U.S. Artillery

[DocCasualty]

I am pretty sure the 105 was the smallest employed in WWII by the US, except as noted below. I recall reading that this was due to their re-assessment of artillery needs after WWI and reasoning that the 75 was just too small for that purpose. I did find the following about the 75 that was in the US arsenal at Cannon Artillery - The Voice of Freedom's Thunder -Cannon Walk - Part One

75-mm Field Gun M2A2


During WW I, the United States Army ordered large numbers of the 75-mm Field Gun, Model of 1897(French), the famous “French 75.” The weapons manufactured to U.S. specifications were converted to become the 75-mm Field Gun, M1897A4 in the late 1920’s. In 1933, the old single trail carriage was replaced with a new split-trailed carriage, the M2. The M2A2 utilized a firing jack, the M2A3 used segmented wheels.

The 75mm Field Gun, M2, was nearly obsolete in 1940, and was being relegated to a training role at the outbreak of WW II. A few saw service in the Phillipine Islands against the invading Japanese, and a stop-gap anti-tank weapon was produced by mounting the M2 in the M3 Half Track to become the Gun Motor Carriage, T-12. The T-12 saw service in the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Corps, but was quickly replaced by newly designed Tank Destroyers. They continued to serve against the Japanese in the Pacific Theater until the end of WW II in the configuration.

One of the most unusual employments of the 75-mm Field Gun was the M1897A5E1, which was mounted in the nose of the B-25 Mitchell Bomber for use as a heavy aircraft cannon employed in a ground attack role. The 75-mm Field Gun is no longer in service with any major power.

Caliber: 75-mm 2.95 in
Weight(in action): 1544 kg 3400 lbs
Shell Weight: 6.628 kg 13.6 mils
Range: 12,960 m 13,8970 (14 miles)
Elevation: -164 mils to 809mils -9 degrees to 45 degrees 30’
Traverse: 1066 mils 60 degrees
Traction: 6 Horses or a 2 1/2 ton truck

[MAGNA]

Thank you for that. I wasn't sure and again, for gaming purposes it's better to have things right. Interesting about the use in the Phillipines too.

[Gojulas]

The AA gun is a 105 mm flak38, it was used mainly in permanent and railway AAA batteries within germany.

[Gojulas]

The US did use the 75mm Pack Howitzer as a light support weapon for their airborne and parachute units.

[DocCasualty]

Thanks, Gojulas. Somehow I left out the Airborne and Mountain Divisions in my thought process. Apparently they saw use with the Marines, too. I lifted this from Wiki:

US forces

In the Second World War era US Army, 75 mm howitzers were issued to airborne and mountain units.

An airborne division, according to the organization of February 1944, had three 75 mm howitzer battalions - two glider field artillery battalions (two six-gun batteries each) and one parachute field artillery battalion (three four-gun batteries), in total 36 pieces per division. In December 1944, new Tables of Organization and Equipment increased the divisional firepower to 60 75 mm howitzers (as an option, in glider battalions 75 mm pieces could be replaced with more powerful 105mm M3).[7]

The only mountain division formed, the 10th, had three 75 mm howitzer battalions, 12 pieces each. The gun was also used by some separate field artillery battalions.[8]

In the US Marine Corps, under the E-series Tables of Organization (TO) from 15 April 1943 divisional artillery included three 75 mm howitzer battalions, 12 pieces each. The F-series TO from 5 May 1944 reduced the number of 75 mm battalions to two, and the G-series TO removed them altogether, completing the shift to 105 mm and 155 mm howitzers. Although the G-series TO was only adopted on 4 September 1945, in practice in some divisions the change was introduced early in 1945.[9]

[MAGNA]

I was thinking more along the lines of standard infantry units myself so thanks again gentlemen.

[DocCasualty]

[DocCasualty]

[Gojulas]

US Artillery heavyweights, the 240mm and the 8in Gun share the same mount and carriage. Size comparison of the 37mm and 3in Anti-tank Guns

[DocCasualty]

Nice additions, Gojulas!



Hmm, wonder which on has the worst bark and bite??

I don't know anything about this photo, other than it appears to be a US Coastal Artillery emplacement. Anybody up on Coastal Arty that could add anything else?