Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Lafayette G. Pool survived three destroyed Sherman tanks in less than three months of combat.
Driving through the hedgerows of Normandy in 1944, Pool led his tank, In the Mood, straight into some of the most dangerous terrain American armor faced during World War II. German anti-tank teams could hide behind every hedgerow, Panthers waited around blind corners, and a single hit inside a Sherman often turned the tank into a burning trap within seconds. Most commanders stayed cautious. Pool pushed forward anyway.
His crews called him “War Daddy.”
Pool preferred riding half-exposed from the commander’s hatch despite the danger because visibility often meant survival. Again and again, his Sherman entered towns, crossroads, and narrow roads first, meeting German armor at point-blank range before either side fully understood what was happening. In Belgium, his crew destroyed armored vehicles one after another while moving at full speed through enemy columns. Near Aachen, they fought Panthers and hidden 88-millimeter guns at distances so close there was barely time to load another shell.
And every time his tank was knocked out, Pool asked for another one.
Over just 81 days of combat, Lafayette Pool and his crews became one of the deadliest American armored forces of the war, credited with destroying hundreds of enemy vehicles and taking more than a thousand German soldiers out of the fight. But the pace was impossible to sustain forever.
Near the German border in September 1944, an 88-millimeter shell finally tore through In the Mood before the crew could fire back. Pool was blown from the turret, his leg shattered so badly it later had to be amputated. As medics carried him away, his only concern was the tank itself.
“Somebody take care of my tank.”
-
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -
Lafayette G. Pool survived three destroyed Sherman tanks in less than three months of combat.
Driving through the hedgerows of Normandy in 1944, Pool led his tank, In the Mood, straight into some of the most dangerous terrain American armor faced during World War II. German anti-tank teams could hide behind every hedgerow, Panthers waited around blind corners, and a single hit inside a Sherman often turned the tank into a burning trap within seconds. Most commanders stayed cautious. Pool pushed forward anyway.
His crews called him “War Daddy.”
Pool preferred riding half-exposed from the commander’s hatch despite the danger because visibility often meant survival. Again and again, his Sherman entered towns, crossroads, and narrow roads first, meeting German armor at point-blank range before either side fully understood what was happening. In Belgium, his crew destroyed armored vehicles one after another while moving at full speed through enemy columns. Near Aachen, they fought Panthers and hidden 88-millimeter guns at distances so close there was barely time to load another shell.
And every time his tank was knocked out, Pool asked for another one.
Over just 81 days of combat, Lafayette Pool and his crews became one of the deadliest American armored forces of the war, credited with destroying hundreds of enemy vehicles and taking more than a thousand German soldiers out of the fight. But the pace was impossible to sustain forever.
Near the German border in September 1944, an 88-millimeter shell finally tore through In the Mood before the crew could fire back. Pool was blown from the turret, his leg shattered so badly it later had to be amputated. As medics carried him away, his only concern was the tank itself.
“Somebody take care of my tank.”
-
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -
