PREY · VANGUARD 40

US LIGHT TANKS 1944-84

M24 CHAFFEE, M41 WALKER BULLDOG AND M551 SHERIDAN Steven J. Zaloga

Colour plates by Terry Hadler

\'.'''Gl'ARD SERIES

flH 1'011. ",\ RT" II I:>' DROll

US LIGHT TANKS 1944-84

M24 CHAFFEE, M41 WALKER BULLDOG AND M551 SHERIDAN

7txl by STE VE?>l" J. ZA LOGA

rAJiouTplaltJbyTER RY HADLER

OS PR!:V P(lIlLl~ I II.\(; I.U.'~DO:\

t'ublw..d in '914 by o.p.q. t'ubli>hin~ 1.1d ... , ..... t>t.- wml"'m- d II ... ,~ I,!,,'op Croup '2"-'4 1.000: .... t<, Lundon \\(: .. 1 ... I.P

0.: f'oOp)ti&b. ''J11.4 ' ...... l'ubli"~"~ I.""

n.;" book io <'<>P'~ ..... undt. t .... &.m<- (:n" ... n.".' AU n,;hll ~ .\P"" Irorn ant fai, <k~b,"' ..... .... fJWPOII' d pri .... ,~ >lOOt. ",",,~n.h. ("fl ............. rn ...... .

'"' l""""i11«1 undc.- ..... (;op)'n(h, "",. '~;,b. "" P"" oftbB puh ..... "i" .. n ... ) t..- ... prndllffd, .. """, '" a mnc. .... )->I<m ..... '''' ...... i''nI itl '") fumo .... ,'\' a..) ....... "" o+<-.""ox. M.n....J. d ... m..-al. n ..... ' ... ni<al. optic;ol. p/>oIocop)in., .........u,"II '" "'lor .......... .. ", ....... ,/v [>rio< r ... n-nitoion of./v ~.-i~I" u." ..... [ "'lui""" .oo..1d be odd ......... 'u .b. Pubhohtn,

Zaroga, Stewn .J liS hgh, ,. " .. '944 .I!.t, ,. T~nb , .llo li.a.) ... "" ..... ' L'nuM ~,a, .... II i"",} I Ti.1t

6.1:;14'7."'""971 n'Hb,~

ISIII' 0 8:.ni~ 504' j

Fit"""" on G ..... , II.-i'.;n J>rin.«I on 1I000R ti. ......

Author' .. Not.,

T h,,. a.,thor "ouId bl .. '" <,xlwe. his It .... u ....... 10 I •• , C,,1. Junes loop LS,,\ it'-Id • Pier... J "" .. n, G.:....-gt" lI,din and SUIM'" Il."", ... lOr their if"''''''OUJ hel" In roIk<:tillj( plM""gr.l'hs and illw,,,,u ... rna,,:ri~ • ..oo in lho. .,.-.,-..... ' • • ic.' of ,his 000l0:.

'" ' . ... . - -

Wartime Roots

[Juri"g rhe 5«o"d World WII' Ihe priorip:.llighr ta"k..< ,,{ rhe US An"~ ... ','' '' lhe ~ 1 3'\ I a.HI i\I sA I • popul~,ly (alkd Ihe Sluarts. InitiaJl~. A"",ri(lIn tauk ..... ttali .. ns ... "'''' .... nfig ... «d ti,hn' as ligh' Of'

mffllum t~nk battalion •• ", .... ippn! enLird)' ... ·l1h Sluan I.gh, .an'" or "I ~ or 1\11 mM.i .. ,n I .. nks. Ho",'~\'rr, balliefieid rxp,'ric""" in :-'ol"1h ,\fri" a madf U ' Iuile dear Ihal I!." light lank ballaliv", ,,~,t a liAbililY. Thtir 37mm gun was juad<'I"~t,· against G,..man tank. atilt- f""nod, lind ,tall) 'M" ''''') u",ful against ..... armoured IarJIW lok~

cntf'ffIChnl ''''''I'''- Tht .. ilr"" .... could ht- p~, .... ,nued b) ''''''"y "'''''"} a,ail~l~r cnem) anti'I~"k "'capon, "nd oIfned Ijlll~ ",,,n," than pro,..";,,n from .mall ann._ Only ,heir .~('rp'ional mobilil) was pri~,.L

l\I .. ny mnk ofti<:en "I .... had ",n"M in ligM '"nk baLlali,,", urgm that the ~Iy., a 'HI ~I ~ Ix "-;tbd..-..... ·n from ..,nict" i" fnvu. ci wufc ....... UK a u.. 1\1-1 Shnman in lallk b;m"lions.1ru., ........ 'f'Oin. bo-can ... "",", and mor. ,hl",ed as it work,..1 ," way up II .... -hain of cor"'''~nd In 00"' ...... " '" ,ht rompan) "",I Mualion oolu", .. nden " ........ "1'",.

..- ".: ~ .. .-

"I'M .u._w ......... .-oro.;. ... _._ 01 _ __ W-W ..... II ..... -..- .... c:o...fIW 01 ... _ ...-. DO_, ............... A_ ..... _. ~r'~ __ ......... ..... 01._ eo.-- ... F; ....... (ll ...... 1)

ions we,.., f",,,,,.1 pnmarily b) disallll, ... lrattkfidd ~xptrien" .. i" ~orth Africa. til<' /I~,...,...I • ..,c.;ng "ith Iht- lI<"11dqnartcn AnTiOff<l F ..... " and Hudquart<"nl Anny Ground h>n:"" ... -...., ron" $lantl) batlg ....... bj indus.,)' and iJ',,·rrnmen. officials "II" ,"',',,' <>ppOII<'d .0 'ffm;na,ing 1\15 production n"",· offu-ials wf,.., con<~m,",1 ,ha, such tcrminau(>I1 "",,1<1 jropardiK eft'orIJ 10 ,.,.".-1, ~CTy high prodUCli"n goal. fur LTS ,anl., s.iIKC Ih,' r ... -\Oria producing .h. omall ~nd simple "I') lighl tank rouId nOt ,.,.",hl), hr ron''fftM '0 Sham;&n production Tilt- high I'fTx:I.,("fion f!OI'ls had btt" ... , h ... :a""" ItI<' LS tank iOO,,",)- '""all producing armoured \'~hicl.., nM nnl)' Ii:>< ,ht l"S armed r.,..."" (,"hoh absorbed only a l.'''1 ":.If or production." hut aloo for IhI" Alii..,. ""de' ,IK' I,.tnd-L.: ... ,,· I,mgr.mm(_ The $lair oIliec" tri.~1 to a<:O)[t1lll()date thor- con!fadicoOl) altil~ I» n~anBing CS 1.:Ink banalions in '9i3 in"';& .mg\o: .)"pt: fach had onl), a";ng~ hgh,rompau), ... <1 thm-t"Ompa.m.ci M" medium!, Production plan' ~,.. the M5 We"" lrimm.'" h.vk ..:cordingl)·.

A "l,b ... ·rn<'nl for the M.~. Ih~ ;\171ig1Jl tan~. "'as

~ ...... ,.......,-...it''''''''''-_I00''''J;p, ... ...... ,1M "''' _. __ ~ no. .. ,.,...., ........ ;.. a..1Ir .. ,_ ....... _ ....... J ,'" n-- !II~ ..... '" __ I .... ' ... .,. _ _ _ f'r ,;6- J • .,. ........... (Zolop)

rndyl ..... p ..... doclion in '9-U I lo,.ir<·er. complain ll aboul lhe Jo t ... ·, b.::k of annour and firelX>'" er had In! 10 CO .. S1aHl ul"'""<>IlTing and other imp<O\·t--mtnU 00 lilt- Jo t7, "h .... h ..... .,hcd in • ,"chide """"rll· a! hor~w)" and roo.L1) .... 11It- ~ 11 T1"><""dium. bu, ,,-idlO<.ll ;'" rombu u,ili,) A< a rault. I lit- \ 1 sA' lighl tank ":mainro in prodoclion, rnoch tu 11 .... chaglin ofl~ Irt""l>3 who we"" obliged 10 u"" it. Work , hi fled 10 a n,·W lighllank design. hu.<.1 on Ihr 11< .... and highly .u .... mf,,1 MIll Helkal tan ~ tlM'ro) ...... _ This ,"""lint in ,~ in lhe ;\124 l :h.tffi,.., lighl laM.. namro .fiet" ,lot IOtmd<:rofthc l'S /\.........re Forcr. r"",_ Adna ChalItt.

In.- laelical ...... pIo)-mml of LS hglll l"nb .. "" ."'nm~.;....t in """ of d", a"'">urn! di,';';"" lnoin"'g ,'; n '"I" .. : '11ot lighl lank c'."I""'Y prmido a f""'l, "I"hil,' dnnml lha l mal IX' ,,,,,~I U, ~xploil Ihe luCn.,.. or Ih" med;um lank lC"<lU" ",,,icsj, 10 ato:ul,' 1",,,lc m::onnaisoa.l<e. or ,n an "" a OO'o·uinl ~" .. c fOr llot lank t.a"~1i,,n' This doctn .... "a, .. 1> '" <-onl"..1 W ~nnan or Ilri.ish pno:tic.-, .. I ...... annournl carl ,,~ tI ... primar.,-means of , .... 1 ..... 1 rn:onna ...... rlCe Thor l :S Arm), Jj~ lhe So .. "'I . \rrny, prrf<-rT'Cd lra.cked anJJo"rn! ,..,hiclel d~ 10 II""r 1.,,,...- b;oulcfidd mobili.) in poor lemoin and """" ",al <'ondidonl. While all parties agrfflJ "n high mobilil)" as a prim .. requiremenl for light [anh, .he US Army tactical doclrine ~ ...ruM," plUhktTII for US I.:I.nk d,"';grw:t1.

•

On Ih .. '''ItO hand, lhe rn-onnadt.alla" ... ~, . did DOl donn.",d ~ map calibre gun. "'IC~ II ..... ,,," tlot i"'~nli"" ,of n:n.>n "n;ll to fight their .. a) 'h"".gh nltn" l,,~ ~ ... IIIIOnmlOon. bul 10 obUlln it h) ,pent a, .. 1 ...... hh. N..,.....-thelesa. lhe rllCl lha, a quan~rol a lank h .. " .. lion'.annoured It~"glh "as made up (~' light .anh meanl Ihal the laclical doclri Ul' also w ....... 1 II,,· appli' "bilil)' of the lighl lank 10 flank ..xuri l)" an.J nplt>itat""', .wo .01"" where firepo .. cr ,,:as r""lui n~l. n .. · \1 ... ·, ::j7mm gun d., .. r l)" did no. ""u.f) Ih<:st '''''In''''m~''IlI, nor did 11K ... 7mm gun 00 IN: ;\17. A~ " raul" tlot Jo lfi 7smm RU" a liglll"";~hl gun ...... · .. kopo:d orig­irtall)" lOr 8-',:; Joli,clotll gUII.hip 1.""1 ............... ,-ho-"",n lOr thor new Jo b 4 lighl lank

(:"riousl) enough, Ihe So,·iell ,..,achrd a urnil ar wIld",ion in the de!.ign of their K -()"Iligh' ,.mk in '9-11-15, which Wall armed "ilh a JU"'''' gun_ Tlii, Ia'n" n."!Iuhed ill the PT- )"6 amplu\)j.,.Oj ligh' lan k_ Mr""whi'" the r otTman .. ,,·110 did I"lOl loaddl .. tI"';r ligh • .o;mt. tanh "'lhrubsidiaJ") ""'" Ii~<" ,Iw' I -S.,..­Sq.,," ~nnieo, adoplnt in '<J.44 ,he l),,~ "'-""'I.o.nk, arm<-d onl)' .. ilh a 2OtIUI1 AUn. ,\ sp<"('i .. I ...... 1 ....... It

I .. "k hlr Ih., l.YJJX """ an aln.'~llCt" tI ... G,·rm .. ". ~o,,1d ill alford in '9«. and f~" """ hUl11 In ~utl1 rast, the general pur~ lighl lanh lilr ,II(" A,,,,·,.,, ,In ~b I and S<wiel 1''1"-76, "hil ..

""-' ....... ' ... M ..... ___ .... '~ '-(" .......... wi ... _ <.:-__ ,.,--"" ... '- .... _ ,_ oICkf1"_ To.. <.:-... _.y-...... -....... __ ............ -_ ...... _ 'C" .......... ~._,' ~_ .. .--.... _ 01 _ ........ {,.."--'A~)

•

p"rllapo ,WI' nui...,ly salisraCIO!'} '" any <or'" of thei r Ie,-eral rol"', .,,11 had a g"'ater uuhty "" ..... n, .>nd .. er~ h",1! in ~orn>portdingl~ large ""'nbc ... .

Ike ... ..,.. of th .. <kl"y broul(tn about h)' ,I ... r .. iluT~ of ,I ... M7 pro.it'n. a n \1.')<\. replac .. II," nl ,,-"" not

",':Ulable .. mil La," In '9-11, and th<: .\15-\' ~~ ,he """" numo:mus es Ij~ht .a"k in ,b<­lank I»ttaJiom at ,"" end 0( .he 5«00,,1 \\"rld War. The h .... "1~4 "-.10$ produced in Apri) '9+1-. and 1M fi ... , batch "f "Ill' bcg .. n to!" , .... etl Lo

troopl in ,he EIO ill ]),~-,...,l>er '<)44 during II ... fighdng in lhe Anlr""",. TI,.. .\1' 4 saW no fIghting in ,he Padfo< th .. at .....

The ~h4 ",.. H:ry u,·< .. ,,~I~y rW,"nl b~ "'" tankers of ,ht armollrnl <Ii.;"""",, ;ndt~l<koll liOnk Oaualions. and ca, airy rn"(lf1 "1uadroru j""J.v ~nough 10 ~ a1Jou",llhc-rn in pI~ of tilt " I ')A'­Tho: Ch;oif« ..... room;"", and 10 ... 1 d"flI>Ctl,' bttt .... Ion·p ......... · •. II Wall still 100 du,,)y armo .. ...t 10 Wlth'MUd lank!l:ll" or ami-la nk Iorr; hut by the end Dr, 91 'i lnO$' tank ballali,,,~, lI~d k:"ne<;l to u .. tbeir ,~d.·, J.1.jA It circum'JI«tI~ to """"'" ... ,I", dang ... 1 ......... ·t>'Ni by their thin atmou,. ~jKI , .... M 'J I .. ...uk! h<' ",,~I in a similar whio!! I" , .... ,.rTn<>IlI'nI

..,.., .... Uli ..... _"""_K __ '~"""""'UOOOT., a..II' .. ot ,o.. "'_1000 ... Com_. ot.o.. OJ'' 1.t .... ..,. DI~ .to. _ ....... opJ-. T"".,. . f .to. _ K ... _ • ." k .. ..-L .... , .- ,.. .... 0;,.,;01_ •• J.'y. no.. , __ ,_ .. ot .......... ........... w.. ._ '"!X' . ..,.. ..... \ .. Wo .... _ ooa.oo ............... .w. .... p..;. won -. ...... ___ '- .... v...-"'.,. •. _ , • .1'_ It .. ,IU' _ ,)

di,isOoN. a "tt) pc:>puIar ruIe-~ ... 1M light lanlu ..... t~r use in support of tiM" h4If·'r...-lu of t .... mn-h3n;K'd infant!'). Since t .... lu.Il·trol<"u ........ ~l ...

lhinly armoul"fll. i{ .. as ea>in u, ""'I>I"y ,...,... ",·hid,., in a ha,monious fashion "Itt. ,I,.. ligh' H",Iq. "C'VCrthd .... it would prubaMy hI" an'u ral<,

{{I s;oy Ih~t rn<)S{ {anul'I "ould ha't prrll"rrr<1 ~)Ur n""p;"'in of M I mNiunu ralhff II",,, 'h"", of rnroiunu and one oflight 1anU. ~<'" Ihr nnllll"-n,I M 'I light lank Or '944 -ls .... a'"l cabh ... an,i·'3nk 8u,,,, I'~n,,,,rf,.u.u. and other weapom; ,,"'" a' aliallk '" "" h numb • .,.,. 1{l 1"" ('erman Army as "' .. "1 ...... '1 W ,I"" ...-1a,;,,, shortage in 19-V' 4' . "hrtl "ght " .. ,k clonn,.,.. "-..,, firs, ('<pou...!' that ,,'w ""'" 'I,,, .. ,i,,,, , .... ",i1;,y of light tanlq fo, an) role olher , Il .. u ,"""u,ing. N ..... ·rll"'I,,,.. the M'J4 "'main .... '" 1',.,.10"-... ,,,. " .K1 up t"J U1'lC '!H5.4,4'5 "ere built

..... )ot .. _ ........ _ ....... J .... ~"'_T .... ........... _poIW._._ ................. ,,_

.• •. -.y,_ "' __ 01:,0.,.-._ .... Mf5-... .... ....... _' ... _01 .. __ ............ _01 .... ......... _01: ... lobo ........... ~_. M __ _

.... ~(a;s Ar ... )

T he lo .... ··nl"u')" Mt> gun of ,be ~ 1 '4 ,II;~'-";' '"")" link ami.lank ,a]"" agaim, ronrrml'0rary G rr_ m~" (,,,,k. I t ('QUId nol ~""'ralr ~"r n( ,IK" major ')')" .. fn",'~l!y. and .... ·as .uccmlll only in ~.-rui" .Kk or ..... aT 11K'" a. do •• ra,,~. The gun .. ~ ...,-.• Jl)

in' ..... kd 1fI daI .. ~th una ......... ""l l;trw-IS lilt tTl"it..s, rn .. ldin~ and ent"""'''''''' , ..... , ... It ......t , ....... n ... ammunition as 11K 7:;mm gun", the :\I~ SI""""",,, and the~rt had" ,,<If,,) H~: ...... ,od. Th..... .... ...... occa,ional flu ke 'un· ..... " "~ai"" ['anu.n. ho"'.,-cr. For cxampk, It, ,·arly .\la rch of ''f+", ... me ~b4S of TO'OOp F, 1.10 ( :"v~lry Krron So,u"d"'H' blunde.-M into a I",'r ,,(Tigt'n outside n.""agfil. Gnrnany. iloilo .id ......... .., nlual]) wrp<Urd al u.. enoount<r, but 'hr ''''+' had tI", ad'''I\I~ of'f"".".-lUnrt In,""",,, and ~ thr ( ....... n"'" could ... ~ng lOOT larg<'. du",,) \urrflJ a. their bafllOlm .. -eight ~ ..... ~h4S s!Olmmro ..... ~noJ fi r. roo,.nd. again" .h .. ""Ie and r~ar tu...,t arntour of th~ Tig<:"'_ Th,' muuds did 001 ptn~trat~,

OUI detonatcd intt"TT1al "n"nun" 'o)lI atld slorn "rueh burned hoth "onn "'''_ n ,;. ",eidem hardly irupired 0'100 M q ITC'"'' 10 go -J ,~er-hunlinK; hut i, did accen, lh<- riM-' ,ha, I"'pa'" cakulatioru canno( ,

al .. ~u.") 1~llhe OU'ront<" of ... "k hauks. due .0 .hr '~lIano of circurnMan«. I", k, .,wJ c...,..., 1><Tii,..,,,·,,,,e

During ,he "_or a ..-nail '1l1.4l1,i,) ,~ Ml4S "ert prOl idcd 10 8riMm ~nd Ihr So.,..irt L: 111<111. • \ltcr the "ar a ,-er) large per<:ent;ogc of ~121' .. ,.". lurned over to man)' fOr<:ign an ni,,,, ",-It,.,-r 'h~)' lormrd the kernel ofncw ~rmo"n~1 units_ In 'hr US Arm) th~ mo .. a(liv~ u!<""ofth.· M24"as ,n 'he len Iigh!tank ,rot.>pt .""rh("(! to ..... t;S U"" ... hulat) R"1(imnrts .. hit;h "~I"(C Uk"d foo- poIiring do.i<"J '" Gnman~.

The M "" in Kom. The hall' )' poiI." .<r dcmobili.!ation of the L"S Annr ld"! i. ill.prrI'Mt"t1 '0 cope "itl. 'he crisis brought a bout loy .k i",'a.,ion of Sou.h Korea in the ."mm.·, of '95"- AI.houllh .here "'ere four tank wllalio,," ""';g.1Cd 10 the four inhntr)' divi';ono on ocrupa'iO'I. du,)- III JApan. ,11QC baualions in fart h..! onl) a .. "glt- 'A' Compan' ~a(h, .. ilh about, 7 M~I o."fIi ... lighl tallL. .. The baualioru had no( bttn gl'T" 110 .. Ilea, in- :'.14-"'1£ti SMrmans duc 10 r.-~r ,hat ,I ... ) .. ould damage Jap;ltlCX ' ..... 1, .. ,MI ligh. hndg,.., -n", infantry di"i$ions ~l!o had an ,"X'mi,- r .... "nnaissanre company e .. ,h, .. ;110 a fu ... h~r '7 Chall«s, T h""" lank .... ,.,... ",,10,,1 It>

K".-.-a and romUtUlrd .. Jmo<l Ih~ only tiS "nn",ur ",-a.iJablc unltl ,\11-' :UMI M Aio 1"'lI"''' lu arri'~ in August .

,

,

, Th~ ~b4 was never dcsig",~t (0 '""gag<: ~ru:mr m,..,!ium lanh. and was no malch ti'T lh~ drradNl 'J -31.:11,,- On 10 July 19.'i0 Ibe f,rst an""ur ""gagemnn of ,he "'ar "'ru foughl t.,,( """" "','era! '\IQ¥ of ,I,,' 2'llh Rcron Compan) and ..,me T_ 3+ 'Il", of tl... "'5th Nonh Kornn Armourt:<1 Hrigad,' _ T",o '\1~1-' ""CTC IOSI, bU!. much to lhr ChaU .... en"",,' (n~lit. " single T- :I4./l.'i .... ,,' dC"IWY'~L Nrw'T\hd.,.., it was onl) (he ar";,-al of heavier LS tank.< ,hal 'lnnmcrl the tid" of :><orlh Korean aunuue. The 1\1'1 ('ontinued to "",ro'. in ~ghl (auk cmnl''''';''' of the lank .ooltaliom in Korea, and also "ilh <li"isi"nal n~·Ullm",sanc.

rompan;", up to '9,,3 s. ... abo \'"nguard 27. Anrx>ur of lilt k.",1fj Wa •. ,

"~""_""""'<>A .. _,._'~K __ .. r.t.y ' M" AI ......... _ .... -am •• , "'. r .. ~~...,; .. T"" .... ,..,. M"'I ~ .. m .... _ •• ;" .......... of ;,or ... ,.,. op; .. ' "''''Y ,_ b< .............. M_~ (liS .. ~y)

Another Replacement

Thr ri'ing "'mpenuure of the Cold \\ ar after [947 Inl [h" IJS Army to rc""valuale ilS plallS I,,, an"",,,,,,1 unilS, After the painfully obvio", le •• on> of I<j.F '4". thr t\nny fi""ny decided 10 ,..,,,,o\'e light [d"k '''''''I~",i,", from Ihe tank bal!aliollS, "hiel, would no ... I~· mm~ ~"ti",lyof",ediu'" tanl..<. h,,,ead, "ad, an""'Jnxi di,;,ion "'QUId have a ,"""onnai .... "",· h .. "ali"" wi[h 30 light tanks; and a further 28 <ii'I",,,,,,1 d"'O"g <ii"i,i .. "'al UnilS, Ihrtt to each romba[ rommand Ii" "''')Il,i''g, and two to each lank banalioll am] dr,,,,,,,cn] infantry balta~on. Th= plans did Hot Wm.· ahOll' unlil '9.'i~. and "ere nol u"i,'end] ill thr h" n"lion. fighling in Ko,..,a.

ne.ide> lheir use in ~ghl tank c""'l'd"i."" ,h.· lighl tank.. of lb. Sttond Workl War ha,1 I"",n used in m .. :hanised cavalry unilS. Although '''''''L,ihly dcsigned for scoulill~, posl" ar ",u<li"" r."",d that ill '9-1'.1-4:' ,uch uni" "e", usal in dd~rL,i'T wrnha\

,

A. M ........... ,..~ T ..... 800. ....... <100 ... __ .... K; .. .. A; ........ ;" r._ .. ,~,. _. B_ " .......... .... Mk-o.;G .. P- _I ....... .-0 ........ ~ ...... ...... (US A~yl

33 1"" cenl of the ti",~: "n 'I"" i'll operations :' ,uch as mobil" """no,' or rear arca ckan-up) '91"'r cent of Ihe time; "u ","ur;'y duty i,uch as flank pro­ttttioo of "I"~r un;u) ~S per ""nt of Ibe time; on otI~tI,iH "p!"Tation, '0 per ""m of the time; and UlJ scouting fthMr main tactical role). only S per ""m of the time, 'I'hi, had .... ri"lJ. impli("atiom fur light tank design. \vhil .. Am.) 'ani"i"n, had oc..n willing 10 retain lighl lanh if ",,-,( !,rim",,!y fur "",oming.;1 was e"idem Ir"", II", .. ntl) tlmt they were in bel u~ ",ainl}' iu '>lhn role! for which ,h,')" lH"T"C not entird} 'Wla!, "fh~r .. n'main,,] a ,

consc",u< Ihat a light, mobile ""outinl{ lank "a.<;

needa!lo equip lh~ urw n' .... "',.issance haualio",; bUI Ihe Anny had fin"lly rom" around 10 th .. conclus.i"u thai th,' "'out .ank .houJd be arma! "il" "- gun 'unici~n' 10 <lde"t .he ,,""my armour tba. .... as likdy 10 lK' rru'our«cro;l when the Ii,t;:ht tank was u«:tl in it.< '>lhn, uon .... ·OI.ting rol.,.,. The 1\12-\ was not capabl,' "f "'01""ing a much hea";er ".al"'lJ, '''' a c"mpl"I!" mJ,,,ign was tequirM, Although the ne" lank wa., not (0 be s.ignificand) different from tbe 1\12i '" an""nr or mobility, ;1 would baH "nhan"'>] fin·pow",.

The project "as inilial,,1 in July '946 and Ihe \"ehid~ "as d<:SigH,,-u,,1 til!" TS7. A """OOOM) consideration in the pmgr .. mmc was th~ deveJop-

men! of a tank light ~nou~h to I", air.lamhl; hll' , hi, ""1uir~m~nt did not >ttiou>iy aJ1 .... llh~ d,,,igll, apart from placing ""rla;n "right and ';7'"

consuictions on the vduck It "'''' alsu a,,",u,,, ... 1 that the T :n would ... "ve as II", ba.is lor a ... rin or n '!atro vchid", including .df.propdlnl guo., ... If· propdkd ho,,;tz,," and armoured troop carriers, as had the earlier M~4.

TIM" T 37 inH)Tpo",ucd dcctric IUr...,1 traye...,. an ,~"i<:al mngdinclcr. and power deva lion ror t1 .. gUll. T l,,' d ... "lopmenT programme envisionnl d.o;ig" oflh"" 1Urn:15, e"ch ,,;th ioc...,asing I~v~b of s()I'I,,"i<:al~"'. Thr l'h""" 'J turre! added th~

""1',,,,,,,1 "1"", 7f>mm g"n, and a glln .tabilisation ')"I~'H de,'d"I~~1 hI \,i,' k,'T'I; " lid ,h,· Ph""':i IUr...,1

----------------------------

no. .. O .. Army bop. '~ .--..I •• M Oj .... , _ . ... ......... ...... ";'h d .. s... •• OlG ..... ·r ..... 'r~ c-.~ •• K_"';"­_ 1'10 .. . "[ '" .. ..-y)

""" to r,""wre automatic loading. Due 10 'he ditl~n'''''''' b,·t""..,,, the Ph""" I and Ph .... 2 I",""IS, il w." dcridl'<l to change Ihe designa lio" <>I'lh" la" k wi,h lho- I'h_: ~ wrn:t to T 41. TI><- ,6mm gun '"'' d,";gn,~1 10 lor ("apable of defeating the S""iel 'j". 34:8". hy Ih,'" Ihe .,,,ndard tank in the S",iet an<'lIal

I'to"'IYI~" of th,· T l' "'CIT completn! in '94<), and the tank entered lrials. Some concern was "oiced over the ,.~ry high cosl oflh~ tank , , )"" Iu it.< opensive optical rangelind~r and otl><-.. a,h a ll(<<1 featll'''. This led to tt.. devdopmentofa IO"'ff...," t w!Wt. which was linn! to th~ T.p b protOlyp<:. F "nher work led to !h.e ~ddition of a n~,.. h)'draulic turH·t !ra'..,.w sy>tcm to replace the eleclric traverse on thcT41 Er. rnuhingin the T 4 1 b, T rialsofboth vehidn pr",n1 ,,,cceW,,L Uu!" IU I~"'_""ar

"",,,pping of much equipment the IJS Army"'"" de>perate for ne ... tanks, and a utl~>ri .... 1 C .. , )il1", ' to

kKin building tl><- '14 I 1::, eVCIl 1> .. 1'>ft· it " .... typ" classified. The fi ... 1 T.pE 15 "e,'<O prod"""'1 ill mid · '9:" and w..,..., issued to the lrool" later iu lit" )"ar. A lotal of 1.802 TI' F." """n' mmplcled before pHxluction shifted 10 the improvnl '1'41 b , .'jHally. in ~ I ay 19:':\, the two '..,";0'" were type cia","li",1 a"

MI ' "nd l\.I4,Al. In a COmpl"l~ change lrom "arlin ]>'"actie ... the n"'" tank was ruckmtmed ' I .ink Rulldog·. instead of aner a I:'m<>us US g('!wr..l. 1I0w",.., •. it "'as decidn! in 1<):" to nam~ ,h .. tank aft("T Gen. \\'. W. \\'alk~r. after hi, fatal j"'P a('(;,knt in Korea. T hi, ,,,",,hed in the unusual

name ofth~ W alk~r BuUdog tank. It is illl~restin~ 10 nolr tmu in Nonmbtr 19~0 th~ Ann) ofliciall~

changed th~d~~nation ofth~ T4 1 from 'li~hlla"k' to ']6mm gun combat tank', This rnad~ th~ 1\124 thc last tank officially dcsign;tted a li~ht tank in th~ IJS Arm)-.hough .he term 'light tank' is ,till u...o here"" a u<dul method w distinguish bt.w~~n main halll,- lanh ~",I th,';T ,mall.." bre.hrcn,

' ll,e ~l + I I",>,",~I '"'"T)'I">I",hr in ... ,,-icc ,,-ith CS ann<>u ... ~1 ano! anrM>uml ,'a~alry uni .. , It W'IS fast. ni",~le and ''''I~""i,'c' thn~' dtara, "'ri,ti", mu,'h ch~risJ,,~1 in a of<>ul tauk. Th .. g"n W,," adequate to d~al "ith th~ T-1+,1U~: bUI h) the time II", ~1.1'

finaH) arrived on the ",ene, the T '54 had apl't"a,,~I, ,,'hieh ~,",atl) rffluttd th~ utilit) of'lhe 1\14 1 in tauk ('Oml"'t, Som~ former M41 e,",,,,,,"n wrnplairwcl

"""fr .. 011,.. R~ .. , ......... 0;., .. "'.~ .\tu ...... '!IS>; .................... "' ... .-.p>a< ... "" "" _ ..... ' , ...... u. ..... , .. r. no. , .......... r"-' '''Co .. ~, ...... ,;~~ .... {'_ I. ,..., .... ,; .. --., ....... " ...... _ ...... ."."",. (Ull ....... )

'"

Ihat (h .. (urr .. ' " .. , roitlwr .-raml~'d due to "n the C<juipmcul ,,-,,;oK:i ... t ... 1 wllh IIw "'TITt trot,-,:"".

>labilisa(i"u .. ,ul gUlL. \ "Mm' w<>TT)'ing r.-atUTC W'IS the ri," posrd to (h .. dfi,"r "I",n riding with hi, head out of' lhe halch, sho .. ld 110 .. gnu 'raw",,' ld"tward. "ithou( (he dri,'er bt,ing "am ... l, , .. ri"", h~ad injuri .. could occur, The ~ 1 4 1 " ... , al,., a wry nouy tank. ha"ing a '~r) loud, whining ""g""'. Thi, "as 001 g",atl) apprecia(,-.] b) n"'""m";""""n' c,",w.: hut the P"PP} ~rformaou of Ih~ ~ngin~ certainly "as! Like many US lanl.< of'the ]><'riod, the ~141 and ,\141AI had nu",rabl" ga, rnil~ag.-, but t hi, ...-a, finally rectified in Septembtr 1 'J56 "ilh th~ dC'o-clopmcnI of a modified engin~ with fu~1 il'.in,tion. ;\lew production tank, with the AOSI-11<)5'5 ,'ngill(" ...-('r,' d".,ille<l "-' ~II' A'l, and older tank, .... -ith fud injc.:tion kit, added "'ere classified as ~14 ''\3, 1'1-,.I".-.ion ,,[,he ~I!, and its ,ub"ariam. I<>lall<-<I al~,ut 5,;,0<> tanks I><.-furc production ce,....,] in lho- I;.{<" '95'-",

A, m~mioncd aoo"c, 1Ill' '9"~ ,..· ... )rg-.. ";sa,;o,, ,~ ,h~ I.:S armo" .... -.:1 di,;,;;o", pla",,1 ,I", bull (If ,I", di,isjon·. ~I.", in ,he <li,;,;o"al ""·Ollllai,-",,,C<'" oo[(oIlioll, ,,;,h 30 ,allh. 1'1,<" ...,mai"i"~ 28 ,anls ,,'ff<' ... ,,[(ned '" '''Oil' ,,," l , amm'K 'h" <li,;s;o,,·' O(W I","ali<>ll'l. '11 ... 'hili to 'he 'p~n,a,onic'

org;tni"'tion in '957-59 <lmpp,,1 ,be 'o,al "uml",r of~ 11" ill an "rmollml di,,;';on ,n 54 ,anls, T he ROAD ""-("l!"alli",tioll 0/ '960 64 had IlI<If'<'

,"I",'a,,';al impact. Tbe ,o,al nutnw of 1\14 IS W"" mluenl ,n 40' ,8;n a di,isjonal armOUI'ffl cavalry '","ddron, and two in ~ach of th~ tank and mechani;oi ;nfalllry ballaJions. Th""" Wff<' also ."b"", ntial modifications within th~ armollH.-.:1 ca,alry units.

Sho"l) I:tt:,fore ;\14' I"odunion .. ra...m, ,10,' rngin"",. learn, at Ih~ Detroit A""" .. I I.·gall tlr"dop,n~nt of a 90mnt ,mooth·bow g"" """"0" of 'he ;\141. calla! ,h~ T 49- Although two prot<.>lYI~'" "err completa!, no actua l production took p"'n'.

"'or "''''' thl" fllrlhn dndop",""t 0/' tbe .\4t 'he o"ly roll'" 1"''''"''1. III Fd'Hldl"} '951 piau. I:tt:,gan for dl"H'IOl'ml"lI1ofa ,"'W ligh! lank, ",ueh smaller dlld I,,.,,; exp"nsi"e !han 'he .\14" designata! the '1)' , ·Il,i.' ",as .. rma! "ith the ... m~ gun as th~ ~4' . :-;0 production of ,his type "ns"ro. beeau",," in '9:;..1 !he ArTIly ga\'(, AAI Ine. pel'flliMion to go ahead wi,h !h .. ir ""n eoncep,ion of a n"" light tank of a radically novel design. "'hich ... ,.. built in pmt(>t}"I'" torm as ,he Tg2. The main attr~<.·tion of thc 1"92 .. a, that it ... as lighter and ,malil"T (I",n ,hi" 1>.1.1" Although the 1\14! "'as air·tran'poTl;tbk, it ,.. ... , 1111' ,uita! for paradropping. With i""·",,, g",,,illg during the mid·'9""" in mp"I,kpl")'III1'II' of L.:S di,;,ions to eri,i, areas," "o"figllra'~>TI ."..1, as th~

"

T9'1 was milch discll=d. Th~ main dra ... lJack """ the !V",,~ng rcali""t;on Ihat Ih~ )"timm gIIn on the T9~ w." not r~ally "d"'luat~ 10 handl~ standard Sovj~1 lallu Ij k~ lh~ T _,,\, dud tha, " !)Omm gun " .... 1m he"vy f()l" ,h., , ·h"",; •. 5<:ri .. proollction of ,h~ T9~ " ... , oot a utl .... ri"'~1.

The M551 Sheridan By th~ latc '9,,"', Army 1,lall""'" had come to

,..,ali", lhat th~ :\14' was ,,,Jr.·ring fwm Ih,' lradi lional light tank problem: inad"'lua'c li",_ lx' .... '·r agaillO[ cont~mporary main battk ,anh.

.... M .. '!l;_'.., .... F...do ,H Ri-J<im ..... CIoo ....... . u.....t _ potrol .. . ' '>,_ • ....!ato ' iISl' ...... po ... ,..;,. 1'Ia ....... ', .. .............. .,........ , ......... '''01 r.n, ........ ~ ... _ .... """vi .... _~.O<....,. ... "" ..... __ ...... 'K1:to •• '. a .. po ........ w.,; ... _ ..... " ..... _ ' ... p,; . ....... N_ .... , h,.W ... , ....... ".-. -". ....... po p. , ... .., ...... u. ...,..;, ........ _~ n.. ... ,.,'. t.- v-"'" pr ... u. ma" i< __ ""'''''"._ .. , .. _ ..... , . ' ..... ; • .., T_ . ... (t:CI"A I

"

U nr. ... {nnaldy. Ih., ob,;oll' ",IUlion of using a larg..,. ,'alil",' gull had many drawbacks. MOOI i"'lx""a",ly, ,ho: I"rgn th~ gun. the heavi.r lho: baMc eha«i. I"rtj"' ..... 1. Th,' inc";tablc w";ght c<,"",~" ... 1 ,..i,h ,I ... hcaVler gun would also doom Army hup'" to ~"'pl(»)' "",,:1, a whidc in an airbom~ role ,",nK parad",l<". TI"O«' Iwo 'lITmingly incompatible requi,..,n.e."" lighl ... ·("ight '0 allow lhe "'" of a """ lighl lank in airhmn(" ,Iivi,;nn" and a larg~r gu" I(), ,,,,In' ad"llIal<' anti·'ank performance nearl) l,uI an "1001 10, any hope for a fum,.., light tank. How~"er. in Jan"ar} '9:'9, concept Slurii"" begaJl of a "'mhlli,mary new 5r.tem which StttllM 10 OlJIHan k '10, ... · Irddilional light tan k problem,.

Inslead ~ ""';n~ a CQlwemiona] rilb! gu", with it, ,,",uitanl heavy recoil fo"""". a nme! glll'l",issil .. launcher" a, SUAAes,M. 1"1 .. "',"10 ",,'i_tank round ....,ould be a small guided rnj,,\ilr, .... hi .. h .... ,ouid imp'''1 only moo""t recoil I;',"""" agai"",]',·, h ... ",i" and con..-quentl} would nol demand ,10,' ,,". of " I'.articl>larly lafge Of heavy lank. Thi< guidffi ""u"d

.. ould gl\'~ 1M lighl lank sUp"nor ami-lank p"rforman"" to mosl contemporary large<alib,.., gUlls, ill lerm, ofbolh p"netration and long-rang" accu racy, alool al a high COlt p"r round. T o kttp com down, the high explosi,.., round would b.. a connmional gun-fin,d proj~lile. The system """ codenam..d Shillelagh, and il was plannM ({, incorporate il on the new light t"ni<; on a new nrnon ofth • .\160 tank; and on the new main battle lank, the .\mT-70.

The """. light tank "''''" giwn Ihe forbidding acronym AR/AAV, or Armon:d Rcronn"i ... san<·e!Air!.>onw: Aosault Vehidc , X.\155'. In '960 c"neral .\{0101"5 .... ;u ""k<-tro to dr"dop the I"nk iw;lf; and in 1!)61 lhe fi"'l teot firing> of Ihe Shillelagh took pla"e, u,ing an X~155' .(,,,j,("(1 turret on an ,\14' hull. TheShillc1agh developmem programm<" wUllkl t"m <}Ill 10 he 01'" "f • ..., "'0'1

complil'Mcd and ('orHrow"';,,1 tank d"wlopmcm df"n."r I hr I if"'", con.ributing 10 11K, dnn,'" ofllw )'(BT-70 pl"Og'"~mmc, and ha,;ng ...no." Tq>CT­w",ior" on the dcploymrnt of .Iw \155' t;mk,

The probl"nlS 'lcmmM from the ,-,,-er-ambitious oatu,", of ct:rtaio aspects of the programme. Not onl) wa, tM lCS Army planning on d,,'eloping a radicaUy new typr of gun:mi .. ik launcher; it w,," also imending to fidd for the first time a fully '""If­cOllSuming' proj~tilc "Mlng. The TC<:Juirement for this f"ato,.., slcmmM from .he fact that tk Shillelagh .... as to 0., cmployro on t .... "IRT -7". The MIn -70 wa, d ... ignoo to permit its employment in " eh"micaJi)" contaminated environ men., an-d the nttd 10 di,JXIOC of bul ky .prnt 1m", proy,:.ilc ca,iogs inside a cTamped tank PTcscntro ....,;ou. problem •. Coo,umaOle C;o.sillg>!, mad,' of m .. wri .. l. .hal .... ould vapor;" ::~xcrpt fOT a .mall hr .. ", "n,1 ca,ing "'hen the gun ... "" firrd, olkml II,,· ."I"Ii"" to thi. problem, Or on il "'ii.. hOI',~L

I" fact, tk """,I,.,.. ammunition w;u a ","lTn' of constant problem" T ""l> of thr """,',·l\lion .. 1 HE round sho .... ed that the ranridg<""''''' \"..-el'.ihle 10

n.. .. • ..... ·"~r_M ............. .-..-...... _ ......... T~ as- ; ... ,,,,,~ ( ......... Horn.b;ldl

'3

n.. ~ ..... , .... ....... "' .... ">10 ... ,'~, . . .... ...-... .,., ..... _."'r "ru .................. r ......... ,_ <5 fi~."'1 ";'" • ""nI ~_~_,... ~~I;., ... u.; ...... ~;.o.. ., ... _ b..do ,~ • ....ri_ .... ".1." ,~ •. (US "~rl -I","udily, ,,·Ilich di,[",.cd .he ca,jHg 01,,,1'" dIld

rnad~ i, jrnl~ "';bl~ 1<> charnher p""p.:<ly_ SO",,­ruulIds .hat 1<.'0' ch ... ",hcrrd had ab""r!>".l "" IIIud, moisture .hal lh~ cas.ing did not comple'd) burn a"a),. A. a ,",,,,,It. "hen Ihe ,,",xl round """ chamher.d, it would occasionalJ) 'ponlanwusJ) d.-Ionale Oil oonlac1 wilh burning ",,,manlS oftbe P"" 'iOWl ca'ling ,till in the gun barrd "illl """Its .... hich may b" imaRincd. lronicall~, 1M d"";11:0 of .he so!,his,;calcd ami -lank missile fOUnd, ,he MGM-,~JA. went morc smoothly. ahhoul'lh its

q

I

Trliahililj' «-ma;",,1 I",.. Th~ daigu of lhe lank i"df also wcn' rdali,'d~ ,moo.hl); and in April 'if>s I h,- f",a WHIr .. '" was j..,ued for initial limitcd prod\lcti<>l' <>I' lh" X'\laSI Sheridan. enn though Ih,- ~mmunilim' p.-.-.l>bn. had not bttn completd) ,,)ln~L

The ha;t" "ilh "hieh the Sheridan" a. put into productim' further COIllp~calffi Ihe ammunition prohle"", by plannl' even I'rcatt'T press"..,. on lhe design teams to r""tify this nearly int,.,.,ctabk problem. Tank. were compkled but could n<.>t I,,· deplo)ed, due both 10 the lad of the new ammunition and to modification, whi,-h WCT<'

shown (0 be needffi by r"Tlhe< fid" leMing <of (he gun sy>lfm. The Sh"rid"n "ontrow",y I"~-~,,,,' a

-­., . ... ~ " - .... f' .J .'")

•

major sourc~ of bichring ... ;(hi" the Army be'ween the dndoping aK""~i"" .... hi,-h "OTltinned 10 back the programm~ and to prom;"" quid ,cr,ification ofth.,. pl'Obknu. and the ;og.-n,-ics "'pTt"IC"ring the u"i" in the field, ... hi,-h w~rr ,due"'nt to "'" :lny runher produ.:tion until a "Ui9al"'<>ry ,-on\'CIlIio,,;!l n",,,,1 "-d' de,,·k'I~:d.

Th,- <I",,-Iol'm..," ~g,·""i( .. W"" (~Jl, and tn_­da<sificalio" "f 11", SI",ridau as 11><: M551 "as apprm·ffl in :'Ilay r<j66. Several lie" 1}P'" of coating. "ert; leila:! on the ammunition in an dfon to frtLify lb~ ",oiSluff proble"", but none .... ere salli/aclOJ). t "inall,. a plastic co"er bag "as de,e]o""'" 10 seal lhe round until it "as ",ad) (0 be firm. [no lhi, was not mrirdy""ti,{actory. and the

Anny ,h",hl iTlSl~ad h) add an "]leu-Im,,,,,h ~a",""ge.· .),tern (0 'he 'lUll aHer ""..,ra1 hund""" ,\155" had httll oomplelnl. This ,ystem hIe" air illlo Ih" gun IUb", in Ibe bop< of dearing il of any burnin\( re;idue.

In ~'"bruary 1if>7 Ibe sysl"m "as added 10 n"" production Sberidam even befo,", il had been full) lested. The fint tests took place at the Panama Tropic Test Center in the spring of l¢,.....-,.nd proved disa"rous. The new op<n ·~ 5)o"Stem blew flam'ng debris back into the turret, thr.atening to detonate "ore<:! ammnnition round,. The smoke ~nd fumes ",,.n· "",'CT<' enouKh 10 pH'vent 'he gunner from sighting through the fire control d"';c .... So rn, ... h caroon monoxide w;" l"TCa«-.:I, and nOt expdle<! hy the firing, ,hat ;t "'''' note<! ,hat nen the driwr """'a rne gla,sy~)'ed and ,1"]Tcd in hi , .["""·h--.-I;,,,',. ,)'ml>1t>m, <Ji "arbon mt>nt>xidc poisoning. Of the Panama firing>. 39 per cenl kft fl.,ming t>f "",ould,";ng dehri, in ,he hn'L"'" a,,,1 gun ",I.,. In April '91)7 on1<-,... wen' fI"h,,1 0 .. 1 r.lfhidding '111;1.' I,,,"'n' "'Ofl' I hall a si"KI,' mU1I(1 "f GiSek .. , ammnn;lio" ill ta,,1<.. filf f.-af of i"lemal Im·".n[". Nn'I'rrIIl"II"", 'h," ~I,,";dan n'mai",,1 in pn"l uninu wi,h thi, ..am,' UlL<a,isfanof) "I""" hn,.,.h ""'''H'ngrf 'pll''''! II "a, nm until ( kwh.". 1""7 Ihal Im"lunio" or th,. )i1"'ridalL' wilh "I"'n' brrtCh sca,'cng~ ... \\..:1 lr.nninalcU. Sheridam colltinued 10 roll 00' Ibe """mW) Ii"" incomplete until J annal)' I.p!\. "hen a dosed -brttCh ""aven­ger sy""m was adopted. The new system blew cmnpr<:«ed air d'm It 'h" lube "ith a clo:.al brttCb, p,..,,,enting the ""'faMe of smoulderin~ debris and lI:aSln into Ihe figbtinj( romp.utment.

From March toJune a production Sheridan was ,ested in Panama to dnerrninc wh~lher the '"Chide W;LS .ui(able even ignori ng tk gun pwbkms. The ,,,," rr.', 'alnl "x,'"",,i,'~ I'''!.~n .. o"'"Th('ali"K, rx',."n". ,.nginr I~)i .. ·, firing ('ifnlil pru],],.,,,,, leaking ,"",HI ')"'H'm, and an un",liabl," K,nl. During lrial. of tl,,' m;"";I,· fOund" "nl), two out of 13 WI"" enll';d",...,,1 hi,~. Thi. hIlI,,· T ''''I ~nd .~,·allJalilJ" Command '" com.idude,'eloping a metallic c;os" fur Ihe round. or even dropping the troubl~me 1.~2mm gun, missil~ S) "~m in favour of a low-re<:oil lO.';!Ilm howitzer. Ho" ",'er, in October 1 ~ the metallic c;os" option was cancelled due '0 inro!llpmibi~ty "ith the l\IBT -70 tank. and c1for" "'ere dire<:ted at a ....:"(md­generation rombmtible case ,

•• ,

,

Wh.ilt ,I\t!y ' ... IS " ...... 8' .. n<: on, II paraUd ... mol ,rials "e~ eondoc,cd loy ,h .. AlI" .... Jian i\nn~. ,,'h;eh "'"21 oomiderif"l; ,he "hMi<J.", Ii". ;u ............. 1l>c: .... U$lraliaru IOund man, "f ,to,. ........ probkms ... I~ h.ighbgbtcd. b) the LS "">I.<, I",-rtiocularly "ralin~ ,he ladr. of ran~ ,~ 110,· " ... wnHionaJ rourld, ,h~ poor eIljl.;n,. ... ,I"'I!" 'I,tcm and ddt" .. "r;,., ill the gunner'. Ji/l:hl 'I'll<" "''''tr4Ii,," :\lini"er for the AmI)' rejttlcd II\(' st""idan on ,he 8n~lI"" that ;, ",IS 'unsui,able 1m- \';","am"ll'" WIIU;U. ,I", ,,,,I) kioo of..-u in .. h.icb :\u~lrali" i., b~d) '" I ... 1",<>1"00 In ,t." IOrattabit fUlu",' ~

prncioclll """""'",, ino:knl. "or did lhe SI....-idan ,,<1-funtl muo-h 00,.,. in the o,her .. " ............. \ITt;' t~ .. '" .\I~,h In "") '!liB J.-.d .he Tl$t c.",.,. 10 ...c.-M"",,,,,d Iha' ,t.... SJ...ridan ~ he t"""! in arelic "uti,', ,,,,,d,u,,,,,

J ... " (I" lh,- , ... " do.ro-hrc~h ""a"en~uIg J)st,'" ells .... and a neW r>roprene It.l~ for IJ...

,.

... ,,"""""""' .Il",,'cd. tha, both 't'dUl"I'''''' ",1:>­>I""I'~U) .. ..tucnl the roidue proh/t'''''' lou •• h~, tho: ellSS ,ulIn-nI from ~li", ... 1 ""rrliahilil}. Slllall""lnl ..... "fSherida ... linaD) mw ,h .. i, "") il,,,, ,II,. 1I",td. ,,1' troops in .. ,68. mainl) ~...- ,n .. lo P"'l""""'- .\ law ~ we~ moperabl .. n" atl) /l:i,ru (14)', <In .. to "" ... rC mainlenance and ,.di .. Juluy pmlokm. :tnd th~ lack of personlld "lilt maint~lla, ... ~ t..-.. ill;ng fQr ,I>(, (omplu illITe'

.)'t~n". 1'1 ... Iw" ,,'<lO' probleml we~ ,he liring circu;1 ~,\ol II ... rrmil .)-.1""'. TJ>(- recoil I! ~Iem had a prof>I"\l.i\~ In k"k d ..... to the cnormou! foo:"" built up on" .. I,.." Itnll8 lhe """..,."ionaJ H£ I"O<.Iltd.

1M recoillrnon ,h~ """"","\;"J,,,.I rouoo "' .... elXlUllh '0 bfl 1M from ,,( Ih" .a,nk ,. r'Jn'_II"d_a_half oIf the ~I"O<.IItd and .. "..,It II .... ·nti .... ,'dli;:1e a fe" fttl rn .... ~rd. rh .. rr .... ~ It .. d 'n I,.. <pr:<:ilkalJ) ... ar~ \0 hr.Ic~ IIt"It",,.j\'t:l\ I.·fn,,· " round .... M fi,ed \0

pr~""nl !(!n .... " ll'Jury.

The Sheridan in Vietnam

'u ,he AUIf ... ~Ii<l.n Ann) had noted. ,he Sh<ri<la" ... unsu;,a!:>k r. ... V~:lm_')' pt cond;,iono. L:S rod<! command ..... ill V~m all:r«d. n()I;ng ,h;n , .... ('Of1li"",~1 ,.,liability I'robkrm <Ji Iii .. ,'~n()'"

,)~,em, m~,h' Ihern ,'n;- ",IU(,anl '0 ~"""P' any Sl><-rid~", U"<"I" un a 1 .. 1 b;ui • . \lor ..... \'<'r. ,i"ce Ih~ Shmd"n h,,<1 I"-Tn d"';gnM m •• inly fur t.n"'p<_ ..-ilh ~ .'n>us ~mphasis on "nli-'a"l I~·rf" ... "a""". no anu-poenonnd round hd lw..-n d~,~~,,>td lOr tM DUm g"", An anti -lank rooJ,,.] .. "'" """Irss i" \ -",ul<lm. ",hik UK .,,,,iI31* IU. round lOr llor Sh<ri<I",,, had no particular ... h'"",,,~ O\~r I .... CjOmn, Ht:. round usn! bt "1411.\1 !'.nom.. "'r"\~nhdesa.. 1M d ....... ~.J>tn<"'" ag"' ll:le in th~ l:S wrr. annow todq>loy tl ... SI ...... ".n to \·ietnam. in I",."" .ha, a display of;" vi,,,,,,. "",,,Id mollify the f('0w; nR number of ,-n ,in;n , I,.. lO S Con~ iand wi'hin I .... Anny i .... l1)_ Thr nt'" ;"'M625 '8«lii,..,' n:", ,1d ... ~..,Iopcd Sj .... :ir"aUt lOr Vietnam. It

..... ~ ... .t .... r ••• " ••• .,.. r •• ~ I. 10 ......... ..,. ' ..... . _." .n ... 100 "n' ..... lloo Q.,.1f .. _ ... .... .,. .......... ..,. .... tim< ;, ....... , ........ -.. a..w. , .... .. ..... ....... -.............. ..,. ~ ... .,-.. w...;s.,., ' *" .............. ;" , ..-i.~ .... __ , n.;.M.. .... . ............... '~olU9Y ..... _ ............... _ ,.

CfNuaincd ,~!)OU tin)' fhhn.os. and w. Krun ... ndI clfC1O.i,~ a~;ut'lSl unproo...-,,,,I .roops.

rhe d .... ·f!opmeTH agr'w~ again had their "'-~y: and in.lanu~I)' 'if"j, (,1 Shendanl ... ~..., shipp."(l ... Vie",,,m for II><- "t s.j"adron. •• ,h Arm",nl C,,,'alry and tl,,' snl Squadron. lIlt Armo .. ~1 Cavall)'. In Fd"'Jdt)o, .hr fin! '\15!;' "'"llS "-"" t" a nuno: which n ...... l tI ... cas..1rss amm"ni'Nw, 10 eiplo:>ck. killin~ the dnwT, s,.",h a mino: .. ..,.,ld onl) h2\"e bIo>o. ....... hn-I "If an ~1~8A, P~uon "".IN",I pmc:1"'~ling II ... hull: and ... -liik- i, ... ,>U\d It.a,~

Ul.u.o:d. OOInp"'r~I~ ... tru.clural damag~ "'~" " . , '3. llicre ,,"..,uld "01 ha, e bttn lit<" p",IMm of sto...,.j ammunittun ·,·, .. li,,~ 01/', The "·IM'" "n the ;ncid ... " " .... "x,,,,,,,,,I) critiul of II,,· 1:'(1 tha' o.ide ~pplitl"i' lt~tI ",I"'''d}" bttn dn"'~'lk.1 "I,ich nUl\:hl h;".., P'",'\'''m,~1 1m, ~ksr. :.omm .. "";",, rupt"'"

.,

F ......... .......... __ 01 ......... 011_ , ... til .t ••• ~wK."""""''-''' __ ..-Io.'''' ___ oI'''''';-... drioo _ ... "," .. ,10. ..... ,_. __ . ......... "'" 100 r_.,. ~ .. , __ , .... , .... _ ....... of .... ........ oIc:.1.. •. (UI ....... ,

.. -hid. k-d 10 , .... mum~l fi,ft .. hich d'''' ro)nl the' ,=L

l1>r amll'u""Oon I><O\-ro 'TT) r~ in , .... humid ,U'ldiu .. ", ,~ \r",uLOm, '"' the' 1.'1d n>m", .. ndrn Iud kam-l Ounnt: Ihc first 'hf« months p _. '40 ." .. nd ... ~ ~",nd Ifi Ix .I~~. ", .. ,mIl b- mil\t' v.ock from a",,· J~"""'k'I mu ... ! a"d ......... from CT<....,.,..""1 .. Ira,d \notl>...- I' 1'0 .. ,,,10 misfirrd "lit '0 ('U&"K d i"OI"I;'",. aOI<","'i ll/ll" about'lf"If round in .... "1 ,.,., fiO"fll rh's ..... fXlrnnrly aggr.mui llK to thr e ........ ' "" lhnc "",lIra al,,~)II! im ariabi) 'Krurr'Cd in ' he M;I' of <'''mbal, .. 00 w.. rou."I ....... r a,tr_Jy d,tr.cull III nt.".-, from 1M gun !uIM-Thor, Sbe .... I;II'II· ""(11W1 Idil.d "1on,tdly d ..... to cIoqi"l! .... radial< .... and .u. fill ..... in d"".,- and jUlljtl. c .... dmon •.• \, ,he .\ ",lnIi2, .. Iu;d no;.tnI a In. lwi'ou, I .... ran !,,,llt) ..... ohoddy and , .. ....:I

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"" noolinll: &.ihua. Du' .. ~"'ion d",'n.'1",,1 bllh~ A".,,,,hn_uboti'U<;'M' of a ","unl;'.,. <lttl

1"""")"'-"1'" i",titut,d """, afttr "'1""""-.;1 com­plain,", h~ ,Io~ l:S Crt'"

n,,· mO$t rom[]~", fail""" in ,10" SI ... ri, l~ n w;u

lum', dox,ri~aI PO"'" I;,ilures. and ,I ... n .... oil tn~Ihll"1 nOlw. in SU.I"",.!,· "'i~ "gain oc~um~1 "i,h ala",,,,,!! fT""l""nq in \· ... "' .. m. Al! if 110 .... · '~1"1 "tu' ",M ........ ,I:h. \h., h .. nt in Iht Shtrid.." "';<.0

,·tt) Craml""" and ~ I/O ,,,, ... I""'rin,;. "hi{h """ ~ stn,,,,. dill;' "It)" in \' ;"Ulam', .... >pic:aJ cl,mal~

Asid~ In~n .. ....,w di ... 'li,[ani"" ,.,,10 ,he ,·.hid~'. durabdil ~. lit .. " .. "h. of,ht " lilial d("l'lo)"lnt'" "~rr c<>"" ... I~'UI')" T ht 11 ~,h Ca,· •• lty. which h~d ,,,~,ched Irum ,h,· ",.rd~ .'.1.,R.\3 to lhe 8uII') "5.}1. J»rIK "I .. rh· di,,)ikffi II ... SI ... ri(b" after ,h .. r.-l)t"\tan mi,,,, i",-;"I~",. In ronl ...... , ,ho: t I uh \T"I"nOI'ed Ca, air),. ,,·hi,·h had ."ud",1 from M I 11 \CAY. IQ Ih .. 51 ... rid;" ,. liked Ih • .\IS5' for iu.

... ""i(i("rable jnert""" i" fir("])Q"er. 0 " II ... I).~sis 01 II", "ACR """H"ITI.tld," jon more .'. IS5" were ,1"ppnIIO \ 'i,tn.,,,,,. I,~ a lling aboUI 200 bl II ... end ,J II"' )~·~r. £\"ntlualh. ~ orthe L S .otm(}\,~ (;\,aI,) un1l. in \'item"", "'on" ""luipptd "illt ,ht Sheridan

Th,' \I SSt Ilf,"r r.omo:d lhe full lru>l .,riB c ...... in \· ... I""'m. II did n"l h .. ,.., lhe ju"ll:k'''nunehi''l! abi~I)' of,l>t .\1¥L·\ 3 "h .. n In <knst'~n .. ti"n; and 11 .... gh 11 "',,, ronlp.uabk· in mobil;l)' I" II ... .'.1" 1, il h .. d rn:;,hcr ill d ~ ..... bilil) [>0< ""Liabilily . II~ main ad\'''Illag .. ""'t:T tht .'.1 113 ,,~! ill firep"w ..... Rut ... ..,n Ih., ... k''''a~ "all d'1!1"'''ckd. :lI..,.,.... en'"" ~. fartul ,J lhe mint ris.k 1 • ...-.;1 11)' Iht <2><"n ammunitiou 6n" ra,.,;oo "'I) ....... TOtH"'" prt"­

rnr;n,; luf ... ·'-n"mntffi machi,,,",,,,,,. h ,houId hr r<"CO<'dffi lira, <>11...,. c...,,, .. u .... 1 ti ... ,..,hick "~I) ,,,,,,mull). apl""'"lin,; both il> .,d .. "",axts and ,I< dr.",·wdu.

r " hdp looh~ Ih,' mine problrm. titan;um a rmour p"od. "~",, .. ttadw:-.;! under Ih .. 1.,,, of Iht .'.1;'5 I. ""h p"ni.aJ SUCttllc. 'iho:rid;lJl en,,·, 'Iu;"kly I.-;ornc:d lhal an 11: 1'(>'7 ,mpac1 cwld 1.-;0<\ 10 "'-OIKbr)' ln l~roal r~p~-"", or ruPlurtti .. mmll_

nitio", and themOre a bandoned I~nlo.> '1u i"11)' "he" 1,,1. In c:onlra.<l . .'. 1.,11 lank ~rew. fr.:qu,·"II)· ...,,,,ai,,,,1 In ,heir tanh du,' ,<> Ihr ""lati\'eI) 1.-... ri,k

-n. "",,, .• ,., .... ,, __ ....... "'-Y" • ....-1 ..... ...-.. _ .... ~...., .. "" .. --.-...----........ --. _ -.. ~ .. _ ,--_ .. IN • • g '" .. ~T)

"I

p s«0I'Id<I.r) i"'CT1,~1 d,,'ona,iom. () .... "f -''Ie ""On' kaw~ of !he Sl....-ld~n ...... iu dn:trin,1 "~'em. ,.'hi( h of'en malf"'Kli<~"'" durillll: V i<:lr ... m -, r.in) ",""''0<1$, ",meumo ,.i.h lrdgir mulu. 0 , ... ~f 551

.n "-'1' ($('Orting an ]\,I , , 3 lI"i t along a n...d .. ;oJ .h~ vi, !II" ,if such an o«urrrlln-. \ r ,'ny Sheridall ,." ... ~

." k.m-d .he ~keJihood .~' " "II"strophi<: ul'~"""" rr.:"" n,,'>no or R PG-]I .ha, Ii ... )' rode on the oo,,,dr ,,( ,t... \"~hKle. SOllie "I ,.,.. rl'C"''5 th,," rilW"'i utl'r".1 , .... troI, "" tlo.o, th .. on.,n gun roukl h .. Irr...r I",m .H'..ad .. the ""hi<:Ie. J" ,hi, p;orticular caw. 'M

I. IN , _ ,,,., ...... w ..... Ila.oU~ •• _ .... r ... ~ m , ... ... ".'*'" ....- "-_~I'" .. '" .. ;._ . _,. ... L TWo _ .. " ... . ~ ,... 11...- c... ,.. ...... Div. _ ............ ..... ,,)b~ .~ .. ..-......- .. K_ llJli ._.1

:\1:0' hd a fIee""LL .. ""Ind rI,amoord ~nd~) tu f, ..... in .. ax the cO[lmy ~ ambu>t ..... I. n,., CK»

had , .... tum'1 pOUl'nr fOry,.,.rd ... 1"", An ek-rtrica.l malfuncli"" iM'CidentaU) 'rigxcred Ih~ gun, 'pra)­ing t .... c"I" .... d lroops riding on .he \1.1" If an :\1 , 13 In front ofil with R lelhal Ir dih'orm.

T ht ,\1 %' ... ;os not 0111) unpopular; II ,,~ a l .... a l.mllly c"",ly ,'Ch,de "" ..... in Vicma."'- Tl>c~."r­pre .... nt CrM"m)' mion had ;& ,,;arrinllarll ""JOr_ lunale mult if I~..., enough '" rip open !he hull Jlul ~"" .",.11 ;&tlIi -penot" ... r "'''>no thal .. CT<' 1<1<}

"",all 10 cau .... Inminal damag.- "Ik" (ore up 11,,­alum,nium ar"",,,r of (he "ehiel.- S" badly Iha, il ... "" """,,,ti~ll) ,,"repairable. .\ IAIlY ~ I 5.'r" .. c .... ,;mph blo...l1 "I' in pia"" ralM. ,han ..... 0;\" ti",,,

~ \\

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trying 10 '''p.Il' Ih~m. ,\( Ilot, Umtc an M5!i' co!<l ~ho\ll 5300,00.-.. ~ ronlp"",d to about SI ~OOO fo< .. ., \ 1,,] AC.\\'

Tk OO't~~"''''RI ci t/wo ~ 1 551 ..... a horrihk ,-urn!,,," ol ",ismanal':t~nl and bureaucrat;.­hUH!:!.ng. \\ hM" , h.)uld h .. "" I,....." rxp«(W ,10m .. ' r4dicall~ no,d " <laign ,"MIld hoc '1:1) 'i ..... _ corburni,,!! 10 de-.-d,'1' , ... d field, the- ,~nk .. as put

"".. producu.." "rnna,um) t.rro...- ~tial p,,~>I,·rn. had '-II .. ~,Td. ~IOlttJ\"·r. r:ul>cr 'han Ilo"jnl! or t"mporarily h .. hin~ PT,.l ndion 011<:<: Kri<>u> ohortl'omingo " ,-r,- difoo\~, proo""tion contin"ed, r.:quirin! 1:.,,", and conly retrofit programma. ;\1.,.., disJurbing "". ,I ... ,-arcac. and un/lt:ttiSiOry dcplo)me", <Jf the SI".,.;dall 10 Vie.nam ... ..t.ere ilS m",,, ~d\''''n!al!c ;13 cremen­doll' .. n,j.,,,,,k t'irtpo .... "'-....as Largdy 'rf(Ie",'ant. bul "I.."... the cbmal" <"!"dUrn! thaI all cf i .. techn.i"",] ,hortcomingt ,,-.)tIki btto, .... most man­ikll .

T"" M5.~1 dfh:l.ck had Iong-.,.,.." conseq .... ,w:a alI_11. l k,!,lw-ndan haJc<" ,,00 11K ~l ... l horror ".orio about , .... M60.\2 .. "d MBT-1O. -'rrd (:...n~ OIl II ... ,ul>jc.:t off.,'u .... Armf ann<>urn:\ ","hid~ prt'JRI ·~'''m''''. E,'~" 'hough 'h~ Army .ul .. t~ntiall) al" ..... d il3 teu"s and Hrili,,,,ion 1',,1;";'" aft'" II ... S~n 1"'>gr.iJT\lnt, Cnngrno .... ,,, .. i.,.,.;\ "tT} f)·II .... 1 of all) Army ltaltlJl('nl!

".M,' w ................ ", ............... _ C ... I.,. ... _ _ .... ow. ., FI, M_ .... .,. ..... wI,~ .. "41 Pal'- ...... '

'!OS" (lIS """yl

'""1(anli"K ,Ix- 011100"'"' ,,( II. "duck ('""""g profIra .... ",.,.. i'u a rtSuh ,,r Ihi. Und"rllaudald,' ,-"actio ... , ill ,h( lat" '97" nN.groI camt nrar 10

ltillin'! 1M much_~ ;\ ' 1 Almuns mlln h,,"k tank, Allb .... "h thr MI ~d I....,.., leslrd ""..., ,horoughly (10."1 ;lnY lank", .""01)' and had n()l ,,,Werrd ,.IlY 1~<TIicuJarly "" .. i(~" d",'elop .. ",nl probkms. lh" ( IS C ..... JtJaI ... a> .,..-cprical of Army honcJI) on.",. Iix- lell rout .. lhal ;1 ..... .".. '"U)' rotar to no! pro,-;din" rundin~ lOr lh~ 1"'_-""'1TIC1l1 of II", new lank. "I'll<" mi'Jllana~r""'1\1 ~ Ihe MS51 projI;ra",,,,,, .-rr2IW an alul",I,' in r ..... grtll "Ilieh I!('riomI)' jnJpoI.d;.m program,"'" ,,-hidl follo ... fti, and dm allj,,,,1r h,.. .rill oot fflUrdy di1lip;ued I .. 'hi, day.

When Ih~ Shrridan ..-as finally issu"ll<) ('""aIry unil'! in ~an) and tho: t:nilW Sta, .. in lI",cariy ''17'" m;on)'oCiu proI>Inm h:od btto raoI, ..... 1 'n.., ,,,hid .. " .... popular "ith 'M """,Iry t..-.:.po Ii,.. its lirtp""'<T and for i .. I"'ppy ptrformatoct, In a E""'I_'an dimal" Ihe armnuni,ion r>robb", W"'-':

no ... hr", ""~r as K\-"'" as '" Virtnarn. and nor .... ..., tlM:dttulc.1 $)'S~ pmbk", •. n.r rnaindra"t...ck remaillnllho:K\~recoil .. lM.nfinn!!" the I~~mm

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' l"'~" ...... ... _. i.;" _ ...... , r .... •• o-bil.o •• "'HO ..;.~ _ Mo'_' d ... two ............ ;,-... 10<"' • .-..1 .. 110;"_ _ .... '100 ,"'T .. ~ .... n..M.'A) "" . ..... ,._ ......... oI • .,. A~n~ _ til ...... rly ,~ ~_ • .,. UlI _PPOiOOI _ MoM,"" _ main gun .. ;,10 <",-",,,,", ammunition rouno:b .",-h ... ,II .. XM~O!,lc!i IIE.\I, x..\l bS7F.J I n :, XMooS c~nis'er or XM." I t: 3 ,raining round. Tho<- nK" "]> hurltd ..... 1 ~l1 k dhou" 1o<lIo("n.ed tom l'''''''''to.. inju red crt'WI ami ca usnl mi<.ahgnmCr\' 01' ,h.· fi,,' wntrol '~"l..,n Eltis ltd [0 i" '''''';L'1<lIla l nick",,,,,,, 'Th .. I'!,,,,'" 'l ank'

A IO(~I of '.7')(' "'.:un ... e", wmpktN ~,,-"'" "J66 and '970. ~nd OWT loo .. ere lOIn In Yinnam. In '97,""A1\' \\"L_I Wtr raJljliefindfrand 011.....­imprownl<'''l> ,.'<".., addni to I .... \ I!'IS" """,,lling in ,I,.. M 5S' ,\ I lniliaU) , .... Am.)' 1~."''' .... IIO ..... 1M M $5' d" .,..; .... 'he basi, for a ... hok "'ri~ ,~- ,"' .. ... If·p'''''I "'I1,,. g""", air ddt'"''" \'Chid,." "'Ki o,he. ~rmQ1" .. ~I .uI'Jl()rl vehidn, hUI II ... I'""hler,,, .. i,ll lh,- .. h •• ",;, 1 ... .1 10 canc .. Uarion ,,( ,h • .,., '" lI~m ...

n ... M'J.)' , ... ", wlKd .0 ~"'~M"nl ca,alry -au4r1n"",. arlllour banaJions ~n .. , h,~1 ,,, aUoo..M

"

uni'l, and ~rn'o<m~1 ('a\'all) r'1l.i"'~ntl, Th~ AC R had I:I~ Sh<:rirl~", IlIn ... at rt1I;i<l1flllal HQand "7 In each of'M Ihn,,, ~'''-dll) "'luatlmolJ. I I~ """,,11) "'lu .. dr"Ol" h;>d ,II,..,.. 1n::<>pO, .. ~, h .. "II nUl .. M55 n. I .... 4l411t ,\rmor, an ..... hnl ,,, 'h~ 81nd Atr~ 0;, i;ion, h ... 1 ~I \ 1;,;,.;<, 'hT'C<" a. balla1ioo HQ. and d,rt<' romp.>nin (""deh ,,'i,1t 17 SMOO""". In addi,ion 10 'hn< "ni", huill arouoo 'he "krid~n. a rmoured hrig~d ... had niIlt" lor rf'Corlnai""~",,c

dul;"', I\hhough d~g",,1 r,~ u,," bOth as an a;,oo..,1('

,ank and as a c~\"all)' ",,,ut ,ank, ,he .\1;'5' ",,,,, ""kIom uSotd in i., ai,I . ....... r<~f eMept by I 6.j1h Armor. T he "ih<:nddIl ;,. IlOl ,"".ualll pIlI":Ithu,("<I. but rathe'r is 'I.A l' t"..Snr ...... al!itudc 1 ... ~I ... v tll,raction """'m l'ht ,ank ;, (';lIm .... '" ~ tran.po:>rt .",·,aI, """aUy .he (:":¥l I] ,-rcules

IMhcd '0 a fihrrl.",rd paHe •. The ' '''''(1)Qr' tnau. a kJw, ,I" .. p •• ,.. .)'~r 11K la!>ding ""H' ... ,,01 ~ d"'ll"" ch,,,,,;, ,...J,-.. ;,rd "hieh drag\ .hr Slw·,.j,1 .. " '"1.11 of ,he "i~raf\, TIM"' 4nlboard pall~1 ~ bo •• .,.l", ",,,d, .d·,I",

imp;,n, "11 .... '""" is paraeh", .... .."..r.,,·lr f'ru", "'" 'ank, ~ 'KI, ~ft .... "'mming ,..., a'!.I' lu",..", "raps.

• "drin ~he ~~ol a .... y, \f,,·t hardl) a .I.·" .. d.· of,",,,,;,,,~, ,IK' l "S AITIlY

• "In:! in 1<)711 •• , r ... ;~ mos, of , .... \135' ". r,,,I .. ,,, from til<" "m><MITfti ca,.lol. ~ en "i""IIlS problernl .. i,., .f><, rn:oiJ 'lot"" <lnd ar"", .. ""i"n had ca"",,1 ""r .. nabk maimtn''"tt d'/f>euJ ....... In armo .. <W u,..:Jr'j ~mmtJ , ..... \I,~,S' ..... ' 'niti~II)' rqlI.>en1 h~' 11K :\100. and in oorn<' OtMr (, .. ,· .. 1,)' ''''its b) llot M, '3. TM 'M,ly umlS 10 "'1 .. i" ,hr :\I .~.S' a", ,h.· 1,,·,6110 An,w ... , Anachtd 1(, II ... B',,,d Airborne UiVlS>(tn •• nd a Im,,1' of 1'1 M~~" It, ,h .. T~nn.-.. N .. ,ion~ 1 Guard. I, " .. , " sad "ru" .. · fw an ambili"", and ~_ ",~u'ionary .ank <I,"';sn. ,",0 othtr light ,"nk had I .... ·",., fnmlidah/) .. ",,,-d, and f"'rhal" '''''''' ,...·~r .. ill I.· a!(~,n.

Another Cavalry Tank?

In 1971 rhr l'S Ann)' m;lialtd lil<" ARS\ \nn ...... ~1 RN'O<1nai .... ".· .. &oul \·dud .. Prt>­~m n ... X \f8ovAItS\' ""a, inlm<kd mainly .. ,

a rq>Iac.-nwn' for Ih~ .\II 'i, It .hoddy Jilll .. "',''" ,· .. hid~ .. h."", disrcpu,abl.· hi,[ory lo a. l><'t"n f"'Konen if rot ,Iy I)(",,,u,", of II,,· j,.,hlieity at'"<ltl;n!!" Ih. M551. MbnA, "lid MllT-7'" \;nlikc lh~ ,\1,,5' Sheridan. 110" ;":\18ov ARS" "'0iS intendm as .. P"'" ..:ou, ,·d.; .... · "'i,h no ",a] cap,,"'li!}' 10 ",,,,' .. ,,' ",hcr roIH "hn.· Krious r. .... I.' .. ..,.. ",ouId t... .K"nlrd. T "'0 1""1 ... )', .... ""<ff I>uilt: .. 'n(W Jil(hl lank I» f \lC. a,~1 ~ .. ~Itd armourrd nrd~ri"td [ml" , ..... l..oclthff<' I .. ;<tn- programme. 80th 'duo In ..-cre Jo""II, f;<.Of and nimbk. and an' .... 1 001) ",'ilh a 10mm gun. In '91.'i the ARS\' pn 'I(.-..",rne ". <IS "1,,,'llInncd. CO"lV""' ..... in a,,,,)' fuul ",,,(.1 ~fler IhI' M55' l""'J(l"am",,", and "as unemlnc';"";,, ,,11<"11 .... ktd '0 fund ~, aTl{l{lKr L;S Army atTT1()Urcd 'fit" lr "'~ role " .... , not d~arl y undcnto . wl

n.i. I"""m Ihe AnllOTt'd Cavalry 10 tx,;in thinking "I' other ,mu,i""s .0 Iheir ,'.hick p<Wie~", .. n'. The .\1.'0', I ,, ~s Hd) 10 be I,h....-d OUt d"" '0 it. "~"nicaJ !I ..... 'rt>mmgs. 11K M Ill ",as :al~ady I><~"g phued OUI, .. nd r~""" ~ unLih[) le, I",""il de\'finpm,'''' of a ...... " .. hit k. In '917 c.,.'grr"\" and tho: Orl);lnmmt of I),~ finally u~1 t .... Armorm c.:.,.,.try to 1Il<''V" "..-ir

• ... tM .... MO_ • __ .......... ~ _, __ .... ~ ... .,. 101" _...w, , ... U .... ij; ... .,. A • .;_ P.-ov--;' , ... ,_;, .opIo<ooI , ... _ ";'" ... "' , .. N • .-.u.. 0._ ..... ....

""I"' .... ""'" .. " "h II ... mr .. nt')·, .. hieh "';0.' de ... dop-m~ II ... ""'" \t I C\' infant,), Inmp<'>l"l .. r 11M:- raul~ ..... ,he HY Cry Infam" figh.jnll; \ rim k Ca'-air) h;h'ing \" .. hick

fin- \ tlC\' was to be 1IrTn<"<l onJ) ""h .. 15mm ~""' .. ~_man Ill ...... '. TI",c,", ... lry ;I,.."n! ,hal a

''' ..... '''~" turrc' be oW "'''''>I'''' bencrnl",",'~"on of.tlt' tMT"'n, and th", " TOW mJssiI~ [autll h • .,. b<: add"'l n,i. poxuliar hybrid gun·Ill;s.,l., '""'_ biual;' '" .... ' firsl carri~1 "n ,I ... So>iet B~ II' '" Ihe tarly t()l""". and oIf~<w a di!r....,,,, approadll" the fire""'''''r ,Iilpmma Ihal had haunled ['/lit. ,ank desillnslil,' Ih .. ~f5"'1. O n til<" or ... hand. Ihe [OW guidm a"lj_I,m k mi.Wk rould '''''lrQ)' ~n)' eW""g 1~nk .. i,h grr .. 1 ,,{'Cuney, and I""'~ 10 be "' ....... n:li~!)Ie and t1f ..... ri,." than li ... :>hillclagh mWi'"

system on Ih~ M5.'i' . On lhe other haoo. Ih~ ~.'jIl1Jll 1'>1~4" Bushm"'l~r autocannon could ~ uS<'d to

a11ack 'sofl' taTK"ts ,ueh '" troops, Irucb. buildings and lightly armourro "chicles, inwad of the n)n,,·ntion~1 high-"xl'l',,"'T m."·I",, cou,"", U'it'd on Ihc ~1 5)" Whil~ n,,1 p.Kking til<"" <"Xpl,""iw ,... .. nop of til(" Shrridan m"ml>, Ih" r.ipid rate offin' malo,,,, Ihe ~ h4~ a \"Cry lethal wl""pon againlt a wid,' rang<: of 'argo'''' (indu<lillg alla~k hdi~opu;",,\ and h ... ,~"". of II,,· drhililaLing recoil pr"bl""" of Ihe Sheridan gun!",i"ile 'yslem. Ueu:lopnl(nt of Ihe IFV/C FV " ... , rdalively unlroul>led, as Ihe d<:>.ign is fairly oollvellliollal e"en if il'l lactical employ­ment, "'1>tCially ill Ihe infantt)' role. is quile re\·oJutionary. IThis issue will ~ examinn! in a forlhcoming Vanguard. Th~ IFV/CFY was type classifinl as the ~b and ~ 1 .1. and production ~gan in Ihe early '9Ilos.

The ~ I~ Cavalry Fighting V dtiele differs from iI, infantry co"nt..-rp.~n mainly in the configuration of the internal stowage in Ihe rear hull. Instead of carrying a >quad of infantry, it carries Iwo ca\"alry """"ts and more ammunition. The ~13 mark, " fund"menlal ,hiH away fcom lighllank.., al Ie"'t in name. Th<- ~1 3 ;. more dearly a drri\"ation of inf~ntry armoun.'d Iran'poTler dCiign than tradi­lion.ol lighl lank dcoign, )'el in a "' ... ,'" it r,"]""""nl' an ""Illuli"ua,)' """,'crgencc of the 1"0 ""nct"pl'l. Ou ,In' mll' hand, anuour",1 inJantry Ir-..r"I~)rtr'"

ha\'!' l><Ymne inc"'asing:!} ",dl anned, s<> Ihal the) 110 ,~)I n"l"in' Ihe """,;"'" of a lighl tauk 10

'hcpIK,rtJ tI'C"TTI II> 'hcir ohjecLivo, a. was the case in th~ s.-cond World \\' at. 0" Ihe olher hand, as th"'" tra"'lx>rl,on h .. ,·c ah.orb,,,l Ihe role u",lnlakell h) th,. light lank companies of Ihe old '9-4os lank ha11alioll<, Ih~ ,"",ulting design has proVM "el) adaplahle 10 Ihe requiremen'" of a modenl cavall)' "dude which ,lrt:5Se!I utility in a wide fange of role:!! indu'ling !lC(luting, Hank OttU';I)', palrol and defe .. ,i.'e operatio",.

Light T ....... Fore .. er? Allhough the )\.\3 CFV would oeem to mark the end oftheli~ht lank in the 1.;S Army. lhis may nol be the case. Th~ Anny had neariy 1,5"" M.'iSI SMridall< in mOlhballs in I~. The basic autolllOlive de:!!ign is quile ace~pta ble, even if'he lUrrel and gun .)"Stem is ''''p<:Ct.

The fint u ... '0 which thClC ,"chides w"" IHIt W,,"

thaI of training lank, or 10 use Ihe official lerm, Oppo<ifl~ Force Vehicle, FilII-Tracked . .\I551A2. The M5.'iIA2 designation applies 10 aboul '70

Sh~';daT15 which .... ..,re COflHrtn! 10 ">ilk. 8m;el annourro whic1cs in the carl)" 1(j8ol! fur II ... by the National T raining ~ntcr in Ihe d """"" of southern California. Th~ ,,"Vi"al ofl.h" "en tTl' fi" livc training of l:S ground f"TI'cs "l'mm,~1 rcom Ihe oUl>'anding r","ul .. of training Air Fon'r and :-<av), pilon in Ihe 'R,,,I Flag' nnei .. "" wl ... n: F-5 lighl!:r< w"TI'II,,~l '" r"pn:" ... " Sov;el figh":r 111>;". '11 ... Mo,51A2 unil> wcre nmr'gu ... ,,1 as motk St",;1'1 ll~)lor rif~'

regimenl'l "ith a mixluI"<: of ""'iZ T-720, B!.11's allll SO- 152., built 011 Shcridan chassi. hy mca," of sheel metal disguises. The vehide:!! were also fittnl wilh a 1..,11 range oflaser Irai,ting simulation devieo from Ihe MILlS system. Th...., consisl of a laser 'gun' which can be flfed at opposin~ tank... Each of the lanh in the exercist: is fitted wilh an array of laser delecton which can "'''''' a 'hit" from the laser gun of an.,lher tank. Thi, dala is 1",1 ;llt<> a 'mall Iniu-o.proccs;or OIl the lank which e,'alual'" "helher Ihe lan k has been killnf, near-missed or <fuablnf, If killnl. Ihe s)"'tem "'''' off a Hashing 'bubble-gum' ~acon and a smok. grenade, Ihe lank', engille is automalically lurnn! off and the lastr gun r<:ndered inoperative. This I'ro"ides a remarkably ,..,alistie melhod of .imulating combat. and is integr:ltn! "'~th a ,imilar syslem for ,maU arm" anti-tank missiles and air del'en"" ..-eapons. The OPFOR', uni", at the i\IC h\"c dC"eloped a healthy I"(putatioo io the US A rmy all a crack oulnl. and 10 dale their M55,A2 units ha'T fIn'er losl a major engagement during liM: training man­eouVfrS.

Thr "'maining /I.-I.'i5I' ;Ire lil:ely to be utili.cd in a mo,.., bellicooe fashion. Although the CS Marines ..-ere r<:lllnan, to con';dcr th<- M 50." in a modified form fOf thei r Ligh' ArmOTro Vehidc ""luiT{"m""l, some Army office,," havc bct:n promoting Ihe rt:­

;lrruing ofth. ~1551 as a lighl ta nl: d,:str<>y'",. T h,' Army has a ]"((]uircmenl fOT a !. Iobile I'mtcn,'d .. un (l\..u'G) whi,.h i. ,upl" ,....1 10 I,,· ,",Iisfied iu Ihe ,hoTl tNTl1 hy a d,-ri'-dli,'" ,,r II,,· ~larine LA V, Ilw Mln.I,....... .. n ~ighl_wh,~:I,,1 arm"",nl car .... med only ,,;Ih a ~5m'" gun. TI,,' "chicle i., quile large and hul k)" """r it was d~..eloped as a troop carrier. ·n,.. main ""lui"''''''''1 r,.r the ,'dlide is ~ghl weighl ~, I"'nnil rapid del,loyme", to erisi. area" (".ongr=

1: M24 , US 79lh Tk. Bn.j Han River , Korell, 1950

2: M24, French 1 er RegL de Chasseurs a Cheval; Indo China. 1953

A

1: M24, Srd T k.9n .• Japanes. GSDF. 1970

2: M24. ROKArmyTk. Trng. Cent.; Kwang.ju. Ko .. a.1953

3; M24 J E&c. de M .. 1 er RCe; Oien Bien Phu, 1954

B

1: M24, RVNAF Security Flight; Tan Son Nhut, Vie tnam, 1968

2: M24, Mecklenbourg Cavalry Regt.; Portugal, 1978

c

1: M41A3, 7th Scout Co., 7th Inf. Div., Japanese GSDF,l979

2 , M41AS, 24th Tk.Bn., Japan.s. GSDF, 1980

S, M41AS, 3rd Co., 13th Tk.Bn., Japan.s. GSDF, 1982

o

1: M41A1. Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps. 1980

2: M41A3. ARVN Armor School; Tbu Due. Vietnam. 1971

E

1: M4IA3, Brazilian Anny, 1975

2: M4IA1 , US 40th Tk.Bn.; Ft .Richardson, Alaska. 1961

3: M41A3, RVN Presidential Gd. Bde.; Saigon, Vietnam, 1968

F

I : M551 , US 3/ 4th Cavalry; Vietnam, 1969

2: M551. US l/11th Cavalry; Vietnam, 1969

G

1: M551A1, US 7th Army; Fed. Republic or Germany, 1976

2 : M55lA1, US 4/64th Armor, 82nd Airborne Div. , 1981

H

has repeatedly baulked at financing the Arm y MI 047 programme, but has shown very little awareness of the applicability of the M55 I to the same role. The M55 I has been experimenta lly fitted with a trunnion-mounted 75mm aulocannon as part of the ELKE (Elevated Kinetic Energy Gun) progra mme, a nd with a low-pressure losmm anti-tank gun . The M55 1 may yet be resurrected.

Foreign Use of US Light Tanks

The M24 a nd M41 series were widely exported by the US under the MAP programmes to hel p build up allied armies, and proved exceedingly popular in this role. They were not very expensive, a nd they were easy for small armies with li ttle la nk experience to maintain. They have seen a fair a mount of com hat since I945- lhough it must also be added tha t in certa in Third World countries they have been used m ore often as 'voting machines' by milita ry cliques, and have seen frequent use in coups, or by counter-coup forces. The chart below provides some idea of the ex tent to which these vehicles were exported. It should be kept in mind tha t the figures for the export of the M24 are less relia ble tha n those for the M4 T, as records for the late 19405 a nd early ' 9505 are nOl

readily avai lable.

Country Argentina Austria Belgium Brazil Cambodia Chile Denmark Ecuador Elhiopia France Greece Iran I raq Italy J apan Laos

Foreign u se of M24 & M41 M 24 M41 M41AI M41A2

34 27 1,254

170 180

78 50 46 147

4

53 50

100

• .. ,'-. j., • , , . ...... ~ .. ~ .

This Danish Arttly lank is an M.f.A., but it is a lttlost impossible to distinguish s ub-types of this series fronl photos-ll nlajor differences were internal. (Danish Army)

Country Lebanon Netherlands New Zealand Norway Pakistan Philippines Pon ugal Saudi Arabia Spain Suda n Taiwan Thailand Tunisia Turkey Uruguay S, Vietnam United Kingdom USS R

M 24 M41 M41AI M41A2 M41A3 18

72 282

7 16 52 36

180 38

292 207 20 93

14 114

17 32

289 2

50 10

39

198 34 5

10 2

140

55 373 14 1

US Light Tanks in Combat In view of the large numbers of M 24S and M41 S exponed , it is not surprising that many have been used in the constant wars, coups and border clashes that have marred the tense peace of the past 40 years. Detai ls of the employment of some of the'e vehicles are not known. For example, both Cambodia a nd Laos had small numbers of M ,4S, probably left over from the French. There are few known details about their part in the fighting there in the 1960s. Both Ira n a nd Iraq have also had US

25

South Vi~t:nanu! .. ~ tank squadroD5 w~r~ 100 frequently u5ed in static defence, like this M4IA3 of the 1101 Cav. Regt. in August I~. Once the ARVN office.r corps beeaDte less political in th~ late I~, they were used Dlore active.ly in combat. (Lt.CoI. Jatnes Loop)

light tanks, but there is litlle evidence lhatthey have been employed in the most recent war in the Gulf.

France France was the largest single foreign recipient of M24 tan ks, and indeed was supplied with over a quarter of the tOlal production run. T hese tanks were fi rst deli vered to France in 1950 after the outbreak of the Korean War, when the US took a more fa vourable attitude towards French activities in Indo-China. Subsequently, the M24 was sent to Indo-China in some numbers to replace lhe M5A 1 Stuart, which was then the principal French tank in use agai nst the Viet Minh. Probably the most famous of the units to use the M24 in large numbers was the /" Regiment de Chasseurs a Cheval, which substituted M 24S for M5A1 s early in 195 1. This unit popula rly referred to the M 24 as the 'Bison'. Initially, French armoured units were organised as they had been in France. It was quickly appreciated tha t this was unsuitable for the

26

The Belgian 6nn of Cockerill proposed to extend the life of the M41 by substituting this improved. MIl. IV gomtnlow-pressun gun for tbe original 76m.m weapon. (CockeriU )

terrain of Indo-China; and in t 95 t the first sous groupemmls blindees (GB) were organised . These had a single company of M24S and two mechanised infa ntry companies in ha lf-tracks. The tank companies had '3 M24S, and eight or nine half­tracks, organised into four platoons each with three M 24S and two half-tracks, plus a company command tank. The M245 were used mainly to

provide fire support for the mobile infantry, escorting them along the few passable roads.

The M24 proved a godsend for the French forces, as its low ground pressure enabled it to traverse even the marshy ground and rice paddies. The 75mm gun also was much superior to the 37mm gun on the old M5A" which did not have a very large HE fi ller. One of the main problems with the 75mm gun on the M24 was that most of the ammun.ition had super-quick fuses, which meant that it often exploded on hitting virtually anything, including bamboo, overhanging vegetation and other ob­structions in front of the main target. T he M24 was also wider than the MjA t , and this sometimes caused trouble when moving through narrow village streets. Besides their employment with these

An M551 of Troop A, 3/.th Cavalry on patrol in July 1969; during the squadron's service in Vietruun the J/.th was assigned to the 25th Infantry Divis ion. The squadron s-itched to tbe Sberidan from the popular M48A], and was not overjoyed at the change. The new tank's vulnerability to mines was accompanied by reliability problems. The Unprovised external s towage racks are a reminder of the Sberidan's cramped interior. (US Anny )

infantry support companies in the CBs, the M245 were also assigned to the groupes d'escadrons de reconnaissance (GER ). Usually these scout groups consisted of a squadron of M245, an armoured car troop of , 5 or ,6 M8s, and a platoon of three 75mm Howitzer Motor Carriages for fire support. Usually these GERs operated with a ba ttalion-sized infantry formation on area control operations.

The employment of the M 24 in Indo-China was quite varied. It was most commonly used to support infan try attacks, but it also saw service as a convoy escort, for road patrols and for static defence of important bridges or other facili ties. The convoy and road patrol duties were the least liked . The Viet Minh were very poorly equipped wi th anti-tank weapons, so preferred ambushes in close-grained terrain where anti-tank teams could sneak near the

27

Another m.assively-stowed Sheridan, this o ne a tank of Troop Eo 1St CavalrypatroUing south of t h e DMZ on 25 March 1971. At this date the troop was attached to the I lib Inf. Bde. of the 23rd Inf. Div., 'AtnericaJ'. By 1971 the M55 1 had become the standard cavalry tank in Vielna.m. This e:Kample displays a typical variet'y of cartoons and slogans. (US Army)

(anks wi th explosive satchels or Molotov cocktail s. Regular road patrols or convoys obviously faci li­la led the planning of lhese ambushes, and lhe lack of passable terrain on either side of the road often channelled lhe lanks along very narrow palhs. This was hardly lhe son of mission lhe speedy M24 had been designed for; but even so, its firepower often turned the tables on the "ambushers. For example, on 25 October ' 953, lhe Viel Minh ambushed a ,a ReC column on the road ncar Lai Cae. I n the ensuing fighl ,80 Viel Minh were killed for only modest French losses. As a resul( of increasing French finesse in countering such ambushes, most M24 10sses came from mines rather than other anti­lank weapons. Indeed , mine losses probably accounted for over 85 per cent of tank casualties.

In 1953 the armoured units were re-organised 10

take adva ntage of the improvement in French

28

(actics. The main new formation was the armoured group, also sometimes called the armoured task force. Four of these were formed . T hey consisted of one company of M24 tanks, three companies of truck-mounted infantry and one mechanised infa ntry company on half-tracks. Nominally. the lank company consisted of three platoons with fi ve tanks each plus two command tanks, but in practice, there were usually four platoons (one for each infa ntry company) and only one command tank . The main drawback of the armoured task forces was that the trucks were not as mobile as the nimble M24, and so the whole force was apt 10 be less mobile. These task forces were considered part of" the French strategic reserve and could be assigned to various regions for operations. They proved highl y effective in comba t. These units should be distinguished from the Groupements M obiles, which usually only had a pIa loon of three M24 lanks. Some la ler had a fu ll company of tanks added, but these were often the inferior M5A I.

Probably lhe most famous use of the M 24 took place in December 1953 when ten M24S were

transported by air in to Dien Bien Phu to support the French 'airhead ' being established there. T he only transports availa ble, the C-47 a nd Bristol, could not carry a n intact M 24, so they had to be broken down into 180 components and re-assembled at Dien Bien Phu. During the fighting of spring 1954 the 'Bisons' were used as mobile arti llery batteries, fi ring about 15,000 rounds during the course of the ba uJe. Thjs caused serious problems with the gun recoil system. Nevertheless, the ' Bisons' soldiered on until Dien Bien Phu was fina lly overwhelmed in May 1954, when their crews destroyed them 1O prevent them falling into Viet Minh hands.

Although this was the most famou s use of air­lifted tanks, it was not the only example. A platoon of five M 24S was airlifted into Lua ng Prabang in Laos; a nd a companyofM 5A lsand M8 HMCs was brought into the Pla in of J ars for the fighting there.

When French armoured uniLS were repa triated to Fra nce in 1954- 55, a proportion of the M 24S

were left behind for the small armoured force being formed in South Vietna m. Ethiopia Ethiopia was equipped by the US with both N12 4S a nd M41 S before it began to veer imo the Sovie t orbit. In the late 1970S the M41 S were used a longside Soviet-supplied T-55s against the Eritrean Liberation Front in the Ogaden Desert. Lebanon The Lebanese Arm y was supplied with 18 M4I S. These were used by government forces in the 1975 civil war, but appear to have fallen imo the hands of various factions. It is not clear if the ta nks are still operational, o r which of the multitude of militias a nd pri vate a rm_ies now control them.

The MSS I proved RlOre acceptable in its intended role when finally shipped to Central Europe in the early 1970s. It continued 10 suffer from problems connected with excessive recoil when firing caseless anununition, however; and was withdrawn froRl all except one battalion at the end o f the decade. As s hort-lived was the black herel worn by US Anny tankers of the period. (US Army)

29

A view of the gunner's station in an MSSIAI Sheridan. In the centre are the main controls for aiming the gun/missile launcher and traversing the turret. (Zaloga)

The Cavalry was saddled with two 'lemons' in the 197oli-the MSSI and the Mil ... The latter's main problem was poor track design, which degraded mobility on rough or s lippery terrain. These lW"O vehicles a.re on exercise at Ft. Hood, Texas, in 1975' (Brian Gibbs)

30

South Vietruun In 1955, after the withdrawal of French forces from Indo-China, the South Viet­namese Army retained four armoured regiments, equipped mostly with a rmoured cars and half­tracks. In 1956 the US began to supply advisers, and to train Vietnamese officers at the Armor School at Ft. Knox. The four units were re­organised as armoured cavalry regiments, and each had a squadron of M24 tanks- partly ex-French, partly supplied by the US. The total number of M24S in South Vietnam is not known but probably amounted to about 75, with about 15 in each ACR squadron, and the remainder at the Thu Due Armor School.

T he M24S were not extensively used against the Viet Cong in the early days of the Vietnam War. I ndeed , the first major combat operation by AR VN M24S occurred on 2 November 1963, when Chaffees of the Armor School and other armoured units fought it out with a smaller number ofM24S of the presidential guard brigade during the coup agais t Diem. The M24S were used again on 30 J anuary 1964 to support Gen. Khanh's coup. Not surprisingly, AR VN tank troops soon came to be called 'coup troops' and their M24 tanks 'voting machines'. The use of tanks as decisive factors in these rebellions led the leaders of subsequent successful coups to emasculate the armoured units by assigning commanding officers more notable for thei r political loyalty than their military ability. The politicisation of the armoured force continued until about 1968, and severely hampered the development of AR VN tank units.

In 1963, with US assistance, the AR VN formed two new uni ts whkh would eventually become the 5th and 6th Armored Cavalry R egiments. The 5th ACR was in fact the first AR VN tank regiment. However, there were not enough Chaffees to flesh out the new unj ts, and the M24S were suffering from age and a lack of spare parts; and in 1964 the US agreed to re-equip the AR VN armoured cavalry units with M4IA3S. These began to arrive in January 1965, and by the end of the year five squadrons had been equipped and trained. Most of the M24S were assigned to airports and other important installations, where they were used as pillboxes for perimeter defence. The engines were removed- not only because of the lack of spares, but also to prevent their use in coups. The only

M24S to remain operational were a small number at Tan Son Nhut airport with Vietnamese Air Force crews. These had been retained as a counter-coup force by Air Marshal Ky, to prevent the use of ARVN tanks against his regime.

The fi rst major use of AR VN ta nks took place in October 1965, when an armoured task force was sent to relieve the Plei Me Specia l Forces Camp. US advisers were critical of the employment of M4 1S in this operation. Main gun fire was rapid but poorly aimed; the tanks tended to be used nervously and in a static fashion; there was little co-ordination with the M " 3 APCs, a nd the ta nks tended to bunch up. One ofthe few bright spots was the fact that AR VN maintenance was excellent, and none of the sq uadron's ' 5 tanks were lost. In 1966 the US agreed to expa nd the AR VN training programme and to enlarge the force to 16 armoured cavalry regiments with 16 squadrons of M4 1A3 tanks, ' 5 tanks to a squadron. Nevertheless, the bulk of

As befined a scout vehicle, the MS51 was designed to be &ntphibious. A screen -as contained in buD recesses, and could be erected before entering the water; propulsion was by nteans of the tracks. This early production vehicle, pboto­graphed on trials, is still 6tted with the bore evacuator and open-breech scavenger sys tent. (US Arnty)

An MSS IAI photograpbed during the 'Reforger' exercises in Germany, 1978; in that year the Sheridan began to be withdrawn front US units in Europe due to its chromc problents . This tank bas a pyrotechnic display on the front of the ntain gun tube. The '27-Gn-orange' panel is an e.ercise ntarking-the 'opposing army' uses pale blue panels. (Pierre Touzin)

Interior of the MSS I turret., looking from the commander's station forward and left towards the loader's s tation. The unconventional breech design is very evident in this view. (Zaloga)

armoured fighting by the AR VN rested on the shoulders of the M, '3 APC mechanised infantry squadrons, as the tank squadrons were oft en kept close to base to protect high-ranking officers or to

prevent their use in mutinies and coups. As the tank squadrons became depoliticised after

'968 they came to playa more important role in the fighting. The first major tank-vs.-tank con­frontation of the Vietnam War took place in February ' 97 ' , when the AR VN attacked in to Laos to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail. T he operation, 'Lam Son 719', included the 1st Armor Brigade and the " th and '7th Armored Cavalry Regiments. The two units were under strength, with less than I 7 tanks. V A forces in the region had an entire tank battalion, and brought in a portion of a lan k regiment to resist the AR V attack. Heavy NV A a ttacks against Landing Zone 3 ' led to the, ,th and, 7th Armored Cavalry being sent to relieve AR VN airborne units. On 19 February ' 97 ' an M4,A3 of ' / ,lth Armored Cavalry destroyed a T-54. I n a fierce, day-long fight, six T-W and ,6 PT-76s were destroyed without loss among the M4I S. Nevertheless, after six days of heavy fighting the ARVN units were forced away from LZ3 ' and the NV A continued to a ttack the retreating units. On 27 February the NVA attack was again bolstered by armour, but 12 PT-76s and three T-54S were lost to the M41S and tactical airstrikes. Another major NV A armour attack on , March led to the loss of '5 VA tanks for six M" 3 ACAVs of the ARVN.

32

Although NV A and AR VN armour did not have any further serious clashes, the AR VN units lost a large percentage of vehicles during the retreat because of harsh terrain conditions, mechanical breakdowns, and a general lack of support for the retreating armoured cavalry units. 'Lam Son 719' represented the onl y large tank-vs.-tank con­frontations before the battles in ' 975. It was the largest single use of AR VN armour, involving some six lank squadrons at one point or another (though no more than three sq uadrons were operational at anyone time). The operation was iHustrative of the superior training and combat ski lls of the AR VN tankers compared to the NV A crews, who performed very poorly in the tank-vs.-tank engage­ments in Laos.

NV A armour was not the only threat to AR VN tanks. On 23 April '972 the M4' squadron of the ' 4th Armored Cavalry was wiped out a t T an Canh by a barrage of the new 9M '4M M al;'11lka ('Sagger' ) missiles. This loss was all the more tragic as the NV A launched a major tank attack in that sector shortly afterwards. Due to the extensive use of T-54 and T-55 tanks in the ' 972 offensive, the US began supplying the AR VN with M48A3s. Nevertheless, the M41 remained numerically the most common AR V tank up to the time of the NV A offensive in ' 975. T he role of the M4' squadrons in the fina l fighting in Apri l ' 975 is li ttle known, although these units were certainly heavily involved in the defence of the Saigon region. NV A units also used modest numbers of captured M41 S during the April '975 fighting. Pakistan The Pakistani Army used the Chaffee in both the '965 and ' 97 ' wars with ·India. The M 24 does not appear to have played a significant role in ' 965, and reported ly only one was lost. In ' 97 ' its employment was more apparent. The 29th Cavalry, stationed in Bangladesh, had the only Pakistani armour in the easlern region. It possessed 72 M24S, but by this date, the tanks were in very bad shape: the gun tubes were badly worn, which seriously degraded both their range and accuracy. The unit was not kept intact, being broken down into squadrons which were doled oul to provide fire support for variolls Pakistani infantry uni ts . They were faced by far larger numbers of Indian PT-76 and T-55 tanks. Many of the M24S fell to Indian recoilless TiRe an ti-tank learns, and others to Indi an

tanks. The M24 was hopelessly out-matched by the T-55, and did not have the gun range orthe PT-76. All or the regiment 's M24S were lost or surrendered. Cuba In April 1961 when the C IA-sponsored Brigada Asalto 2506 landed at the Bay or Pigs in Cuba, they were supported by five M41 tanks or the 4th (Armored) Ba ttalion. The tanks were landed by LeUs on the beach near Giron, and were doled out to provide fire support for the rebel Cuban inrantry. The CIA believed the Cuban armour was limited to a small number of ]S-3 Stalin tanks, and some M 3 Stuart and M4 Sherman tanks rrom the Ba tista days. In ract, Castro had received several dozen T -34/85S and SU-IOOS from Czechoslovakia in the months before the invasion, and a column of these was dispatched towards the Bay or Pigs when Castro learned or the landings. The area around the invasion beaches was poorly suited for armour, being mainly coastal swampland with only a small num ber or poor sand pa ths. Around midnight on 17 April , arter a day or fighting, the fi rst Castro tanks

appeared. An ambush was set up, and .two o ut of three tanks were destroyed at point blank range by the M4 1S and recoi lless rifles. The third swung around the wrecks orthe fi rst two. (Although rebel Cuban sources called the opposing vehicles Stalin tanks, in ract they were probably SU-I OO assault guns. ) Berore the SU-IOO could fire, it was repeatedly rammed by a rebel M4 1 which was too close to use its own gun . The M41 sheared offpart of the SU-IOO'S g un barrel , and the assault gun retreated with a broken track. Castro's forces made repeated attacks with tanks, but lost several more in other sectors to bazookas and 57mm recoilless riAes. On Wednesday 19 April a la rge colum n tried to overrun rebel positions in Giron, but were halted by M41 fire , losi ng three SU-IOOS or T-34/85S and one

In the early 19Bos a Dumber of MSSls were converted to MSS.A2S forulie as Oppos ing Force (OPFOR ) training ta.nks at the National Training Center in California . This MSSIA2 has sheet m etal additions, in a not altogether convincing attempt to minlic a Soviet BMP. The fabric strip along the turret s ides contains the MILES laser detectors used for Ulonitoring wargamell combat. (Michae l GreeD)

33

In lieu ofli~ht tanks, the US Anny is currently planning to use a derivative of the Marine LAV, the Ml o"" in its new Mobile Protected Gun battalions . Congrelili has been wary of providing funding due to the controversy surrounding this programme. This particular LA V is a specially modified version with twin TOW missile launcbers added.; i t was displayed to US Anny and Dept. of Defense officials in 1983 in the hope of bol stering support for the progranu:ne. (Zaloga)

BTR-15'. The Walker Bulldogs proved very handy in providing fire support to rebel units, but began to run out of ammunition. One was lost to artillery or tank fire, and with the collapse of the rebel positions the others were finally scuttled by their crews.

Light Tanks Live On Given their age, it is surprising to note that many M24S and M41 S are still in service, and are likely to

remain so for another decade. This is due in pa rt to a number of tank modernisation programmes being conducted worldwide. In 1975 the Norwegian firm of Thune-Eureka began modernising 54 old M.4S to the new NM-I 16 standards. [n place of the older engines a Detroit Diesel 6V53T was added (the same engine as in the MI1 3AI APC). The original 75mm gun was replaced with a French 0 /9'5 gomm low-pressure gun and a .5ocal. was substituted for the old .30cal. co-axial machine gun . Extensive interal modifications were also made, incl uding a turret basket and replacement of the bow machine gunner's station with an additional ammunition rack. The Norwegian Army vehicles also had a Simrad LV3 laser rangefind er added for greater long-range accuracy. This extensive re-

34

building was undertaken in part because the Norwegians were content with the durability of the M' 4, and they felt tha t the cost of the moderni­sation amounted to less than a third the cost of a comparable new tank. In terestingly enough, the Norwegians also converted a small nu mber of the remaining M24S into light armoured recovery vehicles.

Napeo Industries in the US subsequently obtained licence rights for the modernisation package, and so other countries may modernise their M24S in this fashion. Greece was given a demonstration of the modernised M24, but felt it could undertake the project on its own without US assistance. Using engines which became surplus when its Mll gs were converted to M l l gAI standard, the Greeks tried a similar conversion. It was unsuccessful; and the M24S are reportedl y now used as static shore defence points un til the Greek Army decides whether it wishes to pay for a complete rebuilding like the NM-11 6. T aiwan is re­engining its M 24S with the Napco powerpack conversion, but apparently not the gun .

Likewise, the M4 1 has been the subject of a number of modernisation efforts. I n Spain M4 1S are being rebuilt using another apeo offering, which involves replacement of the o ld engine by a new Detroit Diesel 8V71T as used on the M log and MILo self-propelled guns. About halrofthe Walker Bulldogs are expected to remain as tanks with their 76mm gun and possibly with new Cadi llac Gage turret power controls. The remainder are expected to be converted in to tank destroyers armed with guided anti-tank missiles. At the time of writing Spain had not decided whether to proceed with a TOW system or a HOT missile system. The tank destroyer conversion was developed by T al bot SA in Spai n. The TOW type consists of a heavily re­worked hull and apeo re-engining, with an Emerson Electric TOW U nder Armor (T UA) elevated trunnion launcher as used on the US Mgo l lTV. The resulting vehicle has been nicknamed the Cazador. A similar conversion has been developed for the HOT, though without the eleva ted trunnion mounting.

Braz il has undertaken a similar programme called the M4 1 B. The M41 B was developed by Bernardi ni using a licence-produced Saab Scania DS-1 4 400hp diesel. Besides these re-engi ning

efforts, the Belgian firms of PRB and Cockerill jointly developed a new main gun for the M4' , the NRB5JO Mk IV 90mm low-pressure gun. At least 22 of these conversions have been undertaken for Uruguay. It is quile likely that other countries which sti ll have holdings of M24S and M41S will embark on similar re-engining and rebuilding efforts. The M 24 and M4' are sturdy, reliable vehicles, and rebuilding offers a very cost-effCClive

alternative to the purchase of entirely new tanks.

The Plates

AI: M 24, US 79th T ank Battalion; Han River, Korea ,

1950 The 79th Banalion painted many or its tanks with tiger faces, in a peculiar attempt to instil fear in their allegedly superstitious Chinese adversaries. These schemes were applied to both their M4A3EB Shermans and to-lA' Company's M24S1 as shown here. The bumper codes, 25-796 A-12, indicate that the banalion was a ttached to the 25th Inrantry Division.

A2: M 24, I " Rlgiment de Cha.rseurs d Cheval; Indo-China, 1953

French Chaffees were usually lert in the overall olive drab delivery scheme. Markings here include the ,n RCC regimental badge painted ru ll-colour on the left side or the turret. Inset is the traditional French lank squadron marking, in this case a red heart on a white sq uare, painted on the right side of the lurect in the same position. The individual number '5' is in white. On the bow plate are the vehicle name, METZ; the serial number, prefixed as usual by a small tricolour ftash; and the yellow bridging circle. The name and serial a re backed by black rectangles. The serial was repeated, in the same fashion, on the lower rear edge of the turret stowage bin .

BI : M 24, y d Tank Ballalion, Japanese Ground Seif-Defence Force, 1970

I n the I 970sJ apanese GSDF tank units began using colourful insignia: some, like the yellow and red scorpion or the 3rd Tank Banalion, were applied to en tire units, while others differed at company level.

B2: M 24, South Kortan Army T ank Training Center; Kwang-ju , 1953

The ROK Army was initia lly provided with small numbers or M36 tank destroyers, and later with the M 24. On ly after the war were Korean tanks normall y marked with the ROK national insignia illustrated here.

B3: M24 , Escadroll de Marche du I " RCC; Dim Bien PIw , March 1954

The 'Bisons' were camouAage-painted by their crews after their re-assembly. The few photos which survive of the tanks during the siege of Dien Bien Phu show that some were painted with earth yellow stripes, and o thers with what seem to be earth yellow and red-brown- the latter almost certainly local mud. The size and pattern of the camouAage stripes differed widely from tank to tank: most seem to have favoured a dense paltern of small , basically diagonal slashes, bu t photos of CONT I suggest these large, random areas of yellow. Tank names were

finally replacing the MS.51 in annoured cavalry regiments is the Bradley FiShtiDS Vehicle. The M.:z YenioD is for the infa.ntry, and carries more troops; the cavalry's M3 carries two scouts in the bull, with e:xtra a.m.munitiOD for the 1Dai.a arDlunent, and has DO firing ports for the rear compartm.eDI. (ZaIop)

35

painted in white capitals on the turret sides; the lettering was quite crude in some cases, but CONTI

displays neat stencilling in the usual French thick/thin style. This was the mount of the squadron commander, ·the heroic Capt. Yves Hervouet; wounded fi rs t in one and then in the other arm, he continued to lead counter-a tlacks with both a rms in plaster. (He survived the siege, but not the Viet Minh death-camps.) Note the infantry radio

The XM800 ARSV was an attractive lisht scout t:a.nk d _ ip denloped by FMC to replace the ill.rated M ..... It was canceUed. however, and the MllffMssl replacelDeDI pro. 8.ra.mlDe was lDe rsed with the M2 IFV/M 3 CFV programme. (FMC Corp.)

propped on the far side of the rear deck, and the spare ammunition tubes on the trackguards- both features shown in phOlos of CONTI. The 'Bisons' often fired 60 to 100 rounds in an action, and the interna l load of 48 rounds was quite inadequate. This tank was badly damaged on 5 April during a counter-allack at strongpoint 'Huguelle 6'; it was recovered, and used as a static pi llbox south of the airstrip for the rest of the siege.

CI: M24, South Vietllamese Air Force Security Flight; Tall SOil Nhut airfield, RVN, 1968

After the ARVN was re-equipped with M41S, the only M24S to remain fully opera tional were the

-"-

Air Force tanks which served as a precautionary counter-coup force for Premier Ky. They were camoufl aged in olive drab, forest green and earth red . This tank was named after Vic Morrow, the TV actor who played in the popular series 'Combal' . Some of these Chaffees also appear to have displayed a large red insignia pai nted on the roof, but detai ls are lacking.

C2: M 24, M eckleflbourg Caualry Regimeflt , Portuguese J st Independenl M ixed Brigade, 1978

This colourfu lly-marked Chaffee served with the Portuguese armoured cavalry until retired in the early I g80s. The scheme is a pa ttern of sand yellow and earth red over the basic olive drab. The regiment'S crest is painted on the turret side; the front fender markings are the arm-of-service fl ashes of the brigade and regi ment. A cavalry regiment of this name has served with the Portuguese a rmy since the 18th century.

A sh ape of things to come? In the late 19708Jeuly Ig8os, AAI Corp. developed a nu~ber o f lig h t tanks fro m the experiznea­tal H STV-L testbed in the bope o f inter esting the US Army and M a rineli in the ir p r ocure m e nt fo r the R a p id DcpJoy m en t Fo r ce. This tank is a rmed wjth a revo lutionary 7,9D-JD Ares XM274 a uto lDa tic cannon. Tanks like thi s a.r e being p roposed for tbe Arm y's Mob ile Protected G un p rogramme, which .i~. to field a new ligbt tank in the Iggos. (AA1 Corp.)

DI : M 4lAj,7thScoul Tank Company, Japanese GSDF,

1979 The scout companies a ttached lO J apanese infantry divisions often use a different insignia from that of the division's attached lank battalion. I n the case of the 7th I nfantry Division both the scout company and lank battalion use variations of the stylised Ii, but in the scout unit it is marked on a red shield .

D2: M41 Aj, 24th Tank Ballalion , J apanese GSDF, If)Bo

This battalion uses a stylised eagle insignia with the ba ttalion number. Many ba tta lions also use lurret tactical numbers, as here. Hull front markings a re the vehicle serial (left ), the unit identification (right), and the traditional na tional oka or cherry blossom insignia (centre).

37

AAI Corp. al50 developed a derivative of iu RDFfL T with the same J6m-m. sun as the ~ I tank, ialea.ded for ezport-the US would Dot allow overseas . ales of the new Ares 75ttlrn aulOOlatic ChlJIOD. (AAJ Corp.)

DJ: M41 A3, yd Tank Company, 13th Tank Ballalion , Japanese GSDF, Igl12

The 131h is one or the most colourfully-marked J apanese tank battalions. Each company has a different insignia; in the case of the 3rd it is lhis splendidly gaudy dragon.

£ 1: M4IAI, Royal Nw Zealand Armoured Corps, IgOo T he Walker Bulldog was used in limited numbers by the RNZAC until finally retired in 1983. In the late 1970S lhey were camouflaged as shown here, in a pattern of dark green, rust brown, black and sand dislributed in a scheme very similar to lhose of the US Army.

£2: M41A3 , ARVN Armor School; Tho Due, RVN,

1971 The Armor School was one or the rew South Vietnamese tank units LO display an insignia on its vehicles. This stylised elephant motir was carried on both sides or the lurret. The vehicle serial number was marked on the lower bow and lower rear plate on a chrome yellow rectangle; 'TG' was marked on

a circle on the right render.

FI : M41 A3, Bra~ilian Army, 1975 The .Brazilian Army uses the traditional national insignia, the 'Big Dipper' or 'Great Bear' in a circle. The vehicle serial 'EB- 109' (Brazilian Army 109) is carried on the turret side. together with the tank unit's crest.

F2: M4IAI , US 40th Tank Batlalion; Fort Richardson, Alaska, 1961

The 40th Tank Battalion was used extensively in Arctic wargames in Alaska, and rrequently played the pari or Aggressor rorces. The green triangle with.in a white circle was the insignia adopted for Aggressor units. During winter exercises the tanks were camouflaged with whitewash sprayed in swathes over the base colour.

F3: M41 A3, Republic if Vietnam Presidential Guard Brigade; Saigon, 1968

This M41 carries a white lightning-bolt, and the name vu 8AO ('Resolu te Tiger' ). A small number or Walker Bulldogs were stationed al the Presidential Palace as an anti-coup force after the earlier M24S were knocked out in the 1 963 fighting. They were also used ror parades in the capital.

GI: M55I , US 3/4th Cavalry, Republic oj Vietnam, 1!fi9 The 3rd Sqn. of the US 4th Armored Cavalry Regiment was one of the two squadrons to receive the troubled M551 Sheridan in Vietnam. The insignia consisted of the traditional red /while cavalry guidon, and the vehicle number '36'. As was commonplace in Vietnam, unofficial na mes were added by the crews- in this case, SUDDEN

DEATH . An extensive ex ternal stowage is evident on this tank : the Sheridan was notably cramped inside.

G2: M55I, US I/ llth Cavalry , Republic oj Vietnam, 1!fi9

The turrets of Sheridans in Vietnam quickly acquired not on ly a purpose-designed 'crow's-nest' or ' bird-cage ' of a rmour plate, but freq uently additional machine guns as well me photos show examples with up 10 four M60s mounted externally. This tank ofC Troop, 1st Sqn ., II ACR

appears to have two white barrel-bands identifying 2 Pla toon . O n the hull side is the standard type of stenci l block, in this case 'u.s. A RMV/ 12C 8°368'; and a vehicle name, CANARY CAGE [I . A second slogan has been painted on the 152 mm gun barrel- 152 INSTA MATI C. There is a good deal of external stowage on the turret , including a string of smoke grenades; apart from the operational necessi ty of having these close to hand , there was also the odd bu t vital fact tha t green smoke grenades- a nd green ones only!- proved an effective repellent of the savage local bees.

Talbot SA. in Spain d eveloped this Ca4.adOf ('Hunter') tank d estroyer vehicle based o n the M.fl tank, and the Spanish Army plans 10 conve rt about half o f its BuUdogs to this configuration; the remainder will be re-engined. The TOW missile launche r o n this vehicle is the same type used OD the Ame rican M9(U lTV tank destroyer on the Mil] chassis. (Talbot SA)

39

Hu M55IAI, US 71h AI7I!Y, Federal ~pu/!tic of Gmnany, 1976

In the mid-1 970S a rmoured unilS of the 7th Army ill Germany began experimenting wilh pattern­paimed camouflage. These schemes should not be confused with the laler, officia l MERDC schemes which superseded Ihem in Ihe laic 1970s. The 7th Army schemes can be distinguished by their wider bands of colour; the lack of distinctive 'crow's-reet' patterns; and the brighter colours- in this case Earth Red , Forest Green, Sand and Black.

Farbtafeln AI Auf den ~'1 2 4 - Pan:LI::rn diac:r A- Kompanie !IOwie auf den Shermans der anden:n Kompanien di(3(: r E.inhciL bcrandell sieh diesc au~~wohnlichen 'Tigcrttcs.ichlcr'. Man glaubte fa lschlichcrwcisc, sic wii rdcn abcrglaubischc, chhlCSlKhe Truppcu einschiichlcrn. All: Die 8czcichnungcn ' M ell' uod '5' stellen Name und Nummer dic:scs bcstimmlen PanzerJi dar. Auf der linken Geschulucile bcfindet sich das Regimelll5alneichell des ,to RCC, auf der r«hlen Seile d?c hen:fOrmigen Kompanieinsignien.

8 , Aile Pa nzer dic:scs Balailloru waren mil den Skorpioninsignien \'Crschen. 8 a Die korcanisehen Nalionalzeiehen am Gcschiilz fand man enl naeh dan Koreakricg. iI3 0 011 isl der Panur \·on Capt. Heryouel, dem heldenha.rlen Kommandanl d~ Pan~hwadroll hod Oien Bien Phu. Trolz VerklzlIngen an beidc:n Armcn ruhrle er zahlreiche Angrilfc dureh; er "arb in Vici Minh­GdangcRKhaft. Die Panzer wumen indh<iduell gelamt. ent .... cd~ mit sandfarbigem Amlrieh oder togar mil tolem Schlamm. /\ uch die Bczcichnung am Gactiiitt .... aren \oon Panzer zu Panzer venchieden.

CI Dic:te am Saigoncr ~1ugpJatz zom SchUlZ \"on Pranienninistcr Ky stationerle Einheil halle als d nnge \'011 einsalzfahige ~bi-Pan~, nachdem sie ~reilJ dureh die M4 1.l'allzerersclzt ",·orden .... aren. (A Das Regimcnuwappen bcfindel sich auf der Gac:hiitucile. Auf der linken und aof der rtthlen Sdle da Kt1.lenlChutus M':hen Sie die Brigaden- b1; .... . Regimenl5Symbole.

DI Die l ruignien diaer Kompanie bodleh n alJ5 ciner sli lisienell '7' auf o nem 101(.11, schildfOrmigen Hinlergrund . Das P.lllzubalailion der Division Italle dll i hnliehes Ablciehcn.jc:doc:h ohne Schild . In Die I nsignien dieses U." laiIJons sind ein stiMiertet Adler sowle die I~taillonsnummer. Oie Rllmpl~7.ochnungen sind von links nach rtthlJ wie folgl : die ScriennUfnmcr, die Iradilionclle,jal'anische Ki rschblii te ond das Ableicht:n der Einheil. D:JJcde Kompanie diexs lbtaitlons hal omenchicdliche l ruignien.

EI Die RNZAC \"erv.·endcle!xi den ~ I -II ein iihnliches aber nicht genan dassdbe Tanochana .... ie das MERoc.Schcma der US Anny. E2 Ein ... der wenigt:n ARVN.Einheiten, d ie ihre huigllien "lciglell; hi ... r ein slilwerl ... r Elc:fam .

F. Das S ttmbild di ... 1II als Nationalab:r:eichen; die Gaehutziruignien besu:hen alJ5 dem Rtgimt:nuwappc:n. F2 Dicsc Einhdt spieh ... bei arktUchen ManO\'ern den ' Fcind'--das dreiecld~ .... grunt Symbol wurde ab Zeich ... n der {cindliehen Einhciu:n iibcmommen. F3 Diaer Panzer heissl I'll BIID, d.h. ·rcso!.uler Tiger'.

GI Die Ba.eiehnung '$wJdnt /RillA· (1)lou!icher Too) .... urde dem Panur ~'on der Besaetung geg ... ben. Oi ... Iradilion ... U ... KavaUcriestandart ... bcfindet sieh aufdem Rumpf, aUS$Cfdem die Panztrnummcr '16'. Co2 Die beidcn f"arbstrcifen am

hii l% dc:ot .... n aurden 2 . Zug hill . Da Name allrd ... m Rumpf, CaNJryCa8t /J (Vogelkifig II) lO",i ... d ... r aurdan Geschiil"l.. 19 IlUkuMhl, sind ane Anspidong aof das Kaliber des Gachuttcs sowle aur cine gtwOhnlicke Kamen.

H. Dic:aa Vtt)oeh,·TarlUChana UI fur die 1. Anna- Mine der ]OCr Jahre lypUch, ulllencheid ... 1 sich a~r \0011 den sp;uer \'I.'. .... • ... ooelen, offi7.idlen MER DC-Sch ... men, di ... es Cl'lel"llen. tb DIU offi7.ielte ~1ERDCSchcma btim kett ... n Sh ... ridan-I'anzer!nlailloll.

H2: M551 AI, US 4164lh Annor, 821ld Airborne Division , IgBl

The 4/641h is the las t American tank ballalion still equipped wilh Ihe Sheridan, and has been Ihe only unit extensively used in the airborne role. This la nk is finished in the current MERDC scheme of Foresl Green , Field Drab, Sand and Black. On the hull sides is the company symbol- a square-with the vehicle number inside. Standard bumper codes are painted on the bow and rear.

Notes sur les plancbes en couleur A.I Lcs chan M'l4 d ... celie compagnie 'A' d ... runile, ainsi qu ... la Sh ... nnatls da aUlrcs compagtlies, etaielll peinu avec ea extf1lordinaires 'faces d ... ligre· (lu ... l'on pc:nsaitl'l l<ltt de\ooir dfraycr les lroupes supc:nti ti ... uses ehitloiscs. ~ ·Metz· el '5' SOil! Ie nom el Ie nome1O individud de a: char. L'ecwson d ll regiment /" RCC esl pdnt du cOte gauche d ... la tourellc. ct rinsigne du 'cocur' de la compagnie 5c: trouve a droil ... .

81 Cel itui!j:ne dc scorpion elait porte par 1005 les chan d ... e ... bataillon. Ih La marquc nallonalt coriellnc: sur la loorellc n'a etc vu ... Cl,u·apri:5la fi ll d ... 101 gu ... rre de Corie. B:J Lc char du Capitaine HCT\oooct, I"herotqu ... oommaudanl d ... cel esc:adron d ... chan:i Oi ... n Bi ... n Phu: il a. mene de r"iOmbreu:\CS anaqoamalgri la blcssur'cl sur ees dtux Imu, Cl esl mort Ion de sa carli \i lt ... he"! Ie Vi ... 1 Minh. I ...... chan ponaiclll des camouflages indi\iducb, de coul ... ur sabl ...... 1 qotlqoc:fois avcc d ... la boue rouge; la nolNsur ialoorelles montraient awsi les dilJercntr:sde slyle d ' un char:i l'aOIrt:.

CI Celie unite, CII PQue sur Ie Icrrain d'aviation d ... Saigoll ... n tant 'IU'" force d ... sCcorite do Premier K y, a etc la 5c:01e i conserver les chan M'l4 en bon elal de march ... apm qu'ils aicnt ele rcmplads danllir:s unilo blindea par la !l.14 1. C2 I.·insigne du rCgiment r:st pdntc sur k COle d ... la toureU ... ; la ganles-bou ... port"'"1 les symbolr:sde la brigade el du regiment descolCs gaucheel droil rcspecti\"emem .

DI Le '7' IlyliM: etailolil ise oomme insigne F.r celie CQmpagnie sur un bouclier:i fond rouge: Ie: balaillon desehan de la diVlllion utilisait un maTTJ.uagc 5Cmblablt sam Ie booc1ier. D2 Un aigle 1I)"lise et Ie nume10 de bataillon elli lenl !'insigne du bamillon. Les marqoages sur la roque. SOIlI , de gauche :i droil ... : I ... lIumero d ... ,en ... , la fl ... ur d ... ccrui ... r lradi tiolllle ll ... du J apon, ... 1 1 ... symbol ... d ... I'uni(e. OJ Cha(IUe compaglli ... de ce balaillon a un iruign ... diffi:r ... m .

E. l..r:s M,p RNZAC utilisaicnl un modC:le d ... camou fla ge similairc mais non identique ao modele MERDCde I't\rmhda Elau-Unis. Ea. L'unedr:squdquti Ulli lo AR VN qui portaielll UII inlligne-ici, lin elephanl Slyli,e.

F I Lt. marqoa~ ... nalional CSI la coru: lellalion d'eloiles; !'illsi~ne d ... lourelle CSt !'insigne du riglTnenl. F2 Celt ... unile a joue Ie role 'd · ... nnemi Ion des ... )(crcices dall$ I'Arclique-la marque du uiangl .... vcrl etail adOPle pour Ir:s unitb ·cnnemia·. F ] Lc 110m d ... ce char C:SI • V. /Ja,t)', I ... 'Tigre RCsoIu·.

GI L.c: 110m 'S.ddlrt iJtlIlh'- ' Mort Soudain ... '- a etc a.jouiC par 1'c.:luipa~ ... 1 n'es l pas officid. L·el ... ndard d ... ca..-alcrie lraditionnel CSt pcintJur la roque. alnlli qo ... le numero d ... char indiYidod ']6'. G2 Les deux ccrclr:s peinu aUlour du canon indi,\oelll qu ' il s'agil do 'lan.... PdOion. Le nclrf\ irucril sur la coqueesl 'CtllllJ1;1Ca,f If- Cage du Canari II '--et cdm qui 5C l1OU\"C surlc canon ' '9 ltu/4mQIu:' es t un calembour sinislTe qui porle sur I .... calibre db canon ... t Ie r"iOm. d ·un a ppareil phOlograpMquc populalre ... 1 bon marche.

HI Ce modelcdecamou lla~ ... experimental all),piqued ... ceux qui elait:nt ulilises par la 1emc: arm« ao mil.eu dr:s a nnCes 1910, el a l lCgb-emem diffi:rent des modelr:s plla lardifs el oITlcic:ls MERDC qui les ont remplaca. tb Lc modele olftciel ~1ERDC qui etai t porte par Ie demicr balailloll de chan Sheridan en 5Cnice.

OSPREY· VANGUARD

A leries or bool.$ dlxribinlt It(")- un;1S and .. ..,apon. J}'llerru of -Iolh (emu!) .... rfan, prrpar«i by kading mili tary apem for 'he cmhuli:u. arKI modd!<-.. , and ilh"'''' ' ing aUlhcmic dc,ail" ofarmour "ud lU Plxming ,-.hkla, cam(>Uflagc, mukings. ~ni forrnJ, ;.uignill. and ,,-capons.

l ol Brid.h 7.10 Armo .. .-N Di";.Io .. '94'> is (3) US I~' l..r .... ..,. my;.I .... 1,:)t-t 5 ['I ) FaU..,birmpaax"rdivi. ion 'Huma ....

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'!H~ 4} (I') The Pa • ..,r .. ampf .... IItII III ('7) The S .... rt Lip. Tau Seri" (II) The P. , .. e .... D1pfw •• e. IV ( I ' ) Armo ... of the Middle Ea •• W ... 1!H8 78 (ao) Tloe Tiler Tau. ( •• ) The p.Kprw V p .. ther (n ) Tloe <A. •• ri_ T ............... e (-s' Briti." T ...... ioo N. Uri.,. 194'> 4~ ( ... ) 5erie1: II" ... ,. T .......

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(as) ~rm ... A ........... e.t c.. ........ d Rocco. H.I'· Trscb '939-4S

(ft) The Sherm ... YIlni< ... US .nd Allied Service (.7) Arm_r or the K ....... War '"" 53 (III) The 6d. P ... ur Djri";"D 1917 45 (..,) The rot.O" M", P ... _ T ..... (,.) Pol i." A .... -.- 'D -U (, . ) US HaIl"_Trsclta "CWorld Wu U fl2) n.e5clX.fu5' HaJl·T ... d. (SJ) Germ .. LiJ-h. P....., ... '93" 4" b t l 1>1 1'3 Sotrin In ) Armour of 'he Paci&.:: War (" 1 '-I 11. .... ,,, t>..-n G ...... p (37) Mode ... Sa";,,, eo ....... T ...... tlI) Meduo"i,;.ed I .. C .... ry b91 US Arm_r Coomou1ial" .... Moorl.i"ll"

"'7 U (to) US L.ip. T ...... '9+1 14< M"1 CIoaff' ... , Mt.

W.lker JI..lIdos .... M SS ' sa.e..w ...

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