The M37 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage is a 105 mm

howitzer A howitzer () is a long- ranged weapon, falling between a cannon (also known as an artillery gun in the United States), which fires shells at flat trajectories, and a mortar, which fires at high angles of ascent and descent. Howitzers, like ot ...

self propelled gun Self-propelled artillery (also called locomotive artillery) is artillery equipped with its own propulsion system to move toward its firing position. Within the terminology are the self-propelled gun, self-propelled howitzer, self-propelled m ...

developed by the United States. It saw combat in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

and remained part of the U.S. military until being replaced in the late 1950s. Approximately 300 were built.

Development and production history

The M37 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (named T76 105 mm HMC during development starting in 8 July 1943) was developed by the US on an extended

M24 Chaffee The M24 Chaffee (officially Light Tank, M24) was an American light tank used during the later part of World War II; it was also used in post–World War II conflicts including the Korean War, and by the French in the War in Algeria and the Firs ...

base, and was intended to be the successor to the 105 mm

M7 Priest The 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled gun vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official service name 105 mm Self Propelled Gun, Priest by the British Army, due to the pulpit-like machin ...

. It used the same 105 mm Howitzer M4 as the ones mounted on some

M4 Sherman } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the Military history of the United States during World War II, United States and Allies of World War II, Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman prove ...

medium tank A medium tank is a classification of tanks, particularly prevalent during World War II which represented a compromise between the mobility oriented light tanks and the armour and armament oriented heavy tanks. A medium tank's classification is ...

s. The M37 HMC was an open topped vehicle using

torsion bar A torsion bar suspension, also known as a torsion spring suspension, is any vehicle suspension that uses a torsion bar as its main weight-bearing spring. One end of a long metal bar is attached firmly to the vehicle chassis; the opposite end termi ...

suspension with tracks 16 in (41cm) wide. Though the gun performance was similar to that of the M7 Priest, the use of the lighter chassis from the M24 Chaffee made the self-propelled gun easier to handle.

Service history

Standardized for production in January 1945 with all units being built by the Cadillac Division of General Motors, the M37 was built too late to see action in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. However, it would see action with US forces as an artillery piece during the

. Out of the 448 units ordered, 316 M37 HMCs were built. The M37's thin armor (0.5 in or 1.3 cm) could provide protection from small arms fire and artillery splash, but nothing greater. Its "pulpit" machine gun, like that of the M7 Priest, could be used for anti-aircraft purposes, and its 105 mm Howitzer M4 was able to turn a total of 51.7 degrees. Though its basis, the M24 Chaffee, was fast, the M37 was much more sluggish due to the amount of ammunition it carried (126 rounds), its recoil system, and the weight of the 105 mm howitzer M4. After the war, some units would see service in foreign countries, such as in the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...

. Both the M37 as well as the M7 would be replaced in the late 1950s by the M52 HMC, a self-propelled gun built on the M41 light tank.

References

{{reflist Self-propelled howitzers of the United States Self-propelled artillery of the United States Cold War armored fighting vehicles of the United States Self-propelled artillery Military vehicles introduced from 1945 to 1949