Ever since I was old enough to handle my own gun I have always wanted to research the weaponry used by our U.S. Army during World War II. As a child my grandfather introduced me to many weapons used throughout our history and I was always amazed. I now have the chance to research the many types of weaponry that the U.S. Army used, which led us to be a free, independent nation.
Vehicles used by the army consisted of many tanks, trucks, cars, and believe it or not we even had bicycles. A popular tank used was the M22 "Locust- Light Airborne Tank, which was one of the smallest tanks created by the U.S. to handle airborne operations during WWII. During May of 1941 the development of the M22 Locust began at the Marmon-Herrington Company. "In April of 1943 production began and in February 1944 it ended with a total production of 830 tanks.""1(Kirk, John Grayson. Great Weapons of World War II. Copyright: 1961) Although light in weight it was able to deliver the extra firepower needed to assist the airborne forces. The tank was designated to support the airborne infantry until the reinforcements from the main force arrived. Another key characteristic in the weight of the tank was that it could easily be transported by the airborne unit. The M22 Locust was constructed of steel plate which we used welding opposed top standard riveting technology. The armored front was about 1 inch thick and the sides were approximately a ½ plate. The sloped front end allowed for oncoming projectiles to be deflected upward adding additional protection. Designing the armor was limited because of the weight requirements limiting the tank to less than 16,000 pounds. "It was well equipped with a 37mm main gun and a 30 caliber coaxial machine gun."" 2(Kirk, John Grayson. Great Weapons of World War II. Copyright: 1961) The tank was also equipped with M6 periscopes on the driver's hatch, which allowed for the driver to look above the tank while in motion.