57mm Anti tank Gun possibly M1A3 - Clinton, Iowa - Static Artillery Displays on Waymarking.com

This anti tank weapon is located on the Northeastern grounds of the Clinton County Courthouse. The artillery piece has been heavily painted black and all identifying markings have been painted over. I identified the weapon by comparing my pictures to others on the internet.

Despite over 15,000 M1 AT guns produced, the U.S. military quickly retired the line following the close of World War 2.
Origin: United States
Year: 1943
Manufacturers: State Factories - USA Operators: Brazil; Canada; France (Free French); Ireland; Israel; Netherlands; Pakistan; South Korea; Soviet Union; Taiwan; United Kingdom; United States
Crew: 6

When Britian required manufacturing muscle in World War 2 (1939-1945) it turned to American factories and relied on Lend-Lease for its supply as it faced the might of the Axis powers on battlefields across the world. In February of 1941, the United States Army set about adopting the the British 6-pounder Anti-Tank (AT) gun using American production lines and this gave birth to the "57mm Gun M1". Manufacture of the gun began a year later and all of this early supply was shipped over seas.

The effectiveness of the design was not lost on American warplanners who found themselves requiring an effective tank-killing weapon all their own as the existing 37mm models were beginning to show their limitations against stouter enemy armor. Changes were introduced to the 57mm M1, mainly in the carriage component that utilized American wheels and tires, and gave rise to the "M1A1" model. An improved "free-traverse" capability added in mid-1942 generated the "M1A2" designator and an all-new carriage design greeted the "M1A3" of 1943. This model featured a new towing hook and became the initial M1 version to be taken into service by the U.S. Army. The carriage component saw further changes to produce the "M2" of 1944 and "M2A1" of 1945 - the former had caster wheels on the right trail arm, relocated trail handles, and an all-new utility box while the latter introduced an improved elevation gear arrangement.

Military Factory.com

What type of artillery is this?: M1A3 Anti Tank Artillery piece Where is this artillery located?: Government building What military of the world used this device?: US and others Date artillery was in use: 01/01/1943 Cost?: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Are there any geocaches at this location?: none Date artillery was placed on display: Not listed Parking location to view this Waymark: Not Listed Artillery is no longer operational: Not Listed Still may work: Not Listed

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