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the outbreak of the Korean War several Sherman tanks stationed in Japan
were refurbished with larger guns and a new turret and sent as a stop gap
measure to armor units fighting in Korea. The flamboyant Eighty-ninth Tank
Battalion, known as "Rice's Red Devils," received their Shermans
in 1951 and, as a way to frighten the enemy, quickly painted them with
fierce-looking animal faces. With their fast-moving Shermans the Devils
were easily able to destroy Russian tanks used by the North Koreans. As
the war progressed the upgraded M4s were replaced by the better-armed and
armored M26.
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