Memorial

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Pfc Francis W. Rigdon was a crew member of the first T-26E3 Pershing who was knocked out on the Western Front. This happened on the first day of combat.

FIREBALL was the nickname of T-26E3 serial number 38, registration number 30119848 and was assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment, Taskforce Welborn, Combat Command B.

On the night of 26 February 1945 at Elsdorf, Germany, FIREBALL was positioned to cover a roadblock and was backlit by a burning coal pile that silhouetted the turret to the enemy. FIREBALL was engaged and hit 3 times with 88mm AP from 100 yards range by a German Tiger 1.
The first round hit the turret coax machinegun aperture and, penetrating into the turret, killed the Loader and Gunner. The second round hit the muzzle brake and set off the Pershing's chambered round.

The third round hit the upper right corner of the turret, glancing off and then hitting the tank commander's hatch cover.

FIREBALL did not burn and after replacing the 90mm gun barrel and welding up the penetration at the coax machinegun aperture, was ready to return to the fight by 7 March 1945.

The Tiger 1 that did the shooting was abandoned by it's crew after getting hung up in a pile of rubble as it backed away after it's third shot. Later the loader of this Tiger 1 was captured and he confirmed that it was his tank that knocked out FIREBALL.