Cool photo! Was your dad American? Any thoughts on who blew it up? I could see either Germans - or probably Americans (with access to explosives, etc.).
My dad was in the Pacific, but along with his buddies thought a couple more nukes on the Soviets and then march in would have been the thing to do.
Not sure how diplomatic that would have been after they helped us whup the Germans! But sure would have prevented a lot of heartache down the road.
Daddy never mentioned the tank until he was in a nursing home and was going in and out as far as being cogent in his statements.
I brought him some pics of his outfit which was a combat Engineers Battalion. Daddy looked at it and we discussed it for a short time then Daddy said, “It may have been our outfit which blew it up”. He then laughed and for a short time was very clear in his mind.
He said they first met the Russians outside Berlin. At first they got along well with them but the Russians soon wore out their welcome by stealing American property, particular jeeps.
We had been allowing them to sign out for equipment but since they never returned it, that policy was stopped. Finally their Colonel, Leslie O. Scott told them no more jeeps or any other vehicles to the Russians.
The next day a couple of Russians came in and just took a jeep. We had a tank destroyer set up at the gate and the sergeant told the tank destroyer to blast them. The turret turned it’s gun on the jeep and the Russians who had been watching it, stopped the jeep and walked away.
I guess we finally had learned how to deal with them.