Self-propelled guns - USA: books - history and technology

M7 Priest 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (Osprey)

Based upon the ubiquitous Grant/Sherman tank, the M7 Priest is the iconic Allied self-propelled howitzer. It was the most widely manufactured vehicle of its type in World War ll and was utilized by the US, British, Canadian and Free French forces. Its combat debut was with Montgomery's Eight Army at El Alamein and it fought subsequently in every major campaign through Sicily, Italy, Normandy and the final battles in Germany.
In addition to covering all variants of the Priest, this book also looks at the major derivatives, including the British/Canadian Sexton and the US M12 155mm GMC.

Contents: Introduction - Design & Development - Operational History - Variants - Bibliography - Index.

M7 Priest : Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)

The M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage, dubbed the Priest, was the most successful and widely used example of American self-propelled artillery during WWII. Examples continued to be used by the U.S. Army during the Korean war, and beyond, even serving Allied countries into the 1970s.
Coined the Priest due to its pulpit-like structure for the gun commander, this armored fighting vehicle would see action in North Africa, Italy, and the D-Day landings in Normandy and all the way to Germany.

M12 Gun Motor Carriage - Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)

Although only 100 examples were produced, the 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 served with distinction as an infantry-support weapon and in particular as a bunker-buster during the U.S. assault on the Siegfried Line in the winter of 1944-45.

The ability to rapidly ready heavy artillery for firing lead to the development of the M12 155mm gun in 1941, based on the M3 Medium Tank chassis. The trial vehicle, built by Rock Island Arsenal, was designated T6.
To accommodate the large, rear mounted weapon - a French-made M1917 155mm gun, the engine was relocated forward to a position just behind the driving compartment. A hydraulically operated spade mounted at the rear of the vehicle, which was lowered during firing to anchor the vehicle against the recoil. When retracted into the travelling position it provided a seat for two of the six crewmen.

The production run was between September 1942 and March 1943, with a total of one hundred units being built. Though a few were used by training units, most were placed in storage until February 1944, when the first of 74 of them were shipped to Baldwin Locomotive Works to be improved based on further tests and usage in training. This work continued until May 1944.

Three slightly different WWI surplus weapons were mounted depending upon availability, the M1917, the M1917A1 and the M1918M1. The M1917 was French built, the M1918 was US built, and the M1917A1 had the French gun tube, and the US breech.

155-mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 and Cargo Carrier M30 - Technical Manual (TM9-751)

The 155-mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 was a U.S. self-propelled gun developed during the Second World War. Only 100 were built; sixty in 1942 and another forty in 1943.
The M12 was built on the chassis of the M3 Lee tank. It had an armored driver's compartment, but the gun crew were located in an open topped area at the back of the vehicle. An earth spade at the rear was employed to absorb recoil.

During 1943 the vehicles were used for training or put into storage. Before the invasion of France, seventy four M12s were upgraded in preparation for combat operations. They were employed successfully throughout the campaign in North-West Europe. Although designed primarily for indirect fire, during assaults on heavy fortifications the M12s were sometimes employed in a direct-fire role.
Limited storage space meant that only ten projectiles and propellant charges could be carried on the vehicle. Given this, a similar vehicle without the gun was produced as the Cargo Carrier M30. This was designed to transport the gun crew and additional ammunition.
In operational conditions the M12 and M30 would serve in pairs. The M30, which could carry forty rounds of 155-mm ammunition, was armed with a .50-caliber Browning M2 machine gun.

Created in 1944, this technical manual reveals a great deal about the M12's and M30's design and capabilities. Intended as a manual for those charged with operation and maintenance, it details many aspects of the M12's engine, cooling, power, suspension and other systems.
Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Please note, this text was not produced in large numbers and this replica may have some pages that are substandard in quality. Care has been taken however to preserve the integrity of the text.

M40 Gun Motor Carriage and M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage in WWII and Korea (Legends of Warfare)

As the US entered WWII, the nation lacked heavy self-propelled artillery, instead relying heavily on towed artillery, much of it WWI-surplus. Only 100 examples of the nation's first heavy self-propelled gun, the M12, were built.
Finding favor once deployed, attention was turned to developing an improved model. Initially designated the T83, and later as the M40, the new 155mm Gun Motor Carriage was first fielded in the closing months of WWII.

Already scheduled for mass production, the M40, and its companion 8-inch howitzer-armed M43, continued to see extensive use during the Korean War, providing crucial support to infantry and armor formations.

The M40 Gun Motor Carriage and M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage are featured in over 200 photographs, providing a detailed study of the conception, development, testing, and combat use of these key vehicles.
Historic period images, as well as, meticulously photographed surviving examples, provide a detailed look at this important piece of US military hardware.

155mm Assault Gun M53 and 8-inch Howitzer M55, Self Propelled - Field Manual (FM6-93)

The 155mm assault gun M53 was developed with components taken from M47 Patton medium tanks during the Cold War. The M53, with its 155 mm primary gun, delivered long range support to allied positions, and its self-propelled design enabled it to travel great distances. The M53 eventually saw action with both the United States Army and Marine Corps. Pacific Car & Foundry Company was responsible for assembly.

Beginning in 1956, the United States Army upgraded its M53 line to the M55. The M55 was a fully armored self-propelled artillery based on the M53 155mm assault gun. It had a 203.2 mm howitzer which could traverse 30° left or right, carrying only 10 rounds of ammunition. The gun had a maximum range of 16,916 meters with a rate of fire of one round every two minutes.
The engine was mounted in the front and drove through a front-drive sprocket. The driver's cupola is visible on the front left of the turret, and spare track blocks were stored on the turret front. The M55 saw action during the Vietnam War, andwas then withdrawn from US military service.

Created in 1957, this field manual reveals a great deal about the M53's design and capabilities. Intended as a commander's manual for training crew members, it details many methods of attaining effecient teamwork while operating the gun. Drills are described in detail, with the ultimate goal beingthe successful operation of the M53 and M55 on the battlefield.
Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

M65 Atomic Cannon - Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)

In 1949, the US Army wanted an artillery gun that could fire a nuclear warhead in the event that guided missiles and long-range bombers proved insufficient in delivering atomic weapons. The result was the M65, 280mm Atomic Cannon. On May 25, 1953, at 0830 hours, an M65 of A Battery, 867th Field Artillery Battalion, let loose with the only nuclear round the type would ever fire.

Six battalions of the M65 would eventually be deployed, most in Europe with one battalion sent to the Korean Peninsula. Though never used in combat, they served as a significant tactical nuclear deterrent in the early stages of the Cold War.
Through historic photos, this volume traces the development, production and deployment of this iconic piece of military equipment from the drawing boards to the Cold War battlefields of Europe.

M107 / M110 - Family of Self-propelled Artillery 1956 -1991

This 124-page softbound volume is profusely illustrated with almost 250 photos, many of them in color, illustrating the history and US military service of this weapon system, from its advent in the early 1950s through the first Gulf War.
Widely used in Vietnam, where it had the longest range of any land-based artillery, the M107 and M110 series of vehicles, along with the M109, formed the backbone of US self-propelled artillery for decades, including the height of the Cold War.

Many of these images in this volume have never before been published, including numerous color images taken in Vietnam. Augmenting the vintage photos are carefully selected photos of preserved examples chosen to illustrate the details of the vehicles. All variants of the M107 and M110 are presented in this volume.

M109 155mm Self-propelled Howitzer 1960-2005 (Osprey)

Entering service in the early 1960s, the M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer has been in production for 34 years and forms the backbone of US Army and Reserve artillery units. The M109A6 is the latest development of the M109 series and incorporates advanced fire control systems that enable it to have its first rounds on target less than 60 seconds after arriving at firing location. This ability to shift quickly between moving and firing modes avoids counter battery fire and ensures battlefield survivability.

This book details an impressive and versatile weapon that has served around the globe in Southeast Asia and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Contents: Introduction - Cold War Origins - First combat: Vietnam - Long range firepower - Enhancing lethality - Mid-east combat - Precision guided munitions - The modernization dilemma - Feeding the guns - Operation Desert Storm - Operation Iraqi Freedom - Internation Programs - Bibliography - Color plate commentary - Index.