Posted on by Erik Chipchase

Operation Ripper (6-31 March 1951) was a main UN offensive during the Korean war with the objective of liberating the South Korea capital Seoul and to force the communist forces back to the 38th Parallel.   The Chinese did not have any tanks and the North Koreans lost most of their tanks during the fighting in 1950.

To boost the moral of the UN troops and to instill fear in the Chinese, the US tank crews were instructed to paint their tanks with tiger heads/faces, bloody sharp teeth and claws.