“Cobra King” of World War II Fame Arrives at Fort Knox for Restoration

Combat actions within the European theater of operations revealed that the M4 Sherman was vulnerable to the firepower of the German Panther, Tiger I, and Tiger II tanks. To field an interim tank until the M26 Pershing heavy tank was available, the U. S. Army implemented the M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo program. A total of 254 Sherman Jumbos were produced, with records indicating that 250 were sent to the European theater of operations, and four were used for testing in the United States. They proved extremely useful in the fighting along the German borders in the fall of 1944. The Sherman turret was completely re-engineered to include a commander’s cupola and a loader’s hatch. The sides of the hull and front glacis had additional armor plates fitted, and the transmission cover was also strengthened. While by no means immune to the powerful German 75 or 88mm main-gun rounds, this improved armor did increase the survivability of the crew, or at least gave the Jumbo the ability to take more punishment. The extra armor package also increased the weight of the Sherman from 36 tons to 42 tons. The Jumbos used the T48, 16.6" wide track with duckbill end connectors to provide improved mobility. The initial tank main gun remained the standard L38 75mm used on other Shermans, and the Jumbo was powered by the Ford GAA V8 (500 hp) engine, which was used in the M4A3 Sherman. In accordance with the Army’s distribution plan, 37th Tank Battalion, commanded by LTC Creighton Abrams, received 15 Jumbos, of which two were delivered to Company C (3083084 and 3083058). The M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo, 3083084, became the company commander’s vehicle, bumper number C6, and the tank was named “Cobra King” by the original company commander. Due to combat losses, 1LT Charles P. Boggess Jr. assumed command of C Company days prior to the final drive for the relief of Bastogne. On 25 December 1944, Cobra King’screw became part of the historic relief of the besieged soldiers in the infamous Battle of the Bulge. The crew included the tank commander, 1LT Boggess; the gunner, CPL Milton Dickerman; the driver, PVT Hubert S. Smith; bow machine gunner, PVT Harold Hafner; and loader, PVT James

G. Murphy. Later in March of 1945, General Patton directed the modification of several Jumbos with the more powerful long-barreled 76mm main gun. Cobra King received this upgrade and fought in several other operations. At the end of the war, the Jumbos were kept under U. S. Army control, but as time improved models of tanks, such as the M26 and M47, Sherman tanks became spare-part vehicles. Cobra King shared the same fate and soon became a monument vehicle. Over time, the tank was moved from one location in Germany to another and its historic recognition faded away as did its original paint. Through the joint effort of the U. S. Army’s Center of Military History staff and support from numerous individuals, Cobra King was returned to the United States and arrived at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on 9 July 2009. After her arrival at the Patton Museum’s Richardson Motor Pool, a complete physical examination and photographic record was taken of her condition. A phased plan was established to restore the tank to its condition on 26 December 1944, the day after the relief of Bastogne. A restoration team was selected from the museum’s staff and volunteers, and the restoration project began. During the first phase of restoration, the restoration team removed damaged and rusted components, both internal and external; blocked up the hull and removed the track and suspension; pulled the engine compartment items; stabilized the internal metal and primed and painted the interior; prepped, primed, and painted the tank’s underbelly; prepped the suspension components and repainted; remounted suspension, road wheels, final drives, and track (duckbilled); installed replacement Ford GAA engine and compartment items, such as fuel tanks, radiators, and exhaust pipes; replaced turret basket; reinstalled turret assembly into the hull; reinstalled 75mm gun shield; and marked exterior items to match its 26 December 1944 condition. Phase two will involve more internal restoration and focus on the replacement of missing parts. After the armor collection moves to the National Armor and Cavalry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Cobra King will be an iconic symbol of armor history.