M36 Tank Destroyer

[M36 Jackson]

Can someone please tell me the proper name of this thing? I have read it is called 'Slugger' and I know it as the 'Jackson'. Can anyone tell me why this is?

[Caldric]

Not sure by what you mean by name, the British named most US Tanks during the war after American Generals. Such as General Sherman, General Lee, General Jackson. The M36 GMC was from the T71 prototype.

[ChristopherPerrien]

The British named American tanks after "Southern" Generals. The Yankees named their tanks after Northern generals, presumably to piss off
the high percentage of "Southerners" who joined the Armored Corps, which I be one!!!!!.

For example the M3 tank was called the Lee by the English and the Grant by the Yankees, excuse me, the Americans.

I guess the British classified the M36 as a tank and gave it the Jackson nickname. However it was actually a SP/tank destroyer. Perhaps the British use the 360 traverse as a criteria, perhaps they drink too much "tea".

If you want to know the US nickname I think it was Hellcat or Wildcat,
I will dig though my library if you really want to know. Or someone else here knows it?

[Caldric]

If you want to know the US nickname I think it was Hellcat or Wildcat,
I will dig though my library if you really want to know. Or someone else here knows it?

The official name was M36 GMC. The "Hellcat" was the M18 and the Americans, just like the M10 “Wolverine” named it, they were named before the British gave them a name, unlike the M36. The Americans liked animal names. This is very true in aircraft, Mustang, Wildcat, Hellcat, Bearcat etc.

[redcoat]

The British named American tanks after "Southern" Generals. The Yankees named their tanks after Northern generals, presumably to piss off
the high percentage of "Southerners" who joined the Armored Corps, which I be one!!!!!.

Not true, it was the British who give American tanks the names of American generals from the ACW, both North and South.

For example the M3 tank was called the Lee by the English and the Grant by the Yankees, excuse me, the Americans.

No, the M3 was given both these names by the British, the Lee was an unmodified M3, while the Grant was a M3 modified to British demands with a lower top turret.

I guess the British classified the M36 as a tank and gave it the Jackson nickname. However it was actually a SP/tank destroyer.

No, its just that they give names to all their AFV's

Perhaps the British use the 360 traverse as a criteria, perhaps they drink too much "tea".

perhaps you Americans drink too much "coffee"

If you want to know the US nickname I think it was Hellcat or Wildcat,

No, the Hellcat was the unofficial name given to the M18 SP/tank destroyer

[Caldric]

Interesting enough the General names would catch on in the US also, with the Perishing, Patton etc al.

[Aufklarung]

.....Perishing.....

I would not follow a General or get in a Tank called "Perishing"!!
Just kidding, Caldric. I know what you meant.
Regards
A

[Caldric]

.....Perishing.....

I would not follow a General or get in a Tank called "Perishing"!!
Just kidding, Caldric. I know what you meant.
Regards
A

LOL that is pretty bad I suppose. Pershing is the name...

[ChristopherPerrien]

I am sure the M36 had a nickname, true the M18 was the hellcat.
I am in the middle of moving , a.s.a.p. I will find that name besides "Jackson".

As far as the differenence in British nicknaming of tanks, sp guns and tank destroyers, think about it.

Tanks- Lee, stuart,

Sp- preist, bishop

TD's- Achilles,archer

The problem with giving a TD a "Tank " nickname like "Jackson" is it could slighty encourage Allied generals to use them as real tanks which a tank destoyer is not.

I will find it, I think it was an American nickname, obiviously it did not catch on or everyone would know it.

[Necros]

I do think that the nickname for the M36 was Jackson.

Necros

[ChristopherPerrien]

I do think that the nickname for the M36 was Jackson.

Necros

Yes it was ,I have seen it mentioned since then , I am still trying to find out if the crews themselves used this. They may have just called them "36's"

Post-war examples of this non-nickname status are the M48 and M60 Tanks, In other Armies, The was M48 was often called a "Patton tank" or "Patturion" (sp?), but neither it or its successor the M60 was called by any formal nick-name by US Tankers, other than model numbers, 48's or 60's 48A5, etc, and a host of various cuss words depending on how bad a case of ASS -(armour school solution) you had at the time.

[Dwight Pruitt]

I do think that the nickname for the M36 was Jackson.

Necros

Yes it was ,I have seen it mentioned since then , I am still trying to find out if the crews themselves used this. They may have just called them "36's"

Post-war examples of this non-nickname status are the M48 and M60 Tanks, In other Armies, The was M48 was often called a "Patton tank" or "Patturion" (sp?), but neither it or its successor the M60 was called by any formal nick-name by US Tankers, other than model numbers, 48's or 60's 48A5, etc, and a host of various cuss words depending on how bad a case of ASS -(armour school solution) you had at the time.

Chamberlain and Ellis gives the designation as Gun Motor Carriage, M36...

I agree in regards to the "Patton" nickname on the M60 series. It wasn't in the official designation, at least not on any of the manuals we used. Usually they were referred to by the Model variant, i.e "A Ones" for M60A1, "A Twos" or "A deuces" for M60A2* and "A Threes" for M60A3. Usually, basic model M60 were called Slicks or Slick Sixties.

* One nickname I've seen attributed to the M60A2 is "Starship." Never ever heard that used while I served on them. As Christopher said, we used some pretty salty language for it though

[ChristopherPerrien]

Hey Pruitt when were you in? I was in 85-89, 90-91
I got a tanker friend up around Indianapolis somewhere , Todd Peter, maybe you've run into that nut.

[Dwight Pruitt]

Hey Pruitt when were you in? I was in 85-89, 90-91
I got a tanker friend up around Indianapolis somewhere , Todd Peter, maybe you've run into that nut.

Chris, I was with 3/33 Armor at Ayres Kaserne, Kirchgoens from 77-80, IRR from 80-83 doing AD AT's with 2/10 Cav at Hood. and then 1/238th Cav InARNG . Sorry, i've not had the pleasure of meeting your friend.

[ChristopherPerrien]

Hey Pruitt when were you in? I was in 85-89, 90-91
I got a tanker friend up around Indianapolis somewhere , Todd Peter, maybe you've run into that nut.

Chris, I was with 3/33 Armor at Ayres Kaserne, Kirchgoens from 77-80, IRR from 80-83 doing AD AT's with 2/10 Cav at Hood. and then 1/238th Cav InARNG . Sorry, i've not had the pleasure of meeting your friend.

Little before my time,

Ah-well, just as well, you get old tanker buddies together , laws get broke, people too, divorces happen, and then Hell's gotta pay for it.