Sherman M4A1 with 76 mm gun “Amboy” – American Medium Tank

Sherman M4A1 76mm at La Roche-en-Ardennes

This Sherman M4A1 medium tank on the Quai du Gravier square in the center of the Belgian town La-Roche-en-Ardenne was placed here on 17 December 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Ardennes. It is dedicated to the soldiers of the 2nd and 3rd US Armored Divisions who liberated this town and the surrounding villages in January 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge. The Sherman was put here by the Belgian 1/3 Cavalry Regiment.

It’s only vaguely readable but the tank has the name “Amboy” painted on it’s flanks.

Sherman M4A1

The Sherman M4A1 with the 76mm gun, often referred to as the M4A1 (76mm), was a variant of the M4 Sherman tank equipped with the more powerful 76mm M1A1 gun, which was introduced to improve the tank’s ability to engage heavily armored German tanks, such as the Panther and Tiger. The

The M4A1 (76mm) variant of the Sherman featured a cast hull, which was a hallmark of the earlier M4A1 models. This cast hull was durable but also more prone to casting flaws compared to the welded hulls of other Sherman models. The 76mm gun was a significant upgrade from the earlier 75mm M3 gun, providing superior armor penetration and range. This upgrade allowed the M4A1 to better handle German heavy armor, although the increased recoil from the 76mm gun required stronger internal components and modifications.

In terms of mobility, the M4A1 (76mm) retained the ** Chrysler A57 multibank engine**, which produced 500 horsepower and allowed a top speed of 24-30 mph (39-48 km/h), with a range of about 100 miles (160 km) on a full tank of fuel.
Despite its advantages, the M4A1 (76mm) was more difficult to maintain, and crews often found it challenging to operate compared to earlier Sherman versions.

This Sherman M4A1 received a full hit penetrating its frontal armor as can be seen on the picture below.

The barrel of the Sherman M4A1 is pointing towards another tank monument of a M10 Achilles 17pdr Tank Destroyer further up the hill side across the river Ourthe.

The Sherman replaces a M46 Patton tank that was placed here between 1990 and 2004 as a gift to La-Roche-de-Ardenne by the Infantry school from Arlon.