Forces of Valor FOV801002A US M24 Chaffee Light Tank - "White 9", Company D, 36th Tank Battalion, 8th Armored Division, Rheinberg, Germany, March 1945 (1:32 Scale)
"I'm killing Germans left and right. Just got a Mark IV tank. Having a good time. I also got a truck and a half-track."
- Captain "Cowboy" Tucker, commanding officer of "A" Company of the 36th Tank Battalion, March 5th, 1945
The M24 Chaffee - arguably the best light tank of World War II - was a fast, lightly armored vehicle with the ability to deliver relatively large caliber direct fire thanks to its excellent 75 mm M6 gun. More than 4,000 vehicles were produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris from 1943-45. The first vehicles reached Europe in late 1944, where they proved very effective and highly reliable. At the outset of the Korean War, however, American forces equipped with the M24 Chaffees performed poorly against the enemy's T-34/85s, and these US units were soon augmented with M26 Pershings and M46 Pattons, along with M4A3E8 Shermans armed with the long 76mm gun. The Chaffee remained in American service until 1953, at which time it was eventually replaced by the M41 Bulldog.
In April 1943, the Ordnance Corps, together with Cadillac (who manufactured the M5), started work on the new project, designated Light Tank T24. The powerplant and transmission of the M5 were used together with some aspects of the T7. Efforts were made to keep the weight of the vehicle under 20 tons. The armor was extremely light and was sloped to maximize effectiveness. The turret armor was 25 mm thick with a 38 mm thick gun mantlet. The glacis plate was 25 mm thick. Side hull armor thickness varied: the frontal section was 25 mm thick but the rear third of the armor (which covered the engine compartment) was only 19 mm.
A new lightweight 75 mm gun was developed, a derivative of the gun used in the B-25H Mitchell bomber. The gun had the same ballistics as the 75 mm M3 in use by American tanks but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism. The design featured 16 in (41 cm) tracks and torsion bar suspension, similar to the slightly earlier M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, which itself started in production in July 1943. The torsion bar system was to give a smoother ride than the vertical volute suspension used on most US armored vehicles. At the same time, the chassis was expected to be a standard used for other vehicles, such as self-propelled guns, and specialist vehicles; known together as the "Light Combat Team". It had a relatively low silhouette and a three-man turret.
On October 15th, 1943, the first pilot vehicle was delivered. The design was judged a success and a contract for 1,000 was immediately raised by the Ordnance Department. This was subsequently increased to 5,000. Production began in 1944 under the designation Light Tank M24. It was produced at two sites; from April at Cadillac and from July at Massey-Harris. By the time production was stopped in August 1945, 4,731 M24s had been produced
Pictured here is a 1:32 scale replica of a US M24 Chaffee light tank that was attached to Company D, 36th Tank Battalion, 8th Armored Division, then deployed to Rheinberg, Germany, during March 1945.
Now in stock!
Dimensions:
Length: 7-inches
Width: 3-inches
Release Date: January 2024
Historical Account: "Bloody Rheinburg" - When dawn broke on the morning of March 5th, 1945, the men of the Thirty-Sixth Tank Battalion had no idea of the ordeal they would face that day. The "Invincibles", as a part of Combat Command B, 8th Armored Division, were attached to the 35th Infantry Division with the mission of moving forward, seizing Lintfort and Rheinberg and then, if ordered, to seize the bridge across the Rhine at Wese!.G-2 information indicated there was only minor opposition to be expected; that there were only three self-propelled weapons, one anti-tank gun, no tanks and about 300 disorganized and demoralized soldiers on this side of the Rhine. That information, they soon learned, was "all wet."
Task Force Van Houten that fateful day was composed of the 36th Tank Battalion, minus "en Company and Service Company, and included "A" Company of the 49th Armored Infantry Battalion, a platoon of "B" Company of the 809th Tank Destroyer Battalion and a platoon of "B" Company of the 53rd Armored Engineer Battalion. "C" Company of the 36th was attached to the 49th Infantry, and Service Company was moving with CC fiB" trains.
Task Force Van Houten moved out of Aldekirk at approximately 0800, following Task Force Roseborough (the 49th). When TF Roseborough reached Lintfort, it encountered minor resistance and TF Van Houten was ordered by the combat commander to double the combat command column and pass through TF Roseborough which was to remain behind to secure the east side of Lintfort, an important mining town.
When the 36th reached Lintfort, which was still being cleaned out, they learned that reconnaissance had been sent ahead to check on routes through the town but had not yet returned. The combat commander then decided not to wait for the reconnaissance report and ordered TF Van Houten to continue through Lintfort and to seize Rheinberg and destroy all the enemy in that zone. At this time the leader of the "recon" troop called in and reported that he had not yet heard from his platoon but that he would send a guide to lead us out of Lintfort.
This guide took us to Schmidt Brook where the "recon" platoon had been held up by small arms fire. Captain "Cowboy" Tucker, commanding officer of "A" Company of the 36th, at the head of our column, reported this condition over the radio and inquired, "Shall I by-pass and double the "recon" column and keep on going?" As only small arms fire had been encountered, he was ordered to keep moving. His tanks proceeded north into a patch of woods, where they drew fire and returned it, killing Germans both to their right and left. At this point, Captain Tucker, doomed to die that day himself, reported "I'm killing Germans left and right. Just got a Mark IV tank. Having a good time. I also got a truck and a half-track."
Leading "A" Company, he continued to a point along the Fossa Canal road which goes north to the canal bridge, which was blown as the tanks approached. At this time there was heavy fire from both sides of the road. as well as from fox-holes, houses and the woods. One of our tanks was knocked out by a mine while several others burned up after being hit by bazookas or anti-tank guns.
Meanwhile the infantry platoon which had been attached to "A" Company was pinned down by fire from the woods north of the canal and from southwest of Rheinberg. The rest of the infantry company, which was following Captain Tucker, was engaged in a fire fight near Retschenhof and Kereschenhof. Following orders, Captain Tucker got in front of his infantry with the tanks he had and headed toward Rheinberg, moving parallel with the canal, under a continual mortar and anti-tank fire, including shells from 150mm guns.
In the meantime, "B" Company of the 36th, commanded by Captain David B, "Irish" Kelly, moved to hit the main road to Rheinberg and ran into intense small arms fire. Destroying many of the enemy and knocking out a German tank in the vicinity of Winterswick, they ran into more anti tank and bazooka fire. Part of "A" Company of the 49th were sent to assist "B" Company in cleaning out this anti-tank fire so it could move forward.
Accompanied by this infantry now, "B" Company moved north to the outskirts of Rheinberg. Three tanks of the company, found the next day, actually penetrated into the town upder heavy fire before being knocked out. Two were found north of the town and the third was in the center of town. During this assault, "B" Company knocked out four 88s and six 20mm guns protecting the larger weapons. These guns were in addition to a half -track, a tank and a truck also knocked out by the company.
During this period, "D" Company, the light tank company of the 36th, commanded by Captain Arthur C. "Ace" Erdmrinn, moved over Kamperbruck to an attack position southeast of Alterspan Wood. Enemy guns engaged the company but were speedily knocked out. The combat commander then sent a platoon of infantry to "D" Company and ordered an attack on Rheinberg from the southwest. Receiving fire from anti-tank guns, small arms, mortars and artillery, the company nevertheless moved forward and after the third assault, three tanks, later knocked out, entered Rheinberg. The attack wa.s costly both in tanks and men. Captain Erdmann lost a foot as the result of stepping on a mine and platoon leaders, Lt. Frank Rich and Lt. Kenneth Robinson died heroes' deaths as they led their men forward.
After dark, the remaining tanks of the company withdrew to Lintfort. During the action "D" Company was credited with knocking out three 88s, one tank and one 150mm gun.
"C" Company, commanded by Captain Stanley "Big Ears" Bodin, which bad been attached to the 49th Infantry, was now returned to battalion control and was ordered to assist "B" Company of the 36th in the attack on Rheinberg from the south. They were held generally in reserve and knocked out one anti-tank gun.
All told, the battalion knocked out three Mark IV tanks, one truck, two 150mm guns, twelve anti-tank guns (six 88s and six 20mm guns), took 512 prisoners and killed at least' 350 of the enemy, crushing the last core of enemy resistance in the area and capturing Rheinberg.
The battle of Rheinberg was not a battle of one man or one tank or one company. It was a battalion fighting against great odds and despite great losses carrying on and refusing to quit. Tanks were knocked out but. other tanks moved on and continued the attack. Men who were not too seriously injured grabbed their weapons from their tanks and continued forward on foot. Even the seriously wounded waved on tanks which stopped to assist . them.
The next morning the battered but proud battalion reassembled in Rheinberg and took count of itself. They had lost 41 tanks; 131 men were either dead, missing, or wounded. Stories of heroism were then pieced together by the men, still groggy from the shock of battle and close communion with death. Captain Tucker's final radio message, after his arm had been shot away, sent shortly before he was killed, was recalled. Typical of the men who refused to stop, it was "I am a one-armed Cowboy now -- let's go, Cowboys." The story of Lt. Erickson of Baker Company, who was last seen, wounded and armed with a carbine, a submachine gun, a pistol and hand grenades, advancing toward the German lines was also told.
Great credit was also given the medical detachment, the unarmed heroes, who, working under fire, went about their work of aiding and evacuating the wounded calmly and skillfully. That day alone they proved their worth to the men of the battalion.
Rheinberg doesn't look like much of a place on a map but it is written indelibly on the hearts of the men of the Thirty-Sixth because it was there that they received their baptism of blood and proved themselves worthy of the title of "Soldier." Refusing to give up when things were darkest, they battled on forward against a fiercely resisting and well-dug-in enemy. Rheinberg, to tankers of the Thirty-Sixth recalls narrow escapes from death, the buddies who died there and who now lie beneath white crosses in some lonely Army Cemetery in Europe far from their homes and loved ones, and the day when the battalion was tested in the flame of battle and emerged seared but victorious.
The fighting wasn't over yet though. The next morning, on March 6th, at 0230 hours, the Invincibles were attached to the Third Battalion of the 137th Infantry Regiment of the 35th Infantry Division. The second platoon of "C" Company moved out with "I" Company of the 137th and secured a foothold in houses in Ossenberg, the next town north at 2100. This entire area between Rheinberg and Ossenberg was under heavy artillery fire and gained the name of "88 Lane." Rheinberg itseIf, though cleared of the enemy, also remained under heavy mortar, tank and artillery fire with the Germans concentrating their fire on the area near the town's church. This area soon was dubbed "Suicide Corner" and those who were wise went through it on the double, ready to hit the dirt as soon as they heard the ominous whistle of an "inbound" shell. The artillery, which ranged up to 170mm, took a toll of both dead and wounded in the newly-won city.
Meanwhile at Ossenberg, one Tiger tank was knocked out, though nine rounds were required to disable it. The next night, March 7th, another platoon of our "C" Company and the 3rd battalion of the 137th secured the crossroads and by 0500, March 8th, had taken the entire Solvay Factory area, in which they also captured a Mark n and a Mark IV tank. The second platoon of "A" Company of the 36th then relieved the weary "C" Company men and continued the attack with the infantry through Ossenberg, securing Borth, blowing up two ammunition dumps there and then continuing the attack to Wallach which was captured after an anti-tank gun there was knocked out.
In the meantime, the battalion was receiving new tanks and the battalion maintenance section was busily engaged in recovering disabled tanks, some of them under fire. Service Company, during this period, had not been idle and its trucks had been engaged in bringing up ammunition, gasoline and weapons to replace those lost on the field of battle. Some of the replacements we received were very green and one of them actually fell out of the assistant driver's seat on his first ride in a tank and was evacuated.
On March 11th, another division was sent into the area and we were ordered to move to Venlo, Holland, to prepare to cross the Rhine. We welcomed the well deserved rest and left shortly before noon for another visit to hospitable Holland.
Length: 7-inches
Width: 3-inches
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