During the Battle of Cologne (March 5-7, 1945), U.S. 3rd Armored Division’s Easy Company M26 Pershing (“Eagle 7,” Lt. Leo Keller, gunner Cpl. Clarence Smoyer) clashed with a German Panther (PzKpfw V Ausf. G, SS-Obersturmführer Georg Bartelborth) near Cologne Cathedral. The Panther, hidden in ruins after destroying a Sherman, hesitated as the Pershing flanked it at 200 yards. Smoyer’s 90mm round hit the Panther’s hull, igniting ammo; a second shot finished it, with Bartelborth and two crew killed by infantry. Filmed by Jim Bates, this duel showcased the Pershing’s edge, aiding Cologne’s capture by March 7, though the Hohenzollern Bridge was destroyed.
From: x.com/WarMonitorClips
Pershing vs. Panther: Cologne Tank Duel (March 6, 1945)
