Sicily and Italy Tank destroyer battalion (United States)

a m10 of 701st td btn advancing along mountain road, in example of broken terrain common in italy

the second theater of operations tank destroyer units italian campaign, beginning landings in sicily in july 1943, , continuing mainland italy september. while german armor present in theater, committed battle in large groups; partly result of broken, heavily cultivated, terrain, due growing conservatism , defensive ethos on german side. result, tank destroyers found used variety of other tasks, commonly local artillery support.

a report in late 1944, reviewing use of tank destroyer units in combat, found in practice expected fulfill roles of armor support:

during planning stage attack found practically without exception infantry commanders reasonable in requirements , expectations of support tank destroyers. once battle joined, original plans few exceptions discarded , destroyers ordered go forward tanks ahead of infantry...

when operating armored forces, common attach company or platoon tank battalion or company, , use them in overwatch role. when operating in defense, tanks , tank destroyers pooled rear-area reserve , brought line blunt tank-led attacks against infantry positions.

a major lesson learned italian campaign conversion towed guns not advantageous had been thought. mobility , protection of tank destroyer found outweigh towed anti-tank gun s low profile. @ anzio, number of british towed anti-tank gun units overrun , knocked out because unable redeploy on short notice, while self-propelled guns able fall , continue fighting.

in italy, last few m3 gmc replaced m10. although m10 incapable of dealing frontal arc of rarely-encountered panther tanks , tiger tanks, more efficient against enemy armor encountered in italy, , against heavy tanks flank. m18 first deployed in summer of 1944, , not seen great success in italian theater; high speed of limited use in restricted terrain, , result up-gunned m10.