LVT(A)-4

The LVT(A)-4 was a US amphibious tank, or 'Amtank', of the Second World War. It should not be confused with the LVT(4) personnel carrier with its rear ramp. It was developed from the earlier LVT(2)-based LVT(A)1 after the US Marines asked for more firepower than the A1's 37 mm gun could give. The answer was to fit the M8 self-propelled howitzer's open-topped turret, with its 75 mm howitzer, which was far better for destroying bunkers. To make room, the turret ring was enlarged and the rear hull lengthened over the cramped engine compartment. Production began in 1944.

Design

The crew of six comprised a driver and an assistant driver/radio operator in the bow, a gunner and loader in the turret, and a commander and an ammunition handler in the hull. As on earlier Amtracs, a Continental engine sat at the rear and drove forward through a long shaft to the front transmission. The howitzer was traversed and elevated by hand and was not stabilised, so it was very inaccurate when fired on the move. This was corrected in the LVT(A)5. The hull held at least 100 rounds of 75 mm ammunition. Secondary armament began as a .50-calibre machine gun on a ring mount at the rear of the turret, later replaced by two pintle-mounted .30-calibre guns, and a bow .30-calibre gun was added. The vehicle weighed about 38,000 lb (17.2 t), made about 5 knots afloat and about 25 mph (40 km/h) on land.

Service

The LVT(A)-4 first saw action in the Marianas, on Guam, Tinian and Saipan. The US Marines used 533 to equip three Amtank battalions, and the US Army formed seven battalions with 1,307 vehicles. Perhaps 50 more went to Allied nations under Lend-Lease. Because they landed with the first troops, the Amtanks could give fire support hours before conventional artillery was ashore, and many units were organised and trained as artillery batteries.