The Tanks Are O.K.

Critics of U.S. Army tanks and guns got a sharp answer last week from the man most responsible for army weapons. Back from a four-weeks' tour of the European battlefronts came Major General Levin H. Campbell Jr., Chief of Ordnance, ready to defend his goods and loaded with testimonials from satisfied users.

From General Dwight Eisenhower: "Reports . . . continue to tell of the splendid quality of our weapons and ammunition. . . . The enemy's battle losses have been far greater than ours. In pieces of artillery the enemy has lost eight to our one. We have knocked out twice as many tanks as we have lost."

From Lieut. General George S. Patton Jr., who had read that U.S. tanks were being unfavorably compared with the German heavies, especially the 72-ton Royal Tiger: "We've got the finest tanks in the world. We just love to see the German Royal Tiger come up on the field."

U.S. field commanders, said General Campbell, do not want heavy, slow-moving sluggers. He had offered to supply the Army with a 62-ton tank. But the mobility-minded High Command declined them, still did not want them in Europe. U.S. generals, he said, prefer lighter, nimbler armor.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.