"HMG M8 Scott Northwest Europe 1945" Topic
6 Posts
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Trajanus | 04 Sep 2022 8:41 a.m. PST |
I have read in a number of places that the HMG M8 was gradually phased out of US service, as the war in Europe progressed. As per usual, the question is "how gradual was gradual?" Would they still have been in use with 3rd Armored Div in the Ruhr Pocket for example? |
Starfury Rider | 04 Sep 2022 9:45 a.m. PST |
As I recall the M8 was officially replaced in the US Armored Infantry Battalion but not in the Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. In theory the Armd Inf Bn switched to the 105-mm armed M4 with an amendment of Sep 1944, while the Cav Recn Sqns retained the M8 in their Assault Gun Troop. The introduction of the 105-mm to Armd Inf Bns is often written off as not having been achieved in reality, however I've seen a couple of references to them being received over the years I think. I don't recall if 3rd Armd Div were among them though. Gary |
donlowry | 05 Sep 2022 9:38 a.m. PST |
IIRC, the tank battalions got 105-armed Shermans, the armored infantry got M7 Priest SP 105s to replace the M8s. |
Starfury Rider | 05 Sep 2022 11:51 a.m. PST |
The only place I've found that mentions the Armd Inf as getting the M7 105-mm SP is the old US Army Handbook. The contemporary T/Os and T/Es all give the Tank, 105-mm as the replacement for the 75-mm M8. I've asked on a few forums over the years for anyone seeing anything specific (including here) on the M7 ending up with Armd Inf and no one has offered anything definitive as I can recall. One thread did point to a few examples of the M7 being found in a few Tank Bns, but not in Western Europe (I think), and certain Inf Regts did have M7 SPs in the PTO (and there was an actual T/O for that circumstance). Gary |
Trajanus | 06 Sep 2022 7:31 a.m. PST |
I'm familiar with the options of the 105mm M4, or M7. It sounds like a lot of wartime alterations regarding the "if and when" rather than the "what with". Which is a common occurrence and given the sheer size of WW2, not all that much of a surprise! I believe that the M7 option was not popular and/or fully implemented, due to its inferior performance to the 105mm M4 in a direct fire mode. Retaining M8's in Cavalry Recon makes sense, in terms of its higher speed over the other two. |
Griefbringer | 05 Oct 2022 4:37 a.m. PST |
At the risk of being considered picky (well, I am!), I would like to point out that the correct abbreviation to use with M8 Scott is HMC (howitzer, motor carriage). In case of US armoured infantry battalions, they enjoyed both HMC support (from the assault gun platoon) and HMG support (from machine gun platoon armed with four M1917 heavy machine guns). |
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