M47 Patton - Fort Stewart - Hinesville, GA
N 31° 51.695 W 081° 36.707
17R E 442126 N 3525256
The M47 was the only Patton series tank that never saw combat while serving with US forces. This particular tank is located at the Fort Stewart Museum at Fort Stewart near Hinesville, GA.
Waymark Code: WM3FCC
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 03/28/2008
Views: 29
The museum is located on an active military installation. In
order to visit the Museum, all adults need a government issued
picture ID card to gain access to the Fort. If you drive onto the
post, you also need current registration and proof of
insurance.
From Wikipedia:
"The M47 Patton was the second tank of the Patton series, and one
of the U.S army's principal main battle tanks of the Cold War, with
models in service from the early 1950s to the late 1950s. The M47
was the U.S. Army and Marine Corps primary tank intended to replace
the M46 Patton tank. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies,
both SEATO and NATO countries, and was the only Patton series tank
that never saw combat while serving with US forces. The tank
belongs to the Patton family of tanks, named after General George
S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and
one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in
battle. It was a further development of the M46 Patton tank.
The M47 Patton tank was designed to replace the previous M46
Pattons and M4 Shermans. Although largely resembling the later M48s
and M60s, these were completely new tank designs despite a rough
similarity from a distance. Many different M47 Patton models remain
in service internationally. The M47 was the last US tank to have a
radio operator and a hull ball machine gun.
M47's were used as targets in the 70's for the M60A1's 105 mm
gun with devastating effect. The 105 mm HEAT round would penetrate
the frontal armor with ease. Many M47's in like-new condition met
their fate in this manner showing the M60 crews first hand the
effects of modern tank weapons on conventional steel armor.