Korean War American AFV.

[Yuri0352]

Thank you for the correction - always happy to learn (and sorry to have promulgated falsehoods).

Hey, no sweat.

The book which I mentioned is part of an excellent series which is available on line for free download. It's part of the 'Marines in the Korean War Commerorative Series'.

 

[Yuri0352]

Be sure to read it online instead of buying a poor quality, print on demand version from Amazon like I did.

 

[djohannsen]

Hey, no sweat.

The book which I mentioned is part of an excellent series which is available on line for free download. It's part of the 'Marines in the Korean War Commerorative Series'.

I've read most of each book of the five volume in the official "U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953," but have only read a couple of the volumes from the Commemorative Series. I've been itching to get to "Drive North: U.S. Marines at the Punch Bowl" but there is just so much that I want to read and so little time.

 

[Honza]

Yes I am pretty sure as well that the M4A3 105mm were used on Okinawa.

 

[jtsjc1]

I've read most of each book of the five volume in the official "U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953," but have only read a couple of the volumes from the Commemorative Series. I've been itching to get to "Drive North: U.S. Marines at the Punch Bowl" but there is just so much that I want to read and so little time.

I have the hardcover book with all the commemorative series its very good and the 5 volume US Marine Operations In Korea is top shelf. Goes right along with the Red Books. The 5 volume set of the US Army In The Korean War is excellent also.

 

[djohannsen]

The 5 volume set of the US Army In The Korean War is excellent also.

My primary interest has been the Marine Corps, but I realize that I've been remiss in not reading more broadly on the Korean War. Thanks for the pointer to something that I should probably get to.

 

[jtsjc1]

https://history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/collect/usakw.html I prefer hardcover books so I bought the whole series but they're online here. There's a 5th volume called The Medics War not shown here.

 

[Bad Dice]

Thanks for the link. I live for this kind of thing. I live for other things, too; but also this.


BD

 

[wrongway149]

Interesting, thanks. On Iwo Jima the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions were using M4A3 (but no 105mm variants) while the 3rd Division were using M4A2.

Well that is interesting and worthwhile to know for a scenario I am doing....

 

[Honza]

Well that is interesting and worthwhile to know for a scenario I am doing....

Not only that the 3rd division were using early M4A2....not the late variety. Another interesting fact is that there were only 8 POA-CSW-H1 FT tanks on Iwo. 4 each to the 4th and 5th division. Otherwise they were using the hull mounted FT in the M4A3 and M4A2 tanks.

 

[djohannsen]

Well that is interesting and worthwhile to know for a scenario I am doing....

For a detailed view of USMC tanks on Iwo Jima, there is a great book by David Harper, Tank Warfare on Iwo Jima. (Sadly, it looks like it's gotten a bit pricey now that it's out of print - if you wanted to borrow it, maybe I could send it to WO with Justiciar.)

 

[Kenneth P. Katz]

Mr. Chapter H for Forgotten War here.

As a general rule, the American vehicles introduced in FW were manufactured at the end of WWII and never saw combat. They would have seen combat in the invasion of Japan, had that happened. A few of the vehicles, such as the M39 Armored Utility Vehicle, did see combat in WWII. Some, such as the LVT-3C amtrack and the M46 medium tank, were post-WWII upgrades of World War II vehicles.

Some of you historians might know this. The KW chpt. H includes some new vehicles in the American OoB. When were this vehicles actually produced? The chpt. H does not tell you that. Were they produced towards the end of WWII but never saw combat until Korea or were they produced after the end of WWII?

In particular I am wondering about the POA 105mm Gun FT tank and the 105mm Gun Dozer tank. Were these in production at the end of '45? The reason I am wondering is because I would like to know if they would be available in any Operation Downfall scenario. Thank you.

 

[Kenneth P. Katz]

I am not saying that you are incorrect but this is news to me. How do you know that the tanks were not US Army tanks supporting the USMC?

Actually, no.

I have photos of 1st. Tank Bn. M4A3's (75mm with HVSS) operating in the Funchilin Pass area. The same publication includes photos of M4A3E8's from the same unit in the Koto-Ri area.

'Frozen Chosin, U.S. Marines at the Changjin Reservoir', by BGen. Edwin Simmons, USMC.

 

[Justiciar]

Actually, no.

I have photos of 1st. Tank Bn. M4A3's (75mm with HVSS) operating in the Funchilin Pass area. The same publication includes photos of M4A3E8's from the same unit in the Koto-Ri area.

'Frozen Chosin, U.S. Marines at the Changjin Reservoir', by BGen. Edwin Simmons, USMC.

Yuri,

That photo is miss-captioned (p. 100), I have reported that some time ago to the USMC History Division. Those tanks in Koto-ri all laagered up are Army. They are the tanks of RCT-31 and belong to Captain Drake, USA. Kenneth Estes (who is known as Ken the Elder, to Ken Katz who recently countered you, is known as Ken the Younger) [Estes is Lt.Col. USMC Ret., and was a tanker for a time] and provided us with information for FW that the USMC did not operate any Shermans at this time [EXC: the H5 and 105mm Dozer EDIT: and the "Porcupine" (C2 version, no weapons), I found this one out. They had only 2 of them, one was at Hagaru-ri at this time (i.e. of pix)], and did so in DIRECT response to my using the pictures you cite and their captions. Estes has published "Marines Under Armor," so knows from whence he speaks and holds Ph.D. Any Shermans of the type you note are RCT-31's in retrograde with the Marines. There are also similar pix miss-captioned on the way into battle...p. 37 same publication "Frozen Chosin."

{This is also why you don't see USMC listed as part of Note 2, but do see the KMC mentioned as the USMC gave them their Shermans. You can find more info. on the latter in y article on the KMC in the most recent ASL Journal. I ran all this to ground after Estes' help.}

Katz can be trusted on Chapter H, he has good geek-fu.

Andy

 

[Honza]

Mr. Chapter H for Forgotten War here.

As a general rule, the American vehicles introduced in FW were manufactured at the end of WWII and never saw combat. They would have seen combat in the invasion of Japan, had that happened. A few of the vehicles, such as the M39 Armored Utility Vehicle, did see combat in WWII. Some, such as the LVT-3C amtrack and the M46 medium tank, were post-WWII upgrades of World War II vehicles.

That is really useful to know. Thanks.

 

[djohannsen]

As a general rule, the American vehicles introduced in FW were manufactured at the end of WWII and never saw combat.

With the slashing of defense spending with the draw down following the conclusion of he war, one wouldn't expect a lot of money going into developing new vehicles during the five year interbellum.

 

[Kenneth P. Katz]

After World War II and before the Korean War, what little the USA was spending on defense R&D and procurement was going to jets, bombers, and nuclear weapons.

With the slashing of defense spending with the draw down following the conclusion of he war, one wouldn't expect a lot of money going into developing new vehicles during the five year interbellum.

 

[djohannsen]

After World War II and before the Korean War, what little the USA was spending on defense R&D and procurement was going to jets, bombers, and nuclear weapons.

Yes, I should have been more clear in what I wrote.