Sturmgeschütz

"Sturmgeschütz" is a German word for "assault gun", usually abbreviated StuG. The vehicle was a leading weapon of the "Sturmartillerie", a branch of the German artillery tasked with close fire support of infantry in infantry, panzer, and panzergrenadier units. Stugs were very successful in their intended support role and destroyed, among others, many bunkers, pillboxes and other defences. Destruction of enemy tanks was its main priority, however, and it is estimated that by 1944 Stug battalions had destroyed 20,000 enemy tanks.

Most assault guns were mounted on the chassis of a Panzer III (which had become obsolete as a tank) or Panzer IV, with the resultant model being called either a StuG III or StuG IV respectively.The StuG was one of the most effective tracked vehicles of World War II, and over 10,000 of them were eventually produced.

External links

* [http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/CanadianWarMuseum/Sturmgeschutz/index.htm Photos of the Sturmgeschutz III at the Canada War Museum in Ottawa Ontario]
* [http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/black_and_white/stug_g Photo of Stugs]