On another note, people tend to ignore how well the Sherman did in North Africa in British service.
https://imgur.com/a/k0FzQNote the British considered it a Cruiser tank, not an Infantry tank.
For a bit of fun, scroll down to the bit about why the Germans revealed the Tiger so early
Making the other tanks and the standard Sherman de facto infantry support tanks.
No..they really really werent. Shermans were designed, planned, and expected to make killing other tanks a primary duty.
Some stuff I found after digging.
FM-17 Employment of Armored Units - Armored Division
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/ref/FM/PDFs/FM17.pdf"23. ATTACK FROM MARCH COLUMN
b. AGAINST ARMORED UNITS.--(1)
When enemy armored units are met during a march, attack will be made from march column.
The tank units lead the attack. Missions and objectives for subordinate units will be immediately ordered by the division and column commanders. The tank destroyer units well forward in the column
may be used to attack and delay the enemy
(2) Once an enemy armored force is in position to intervene in the battle,
its destruction is the main task of our own armored units. The enemy armored units must be attacked and destroyed by all available anti-tank weapons, and by the tank destroyer battalion, even if this entails the abandoning of a previously assigned mission."
And from FM17-10 Tactics and Techniques (1942)
"Ch2 Tactical Employment, Sec 5 The Defensive, 52. GENERAL.-a. Role.-The primary role of armored forces on the defensive is the tactical offensive. Their usual employment will be in the counterattack.
...
Ch2, Sec 5, 64. Tank Versus Tank Combat
5) Medium tank units, owing to their superior armor and armament,
are used to lead attacks against hostile mechanized units. They
are supported by tank destroyer units"