Marine M4A2 Sherman tanks of the 3rd Tank Battalion Advance off Beach Iwo Jima
The 3rd Tank Battalion, during 1944, inherited some tanks from the IMAC Tank Battalion, which initially bore the charging elephant insignia. This insignia could still be seen on some tanks early in the war, but it gradually disappeared from most of their M4A2 Sherman tanks after they underwent modifications for the Iwo Jima campaign.
To protect the vulnerable sponson ammo bins, field-fit appliqué armor was added to the hull sides of these tanks. This upgrade was a significant change, and the new armor was painted using dull green paint, since olive drab wasn’t always available. This dull green color was also applied in patches across other parts of the tanks during repairs and maintenance, creating a somewhat patchy appearance alongside the basic olive drab color and irregular black camouflage. These repairs were often conducted in the field, where standard colors were not always at hand.
The 3rd Tank Battalion had adopted a white winged star insignia in 1944. This insignia appeared on the hull side, turret rear, and turret roof of the M4A2s. However, due to the appliqué armor installation, the hull-side insignia often got covered or removed. Additional markings on these tanks included:
- The USMC registration number
- The tank name
- The tank number, typically displayed on the turret side
The colors used for these markings varied depending on availability, with both white and yellow paint being utilized. This reflected the battalion’s practical approach to ensuring that essential identification features remained visible despite the challenges of combat conditions and the constant need for battlefield modifications.