The battle of the Dothan Valley, 6 June 1967 image - Tank Lovers Group

At the outset, the main aim of the Israeli offensive into northern Samaria was to eliminate the 155mm ‘Long Tom’ howitzers that were bombarding targets in Israel including the vital Ramat David airbase. In the van was the 45th Armored Brigade commanded by Col. Moshe Bar-Kochva comprising three tank battalions with some 100 tanks, mostly M50 and M51 Shermans. The assault began at 1700hrs on 5 June and soon encountered stiff Jordanian resistance from the M47 Pattons of the 47th Tank Battalion that was defending the town of Jenin. The battle raged all night before Jenin was taken. On the following day, 6 June, the Jordanians committed their armoured reserves with the deployment of the 40th Armoured Brigade equipped with M47 and M48 Pattons to the Dothan Valley despite attacks from the Israeli Air Force. Battle was joined at the important road junction at Kabatiya. The Jordanian Pattons of the 4th Tank Battalion were deployed along a ridgeline in hull-down positions overlooking Kabatiya while the 2nd Tank Battalion enveloped the reconnaissance company of the 45th from the south. Throughout the day, Bar-Kochva’s tanks made repeated attacks to reach the surrounded recce elements losing 17 Shermans in the process. Here, an M50 Sherman eases its way past the burning hulk of an M47 Patton of A Squadron of 2nd Tank Battalion, 40th Armoured Brigade. Meanwhile in the background, the battle for the Dothan Valley rages between the M50 and M51 Shermans of the 45th Armored Brigade and the Pattons of 4th Tank Battalion, 40th Armoured Brigade. Overhead, Dassault MD 450 Ouragons of No. 113 Squadron bomb and strafe the Jordanian tanks with devastating effect. The battle of the Dothan Valley was the largest tank-versus-tank encounter of the Jordanian campaign. Only eight Pattons of the 40th escaped from the West Bank.