I had a chance to handle one of those C hooks last year in Normandy. It is heavy but one man can handle it. In rough/muddy terrain the crews often left the cable/hooks coupled to the front of the tanks. The tag ends were slung over the top of the hull out of the way and secured towards the rear. The small, thin, longer cable was used to thread the tracks on during maintenance or repairs, not the large ones. They crews were strickly forbidden to tow each others tanks and tried to use multiple "prime movers' AKA Famos, Bergepanzers etc.... But when you are stuck you are dead and one tank often broke their gearbox trying to get a stranded commrade back in the game. The drive trains were strained enough just moving themselves without doubling the weight by towing another panzer. Extra tow cables, jacks, blocks and C hooks were often the first items pilfered fom a knocked out tank by a passing Panzer crew.

Bob, thecommandernj