Existing comment:
The St. Mihiel Offensive:
Light tanks were used to destroy machine-gun positions so the infantry could advance. The Renault FT-17 was the first tank designed to go in and out of a trench. The "tail" on the back is used to help the tank get out of the trench. Tankers of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) were in their first battle during the St. Mihiel offensive of early September 1918.
This model shows light tanks of the 327th Tank Battalion supporting the infantry in an attack on German trenches between Pannes and Beney France, September 12, 1918. The 327th, along with the 326th Tank Battalion, were part of the 304th Tank Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton, Jr. Equipped with French Renault Ft-17 and FT-18 light tanks, the brigade played an important part in the capture of the St. Mihiel salient in the closing days of the Great War. |