Hello,

I was wondering what kind of tanks the units of the US Army reserve training divisions would have used during the seventies ?
Up to date stuff or leftover from the fifties/sixties ?

TIA !!

Gé

US Army Reserve and National Guard units in the '70s still had mostly '50s and '60s equipment. Most of the tanks were still M47A2/A3s and M48A2/A3s.

Hi Gino,

Thanks for your fast reply !
Any chance of a M41a3 still around in that period ?

Gé

A few Cavalry units may still have been using M41A3s. Most were gone by the mid-'70s though.

Hi guys,

Gino just stated in this thread that some US army reserve units used the old M47 tank uptill in the seventies !!
Can someone confirm this, perhaps units or pictures ?

TIA !!

Gé

Back in 1975-76, I was in the US reserves assigned to D trp 5th Cav. , 187th Inf Bde (Sep) we were stationed at Ft. Devens, MA. Just before I joined in Jan 75, the Troop turned in all their old vehicles and was issued M60's tanks, M113A1's, and the 's tanks, M106A1 (4.2 mortar carrier)

I as stationed at Fort Stewart in 79 with the 24th Infantry Div.and the Georgia Guard had M48A5s. I later joined the NJ Guard in 82 with M48A5 which they had for a few years. The unit had M48A3s in the early 70s went backwards to M48A1s after the 73 war and then got M48A5s. Most personel equipment and weapons were from the 50s and 60s. NJ had M47s n the late 50s early 60s some tankers I met remembered them.

Tom

Sorry for not answering directly, but i haven't been online this weekend !
Thanks you guys for all the info !!
Very helpfull !!

Gé

Hi guys,

Bringing up my post !!

HeavyArty talks about the M47a2/A3 as being used in the 70's by the training divisions.
Were there any m47a2/a3 ?
Has anyone any proof of these tanks used by the training divisions ?

TIA !!!!



Gé

I guess Gino meant M41A2/A3. IMHO, most if not all US Army M47's were probably phased out gradually when the M48 became available in the early 50s...

H.P.

I think it's a simple mistype as there weren't M47A2 or A3 models in US service. The M47 had a very short career in the US Army as it was always intended to be a stopgap between the M26/46 and the M48. It was declared obsolete in the late 50s and while some remained in the Infantry Divisions as assault guns and tank destroyers those were also rapidly replaced. Most M47 tanks wound up being exported, most US allies wound up with the M47. Those that remained quickly became targets, especially for the incoming M60 tanks. Some may have served in the National Guard and Reserves for a while but again the plan was never to keep the M47 for very long. Just a note, the US doesn't have training Divisions per se.

Just to amplify a bit, the Army Reserve (as opposed to the National Guard) did in fact have "Training Divisions" for quite some time. However these divisions were NOT organized as combat units. The "training" in the title meant that these units consisted of "cadre" (i.e. a Company had only about 16 people: Company Commander, XO, 1st SGT, Supply Sgt, and 12 Drill Sergeants, and the function of these units was to augment the "training" base on wartime expansion to provide the additional capacity to train new recruits in time of war. (I was in the 70th Division (Training) for about 10 years and at that time I believe there were a total of 12 "Training" Divisions all in the USAR.)

All of these training "Divisions" have now been designated as "Commands" (some are "training" commands and others are "support" commands) and while they retain the old number, lineage and patch of the "Divisions" (dating back to at LEAST WW II) they are much reduced in size.

The National Guard still retains "Divisions" which are still organized as "combat" units. The Army Reserve has not had any Combat Arms units since about 1993 when the few that WERE in the Reserve were inactivated and since then all Combat Arms units NOT in the Active Component are in the ARNG.

To add to what Tom stated, the USAR...Army Reserve, had minimal combat units. There were three SIB separate infantry brigades with specific missions if activated. Also a number of artillery brigades and a special forces group. With the RIF after ODS, the USAR gave up all combat units and flags were closed up from 93 thru 95.

Rounds Complete!!

100/442nd remains as the only reserve combat arms unit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._100th_Infantry_Battalion

I read sometime in the 70s that M47s were still used for driver training due to the additional crew position. I guess that meant a co-driver position. Someone might be able add on this.

Best wishes,
Grant

Proving once again there's an exception to EVERY rule!!

Just wanted to add my two, or one cent to this. I spent about a year in the Army reserves back in the early 80's, finished high school then went active duty. My first MOS was 45K10, Tank Turret Repair. As usual I was in an infantry support unit in Edgmont PA, the 157th. Support Battalion, not a tank within miles! They sent us up to Ft. Drum NY one time to work on tanks, M48A5's. This was around 82 or 83. I have cool picks of very deep snow and me working on M48's at about 18 or 19 years old. It's all a blur now but those were great days

if your itching to build an M41, you might want to just do one from another country - coudl do some of the later updates and such - im pretty sure a few countries used the old timer for quite a few years. I woudln't be surprised if some third world armies may even have some still in service.

You can probably find some in the movies disguised as enemy vehicles - I know of seen some old patton tanks painted in german colors and markings used for WWII movies - i think the Big Red One used a bunch of US tanks painted as German enemy tanks. Might be a fun diorama to do a film crew, lights and all in the process of filming the movie.

Hi guys,

Sorry for not answering rightaway ! Work, busy !!!!!
Bought myself a Skybow m41a3 Walker Bulldog at Kingkit.UK.

Now i'm looking for a M47 Patton that will be configurated as shown in this link:

http://www.armorfortheages.com/GGPM/Museum/GGPM%20Photo%20Tour/Memorial%20ParkExhibitsPage.htm

According to Wikipedia the 100th division reorganized in 1968 into brigades ( 1st brigade was basic armour training )
The markings on this M47 suggest that they were still using this tank at that time, but untill when is another question ??

Again, thanks for all the input.

Gé

I wouldn't read too much into markings on US Army museum pieces and memorials. Sometimes the markings are those of whatever unit "owns" the piece today. Sometimes they are just plain fantasy. The 1st Armored Division for example has an M4A1e8 Sherman tank with markings to represent Creighton Abrahms last WW2 tank which was an A3 not an A1. Army museums tend to not do a very good job of presenting their vehicles. I' ve even seen a photo of an M4A3E8 painted as "Cobra King" which is actually a Jumbo.

You sure know how to spoil the fun ! ( LOL !!!!! )

Perhaps yes, perhaps no !!!

Gé