Amphibious Tanks

[cbvet]

My dad landed at Iwo Jima in an amphibious tank. He said it had detachable pontoons on the sides, a 75MM "pack" howitzer, & an open cupola.
He said it was definitely not the seme as an Amtrack or Alligator. I haven't had any success finding pictures or info on these tanks.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Eric Wendt

 

[Recovry4x4]

Did the Sherman Duplex Drives have pontoons? I surely don't theink it had an open cupola. Hmm!

 

[ajg6989]

most likely it was either an M18 hellcat or M10 these were both tank destroyers that were open turreted but they had long barreled 75s and 76s drove a m18 once boy is it fast used a radial engine off an aircraft. The tank destroyers were lightly armed as they were to sit on hills and provide fire support to shermans below

 

[oifvet23]

dont believe it was an m-18 they werent used by the marines as far as i know and the reason the were so fast becuase they had to be, they had to out run the german panzers, very light armoured weighing around 17 to 18 tons depending on combat load, but had a problem with keeping grenades out becuase of the open turret. i was clocked in a m-18 of 823rd tank destroyer battalion "SEEK, STRIKE, DESTROY" at 63 miles in hour. some say it is the fastest production tank in the world but i think the abrams would beat it.

 

[cbvet]

I finally got the straight skinny on the Marine anphibious tanks of WWII.
Info came from a buddy who builds models! He built a model of Dad's tank, for our VFW display case.
Dad's tank specs:
LVT(A)4-Landing Vehicle Tracked (Armored)
-Made by FMC
-6 man crew
-Weight 20 tons
-Carried 100 rounds of 75mm
-400 rounds of 50 caliber
-6000 rounds 30 caliber
-Armor varied from .5 inch on the front, to1.5 inch on the gun shield
-Engine was a Continental 7 cylinder radial, 260 HP
-Max speed on land 25 MPH
-Max speed on water 7MPH
-Turning radius 30 feet land, 48 feet water
-Cruising range 125 miles on land, 75 miles on water
Thanks VERY MUCH to Jeff StClair!