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Post by labrador on Dec 7, 2011 20:27:27 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
I've been tasked to write an article on the reenactment we did last week and to my surprise i haven't found any solid proof or photos that US Army units did in fact use jeeps during the Philippines campaign Does anyone have any solid proof that at least the 26th Cav or any other PS units were equipped with them?
I have been searching this topic and the earliest photos from the PTO i've seen show them in use with Claire Chennaults AG (flying tigers) Pre Dec. 1941. I was also told by someone that There are photos of Japanese captured jeeps in use in Burma.
Can anyone shine any light on this topic? We know that jeeps began being issued in 1941 but what i would need to know if the Philippines based units were included in this issue. The accounts i've read tell of trucks and weapons carriers.
Thanks in advance!
Albert
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Post by VeeVee on Dec 7, 2011 22:36:55 GMT -5
Hi Albert -- as far as I know the PS didn't have jeeps. However the 194th and 192nd Tank Battalions did. They were motorized units and arrived in the Philippines shortly before the war started. There are a couple of the prewar pictures of these and they have different looking grills. Here's a book about the 194th: pinoyhistory.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=books&action=display&thread=963
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Post by legionnaire on Dec 8, 2011 2:31:18 GMT -5
Here is a Carl Mydans photo of the early version with the slat grilled jeep with US troops but behind in the background are the 26th Cav. PS riding the scout cars. I don't know if these American troops are part of the PS. But I remember reading that they were issued a jeep for the HQ for each PS regt. Philip
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Post by labrador on Dec 8, 2011 2:45:09 GMT -5
Thanks again guys for coming to my rescue! will continue writing now.
Albert
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Post by insurrectomad on Dec 8, 2011 6:21:01 GMT -5
Very interesting to see the 2 guys in the photo are wearing pith helmets and the one standing on the bonnet has a soft "pork-pie" hat! I thought they were not issued until 1943. 26th Cav. had 6 Indiana White M1 scout cars (formerly T7), which later was replaced by the White M3A1. The ones used by the 26th Cav. a 50cal.M2 plus two .30cal. M1919A2 machine guns on the running-boards with pedestal tube mounts.
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Post by labrador on Dec 8, 2011 10:35:10 GMT -5
I've always been fascinated by those scout cars. hope we can build a repro one day. The Philippine constabulary had M3's in use til the 80's. Maybe they're in a junk yard somewhere waiting to be discovered.
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Post by insurrectomad on Dec 8, 2011 22:25:13 GMT -5
It's a long shot to think a M3 could remain in a a junk yard for 30 years, but someone may have bought one. It should be easy to fabricate one using an old jeep to work on.
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Post by RayAdillO on Dec 9, 2011 6:23:44 GMT -5
Here's a useful view of the ol' "slat grill" jeep in pre war days, courtesy of Laurel and Hardy.......
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Post by frank on Dec 9, 2011 16:17:17 GMT -5
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Post by frank on Dec 9, 2011 16:30:29 GMT -5
I've always been fascinated by those scout cars. hope we can build a repro one day. The Philippine constabulary had M3's in use til the 80's. Maybe they're in a junk yard somewhere waiting to be discovered. Albert, Ed Sarao said he could do it in his shop. I can provide measurements from the ones here at the museum. You can use 1" plywood covered with sheet metal to simulate the armor panels. Let me know.
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moroni
History Student
Posts: 58
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Post by moroni on Dec 9, 2011 22:36:57 GMT -5
Hey guys, a couple of years or so ago, I've read in a newspaper that they have unearthed an M3 Stuart Light Tank in Pampanga and later a Sherman was dug up near Roxas Blvd (formerly Dewey Blvd). I wonder if those are being preserved and placed in museums?
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Post by labrador on Dec 10, 2011 5:43:09 GMT -5
i know the sherman was just a very badly corroded hull.
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Post by insurrectomad on Dec 10, 2011 6:03:52 GMT -5
If M3 Stuart l. tank was in any condition it would not be in a museum but sold as scrap or working on a suger-cane farm!
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moroni
History Student
Posts: 58
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Post by moroni on Dec 12, 2011 0:12:09 GMT -5
There are still a few WW2 US tanks scattered all over Luzon. 3 or 4 Sherman Tanks in Baguio, 1 infront of the Lingayen Municipal Building, 1 in the Veterans museum. But I have not yet seen any M3 Stuart Light tank here in Luzon. So the news that they have unearthed one in Pampanga and that this might have belonged to the 194th is an exciting news for me.
You are right insurrectomad, it would have cankered and rotted much of it.
But just wishful thinking, maybe instead of a museum place it in a pedestal in a park or a rotonda in one of battle sites of northern Luzon.
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Post by insurrectomad on Dec 12, 2011 0:40:36 GMT -5
Heavens No! Any artifact found now must be put in a museum. If put outside it would be stripped bare by thieves, damaged by vandals or stolen for scrap. If not that, then without any funds to maintain it in all weathers it would just perish in no time. If this can happen to the Mt. Samat Shrine, then nothing else stands much chance.
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moroni
History Student
Posts: 58
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Post by moroni on Dec 12, 2011 3:18:47 GMT -5
Considering all those factors, our best bet in preserving them would be from private collectors. That or placing a 24 hour guard vigil, barbbed wire, and land mines.
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Post by labrador on Dec 12, 2011 19:26:21 GMT -5
Hi Moroni,
The tank in front of the Veterans museum in taguig is an M5a1 Stuart. It's a later version of the old M3A1 which saw action during the bataan campaign and in japanese hands in the final attack on corregidor. The hull and turret are different but the lower hull and running gear is the same. Not sure if the type saw action in the Philippines or if it came from post war AFP stock. The M5A1 saw a lot of use in europe, notably equipping free french forces.
I'm told the tank in Lingayen is an M24 Chaffee, though i haven't seen it myself. These were famously used by the 10th BCT in Korea.
Hope to see you at one of our events soon.
Albert
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moroni
History Student
Posts: 58
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Post by moroni on Dec 12, 2011 20:36:14 GMT -5
Yes, that's right Albert, the one in Taguig was a light tank indeed. Thanks for the info on it's model. I did recognized that the hull was welded and not riveted (an improved version no doubt, as the complaints of tank crews of rivets flying inside the tank whenever they are hit by larger caliber weapons). And the wheels are much beefier than the M3's.
At "YouTube" under the title "16 M3A1 Stuart Light Tank discovered in Brazil" a company in UK bought them. Wish we can have one here in PI.
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moroni
History Student
Posts: 58
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Post by moroni on Dec 18, 2011 5:16:37 GMT -5
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Post by frank on Dec 18, 2011 18:10:13 GMT -5
"Wish we can have one here in PI."
You can buy them. Importing them into the country is another story.
We should try to fix what's in the country and keep it preserved.
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