Tank
Recovery Vehicle, M31
|
Unit
|
Number
of Vehicles Checked
|
Number
with Steel Tracks [1]
|
Number
w/Chevron Rubber Tracks (T48)
|
Number
w/Flat Rubber Tracks (T51)
|
Average
Remaining Life for Rubber Tracks [2]
|
|
1st
Tank Bn
(1st Armored Division)
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
-
|
50%
|
|
4th
Tank Bn
(1st Armored Division)
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
50%
|
|
13th
Tank Bn
(1st Armored Division)
|
5
|
-
|
4
|
1
|
64%
|
|
6th
Armored Infantry Bn (1st Armored Division)
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
100%
|
|
11th
Armored Infantry Bn (1st Armored Division)
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
50%
|
|
14th
Armored Infantry Bn (1st Armored Division)
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
75%
|
|
27th
AFA Bn
(1st Armored Division) [3]
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
50%
|
|
68th
AFA Bn
(1st Armored Division)
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
38%
|
|
91st
AFA Bn
(1st Armored Division)
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
88%
|
|
81st
Recon Sq
(1st Armored Division)
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
63%
|
|
751st
Tank Bn
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
-
|
75%
|
|
752nd
Tank Bn
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
-
|
81%
|
|
755th
Tank Bn
|
5
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
55%
|
|
757th
Tank Bn
|
6
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
50%
|
|
760th
Tank Bn
|
5
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
75%
|
|
Total
Checked
|
53
|
5
|
38
|
10
|
63%
|
|
Total
in 5th Army Units
|
106
[4]
|
|
|
|
|
[1]
T49 and T54E1 have been identified in photographs.
[2] Based on an estimated life of 500 miles for chevron
rubber and 600 miles for flat rubber. The life of steel tracks was
indefinite.
[3] AFA: Armored Field Artillery.
[4] Total is number in hands of troops on 22 August
1944. The 701st, 776th, 804th, 805th, and 894th Tank Destroyer Battalions
were equipped with some number of M31s but track usage data is not
available.
Additionally,
35 M18 76mm Gun Motor Carriages of the 805th Tank Destroyer Battalion
were checked. All had steel (T69) tracks. There were a total of
36 M18s in the Fifth Army.
Medium
Tanks: M4, M4A1, M4A3
Light Tanks: M5, M5A
Howitzer Motor Carriage, 105mm,
M7
Gun Motor Carriage, 3-inch,
M10
Howitzer Motor Carriage, 75mm,
M8
Tank Recovery Vehicle, M31
Conclusion and References
|
