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Further Reading

M24 Chaffee Light Tank

The M24 Chaffee -- arguably the best light tank of World War II -- was a fast light armored vehicle with the ability to deliver relatively large caliber direct fire with the excellent 75 mm M6 gun. More than 4,000 wer produced by Cadillac and Massey-Harris during 1943-45. The first reached Europe in late 1944, where they proved very effective and highly reliable. The M24 Chaffee first saw combat in the Ardennes in January 1945. The Chaffee replaced the M5 Stuart. Light tanks, now obsolete, were used for reconnaissance missions in WWII.

At the outset of the Korean War American forces equiped with M24 Chaffees performed poorly against the enemy's T-34/85s, and these US units were soon augmented with M26 Pershings and M46 Pattons, along with M4A3E8 Shermans with the long 76mm gun. The M24 was an effective system, but was later replaced by the M41 Walker bulldog. It remained in American service until 1953, by which time it was totally replaced by the M41 Bulldog.

After 1945 the M24 Chaffee was used by many American allies. The French army used them in Indochina, including at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Though obsolete by the mid-1960's, it remains in service in some countries. In Taiwan, the platform has been re-equipped with a 90mm gun.

The US Army led in developing fully tracked carriers with all-around armor protection. The M44 Armored Utility Vehicle, was the first purpose-built design. Based on the M24 Chaffee light tank chassis, it was fully enclosed and could carry 25 troops and two crew members. The power train was from the 76mm GMC M18, with the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle between the driver and bow gunner. The commander's station was just behind the engine compartment. The driver, commander, and bow machine gunner each had their own vision cupolas.

It had sockets on the top of the hull to accept machine guns and foot steps with a retractable chain for disembarking soldiers. This vehicle was lightly armored and mounted .50-caliber machine gun which fired from its rear cupola. A .30-caliber medium machine gun was ball-mounted forward of the assistant driver's station, and another .30-caliber machine gun designed to be fired from one of four support brackets located at the top corners of the vehicle's side door frames. The M44 also had four observation ports in each of its side walls from which personnel being transported could observe to their flanks, and fire pistols at enemy soldiers at close range.

Although standardized, this vehicle was not produced in significant numbers. World War II ended before M44 could see production, however even if the vehicle had been ready for full-scale production before hostilities had ended, it was simply too big to be practical. Doctrine at that time called for a squad-sized personnel carrier, and the 24-troop capacity of M44 was too large. Late in 1945 the Army Ground Forces requested the development of an armored carrier capable of transporting 10 men in addition to its crew. From this requirement grew the M75 Armored Personnel Carrier.