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M24 Chaffee

The M24 Chaffee (officially Light Tank, M24) was an American light tank used during the later part of World War II; it was also used in post–World War II conflicts including the Korean War, and by the French in the War in Algeria and the First Indochina War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee after the United States Army General Adna R. Chaffee Jr., who helped develop the use of tanks in the United States armed forces. Although the M41 Walker Bulldog was developed as a replacement, M24s were not mostly removed from U.S. and NATO armies until the 1960s and remained in service with some Third World countries.

Light Tank, M24
A preserved M24 at Tankfest 2023
TypeLight tank
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1944–1953 (U.S. Army)
Used byUnited States and 28 others; see Operators
WarsIran–Iraq War
Production history
Manufacturer
Unit cost$39,653[1]
ProducedApril 1944–August 1945
No. built4,731
Specifications
Mass40,500 lb (20.3 short tons) (18.37 tonnes)
Length18 ft 3 in (5.56 m) including gun
16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) excluding gun
Width9 ft 10 in (3 m)
Height9 ft 1 in (2.77 m)
Crew5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver/radio operator)

Armor0.40–1.50 in (10–38 mm)
Main
armament
75 mm Gun M6 in Mount M64
48 rounds
Secondary
armament
EngineTwin Cadillac Series 44T24
220 hp (160 kW) (164 kW) at 3,400 rpm (total)
Power/weight12 hp (8.9 kW) / tonne
TransmissionHydramatic
8 speeds forward, 4 reverse
SuspensionTorsion bar
Ground clearance1 ft 6 in (0.46 m)
Fuel capacity110 US gal (420 L)
Operational
range
100 mi (160 km)
Maximum speed 35 mph (56 km/h)

Development and production history edit

British combat experience in the North African campaign identified several shortcomings of the M3 Stuart light tank, especially the performance of its 37 mm cannon. A 75 mm gun was experimentally fitted to a Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 – an M3 tank with a larger turret – and trials indicated that a 75 mm gun on the M5 light tank development of the M3 was possible. The M3/M5 design was dated though, and the 75 mm gun reduced storage space.[2]

The T7 light tank design, which was initially seen as a replacement, grew in weight to more than 25 short tons, taking it out of the light tank classification, and so was designated as the Medium Tank M7. The weight increase without increased power gave it unsatisfactory performance; the program was stopped in March 1943 to allow standardization on a single medium tank – the M4 medium.[3][2] This prompted the Ordnance Committee to issue a specification for a new light tank, with the same powertrain as the M5A1 but armed with a 75 mm gun.[4]

In April 1943, the Ordnance Corps, together with Cadillac (who manufactured the M5), started work on the new project, designated Light Tank T24. The powerplant and transmission of the M5 were used together with some aspects of the T7.[2] Efforts were made to keep the weight of the vehicle under 20 tons. The armor was extremely light and was sloped to maximize effectiveness. The turret armor was 25 mm thick with a 38 mm thick gun mantlet. The glacis plate was 25 mm thick. Side hull armor thickness varied: the frontal section was 25 mm thick but the rear third of the armor (which covered the engine compartment) was only 19 mm.[5]

A new lightweight 75 mm gun was developed, a derivative of the gun used in the B-25H Mitchell bomber. The gun had the same ballistics as the 75 mm M3 in use by American tanks but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism. The design featured 16 in (41 cm) tracks and torsion bar suspension, similar to the slightly earlier M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, which itself started in production in July 1943. The torsion bar system was to give a smoother ride than the vertical volute suspension used on most US armored vehicles. At the same time, the chassis was expected to be a standard used for other vehicles, such as self-propelled guns, and specialist vehicles; known together as the "Light Combat Team".[2] It had a relatively low silhouette and a three-man turret.[citation needed]

On October 15, 1943, the first pilot vehicle was delivered. The design was judged a success and a contract for 1,000 was immediately raised by the Ordnance Department. This was subsequently increased to 5,000.[2] Production began in 1944 under the designation Light Tank M24. It was produced at two sites; from April at Cadillac and from July at Massey-Harris. By the time production was stopped in August 1945, 4,731 M24s had been produced.[6]

Service history edit

 
US Army M24 Chaffee moving on the outskirts of Salzburg in May 1945

The M24 Chaffee was intended to replace the ageing and obsolete Light Tank M5 (Stuart), which was used in supplementary roles.

World War II edit

European theater

The first 34 M24s reached Europe in November 1944 and were issued to the US 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) in France. These were then issued to Troop F, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron[7][8] and Troop F, 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron,[9] which each received seventeen M24s. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, these units and their new tanks were rushed to the southern sector; two of the M24s were detached to serve with the 740th Tank Battalion of the U.S. First Army.[10]

The M24 started to enter widespread use in December 1944, but they were slow in reaching the front-line combat units. By the end of the war, the light tank companies of many armored divisions were still mainly equipped with the M3/M5 Stuart. Some armored divisions did not receive their first M24s until the war was over.[11] Aside from the US Army, the British Army was another main user of the Chaffee during the war, with at least several hundred obtained through the US Lend-Lease program. These saw action mainly in northwestern Europe and the North German Plain where British forces saw action against German troops.

Reports from the armored divisions that received them prior to the end of hostilities were generally positive. Crews liked the improved off-road performance and reliability, but were most appreciative of the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the 37 mm. The M24 was inferior in armor to German tanks, but the bigger gun at least gave its crews a much better chance to fight back when it was required, especially in infantry support. The M24's light armor made it vulnerable to virtually all German tanks, anti-tank guns, and hand-held anti-tank weapons. The contribution of the M24 to winning the war in Europe was minor, as too few arrived too late to replace the worn-out M5s of the armored divisions.[6] At the end of WWII, the US Army displayed its Chaffees alongside the British Comet tanks and the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank, in the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945.

Pacific theater

The (Light Tank) company, equipped with M24 Light Tanks, is an essential element in any tank battalion. In fire power it is equal to the present Medium Tank Company and can perform missions now assigned to them when defiladed from anti-tank and heavy artillery fire. It can furnish strong fire support either direct or indirect. In a more open type of terrain and enemy situation, such as may be expected on the larger land masses, this company, due to its great mobility combined with strong fire power, will provide excellent reconnaissance, protection of flanks, covering force, as well as direct assault or support by fire. This company is the principal element of the battalion which gives it its flexibility to meet rapidly changing situations.

711th Tank Battalion notes, Battle of Okinawa, Page 26 of 41

Korean War edit

 
M24 Chaffee light tanks of the US Army's 25th Infantry Division wait for an assault of North Korean T-34-85 tanks at Masan.

The M24 was virtually the only tank that the U.S. Far East Command could immediately dispatch to the Korean Peninsula at the time of the Korean War. During the same period, there were a total of four tank battalions (71st, 77th, 78th, and 79th) under the Far East Command, and each battalion maintained one company composed of M24s for the purpose of defending Japan's narrow road network and bridges. The first battle took place on 10 July 1950, when A Company of the 78th Tank Battalion, assigned to the 24th Infantry Division, fought a North Korean tank and destroyed it while losing two.[12]

The M24's 75 mm main gun lacked penetration power against the frontal armor of the T-34-85. In addition, the armor of the M24 could be penetrated by the main guns of enemy tanks, artillery, and even anti-tank rifles used by the North Korean military. Moreover, most of the tanks dispatched from Japan had not been repaired for a long time, so turrets and main guns frequently broke down during battles. A Company of the 78th Tank Battalion, who first arrived on the Korean Peninsula, suffered heavy damage, with only two of the 14 tanks remaining in about a month. This unfavorable situation was resolved in August of the same year when U.S. medium tanks were finally deployed on the Korean Peninsula. All of the tanks units that operated the M24s were replaced with the M4A3E8. Afterward, the M24 was given to the reconnaissance squadron under the tank battalion or the infantry division for most of the period and was used for scouting purposes as it should have been.[12]

Non-US service edit

 
French M24 tanks in Indochina, during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
 
Dutch M24 light tank in West Germany, 1953.

Like other successful World War II designs, the M24 was supplied to many armies around the globe and was used in local conflicts long after it had been replaced in the US Army by the M41 Walker Bulldog.

France employed its M24s in Indo-China in infantry support missions, with good results. They employed ten M24s in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. In December 1953, ten disassembled Chaffees were transported by air to provide fire support to the garrison. They fired about 15,000 shells in the long siege that followed before the Viet Minh forces finally overcame the camp in May 1954, almost all being entirely worn out and badly damaged by the time the battle was over.[13] France also deployed the M24 in Algeria, with some variants which fought there carrying an AMX-13 turret modified by France. Some former French and US Chaffees are known to have been passed down to the Army of South Vietnam, where they saw service at least until the Battle of Huế, with several serving as fixed gun emplacements outside vital military installations such as airbases.

The last time the M24 is known to have been in action was in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where 66 Pakistani Chaffees stationed in East Pakistan (today's Bangladesh) were lost to Indian Army T-55s, PT-76s, and anti-tank teams, being easy prey for the better-equipped invading Indian forces. Although both Iran and Iraq had M24s prior to the Iran–Iraq War, there is no report of their use in that conflict. South Korean Chaffees saw limited service during the Korean War, often performing hit-and-run raids on communist forces.[14] Cambodia, Laos, Japan and Taiwan were four other Asian nations to have operated Chaffees aside from South Vietnam, South Korea and Pakistan.

The Greek Army received 85 M24s from the U.S. from 1950 until 1970. The M24s initially were organized in two Tank Regiments numbered 392 and 393. In later years the Tank Regiments were reorganized in Tank Battalions with the same numbers. From 1962 till the early seventies the M24s in Tank Battalions were replaced with M47s and the M24s were used to equip Independent Reconnaissance Companies with an additional 121 M24s received from Italy in 1975. From 1991 till 1995 61 M24s were scrapped due to CFE Treaty limitations.[15] The rest are abandoned in or outside military camps [16] and one M24 is preserved in the Greek Army Tank Museum.[17]One is on display outside the village of Metsovo (Μέτσοβο).

Variants and related vehicles edit

 
M19 Twin 40 mm Gun Motor Carriage
 
Spanish Army M37 105 mm self-propelled howitzer.
 
M41 Gorilla in the US Army Ordnance Museum.
 
T77 Multiple .50 caliber Gun Motor Carriage
 
Norwegian Army NM-116 in the Armed Forces Museum.
 
M24 Chaffee in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps
 
M24 Chaffee rear view
  • Light Tank T24
Original prototype. Tested at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in January 1944. Was eventually standardized as Light Tank M24.[6]
  • Light Tank T24E1
Prototype with Continental R-975-C4 engine and Spicer torque converter transmission. One vehicle was converted from the original T24 prototype and tested in October 1944. The vehicle had superior performance compared to the M24 but suffered from transmission reliability problems.[6]
Developed from T65 40 mm GMC (anti-aircraft gun on extended M5 chassis). Lengthened M24 hull with engine moved to center, twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns mounted at hull rear (336 rounds). 904 were ordered in August 1944, but only 285 were completed by the end of the war.[18]
Developed in 1945. Carried a 105 mm howitzer M4 (126 rounds). Was intended to replace the 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7. 448 ordered, 316 delivered. Saw service in the Korean War.[19]
Engine moved to the center of hull, 155 mm howitzer M1 mounted at rear. 250 ordered, 85 produced. Saw service in the Korean War, with some exported to France[19]
  • T77 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage
Had six .50 (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns mounted in a new designed turret.[19]
  • T42, T43 Cargo tractors
Based on the T33, the T42 had a torque converter transmission from the M18 Hellcat. The M43 was a lightened version of the T42.[19]
  • T9
Had bulldozer kit installed.[20]

Additionally, the M38 Wolfhound prototype armored car was experimentally fitted with an M24 turret.[19]

Foreign variants edit

NM-116 edit

In 1972, the Norwegian Army decided to retain 54 of their 123 M24 light tanks as reconnaissance vehicles after they were substantially rebuilt under the designation NM-116. It was calculated that the NM-116 rebuilding program cost only about a third as much as contemporary light tanks.[21]

This program was managed by the firm Thune-Eureka. The American firm NAPCO developed an improved power pack based around the 6V53T diesel engine used in the M113 armored personnel carrier mated to an Allison MT-653 transmission. The original 75 mm Gun M6 L/39 was replaced with a French D-925 90 mm low pressure gun, with a co-axial 0.50-inch (12.7 mm) M2 heavy machine gun. The bow gunner position was eliminated in favor of ammunition stowage. A new fire-control system was installed, complete with a Simrad LV3 laser rangefinder. Norwegian firms also converted eight M24 light tanks into light armored recovery vehicles to support the NM-116. The NM-116 were retired from service in 1993.[21]

Other variants edit

The Chilean Army up-gunned their M24s in the mid-1980s to the IMI-OTO 60 mm Hyper Velocity Medium Support (HVMS) gun, with roughly comparable performance to a standard 90 mm gun. Chile operated this version until 1999.[21] Uruguay continues to use the M24,[22] modernized with new engines and 76 mm guns which can fire armor-piercing, fin stabilized, discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds.[23] In the mid-1950s, in an attempt to improve the anti-tank performance of the vehicle, some French M24s had their turrets replaced with those of the AMX-13 light tank. AMX-13 variants with Chaffee turret also existed.[21] In the late-1960s, the JSDF modified a single M24 with four Type 64 ATGMs in order to improve its anti-tank capabilities.[24]

Operators edit

 
Operators of the M24
 
An ex-Bangladesh Army M24 Chaffee on display at Birsreshto Shaheed Jahangir Gate of Dhaka Cantonment.

Former operators:

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Zaloga, Steven (15 May 2015). Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811761338.
  2. ^ a b c d e Chamberlain & Ellis 1969, p. 101.
  3. ^ Chamberlain & Ellis 1969, p. 98.
  4. ^ Berndt 1994, p. 52.
  5. ^ "M24 Chaffee (1944)". Tank Encyclopedia. 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Green & Green 2000, pp. 76–77
  7. ^ Nance, William Stuart. (May 2011). Patton's Iron Cavalry - The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U.S. Third Army (MA). Denton, Texas: University of North Texas.
  8. ^ Nance, William Stuart (May 9, 2011). "Patton's Iron Cavalry - The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U.S. Third Army". UNT Digital Library.
  9. ^ Patton's Iron Cavalry - The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U.S. Third Army (MA). University of North Texas. May 2011. p. 147. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  10. ^ Bergstrom, Chris (2014). The Ardennes, 1944–1945. Casemate/Vaktel Forlag. p. 368. ISBN 978-1612003153.
  11. ^ Zaloga 2003, p. 10.
  12. ^ a b c Bak, Dongchan (March 2021). Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations (PDF) (in Korean). Republic of Korea: Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History. pp. 122–125. ISBN 979-11-5598-079-8.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Zaloga 2003, p. 22.
  14. ^ Zaloga 2003, p. 35.
  15. ^ Hellenic Army General Staff / Training Directorate (Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού / Διεύθυνση Εκπαιδεύσεως), History of Cavalry and Tank Corps (Ιστορία Ιππικού Τεθωρακισμένων), Athens (Αθήνα), 1995
  16. ^ M24 Tank Wrecks on Rhodes, Greece on YouTube
  17. ^ . Hellenic Army (Greece). Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  18. ^ Chamberlain & Ellis 1969, p. 104.
  19. ^ a b c d e Zaloga 2003, pp. 38–43.
  20. ^ Zaloga 2003, p. 38.
  21. ^ a b c d Zaloga 2003, pp. 36–37.
  22. ^ . www.saorbats.com.ar. Archived from the original on January 26, 2007.
  23. ^ "Las Fuerzas Blindadas del Ejército Uruguayo", DEFESA@NET, 22 November 2003.
  24. ^ "Japanese test Tank - M24 ATM". War Thunder - Official Forum. 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  25. ^ "Trade-Register-1971-2016.rft". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
  26. ^ "Rulers of Iraq and Saudi Arabia bury an old feud with big party in Baghdad." LIFE magazine: May 27, 1957.
  27. ^ "M24 Chaffee" 2018-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, NMM.info, 31 Mar 2018.
  28. ^ "Chaffee" 2020-01-17 at the Wayback Machine, RHPA.nl, 31 Mar 2018.
  29. ^ "India - Pakistan War, 1971; Introduction", ACIG.info, 10 Feb 2008.

Bibliography edit

  • Berndt, Thomas (1994). American Tanks of World War II. Minneapolis, MN: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87938-930-3.
  • Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (1969), American and British Tanks of World War II, Arco Publishing
  • Green, Michael; Green, Gladys (2000). Weapons of Patton's Armies. Minneapolis, MN: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7603-0821-7.
  • Hunnicutt, R. P (1992). A History of the American Light Tank. Novato, California: Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-462-2.
  • Zaloga, Steven J (2003). M24 Chaffee Light Tank 1943–85. Botley, England: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-540-6.
  • Icks, Robert Light Tanks M22 Locust and M24 Chaffee AFV Profile No. 46 Profile Publishing

Further reading edit

  • Schulimson, Jack, LtCol. Leonard Blasiol, Charles R. Smith, and Capt. David A. Dawson. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1968, the Defining Year. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps, 1997. ISBN 0-16-049125-8

External links edit

  • Light Tank M24 Chaffee at AFV Database
  • Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M19
  • World War II Vehicles
  • M24 Chaffee Photos and Walk Arounds on Prime Portal
  • NM-116 – 31-photo walk around of a Norwegian NM-116 at Primeportal.net
  • M24 Recognition Features

chaffee, officially, light, tank, american, light, tank, used, during, later, part, world, also, used, post, world, conflicts, including, korean, french, algeria, first, indochina, british, service, given, service, name, chaffee, after, united, states, army, g. The M24 Chaffee officially Light Tank M24 was an American light tank used during the later part of World War II it was also used in post World War II conflicts including the Korean War and by the French in the War in Algeria and the First Indochina War In British service it was given the service name Chaffee after the United States Army General Adna R Chaffee Jr who helped develop the use of tanks in the United States armed forces Although the M41 Walker Bulldog was developed as a replacement M24s were not mostly removed from U S and NATO armies until the 1960s and remained in service with some Third World countries Light Tank M24A preserved M24 at Tankfest 2023TypeLight tankPlace of originUnited StatesService historyIn service1944 1953 U S Army Used byUnited States and 28 others see OperatorsWarsWorld War IIKorean WarFirst Indochina WarIfni War1964 Ethiopian Somali WarVietnam WarCambodian Civil WarLaotian Civil WarSino Vietnamese WarAlgerian WarIndo Pakistani War of 1971Iran Iraq WarProduction historyManufacturerCadillacMassey HarrisUnit cost 39 653 1 ProducedApril 1944 August 1945No built4 731SpecificationsMass40 500 lb 20 3 short tons 18 37 tonnes Length18 ft 3 in 5 56 m including gun 16 ft 6 in 5 03 m excluding gunWidth9 ft 10 in 3 m Height9 ft 1 in 2 77 m Crew5 commander gunner loader driver assistant driver radio operator Armor0 40 1 50 in 10 38 mm Mainarmament75 mm Gun M6 in Mount M64 48 roundsSecondaryarmament 50 BMG Browning M2HB machine gun440 rounds2 30 06 Browning M1919A4 machine guns3 750 roundsEngineTwin Cadillac Series 44T24220 hp 160 kW 164 kW at 3 400 rpm total Power weight12 hp 8 9 kW tonneTransmissionHydramatic 8 speeds forward 4 reverseSuspensionTorsion barGround clearance1 ft 6 in 0 46 m Fuel capacity110 US gal 420 L Operationalrange100 mi 160 km Maximum speed35 mph 56 km h Contents 1 Development and production history 2 Service history 2 1 World War II 2 2 Korean War 2 3 Non US service 3 Variants and related vehicles 4 Foreign variants 4 1 NM 116 4 2 Other variants 5 Operators 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Notes 7 2 Bibliography 8 Further reading 9 External linksDevelopment and production history editBritish combat experience in the North African campaign identified several shortcomings of the M3 Stuart light tank especially the performance of its 37 mm cannon A 75 mm gun was experimentally fitted to a Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 an M3 tank with a larger turret and trials indicated that a 75 mm gun on the M5 light tank development of the M3 was possible The M3 M5 design was dated though and the 75 mm gun reduced storage space 2 The T7 light tank design which was initially seen as a replacement grew in weight to more than 25 short tons taking it out of the light tank classification and so was designated as the Medium Tank M7 The weight increase without increased power gave it unsatisfactory performance the program was stopped in March 1943 to allow standardization on a single medium tank the M4 medium 3 2 This prompted the Ordnance Committee to issue a specification for a new light tank with the same powertrain as the M5A1 but armed with a 75 mm gun 4 In April 1943 the Ordnance Corps together with Cadillac who manufactured the M5 started work on the new project designated Light Tank T24 The powerplant and transmission of the M5 were used together with some aspects of the T7 2 Efforts were made to keep the weight of the vehicle under 20 tons The armor was extremely light and was sloped to maximize effectiveness The turret armor was 25 mm thick with a 38 mm thick gun mantlet The glacis plate was 25 mm thick Side hull armor thickness varied the frontal section was 25 mm thick but the rear third of the armor which covered the engine compartment was only 19 mm 5 A new lightweight 75 mm gun was developed a derivative of the gun used in the B 25H Mitchell bomber The gun had the same ballistics as the 75 mm M3 in use by American tanks but used a thinly walled barrel and different recoil mechanism The design featured 16 in 41 cm tracks and torsion bar suspension similar to the slightly earlier M18 Hellcat tank destroyer which itself started in production in July 1943 The torsion bar system was to give a smoother ride than the vertical volute suspension used on most US armored vehicles At the same time the chassis was expected to be a standard used for other vehicles such as self propelled guns and specialist vehicles known together as the Light Combat Team 2 It had a relatively low silhouette and a three man turret citation needed On October 15 1943 the first pilot vehicle was delivered The design was judged a success and a contract for 1 000 was immediately raised by the Ordnance Department This was subsequently increased to 5 000 2 Production began in 1944 under the designation Light Tank M24 It was produced at two sites from April at Cadillac and from July at Massey Harris By the time production was stopped in August 1945 4 731 M24s had been produced 6 Service history edit nbsp US Army M24 Chaffee moving on the outskirts of Salzburg in May 1945The M24 Chaffee was intended to replace the ageing and obsolete Light Tank M5 Stuart which was used in supplementary roles World War II edit European theaterThe first 34 M24s reached Europe in November 1944 and were issued to the US 2nd Cavalry Group Mechanized in France These were then issued to Troop F 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron 7 8 and Troop F 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron 9 which each received seventeen M24s During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 these units and their new tanks were rushed to the southern sector two of the M24s were detached to serve with the 740th Tank Battalion of the U S First Army 10 The M24 started to enter widespread use in December 1944 but they were slow in reaching the front line combat units By the end of the war the light tank companies of many armored divisions were still mainly equipped with the M3 M5 Stuart Some armored divisions did not receive their first M24s until the war was over 11 Aside from the US Army the British Army was another main user of the Chaffee during the war with at least several hundred obtained through the US Lend Lease program These saw action mainly in northwestern Europe and the North German Plain where British forces saw action against German troops Reports from the armored divisions that received them prior to the end of hostilities were generally positive Crews liked the improved off road performance and reliability but were most appreciative of the 75 mm main gun which was a vast improvement over the 37 mm The M24 was inferior in armor to German tanks but the bigger gun at least gave its crews a much better chance to fight back when it was required especially in infantry support The M24 s light armor made it vulnerable to virtually all German tanks anti tank guns and hand held anti tank weapons The contribution of the M24 to winning the war in Europe was minor as too few arrived too late to replace the worn out M5s of the armored divisions 6 At the end of WWII the US Army displayed its Chaffees alongside the British Comet tanks and the Soviet IS 3 heavy tank in the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945 Pacific theater The Light Tank company equipped with M24 Light Tanks is an essential element in any tank battalion In fire power it is equal to the present Medium Tank Company and can perform missions now assigned to them when defiladed from anti tank and heavy artillery fire It can furnish strong fire support either direct or indirect In a more open type of terrain and enemy situation such as may be expected on the larger land masses this company due to its great mobility combined with strong fire power will provide excellent reconnaissance protection of flanks covering force as well as direct assault or support by fire This company is the principal element of the battalion which gives it its flexibility to meet rapidly changing situations 711th Tank Battalion notes Battle of Okinawa Page 26 of 41 This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it January 2022 Korean War edit nbsp M24 Chaffee light tanks of the US Army s 25th Infantry Division wait for an assault of North Korean T 34 85 tanks at Masan The M24 was virtually the only tank that the U S Far East Command could immediately dispatch to the Korean Peninsula at the time of the Korean War During the same period there were a total of four tank battalions 71st 77th 78th and 79th under the Far East Command and each battalion maintained one company composed of M24s for the purpose of defending Japan s narrow road network and bridges The first battle took place on 10 July 1950 when A Company of the 78th Tank Battalion assigned to the 24th Infantry Division fought a North Korean tank and destroyed it while losing two 12 The M24 s 75 mm main gun lacked penetration power against the frontal armor of the T 34 85 In addition the armor of the M24 could be penetrated by the main guns of enemy tanks artillery and even anti tank rifles used by the North Korean military Moreover most of the tanks dispatched from Japan had not been repaired for a long time so turrets and main guns frequently broke down during battles A Company of the 78th Tank Battalion who first arrived on the Korean Peninsula suffered heavy damage with only two of the 14 tanks remaining in about a month This unfavorable situation was resolved in August of the same year when U S medium tanks were finally deployed on the Korean Peninsula All of the tanks units that operated the M24s were replaced with the M4A3E8 Afterward the M24 was given to the reconnaissance squadron under the tank battalion or the infantry division for most of the period and was used for scouting purposes as it should have been 12 Non US service edit nbsp French M24 tanks in Indochina during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu nbsp Dutch M24 light tank in West Germany 1953 Like other successful World War II designs the M24 was supplied to many armies around the globe and was used in local conflicts long after it had been replaced in the US Army by the M41 Walker Bulldog France employed its M24s in Indo China in infantry support missions with good results They employed ten M24s in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu In December 1953 ten disassembled Chaffees were transported by air to provide fire support to the garrison They fired about 15 000 shells in the long siege that followed before the Viet Minh forces finally overcame the camp in May 1954 almost all being entirely worn out and badly damaged by the time the battle was over 13 France also deployed the M24 in Algeria with some variants which fought there carrying an AMX 13 turret modified by France Some former French and US Chaffees are known to have been passed down to the Army of South Vietnam where they saw service at least until the Battle of Huế with several serving as fixed gun emplacements outside vital military installations such as airbases The last time the M24 is known to have been in action was in the Indo Pakistani War of 1971 where 66 Pakistani Chaffees stationed in East Pakistan today s Bangladesh were lost to Indian Army T 55s PT 76s and anti tank teams being easy prey for the better equipped invading Indian forces Although both Iran and Iraq had M24s prior to the Iran Iraq War there is no report of their use in that conflict South Korean Chaffees saw limited service during the Korean War often performing hit and run raids on communist forces 14 Cambodia Laos Japan and Taiwan were four other Asian nations to have operated Chaffees aside from South Vietnam South Korea and Pakistan The Greek Army received 85 M24s from the U S from 1950 until 1970 The M24s initially were organized in two Tank Regiments numbered 392 and 393 In later years the Tank Regiments were reorganized in Tank Battalions with the same numbers From 1962 till the early seventies the M24s in Tank Battalions were replaced with M47s and the M24s were used to equip Independent Reconnaissance Companies with an additional 121 M24s received from Italy in 1975 From 1991 till 1995 61 M24s were scrapped due to CFE Treaty limitations 15 The rest are abandoned in or outside military camps 16 and one M24 is preserved in the Greek Army Tank Museum 17 One is on display outside the village of Metsovo Metsobo Variants and related vehicles edit nbsp M19 Twin 40 mm Gun Motor Carriage nbsp Spanish Army M37 105 mm self propelled howitzer nbsp M41 Gorilla in the US Army Ordnance Museum nbsp T77 Multiple 50 caliber Gun Motor Carriage nbsp Norwegian Army NM 116 in the Armed Forces Museum nbsp M24 Chaffee in the Museum of Republic of China Marine Corps nbsp M24 Chaffee rear viewLight Tank T24Original prototype Tested at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in January 1944 Was eventually standardized as Light Tank M24 6 Light Tank T24E1Prototype with Continental R 975 C4 engine and Spicer torque converter transmission One vehicle was converted from the original T24 prototype and tested in October 1944 The vehicle had superior performance compared to the M24 but suffered from transmission reliability problems 6 M19 Multiple Gun Motor CarriageDeveloped from T65 40 mm GMC anti aircraft gun on extended M5 chassis Lengthened M24 hull with engine moved to center twin 40 mm Bofors anti aircraft guns mounted at hull rear 336 rounds 904 were ordered in August 1944 but only 285 were completed by the end of the war 18 M37 105 mm Howitzer Motor CarriageDeveloped in 1945 Carried a 105 mm howitzer M4 126 rounds Was intended to replace the 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 448 ordered 316 delivered Saw service in the Korean War 19 M41 Howitzer Motor Carriage Gorilla Engine moved to the center of hull 155 mm howitzer M1 mounted at rear 250 ordered 85 produced Saw service in the Korean War with some exported to France 19 T77 Multiple Gun Motor CarriageHad six 50 12 7 mm caliber machine guns mounted in a new designed turret 19 T42 T43 Cargo tractorsBased on the T33 the T42 had a torque converter transmission from the M18 Hellcat The M43 was a lightened version of the T42 19 T9Had bulldozer kit installed 20 Additionally the M38 Wolfhound prototype armored car was experimentally fitted with an M24 turret 19 Foreign variants editNM 116 edit In 1972 the Norwegian Army decided to retain 54 of their 123 M24 light tanks as reconnaissance vehicles after they were substantially rebuilt under the designation NM 116 It was calculated that the NM 116 rebuilding program cost only about a third as much as contemporary light tanks 21 This program was managed by the firm Thune Eureka The American firm NAPCO developed an improved power pack based around the 6V53T diesel engine used in the M113 armored personnel carrier mated to an Allison MT 653 transmission The original 75 mm Gun M6 L 39 was replaced with a French D 925 90 mm low pressure gun with a co axial 0 50 inch 12 7 mm M2 heavy machine gun The bow gunner position was eliminated in favor of ammunition stowage A new fire control system was installed complete with a Simrad LV3 laser rangefinder Norwegian firms also converted eight M24 light tanks into light armored recovery vehicles to support the NM 116 The NM 116 were retired from service in 1993 21 Other variants edit The Chilean Army up gunned their M24s in the mid 1980s to the IMI OTO 60 mm Hyper Velocity Medium Support HVMS gun with roughly comparable performance to a standard 90 mm gun Chile operated this version until 1999 21 Uruguay continues to use the M24 22 modernized with new engines and 76 mm guns which can fire armor piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot APFSDS rounds 23 In the mid 1950s in an attempt to improve the anti tank performance of the vehicle some French M24s had their turrets replaced with those of the AMX 13 light tank AMX 13 variants with Chaffee turret also existed 21 In the late 1960s the JSDF modified a single M24 with four Type 64 ATGMs in order to improve its anti tank capabilities 24 Operators edit nbsp Operators of the M24 nbsp An ex Bangladesh Army M24 Chaffee on display at Birsreshto Shaheed Jahangir Gate of Dhaka Cantonment Former operators nbsp Bangladesh 10 second hand M24 Chaffees captured from the Pakistan Army during the Bangladesh Liberation War 25 nbsp Belgium 224 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp Cambodia 36 were purchased 13 nbsp Canada 32 purchased by the Canadian government in 1947 along with 294 M4A2E8 76 mm Shermans 13 nbsp Chile 21 received in 1960s from USA nbsp Denmark 63 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp Ethiopia 34 were purchased 13 nbsp France 1254 vehicles were purchased through NATO 13 nbsp Greece 170 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp Iran 180 were purchased 13 nbsp Iraq 78 were purchased 26 13 nbsp Italy 518 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp Japan entered service in 1952 last ones taken out of service by 1974 13 nbsp Laos Four were purchased 13 nbsp Madagascar 380 M24 s in active service from 1956 till 1987 Turrets of retired M24 tanks were fixed in PT 76B Chassis Purchased through United States 13 nbsp Netherlands about 50 in use until 1962 27 28 nbsp Norway 123 entered service in the 1950s last Chaffees were taken out of service in 1993 13 nbsp Pakistan 132 were purchased 29 13 nbsp Philippines Seven Chaffees assigned to the Recon Company of the 10th BCT PEFTOK during the Korean War Two known were on static display in Lingayen Pangasinan 13 nbsp Portugal 16 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp Republic of Korea 22 M24s were used for training by the 55th Tank Company of the Army in late 1952 for a temporary time 12 Later delivered to Taiwan nbsp Saudi Arabia 52 were purchased 13 nbsp South Vietnam 1954 1975 137 were purchased 13 nbsp Vietnam After conquest of Republic of South Vietnam in 1975 nbsp Spain 31 were purchased through NATO Used during Ifni War 13 nbsp Thailand 20 were purchased 13 nbsp Taiwan nbsp Turkey 238 were bought through NATO 13 nbsp United Kingdom 302 were purchased 6 nbsp United States 6 nbsp Uruguay 17 upgraded retired from the Armoured Infantry and replaced by 25 M 41C in 2018 donated from Brazil nbsp Soviet Union Received two M24s through Lend Lease 13 See also editList of M series military vehicles G numbersReferences editNotes edit Zaloga Steven 15 May 2015 Armored Champion The Top Tanks of World War II Stackpole Books ISBN 9780811761338 a b c d e Chamberlain amp Ellis 1969 p 101 Chamberlain amp Ellis 1969 p 98 Berndt 1994 p 52 M24 Chaffee 1944 Tank Encyclopedia 2016 06 16 Retrieved 2019 09 19 a b c d e f Green amp Green 2000 pp 76 77 Nance William Stuart May 2011 Patton s Iron Cavalry The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U S Third Army MA Denton Texas University of North Texas Nance William Stuart May 9 2011 Patton s Iron Cavalry The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U S Third Army UNT Digital Library Patton s Iron Cavalry The Impact of the Mechanized Cavalry on the U S Third Army MA University of North Texas May 2011 p 147 Retrieved 2013 08 18 Bergstrom Chris 2014 The Ardennes 1944 1945 Casemate Vaktel Forlag p 368 ISBN 978 1612003153 Zaloga 2003 p 10 a b c Bak Dongchan March 2021 Korean War Weapons of the United Nations PDF in Korean Republic of Korea Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History pp 122 125 ISBN 979 11 5598 079 8 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Zaloga 2003 p 22 Zaloga 2003 p 35 Hellenic Army General Staff Training Directorate Geniko Epiteleio Stratoy Diey8ynsh Ekpaideysews History of Cavalry and Tank Corps Istoria Ippikoy Te8wrakismenwn Athens A8hna 1995 M24 Tank Wrecks on Rhodes Greece on YouTube Tank Museum Hellenic Army Greece Archived from the original on 2017 09 05 Retrieved 2017 04 15 Chamberlain amp Ellis 1969 p 104 a b c d e Zaloga 2003 pp 38 43 Zaloga 2003 p 38 a b c d Zaloga 2003 pp 36 37 saorbats com ar www saorbats com ar Archived from the original on January 26 2007 Las Fuerzas Blindadas del Ejercito Uruguayo DEFESA NET 22 November 2003 Japanese test Tank M24 ATM War Thunder Official Forum 2017 12 23 Retrieved 2023 09 21 Trade Register 1971 2016 rft Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Rulers of Iraq and Saudi Arabia bury an old feud with big party in Baghdad LIFE magazine May 27 1957 M24 Chaffee Archived 2018 04 01 at the Wayback Machine NMM info 31 Mar 2018 Chaffee Archived 2020 01 17 at the Wayback Machine RHPA nl 31 Mar 2018 India Pakistan War 1971 Introduction ACIG info 10 Feb 2008 Bibliography edit Berndt Thomas 1994 American Tanks of World War II Minneapolis MN MBI Publishing Company ISBN 0 87938 930 3 Chamberlain Peter Ellis Chris 1969 American and British Tanks of World War II Arco Publishing Green Michael Green Gladys 2000 Weapons of Patton s Armies Minneapolis MN MBI Publishing Company ISBN 0 7603 0821 7 Hunnicutt R P 1992 A History of the American Light Tank Novato California Presidio Press ISBN 0 89141 462 2 Zaloga Steven J 2003 M24 Chaffee Light Tank 1943 85 Botley England Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 540 6 Icks Robert Light Tanks M22 Locust and M24 Chaffee AFV Profile No 46 Profile PublishingFurther reading editSchulimson Jack LtCol Leonard Blasiol Charles R Smith and Capt David A Dawson U S Marines in Vietnam 1968 the Defining Year Washington D C History and Museums Division United States Marine Corps 1997 ISBN 0 16 049125 8External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to M24 Chaffee Light Tank M24 Chaffee at AFV Database Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M19 World War II Vehicles M24 Chaffee Photos and Walk Arounds on Prime Portal NM 116 31 photo walk around of a Norwegian NM 116 at Primeportal net M24 Recognition Features Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title M24 Chaffee amp oldid 1216454800, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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