CONDOR, 3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Corps Medium Tank Battalion, IMAC, In the Field.
The tank named Condor landed with its platoon leader to the right of Burn's Philp pier, on Red beach 3.
Condor was a mid-production M4A2, issued directly from the Detroit factory. The US registration number was still visible on the right flank of the tank's hull. It carried the number "USA 3.035.025".
This number begins by "USA 30", like all US Army tanks of WWII.
On D-Day 20 November 1943, after landing on Red 3, Condor and the three other tanks of its platoon moved inland with the orders: its mission was to cross the island and return to the Marines lines, destroying enemy positions.
The After Action Report mentions that, during this mission, this tank was temporarily disabled by a Navy dive-bomber.
However, the interview of one of the surviving crewmen states that the tank was never disabled, even temporarily, by any Navy plane.
The tank crossed the northern taxi strip of the airfield and reached the central triangle area.
There, the 3rd Platoon tanks were hit by a hail of a gunfire, coming from Japanese 75mm anti-aircraft gun, hidden in the debris. Condor, like two other tanks of its platoon, fell victim to the Japanese gun.
As shown by the two pictures we have of this tank, it was not badly hit.
The fact is that the concusion made the driver's board red light come on, eroneously, indicating that the engine was on fire.
As per standard operating procedure, the crew abandoned the tank and tried to fall back to the beach.
The tank wasn't burning when the crew exited it, but in the heat of the moment, each man was focused on finding cover in enemy-held ground and none of them tried to return to the tank.
Crew composition:
The only two known pictures of Condor, taken after the fighting ceased:
Condor was a mid-production M4A2, issued directly from the Detroit factory. The US registration number was still visible on the right flank of the tank's hull. It carried the number "USA 3.035.025".
This number begins by "USA 30", like all US Army tanks of WWII.
On D-Day 20 November 1943, after landing on Red 3, Condor and the three other tanks of its platoon moved inland with the orders: its mission was to cross the island and return to the Marines lines, destroying enemy positions.
The After Action Report mentions that, during this mission, this tank was temporarily disabled by a Navy dive-bomber.
However, the interview of one of the surviving crewmen states that the tank was never disabled, even temporarily, by any Navy plane.
The tank crossed the northern taxi strip of the airfield and reached the central triangle area.
There, the 3rd Platoon tanks were hit by a hail of a gunfire, coming from Japanese 75mm anti-aircraft gun, hidden in the debris. Condor, like two other tanks of its platoon, fell victim to the Japanese gun.
As shown by the two pictures we have of this tank, it was not badly hit.
The fact is that the concusion made the driver's board red light come on, eroneously, indicating that the engine was on fire.
As per standard operating procedure, the crew abandoned the tank and tried to fall back to the beach.
The tank wasn't burning when the crew exited it, but in the heat of the moment, each man was focused on finding cover in enemy-held ground and none of them tried to return to the tank.
Crew composition:
- Commander: Sgt Robert F. Shook
- Driver: Cpl Raymond A. Barker
- Assistant driver: Pvt Harry O. Grey
- Radio operator/loader: Cpl Herschel B. Fulmer
- Gunner: Pvt Joe D. Woolum
The only two known pictures of Condor, taken after the fighting ceased:
Note on the right of the gun tube "Bonnyman's Hill", the Japanese command bunker. Source: NARA
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In the background, we can see the Japanese air operation building.
Source: NARA
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Tracks of Condor:
This map depicts the track of Condor until it was disabled by a 75 mm gun, in the central triangle.
Source: Archives and Special Collections Library of the Marine Corps, adapted.
Details of the disabled 3rd Platoon tanks positions.
DETAILS:
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The USA number
This zoom on the right side of Condor allows us to distinguish the old Army registration number. It was originally painted in blue, but the USMC, after acquiring the tank, put on a thin coat of paint over it. This number (3.035.025) allow us to track down the tank origin: it corresponds to the serial number 26495; built by Fisher Body Corporation, Detroit, Michigan. |
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The bow machine gun
Note on this view, the name "MIKE" painted above the assistant driver's machine gun. The origin is not known. |
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Color plate
The color applied on this plate was arbitrarily chosen. Even though some color movie film shows some of C Company's tanks, we can't trust the color.
Color film could be damaged by the intense heat on Tarawa, it was highly sensitive to water temperature during processing, and the color deteriorates with the passage of the time according to how it is archived.
More over, Betio's environment was dusty due to bombardments. That coat of dust on the tanks, affected the color.
The paint applied here is the standard "Olive Drab"; widely used by US Army vehicles.
Color film could be damaged by the intense heat on Tarawa, it was highly sensitive to water temperature during processing, and the color deteriorates with the passage of the time according to how it is archived.
More over, Betio's environment was dusty due to bombardments. That coat of dust on the tanks, affected the color.
The paint applied here is the standard "Olive Drab"; widely used by US Army vehicles.
Some tanks of C Company had water can racks mounted on the rear hull plate, but the presence of a such equipment on Condor is unknown.
After the hostilities ceased on Betio, Condor and eleven other M4A2 were loaded back on the USS Ashland and shipped out to Maui, Hawaii. There, Condor was offloaded and additional armor plate was welded onto the hull sides.
The rebuilt Condor was re-used in the Marshall Islands, in 1944.
The rebuilt Condor was re-used in the Marshall Islands, in 1944.
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