Tanks of the United States
The United States entered World War I in April 1917 without a single tank of its own. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, recognized the need for both light and heavy tanks after reviewing British and French operational theories. The Inter-Allied Tank Commission decided to manufacture the French Renault FT light tank within the United States to meet urgent wartime demands. A joint Anglo-French-American program also launched development on a new heavy tank design based on British models, though sufficient quantities were not expected until April 1918. Captain Dwight Eisenhower traveled to Camp Meade, Maryland, in February 1918 with the 65th Engineer Regiment to establish the Army's first heavy tank battalion. He later trained tank crews at Camp Colt in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the historic grounds of Pickett's Charge. The U.S. Army ordered approximately 4,440 M1917 tanks between 1918 and 1919 but received only about 950 before canceling the contract. Production delays meant that two completed vehicles arrived in France on November 20, just nine days after the armistice ended hostilities.
The National Defense Act of 1920 disbanded the U.S. Tank Corps as a separate entity and reassigned its tanks to the infantry branch. Only two heavy tank battalions and four light tank battalions escaped post-war demobilization. Secretary of War Dwight F. Davis directed the development of a tank force in 1928 following observations of British Experimental Armoured Force maneuvers. An experimental mechanized force assembled at Camp Meade, Maryland, from July 1 to the 20th of September 1928, included elements from Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Air Corps, Engineer Corps, Ordnance Department, Chemical Warfare Service, and Medical Corps. Douglas MacArthur became chief of staff on the 21st of November 1930, with the rank of general and pushed for motorization throughout the Army. The Cavalry branch was tasked with developing combat vehicles to enhance reconnaissance and flank action roles. In October 1939, despite potential shown by the T7 Combat Car prototype, the Mechanized Cavalry Board recommended canceling all convertible wheel-tracked vehicle programs. The cavalry branch decided that regular tracked suspension was necessary due to the availability of tracks and the high cost of complex convertible systems.
The M3 Stuart light tank entered production in March 1941 and continued until October 1943 with a total of 25,000 units produced. Two battalions comprising the Provisional Tank Group fought in the Bataan peninsula campaign during December 1941. On the 22nd of December 1941, the 192nd Tank Battalion became the first American unit to engage enemy armor in tank-to-tank combat against tanks from the Imperial Japanese Army 4th Tank Regiment. The Type 95 Ha-Go light tank used by Japan was armed with a 37mm cannon but featured diesel engines. During the remaining struggle for Bataan, the two Tank Battalions tried to defend beaches and airfields before receiving orders on the 8th of April 1942, to destroy their M3s. Many Stuarts were captured and later used by the enemy during the war. The British Army received 170 Stuarts for Operation Crusader in November 1941, where they suffered poor results due to technical faults including limited gun range and poor internal layout. Soviet Union operators considered the tank undergunned and unsuitable for winter conditions due to narrow tracks causing high ground pressure.
Production of the M4 Sherman began on the 5th of September 1941, after the T6 pilot model proved acceptable to U.S. Army officials. The Army had seven main sub-designations for M4 variants: M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, M4A5, and M4A6. These designations indicated standardized production variations often manufactured concurrently at different locations rather than linear improvements. Early Shermans mounted a 75 mm medium-velocity general-purpose gun while later models received larger T23 turrets with high-velocity 76 mm M1 guns. In June-July 1944, the Army accepted a limited run of 254 M4A3E2 Jumbo Shermans featuring very thick armor exceeding 7 inches effective thickness. Some E8s were equipped with the M101 howitzer. The British developed over 2,000 Firefly variants incorporating the Ordnance QF 17-pounder into the Sherman chassis. A total of 49,234 M4 tanks were produced during World War II, making it one of the most used American tanks in history.
The M6 heavy tank was built off the multi-turreted T1 design but declared obsolete in 1944 after only 40 units were planned for full-scale production instead of 5,000. The T14 heavy tank was a joint US-British project to produce a well-armored tank armed with either an American 75 mm or British 57 mm 6-pounder gun. The British ordered over eight thousand T14s in 1942 but no longer needed them by 1944 when the Churchill infantry tank proved effective. The M26 Pershing came into service in 1945 under the designation M26 heavy tank named after General John J. Pershing. It was developed from the T20 medium tank which itself attempted to create a faster equivalent to the T14. One T26E1 variant received an experimental longer version of the 90 mm gun and extra armor welded on from a German tank, earning the nickname Super Pershing. A total of 2,222 M26 Pershing tanks were produced beginning in November 1944, though only 20 saw combat in Europe during World War II.
The U.S. Army employed tracked tank destroyers designated as Gun Motor Carriages based on tank hulls with more powerful guns but reduced crew protection. The M18 Hellcat became the fastest armored vehicle in the American defense inventory until decades later when turboshaft-powered M1 Abrams appeared. Speed was attained by keeping armor to one inch maximum thickness and using roofless open-top turrets powered by radial aircraft engines. The M36 Jackson combined the hull of the M10 tank destroyer with sloped armor and mounted a new turret featuring the 90 mm gun M3. Conceived in 1943, the M36 first served in combat in Europe in October 1944 where it partially replaced the M10 tank destroyer. Some M36 examples found in Yugoslavia operated into the 1990s after being re-engined. The Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Scott used an M5 Stuart hull to mount a 75 mm howitzer for close support roles against bunkers and stationary enemy positions.
M24 Chaffee light tanks were the initial U.S. tanks directed to combat North Korean T-34-85s during the Korean Conflict. Occupation troops in Japan from which these tanks were drawn were inexperienced and under-equipped due to rapid demobilization after World War II. The M24 fared poorly against better armed and armored medium tanks losing most of its number while inflicting only minor damage on T-34 units. In August 1950 reinforcements brought heavier tanks that could easily dispatch the T-34s. The M46 Patton became a completely upgraded version of the M26 Pershing with a new power plant and main gun featuring a bore evacuator. Less than a thousand M26s were rebuilt to M46 standard between November 1949 and 1951. On the 8th of August 1950, the first M46 Pattons deployed to South Korea proving superior to much lighter North Korean T-34-85s encountered in relatively small numbers. By end of 1950, 200 M46 Patrons had been fielded forming about 15% of US tank strength in Korea.
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Common questions
When did the United States enter World War I without any tanks of its own?
The United States entered World War I in April 1917 without a single tank of its own. General John Pershing recognized the need for both light and heavy tanks after reviewing British and French operational theories.
How many M4 Sherman tanks were produced during World War II by the United States?
A total of 49,234 M4 tanks were produced during World War II, making it one of the most used American tanks in history. Production began on the 5th of September 1941 after the T6 pilot model proved acceptable to U.S. Army officials.
Which American tank battalion engaged enemy armor first in tank-to-tank combat against Japan?
On the 22nd of December 1941, the 192nd Tank Battalion became the first American unit to engage enemy armor in tank-to-tank combat against tanks from the Imperial Japanese Army 4th Tank Regiment. This engagement occurred during the Bataan peninsula campaign in December 1941.
What was the production count for the M26 Pershing heavy tank starting in November 1944?
A total of 2,222 M26 Pershing tanks were produced beginning in November 1944, though only 20 saw combat in Europe during World War II. The tank came into service in 1945 under the designation M26 heavy tank named after General John J. Pershing.
When did the first M46 Pattons deploy to South Korea during the Korean Conflict?
On the 8th of August 1950, the first M46 Pattons deployed to South Korea proving superior to much lighter North Korean T-34-85s encountered in relatively small numbers. By end of 1950, 200 M46 Patrons had been fielded forming about 15% of US tank strength in Korea.