Jimmy, The JS-III had everyone scared due to it's radical new design and the pointed bow gave it the name "Pike". It had enormous mechanical problems with wheel bearings and other suspension related flaws, so most JS-IIIs just sat in motor pools and rarely participated in anything other than local parades. The T-10, in spite of improvements to suspension and gun mods did not fare much better. A dozen JS-IIIs or so were captured by Israel from Egyptian units in the Yom Kippur War but were driven back and not dragged back as combat casualties , which in itself indicates that the tanks were not deployed but kept in rear staging areas. Having been a tank commander in Germany in cold war years, I am thoroughly convinced that our M-48 was copied from the JS-III.

The M-103 developed from the T-43 120mm gun tank was rushed into production and deployed with the 33d HTB, 3d AD at Aschaffenburg as a counter to E German border tank units being equiped with the JS-III. It was concluded in the mid 60s that this was unfounded and the M-103A2s were withdrawn from service. The 103 also had severe mechanical problems in that the gun could not be run out of travel lock for any distance without causing damage to the turret gears and a rack of 4 55 gal fuel drums had to be carried on the rear to go any distance at all. Marines used them for many years after, with mods to A5, Danville has one of these rare items.

In spite of all, both were important tanks in armor history.