The M4 Sherman was the primary tank of the U.S. Army, first deployed in February 1942 as an answer to the advancements in armored warfare introduced by the German Wehrmacht in Europe. It was designed to quickly form large, mobile armored units and came fitted with a 75 mm cannon (which was progressively upgraded) along with two machine guns. The Sherman played a crucial role throughout World War II and later in the Korean War. Although early models were somewhat vulnerable, especially prone to catching fire, it ultimately had one of the highest survival rates among tanks in the war.With close to 50,000 units produced across 19 different models, the M4 Sherman became one of the most widely manufactured tanks of World War II, a record it shares with the legendary Soviet T-34.