M3A1 Stuart Light Tank - Triangle VA
N 38° 32.666 W 077° 20.579
18S E 295809 N 4268826
The Stuart light tank used by the U.S. Marines at Guadalcanal during WWII is on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps next to the Quantico MCB in Virginia.
Waymark Code: WMC7XB
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/05/2011
Views: 3
The Stuart series of light tanks were designed by the army in the 1930s, but by the time the United States entered World War II, the Stuart was becoming obsolete. However, the Marine Corps were given the M3 Stuart to use since they had to rely on smaller craft for beach landings because they did not have the proper landing boats equipped to handle heavier machinery. The Stuart was unsuitable for fighting German Panzers, but its amphibious qualities were more adaptable to the Marines landing on islands in the Pacific theater.
The M3A1 Stuart was used during the Marines' first strike on Guadalcanal in 1942. It was mounted with a 37mm main gun and three .30 caliber machine guns. It had a crew of four with the tank commander and gunner in the rotating turret. Vision from the tank was no more than 10', yet the Stuart was used for troop support throughout the Solomon Islands.
A Stuart M3A1 light tank is on display in the WWII Gallery at the National Museum of the Marine Corps
in Triangle, VA.
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