US tanks lost at sea in WWII restored for Victory Day parade in Russia
Over 70 years after being lost at sea, on their way to join the fight against Nazi Germany, two US-made tanks have been restored just in time to feature in WWII victory celebrations alongside their Russian counterparts.
An M4 (105) Sherman tank with spare track-links welded on its front for additional armor protection © Wikipedia / Wikipedia
The M3 and M4 tanks were discovered off the Russian coast in the Barents Sea last July, before being pulled out by servicemen from Russia’s Northern fleet. Needless to say, after spending decades underwater, the once impressive machines were a little worse for wear.
https://twitter.com/StalingradFront/status/1020672040494346242
The tanks were originally intended to be shipped through the Arctic to the northern city of Murmansk, as part of the US "lend-lease" program with the Soviet Union. The journey, however, was extremely perilous as Nazi ships and U-boats attacked and destroyed many of the convoys, killing around 3,000 allied sailors in the process.
Although over half a century has passed, the Russian servicemen made sure that sacrifice was not made in vain. After recovering what was left of the tanks, they began the painstaking process of taking them apart, cleaning them piece by piece, replacing parts and even getting the weapons systems back online.
Despite the extreme difficulty of the restoration, one can’t argue with the impressive results.
Thanks to their efforts, the two allied tanks were finally able to complete their over 70-year journey and join over 50 other historical and modern vehicles just in time for Victory Day celebrations in central Murmansk.
Victory Day is one of the largest and most important holidays in contemporary Russia. It’s celebrated in cities across the country and internationally. Despite stormy weather in Moscow, tens of thousands took part in this year's march honoring family members who gave their lives during the war.
Original: https://www.rt.com/russia/458896-us-tanks-restored-victory-day/