American military vehicles of World War II

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This is a list of the major military vehicles used or developed by the United States Armed Forces during World War II . Many of these vehicle types were also given in large numbers to allies under the Lending and Lease Act .

Naming of the military vehicles

The United States named their military vehicles with a simple abbreviation of the models and designs. The following letters were used:

  • T = (test) test construction in the troop test; Designation sometimes retained for production vehicles
  • E = (experimental) variant of experimental designs
  • M = (Model) standard type; In individual cases, types were also standardized that were then not built in series
  • A = (Alteration) variant of a standard type, for example due to a different engine
  • B = (Base) chassis variant of a standard type

There is a number after each letter. Originally, the sequence of numbers within a vehicle class was continuous, but later it was continuous for all classes in order to make it easier to distinguish between vehicle types.

Military vehicles were not named by the US armed forces during the Second World War, but by the British army, which added many American tank types to its arsenal and mostly named them after generals of the Civil War . In addition, some vehicles were nicknamed by the soldiers of the Allied armies. Today these names are often more widely known and used than the official abbreviations.

For the sake of clarity, the following tables only differentiate between the basic types and not the individual vehicle variants. The commonly known names, although not officially, are used for their conciseness.

Main battle tank

Light tanks

designation Years of construction Number built
Marmon-Herrington Combat Tank Light (CTL) ? 400
Combat Car M1 1937– ?? 113
Combat Car M2 1940 34
Light tank M2 1935-42 704
Light tank M3 Stuart 1941-43 13,859
Light Tank M5 Stuart 1942-44 8,884
Light Tank (Airborne) M22 Locust 1942-45 830
Light Tank M24 Chaffee 1944-45 4,371

  • Marmon-Herrington CTL

  • Combat Car M1

  • Light tank M2A3

  • M3A1 Stuart

  • M5A1 Stuart

  • M22 Locust

  • M24 chaffee

Medium tanks

designation Years of construction Number built
Medium tank M2 1939-41 112
Medium tank M3 Lee / Grant 1941-42 6,258
Medium tank M4 Sherman 1942-45 49.054
Medium tank M7 1942 7
(prototypes)
Medium tank T23 1943 248

  • Medium tank M2A1

  • M3 Lee

  • M4 Sherman with a 105mm howitzer

  • M4A1 Sherman with cast hull and 76 mm cannon

  • M4A3E8 Sherman, the last version used by the US Army

  • M4A4 Sherman with 75mm cannon

  • Medium tank M7

  • Medium tank T23

Heavy tanks

designation Years of construction Number built
Heavy tank M6 1942-43 40
Heavy tank M26 Pershing 1944-45 2,202
Heavy tank M45 1945 185
(no longer in service)
Super heavy tank T28 1945 2
(prototypes)

  • Heavy tank M6

  • M26 Pershing

  • Super heavy tank T28

Armored personnel carrier

designation Years of construction Number built
Half-track car M2 1941-44 13,058
Half-track Personnel Carrier M3 1941-44 15,253
+ 1,839 from the conversion of various weapon carrier variants
Half-track Personnel Carrier M5 1942-44 7,584
(mostly as lend-lease vehicles to allies)
Half-track car M9 1943 3,433
(mostly as lend-lease vehicles to allies)
Armored Utility Vehicle M39 1944-45 640
Armored Utility Vehicle M44 1945 6
(prototypes)

  • Half-track M2

  • Half-track M3

  • Half-track M5

  • Armored Utility Vehicle M39

  • Armored Utility Vehicle M44

Armored car

designation Years of construction Number built
Scout Car M3 1937-44 more than 20,900
Scout Car M4 (T13) 1937 38
Armored Car T17 Deerhound 1942 250
Armored Car T17E1 Staghound I. 1942-43 2,844
(completely as lend-lease vehicles to allies)
Armored Car T18E2 Boarhound 1942 30
(completely as lend-lease vehicles to UK)
Light Armored Car M8 Greyhound 1943-45 8,523
Armored Utility Car M20 1943-44 3,791
Light Armored Car M38 Wolfhound 1944 1
(prototype)

  • Scout Car M3A1

  • Scout Car M4 (T13)

  • T17 Deerhound

  • T17E1 Staghound I

  • T18E2 boarhound

  • M8 Greyhound

  • Armored Utility Car M20

  • M38 Wolfhound

Tank destroyers and tank destroyers

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle
75 mm Gun Motor Carriage M3 (T12) 1941-43 2,202
(of which 1,360 dismantled to a base vehicle before use) 		Half-track M3
37 mm Gun Motor Carriage M6 Fargo 1942 5,380 Dodge WC55
3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10 Wolverine 1942-43 6,706
(of which 300 delivered without a tower) 		M4 Sherman
57 mm Gun Motor Carriage T48 1942-43 962
(of which 680 as lend-lease vehicles to allies, 281 dismantled to a base vehicle before use) 		Half-track M3
76mm Gun Motor Carriage M18 Hellcat 1943-44 2,507
90mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 Jackson 1944-45 2,324
from conversion M10 Wolverine and M4 Sherman 		M4 Sherman

  • 75 mm GMC M3

  • M6 Fargo

  • M10 Wolverine

  • 57 mm GMC T48

  • M18 Hellcat

  • M36 Jackson

Anti-tank mortar

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle Main armament
4.2-inch Mortar Motor Carriage M2 ? ? Scout Car M3A1 4.2-inch Mortar M2
81 mm Mortar Carrier M4 1941-1943 1,172 Half-track M4 81 mm Mortar M1
81 mm Mortar Carrier M21 1944 110 Half-track M3 81 mm Mortar M1

  • 81 mm MMC M4A1

  • 81 mm MMC M21

Self-propelled howitzers and self-propelled guns

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle
105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T19 1942 324 Half-track M3
75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T30 1942 500 Half-track M3
105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 Priest 1942-45 4,316 M3 Lee, M4 Sherman
75mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 Scott 1942-44 1,778 M5 Stuart
155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 1942-43 100 M3 Lee
105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M37 1945 316
(no longer in service) 		M24 chaffee
155mm Gun Motor Carriage M40 Cardinal 1945 418 M4 Sherman
155 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M41 1945 85
(no longer in service) 		M24 chaffee
8-inch Howitzer Motor Carriage M43 1945 48
+ 24 from the conversion of the M40
(no longer used in the war) 		M4 Sherman
240 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage T92 1945 4
(prototypes) 		M26 Pershing
8-inch Gun Motor Carriage T93 1945 2
(prototypes) 		M26 Pershing

  • 105 mm HMC T19

  • 75 mm HMC T30

  • M7B1 Priest

  • M8 Scott

  • 155 mm GMC M12

  • 105 mm HMC M37

  • M40 cardinal

  • 155 mm HMC M41

  • 8-inch HMC M43

Anti-aircraft tank

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle Armament
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M13 1943 1,103
(of which 628 converted to M16) 		Half-track M3 2 × .50cal Browning M2
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M14 1942-43 1,605
(completely as lend-lease vehicles to UK and Canada) 		Half-track M5 2 × .50cal Browning M2
Combination Gun Motor Carriage M15 (T28E1) 1942-44 2,332 Half-track M3 2 × .50cal Browning M2 + 1 ×  37 mm Gun M1
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M16 1943-44 2,877
+ 737 from conversion M13 and T10E1 		Half-track M3 4 × .50cal Browning M2
Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M17 1943-44 1,000
(completely as lend-lease vehicles to the USSR) 		Half-track M5 4 × .50cal Browning M2
Twin 20mm Gun Motor Carriage T10E1 1944 110
(of which 109 converted to M16) 		Half-track M3 2 × 20 mm Gun Oerlikon
Twin 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M19 1945 285 M24 chaffee 2 × 40 mm Gun Bofors

  • MGMC M13

  • CGMC M15

  • MGMC M16

  • MGMC M17

  • Twin 40 mm GMC M19

Armored recovery vehicles

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle
Tank Recovery Vehicle M31 1942-43 805
from conversion M3 Lee 		M3 Lee
Tank Recovery Vehicle M32 1943-45 1,562
from conversion M4 Sherman 		M4 Sherman

  • Tank Recovery Vehicle M31

  • Tank Recovery Vehicle M32

Chain tractors

Unarmored tractors

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle use
High-speed tractor M2 Cletrac 1941-45 8,510 Aircraft tractor
High-speed tractor M4 1943-45 5,811 M3 Stuart Tractor for
High-speed tractor M5 1942-45 5,879 M3 Stuart Tractor for
High-speed tractor M6 1944-45 1,130 M3 Stuart (extended) Tractor for
Snow Tractor M7 1943-45 291 Truck for 1-ton Snow Trailer M19

  • High-speed tractor M2

  • High-speed tractor M4

  • High-speed tractor M5

  • High-speed tractor M6

  • Snow Tractor M7

Armored tractors

designation Years of construction Number built Base vehicle use
Full-track Prime Mover M33 1943-44 109
from conversion of Tank Recovery Vehicle M31 		M3 Lee Tractor for

as a replacement for high-speed tractor M6

Full-track Prime Mover M34 1944 24
from conversion of Tank Recovery Vehicle M32 		M4 Sherman
Full-track Prime Mover M35 1944 209
from conversion M10 Wolverine 		M4 Sherman

Trucks

Light truck

designation Years of construction Number built
1/4 ton 4 × 4 Truck Bantam BRC-40 1941 2,605
¼-ton 4 × 4 truck Ford GP 1941 4,456
¼-ton 4 × 4 truck Willys MA 1941 1,553
¼-ton 4 × 4 Truck Willys MB / Ford GPW «Jeep» 1942-45 639.235
½ ton 4 × 4 Truck Dodge WC1 to WC50 1940-42 79,771
¾-ton 4 × 4 Truck Dodge WC51 to WC61, WC64 1942-45 255.173
1-ton 4 × 4 Truck IHC M-2 1942-45 9,100
1½ ton 4 × 4 truck Chevrolet G4100 and G7100 1940-45 168,603
(mostly as lend-lease vehicles to the USSR)
1½ ton 4 × 4 truck IHC M-3 1941-44 6,432
1½ ton 4 × 4 truck Ford GTB "Burma Jeep" 1942-44 6,000
1½ ton 6 × 6 Truck Dodge WC62 and WC63 1942-45 23.092

  • Bantam BRC-40

  • Ford GP

  • Willys MA

  • Willys MB

  • Dodge WC4 Open Cab Weapons Carrier

  • Dodge WC9 Ambulance

  • Dodge WC51 Weapons Carrier

  • Dodge WC57 Command Car

  • Chevrolet G7117 cargo truck

  • M6 Chevrolet G7128 Bomb Service Truck

  • Ford GTB

  • Dodge WC63

Medium truck

designation Years of construction Number built
2½ ton 6 × 6 truck GMC CCKW 1941-45 527.104
2½ ton 6 × 4/6 × 6 Truck IHC M-5 1941-45 46,572
2½-ton 6 × 4/6 × 6 Truck Studebaker US6 1941-45 215.853
4-ton 6 × 6 Truck Diamond T 967 to 970, 972 1941-45 approx. 29,000
(US Army only, excluding allies)

  • GMC CCKW

  • Studebaker US6

  • Diamond T 968 Cargo

  • Diamond T 969A Wrecker

Heavy trucks

designation Years of construction Number built
7½-ton 6 × 6 Prime Mover Truck Mack NO 1942-45 2,053
10-ton 6 × 6 Wrecker Truck Kenworth / Ward La France M1 1941-45 5,910
12-ton 6 × 4 tractor truck M20 Diamond T 980 and 981 1941-45 5,871
12-ton 6 × 6 tractor truck M26 Pacific Car & Foundry TR-1 "Dragon Wagon" 1943-45 1,372

  • Mack NO-6

  • Ward La France M1A1

  • M20 Diamond T 981

  • M26 Pacific Car TR-1 (armored)

  • M26A1 Pacific Car TR-1 (unarmored)

Amphibious vehicles

Wheeled vehicles

designation Years of construction Number built
¼-ton 4 × 4 Amphibian Truck Ford GPA "Seep" 1942-43 12,778
2½-to 6 × 6 Amphibian Truck GMC DUKW "Duck" 1942-45 21,147

  • Ford GPA

  • GMC DUKW

Tracked vehicles

designation Years of construction Number built
M29 weasel 15,124
Landing Vehicle Tracked 18,621 (all versions)
DD tank (Conversions of other tanks)

See also

literature

  • Franz, Michael: US WW II Half Track Cars M2, M2A1, M9A1 & Personnel Carriers M3, M3A1, M5, M5A1 . Jochen Vollert - Tankograd Publishing, Erlangen 2007.
  • Franz, Michael: US WW II Half Track Mortar Carriers, Howitzer Motor Carriages & Gun Motor Carriages . Jochen Vollert - Tankograd Publishing, Erlangen 2007.
  • Hunnicutt, RP: Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank . Echo Point Books & Media, Brattleboro 2015, ISBN 978-1-62654-861-9 .
  • Lüdeke, Alexander: Allied tanks . Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2014, ISBN 978-3-613-03704-5 .
  • v. Senger et al. Etterlin, F .: Taschenbuch der Panzer 1943–1957 . JF Lehmanns Verlag, Munich 1957.
  • White, BT: Tanks and other Armored Fighting Vehicles of the World . New Orchard Editions, Poole 1988, ISBN 1-85079-039-6 .
American military vehicles of World War II
Light tanks

Marmon-Herrington CTL • M1 Combat Car • M2 Combat Car • M2 Light Tank • M3 Stuart • M5 Stuart • M22 Locust • M24 Chaffee

Medium and heavy tanks

M2 Medium Tank • M3 Lee / Grant • M4 Sherman • T23 Medium Tank • M6 Heavy Tank • M26 Pershing • M45 Heavy Tank

Armored personnel carrier

M2 Half-track Car • M3 Half-track Personnel Carrier • M5 Half-track Personnel Carrier • M9 Half-track Car • M39 Armored Utility Vehicle

Armored car

M3 Scout Car • M4 Scout Car • T17 Deerhound • M8 Greyhound • M20 Armored Utility Car

Tank destroyers and tank destroyers

M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage • M6 Fargo • M10 Wolverine • T48 57mm Gun Motor Carriage • M18 Hellcat • M36 Jackson

Anti-tank mortar

M2 4.2-inch Mortar Motor Carriage • M4 81mm Mortar Carrier • M21 81mm Mortar Carrier

Tank artillery and self-propelled guns

M7 Priest • M8 Scott • M12 155mm Gun Motor Carriage • M40 Cardinal

Anti-aircraft tank

M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

Armored recovery vehicles

M31 Tank Recovery Vehicle • M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle

Tractors

M33 Prime Mover • M34 Prime Mover • M35 Prime Mover • M4 High-speed Tractor • M5 High-speed Tractor • M6 High-speed Tractor

Trucks

Willys MB / Ford GPW • Studebaker US6

Amphibious vehicles

M29 weasel

Prototypes and small series

T7 Medium Tank • T28 Super Heavy Tank • M44 Armored Utility Vehicle • M38 Wolfhound