Museum of the American G.I in College Station, Texas - Image of M3 Gun Motor Carriage

WWII M3 Gun Motor Carriage

Number Produced: 2,092
Crew: 5
Main Armament: M1897A4 75 mm gun
Other Armament: None
Engine: White 160AX
Horsepower: 147
Speed: 45 mph (72 km/h)
Weight: 10 tons
Length: 20’5” (6.22 m)
Width: 7’1” (2.15 m)
Height: 8’3” (2.51 m)

This rare M3 Gun Motor Carriage was the response to the US Army’s need for an effective self-propelled anti-tank weapon to combat German tanks in World War II. Originally designated the T12, its base design came from the M3 Halftrack Personnel Carrier. Upon approval, it was immediately rushed into service in the Philippines at the end of 1941, but its major entrance was in the North Africa Invasion in 1942, where it was the most numerous American anti-tank weapon. It played a role in the Sicilian Invasion, but was soon eclipsed by newer anti-tank vehicles. By August 1944, the US Army declared it obsolete; the Marines continued its use in the Pacific from 1944 to 1945.