Re: 40mm AA Guns on Half-Track Vehicles

We did a lot of weapons studies and tests in Japan during the Korean War. Things like side-by-side 30 caliber machine guns.It never worked, matter of syncronizing, and seemed to me to be wasteful. About the only thing that made sense to me was adding the second BAR to the squad and later remodeling the M-1 into the M-14.

----- Original Message -----

From: John Baker

To: KOREAN-WAR-L@raven.cc.ku.edu

Sent: Monday, September 02, 2002 3:18 PM

Subject: 40mm AA Guns on Half-Track Vehicles

According to "Planning Munitions for War", a volume of the US Army in WW II series, tests were conducted, in 1943, of various combinations of 40mm/cal .50 MGs, mounted on both half-tracks & tank chassis. Twin 40mm guns, mounted on the chassis of the M24 Light Tank, proved to be the most suitable combination & this weapon was standardized as the 40mm Gun Motor Carriage M19, in early 1944. The M19 weapon was subsequently used, with considerable success, in the Korean War, with special searchlight units [artificial moonlight], against night attacks. Best regards, jb