M15A1, Semitrailer, Tank Transporter, 45 Ton
The US Army identified the need early in World War II for a system to retrieve disabled or destroyed armored vehicles from the battlefield. The result was the Tank Transporter Truck-Trailer M25, made up two components: the M26 tractor and the M15 Trailer (A.K.A. Dragon Wagon). This would be the last time the Army issued a separate designation for a tractor-trailer combination.
The semitrailer chosen for this task was designed specifically for combat zone retrieval. The M15 was a rear loading trailer that could be loaded even without the tractor being attached. The design proved adaptable enough to accommodate the mission of moving Navy landing craft from the Atlantic Ocean to Germany for use in river crossings. The M15 was rated at 40 tons, but by the end of the war, the trailer would be modified to meet ever-growing weight demands.
The M15A1 was a modification of the original M15 accommodating the new M26 Pershing tanks being sent to Europe at the end of World War II. Following the war, the M15A1 would be strengthened again, increasing capacity to 50 tons. Complete phase-out of the M15 would not take place until the 1970s with the adoption of the M747 semitrailer.
This semitrailer was in private hands before being acquired by the Fort Snelling Military Museum; its service and history are unknown. In 2010, this
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Specifications
Manufacturer: Franchauf Trailer Company
Weight: 42,675 pounds empty
Max Payload: 90,000 pounds
Erected by US Army Transportation Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • War, Cold • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 2010.
Location. 37° 9.982′ N, 76° 34.468′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. It can be reached from Washington Boulevard just south of Madison Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula, in Hampton Roads, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: M4A3, Tank, Medium, 75mm "Sherman" (here, next to this marker); M26A1, Truck, Tractor, 12 Ton 6Χ6 (here, next to this marker); M911, Tractor, 25 Ton, 8Χ6 (C-HET) (a few steps from this marker); Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) (a few steps from this marker); M747, Semitrailer, Heavy Equipment, 60 Tons (a few steps from this marker); Petroleum Railway Tank Car (a few
Additional commentary.
1. Marker location
This marker is on the grounds of Fort Eustis. Permission was requested before photographing.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 981 times since then and 80 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
