Despite lying at the bottom of the cold sea for 72 years, the American Sherman tanks were still intact and in their original form when they were salvaged.
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| Recently, the Russian Ministry of Defense website published a series of photos of the successful salvage of 2-3 American Sherman tanks that sank to the bottom of the Barents Sea during World War II. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| According to Sputnik news agency, these M4 Sherman tanks were part of the Lend-Lease aid shipment that the US intended to send to the Soviet Union during World War II. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| Unfortunately, on the way, the transport ship USS Thomas Donaldson was sunk by a German U-boat. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| According to declassified documents, the USS Thomas Donaldson, carrying 7,679 tons of weapons and equipment, including at least three Sherman tanks, was en route to the Soviet Union when it was torpedoed by a Nazi German submarine on March 20, 1945 in the Barents Sea while traveling 120 km off the coast of Norway. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| In May 2017, divers from the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet successfully salvaged a Sherman tank carried by the USS Thomas Donaldson. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| Divers were surprised to find that despite being submerged under the cold sea for 72 years, the M4 Sherman medium tank was still intact, even the chains were still on the wheels. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| Almost no important details on the Sherman were missing. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| Up to this point, the Russian Navy has salvaged three Shermans. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, these tanks will then be restored and displayed in military history museums. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| The M4 Sherman was the main medium tank of the US Army and its allies during World War II. Despite many shortcomings - such as being flammable due to its gasoline engine - thanks to its low cost and ease of mass production, the M4 Sherman was still used by the US Army on all battlefields from Europe to Asia. Not only in World War II but also in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the wars in the Middle East many years later. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| An M4 Sherman costs around $607,861-879,336 (2017 prices), weighs 42 tons, is 5.84-6.27m long depending on the version, and has 177.8mm thick armor on the front of the hull and turret. The tank can move at a speed of 48km/h - quite fast, but using a gasoline engine makes the vehicle prone to fire and explosion when hit by bullets. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
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| The firepower of the M4 Sherman tank was usually the 75mm M3 anti-tank gun (on early versions) and later mainly the 76mm M1A1 or M1A2 gun, a few were equipped with the 105mm M4 gun. Photo source: Russian Ministry of Defense |
According to Kienthuc
