M4A3E4 Sherman

During my visit of the Pivka military museum, I took some photos of the M4A3E4 Sherman that was in Yugoslav service after WWII, from 1952 to 1975.

Sherman in a communist country?

In 1948, a political conflict broke out between the SFRY and other communist countriesin the Soviet Bloc. Among other economic measures, the supply of any military equipment and raw materials was cut. Due to the growing need for new equipment and the threat of a military intervention by the USSR which wasn’t unknown for it, Yugoslav leadership turned to the Western powers for help. The USA was more than happy to help because if a war were to erupt on the European continent again, the SFRY was more likely to be on their side or at least, neutral. This also allowed for the US to get rid of it’s huge stock of WWII weapons as well as provide the new allies with some help.

Starting in 1951 and ending in 1958, as part of the Mutual Defense Aid Program (MDAP), Yugoslavia was armed with Western (usually American) weapons. In that period, the following armoured combat vehicles were delivered: 599 Sherman M4A3E4 (from the Second World War period), 319 M-47 Patton, 565 M3A1 and M8 Greyhound armoured cars, 715 M18 Hellcat, M-36 Jackson and M7 Priest tank destroyers and artillery pieces, as well as various M3 APC’s, various engineer tanks as well as a few hundred tracked logistical vehicles, 3,000 GMC 352/353 trucks, and about 9,000 other vehicles. This allowed for the US to get rid of it’s huge stock of WWII weapons as well as provide the new allies

By the end of the program, Yugoslavia has a plentiful army and a well-developed doctrine. Issues would of course arise after the end of the program, when it was discovered that the tanks were unsuitable for the modern battlefield filled with T-55 and soon-to-be T-62 tanks. Mechanical issues and maintenance began to show up and the tank was kept in reserve and used in target practice by the late 1960’s and 1970’s.

Considering this tank is located in Slovenia, it is unlikely it was used during the breakup of Yugoslavia, but M4A3’s and other WWII equipment was heavily used during the wars that followed. The tanks’ markings show the number 3169.

More reference photos from various vehicles can be found on the page “Reference photos“

Photos