Hi Jeff ! Hi Folks!
- SFC_Jeff_Button
I don't know much about these tanks except that they were to replace the M24 Chaffee light tanks after WWII, and that they served in Korea and Vietnam.
Your are half right on that. The Walker Bulldog replaced the the Chaffees after Korea. The M41 came out near the end of the shooting and AFAIK, never served with any US Army units in combat. We sold/give a number of them to the ARVN armored force and from what little I saw and read, the M41 worked very well for them.
They were used by the cavalry platoons (three per platoon) of the cavalry troops (three platoons for nine plus two command vehicles for 11) in the division and ACR squadrons from the mid 1950s until sometime around the early to mid 1960s. Someone though the 76mm gun was big enough and had them replaced by the M-60 tank. In time the M-60 was replaced by the Sheridan M-551, which in time was replaced by the M-60 again. Then the Army when to the Division 86 TOE and tanks were dropped from the divisions cavalry units until some time after Desert Storm went the M-1A1 was issued. The ACRs were lucky and their M-60s were replaced by M-1s, later upgraded to M-1A1s. The 3rd ACR, the last active heavy regiment, was later upgraded to M-1A2Seps.
I am not sure, but I think that vehicle is a M-41A1 or possible a A2 (Update, after digging out Hunnicutt's Sheridan book, that hull should be a A1 or A3 depending on the type of engine it last had). The angled front fenders and the muffler for the aux engine on the front of the vehicle just to the right of the pioneer tool rack.
I think that vehicle was the best looking tank the US ever designed.
Sgt, Scouts Out!