Lemons is considered the Army's top authority on tanks, she said. Torony knew just who to enlist to get to the bottom of Cobra King's identity - Charles Lemons, curator for the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, Ky. He started his quest with Steven Ruhnke, the 1st Armored Division museum curator in Baumholder, Germany, who introduced him to U.S. But after Stigall attended a historical reenactment of the Battle of the Bulge re-enactment, the Jumbo by the base's back gate suddenly stood out in his mind.Ī historical marker outside a still-standing bunker on the outskirts of Bastogne displays images of Cobra King that reminded the air defense artilleryman of the tank in Vilseck.Īfter a tour of duty at Fort Bliss, Texas, Stigall said, he returned to Germany and began a mission to track down the vehicle's history. Brian Stigall of the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery, said he drove past the tank many times while training on Rose Barracks, but normally paid little attention to it. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr civilian employee said the tank has been in place at Rose Barracks for at least 10 years.

Cobra King went into battle with tankers from Company C, 37th Tank Battalion. The tank's moniker comes from the tank corps tradition of naming vehicles with the first letter of their companies' designations. 26, 1944, the same Sherman 'Jumbo' tank and its crew led a combined infantry and armor column that relieved Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division surrounded by the enemy in Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge. Today Cobra King sits overlooking the back gate of Rose Barracks here, a nearly forgotten silent steel hulk.

One day before Christmas 2008, it officially began a new journey to its rightful place as part of the Army's heritage. VILSECK, Germany - One day after Christmas 1945, 'Cobra King' battled its way into World War II history. During the Battle of the Bulge the tank and its crew led an armor an infantry column that relieved the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

'Cobra King' on Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, today.

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