Fort Sill in Comanche County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)
U.S. M1A1 Cannon and M3A1 Carriage Transport Wagons
Photographed By James Hulse, September 9, 2021
1. U.S. M1A1 Cannon and M3A1 Carriage Transport Wagons Marker
The 240mm Howitzer, M1 and the 8-inch Gun, M1, were the heaviest American artillery weapons fielded in WWII. A new 240mm/8-inch transport wagon was designed suitable for high-speed towing, but took longer than anticipated to field. The first equipment was issued in 1944. Moving these weapon systems proved challenging because the two halves of each system exceeded towing capabilities of existing Army wheeled vehicles. Lighter weight designs did not work, but a new design, on 18 x 24 earthmover tires, proved to be successful. The wagon, M1A1, was used to transport the tube and cradle of the 240mm howitzer or the 8-inch gun, a 58-foot load. The M3A1 transported the carriage. Careful placement of gun positions was required, as the massive trailers made reversing either load impossible. Towing was done by the M35 tracked tractor, the M33 tractor and later by the purpose-built M6 tractor. The 20-ton Loraine Crane, M2, provided the lifting capability for assembling the piece and carried the clam-shell bucket to dig the recoil and spade pits. Emplacement with the crane took about one hour, but it could be assembled by hand using the two tractors, winches
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Weight, Carriage Wagon - 18,300 lbs. - 8,300 kg
Weight, Tube Wagon - 15,680 lbs. - 7,112 kg
Carriage Load - 39,600 lbs. - 17,962 kg
Tube Load - 25,100 lbs. - 11,315 kg
Road Speed - 25 mph - 40 kph
CNN# 102954, 102955
Erected by U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum. (Marker Number 371.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1944.
Location. 34° 39.987′ N, 98° 23.149′ W. Marker is in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in Comanche County. Marker is at the intersection of Corral Road and Randolph Road, on the right when traveling west on Corral Road. The marker is located in the central section of Artillery Park at the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Sill OK 73503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. U.S. M1 240mm Howitzer (here, next to this marker); Japanese Type 90 75mm Field Gun (a few steps from this marker); Japanese Type 41 75mm Regimental Gun (a few steps from this marker); Italian Semovente M149/40 Self-Propelled Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. M4 Lacrosse Missile (within shouting distance of this marker); Soviet M1931/37 122mm Field Gun
Photographed By James Hulse, September 9, 2021
2. The U.S. M1A1 Cannon and M3A1 Carriage Transport Wagons Marker is on the left of the two markers
More about this marker. Marker and Museum are located on Fort Sill, an active U.S. military installation. The museum is open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access for Fort Sill.
Also see . . . U.S. Army Artillery Museum. (Submitted on September 21, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, September 9, 2021
3. The U.S. M1A1 Cannon and M3A1 Carriage Transport Wagon
Photographed By James Hulse, September 9, 2021
4. The M1 240 mm Howitzer
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 21, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
