This is 1951, either just before or after the move to Bad Kissingen. The tank company has the M26 Pershing tank. The guys have good uniform discipline in the field. --Richard Bosma		Looking out my window towards the shops, a good side view of the M24 Chaffee. The recon companies had these light tanks, three per platoon, nine per company. They were OK. --Richard Bosma

Often, the argument in the 1950s and early 1960s came down to a single question: were the needs of the Army best met with a single medium tank or some combination of light, medium and heavy models? From the middle of World War II through the early 1960s, generals, politicians, designers and manufactures passionately argued the issue.

For a few years, armor development was biased toward one faction, then, like a pendulum, it would swing towards the counter argument. Sometimes a compromise was made that pleased many and disappointed most. World War II experiences fueled arguments for both sides. Had not vast fleets of the medium and hardy M4 Sherman tank proven the key ingredient to victory?? Had not the last years of the war proven that the heavy German tanks, if mass produced, could only be countered by a US heavy tank?? Wasn't the M24 light tank an ideal companion to the infantry and scouts?? Hadn't too many different tanks become a burden for trainers and logisticians?? They argued back and forth.

A nice 3/4 view of an M24 in the field from the 1952 14th ACR unit yearbook. --Stefanowicz		Now sometimes they ended up like this! An M24 that ended up on its side when the trail gave way at Wildflecken. No one hurt, good thing! --Richard Bosma

The war in Korea only further complicated the issue. It was not good tank country but there were some stiff fights. Chinese and North Korean T34s swept through the M24 light tanks and were stopped by the medium-heavy M26 US Pershings. The infantry however, argued that the M24 or some improved model was necessary for the urban fighting in Korean cities and towns. Clearly, the last of the M4 Shermans had to go but what would the new armor force look like and as always, the fear of war in Europe held everyone's attention. The Soviets seemed to roll out new and potentially dangerous tanks at each May Day parade.

An image of gun tube maintenance on an M47 from the 1952 yearbook. Clearly, the M26s were replaced first. --Stefanowicz		An M47 on the mini tank range at Reiterswiesen. The tank was similar in design to the M41 light tank, the key recognition features in the fotos are the M47 has turret blisters for the range finder and the M 47 has six road wheels. --Stefanowicz

In Bad Kissingen, the newly arrived reconnaissance squadron was an early recipient of each new US tank as fielding went forward for 7th Army units. Our contacts from the early 1950s clearly recall the recon companies staffed with the M24 and the tank company with the M26. 1952-1953 must have been a hectic year on the ranges and training areas, both old systems disappear, replaced respectively by the M41 and M47 tanks. Troopers recalled the M24 Chaffee as "light but hardy, a good runner", but the M41 was a clearly superior vehicle.

Carried forward by the momentum and funding of tank development from WWII, the M41 light tank was ready for fielding too late for Korea but certainly on time for Europe. It was intended to be the companion "light" tank to the M26 and later M47 then M48 "medium-heavy" tanks in the inventory. The Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors was the prime contractor and over 3700 units were produced at the Cleveland Tank Plant. The new tank featured some of the innovations the Army had demanded, a fully powered turret the primary step forward, the potential to experiment with a semi automated loader and improved optic sights. The engine-transmission-final drive layout became the platform that, much modified, drove US tanks through the M60 series. As a compromise, the Army agreed to accept the vehicle before all the design requirements were met.

The M4 and the M26 tank seen in a Detroit Tank Plant photo.  In the opening days of the Cold War, the M26 was redesignated as the M46 following a set of improvements,  and was the main medium - heavy  battle tank available to US forces.		The M41 enjoyed a long life with allied nations.  Seen in Fulda, members of the new German Bundeswehr receive training at Down Barracks on their freshly issued M41 tanks.  Fifteen years later, a South Vietnamese tanker with his refurbished  M41.

At about 26 tons combat weight and a crew of four, it was a success with the troops. The initial 76 mm cannon was considered acceptable, the fleet recycled back to the factory at least once during the operational life with the Army for a series of improvements, the top speed was listed as 45 mph. The problems of the auto loader were never satisfactorily worked out and that modification never went forward. For the infantry and cavalry units, the M41 was fast, maneuverable and reliable although it consumed fuel at a frightening rate. It seemed as though those who had argued for an armored force mix calling for both light and medium tanks were correct.

Two views of the M41 light tank that replaced the M24 in the recon companies. Top is a production image, bottom, living museum image. --Internet Sourced		An M41 is backed into a position in this 1954 14th ACR unit yearbook image. Interestingly, the yearbook featured very few photos of the M41. Almost all the tank images were of the M47. --Stefanowicz

As a testimony to this design, beyond the production runs to honor US government contracts, the Cleveland Tank Plant produced several thousand additional copies for foreign sales. The armor force of the new West German Army, the Bundeswehr, was first built with M41s and the South Vietnamese Army followed suite some years later. M41s to this day, much modified and improved, can be found in service in several foreign countries. This tank kept thousands of employees of GM's Cleveland Defense Plant in steady work for over fifteen years. The troopers held it in high regard.

In the 2nd battalion part of the 1954 yearbook, an imaged titled " crews prep for gunnery exercise ", shows M41s on the firing line. --Stefanowicz		A production image from Hunnicutt's great book shows the clean, clear lines of the M41. It had a short operational life with the Army but lived for decades around the world with other forces. --R.P. Hunnicutt