The U.S. Army Mechanized Cavalry in North Africa (Tunisia), November 1942

The U.S. Army's mechanized cavalry force served in an astounding variety of ways in World War II -- certainly a greater variety in one three-year period than any other cavalry force in human history. The transition from a traditional horse-mounted force to a mechanized force reliant on tanks, armored cars, and jeeps was not without its learning curve, as evidenced by the mech. cav's trial-by-fire in Tunisia in November of 1942.

Check out the following excerpt from Steeds of Steel: A History of American Mechanized Cavalry in World War II. Here, Harry Yeide explores the first true test for America's new fighting force on the battlefields of North Africa during World War II.


http://www.zenithpresstheblog.com/2011/03/from-pages-steeds-of-steel.html

 

Looks like another book to put on the list.

 

Was this unit equipped the M3 GMC (75mm M.1897A4), I know that these vehicles were phased out later in the war but they were suited to this type of open terrain against the Axis vehicles at the time, PZ II, PZ III 7 PZ IV, Plus the Italian moblie coffins.

 

According to wiki...
M3 GMC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and Flames of War...
Army Lists | Flames Of War Command

looks like it was.

 

Nice Stuff Johnny. some stats on this overlooked gun used by the American and developed from the 75mm mle 1897.

ARMMAMENT = 75mmL/36 M1897A4 GUN.
RATE OF FIRE = 6 r.p.m.
ELEVATION = -10° to +29° MANUAL
TRAVERSE = 20° LEFT & RIGHT, MANUAL.
MAXIMUM RANGE = 7000m
ARMOURE PENITRATION = 96mm @ 500m @ 30°
AMMUNITION CARRIED = 59 X 75mm.

 

Interestingly, the German Armed Forces used the French 75 as a stop-gap AT weapon from early 1942 on, combining captured gun barrels and the mounts of German 50 mm PAK, using at first ammunitions from French and Polish stocks. This solution was not found satisfying for many reasons: the old-fashioned breech prevented the quick firing required by an AT gun, the muzzle velocity was too low which reduced the chances to hit moving targets, the gun "jumped" at firing and so on. Nevertheless, the first European Waffen-SS volunteer earning the Knight's Cross was a young Dutch Corporal who knocked out 17 T-34s with this gun.

 

Interesting. I would imagine T-34 would be a challenging target for the 75. Did those guns get tungsten tipped ammunition? Is there a citation to the medal you can point me to?