'! My patience is wearing thin.

I want you all to go deep into your Sherman resources and find the above info... please. I'll be your best friend.

There weren't any M4A3s used on D-Day, and as others have said, no 76mm gun tanks either (all of which in Normandy would have been M4A1s). As far as wading gear is concerned, the dozers were supposed to follow the first waves of DD tanks and infantry, so they must have planned to use them right away, which would mean that they would be landing during a rising tide, which would seem to make wading gear necessary. I haven't seen any photos of dozer tanks, but their planned time of introduction to the beaches would lead one to believe that wading gear should have been fitted.
If you do plan to use wading gear on your D-Day dozer, I'll back you all the way. Or, at least until someone finds a photo to prove me completely wrong.

Thanks for the reply Ed!

I do/did know that the M4A3 was not there but, being the eternal optimist, I kept my fingers crossed. (check out my other post - https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/30412&page=1" TARGET="_blank">HERE
I do have one photo of an M4 (60° Glacis) 75mm with the M1 Dozer. It's tank of the 70th TB but, it's from a few days after D-Day. Unfortunately, it shows no signs of wading gear. Any idea of how soon the crews would have removed the wading gear. I have read that it was almost immediately removed.

Ken,

I have a resource at work that may clear up the issue, but you will have to wait till the 26th. It will be the afternoon as I get to go out and fill cardboard terrorists full of 9mm holes in the morning. AND Uncle Sam is buying the ammunition!

Thanks for the much anticipated info Jeff. I'll be holding my breath.

Ken,

I have found the following in "Spearheading D-Day, American Special Units in Nirmandy", by Jonathon Gawne, Historie & Collections Press.

The three first wave tank battalions: 70th (8th INF Regt, 4th ID), 741st (16th INF Regt, 1st ID) and 743rd INF Regt, 29th ID), each had two medium DD tank companies and one standard (with deep wading equipment) tank company and one company of M5. Each of the three standard tank companies had 16 gun tanks, one 105mm howitzer tank and eight dozer tanks. The dozer tanks had crews made up of teo tankers (TC & gunner) and three combat engineers from engineer light equipment companies.

The three standard tank companies and number of dozer tanks to get ashore are as follows:

C/70th Armor - four made it on the beach, two sunk with LCT, two returned to England with damaged LCT

A/741st Armor - seven tank dozers made it onto Omaha.

B/743rd Armor - some made it, but no number available.

I do not have any bumper numbers for the 8 additional tanks, but do have partial bumper numbers for the battalions:

Right front left front

1A-70(triangle) C-??
1A-741 (triangle) A -??
1A-743(triangle) B-??


Hope this gives you what you need.

Jeff

Jeff, thanks a ton! That helps tremendously!

Had to resurrect this older thread because of some new info. On the History Channel's program about the lost DD tanks of Normandy, they showed footage of an M4A1 during a training exercise fitted with both wading trunks and dozer blade. This, plus the photos in the Concord book mentioned on the ML message boards should be enough to verify that this setup was used at some point.
It appears that any modeling project based on this idea has the green light.

It had better Ed, because I'm-a-full-steam-ahead and Saturday is approaching quicker that I would like. Too late in the game now to switch gears now...