This U.S. Soldier Destroyed 258 Armored Vehicles And A Dozen Tanks In Just 81 Days Of Combat

Is it possible for any crew to survive more than once in a devastating attack? Legendary WWII tank Captain Lafayette G. Pool survived with his crew twice. The third time he fell prey to the attack and lost one of his legs and his crewmembers. Lafayette Green Pool, one of the twins, was born in July 1919 in Odem, Texas. His twin brother, John Thomas Pool was in the U.S. Navy and just like his brother, Pool also wanted to join the Navy. However, due to eyesight defect, he wasn’t allowed to join the Navy. He didn’t lose hope, rather, he continued his studies in Texas College of Arts and Industries with major in engineering. Within a year into the college, he dropped out to try his luck in the army again. This time around, he was lucky enough and got attached to the 3rd Armored Division and underwent training at Desert Training Center and Indiantown Gap base in Pennsylvania. Pool was good with boxing from the very beginning and his bad sight was due to boxing only. In the army to, he became a divisional and regional champion. Although he was gaining popularity due to his boxing abilities and was invited to take part in different competitions, he was not interested in it. He refused to be part of any competition rather he devoted his time in gaining expertise in operating and handling M4 Sherman tanks. He chose to train tank crewmember over Officer Candidate School. He was a bit old to be a tank crewmember and that’s why he gained the nickname of War Daddy. Pool’s outfit went into their first combat in 1944 with a tank that he named “In the Mood” and crushed three-armored vehicle of the Germans. Nevertheless, on June, a German anti-tank weapon destroyed the tank, but crew escaped without getting hurt. The next Sherman that they received was also named “In the Mood” and it lasted just over a month. While charging down the lanes of the Normandy town, the Sherman almost crashed two German Panther Tanks and several armored cars. The Sherman was about to take on the 7th Army of Germany when the U.S. Air Force P-38 fighter-bombers destroyed the Sherman thinking that it belonged to the Germans. Pool always preferred to stay atop his tank and thankfully, this risky position helped him save his life when the Sherman was hit for the third time by a German tank. The Sherman overturned leaving Pool badly injured where he had to amputate his left leg from inches above the knee. In 81 days, he killed over 1000 Nazi troops, destroyed 258 armored vehicles and 12 tanks and took 250 Nazi prisoners.