How U.S. Army Tank Units Evolved in 100 Years

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Chapters
0:00 - Overview
0:27 - WW1 (1918)
4:21 - Interwar (1930)
6:20 - WW2 (1942/44)
14:13 - Korea (1951)
17:10 - Pentomic (1957)
18:59 - ROAD (1962)
21:03 - M60A2 Starship (1977)
22:48 - Army 86 / XM1 Abrams (1980)
25:24 - Army of Excellence (1990)
26:55 - Modular Force (2005)
28:18 - Army 2020 (2016/2025)

Sources:
[1] Wilson, D. "The American Expeditionary Forces Tank Corps in World War I: From Creation to Combat"
[2] Table 255 "Light Tank Battalion, Tank Corps" (9 May 1918)
[3] Table 257 "Heavy Tank Battalion, Tank Corps" (9 May 1918)
[4] Table 10W "Light Tank Company, Infantry Division" (30 July 1930)
[5] George F. Hofmann. Through Mobility We Conquer: The Mechanization of U.S. Cavalry (Kindle Location 6254). Kindle Edition.
[7] FM 17-32 "Armored Force Field Manual - The Tank Company, Light and Medium" (2 August 1942)
[9] TO&E 17-27 C3 "Medium Tank Company, Tank Battalion" (16 June 1944)
[10] Bellanger, Yves. "U.S. Army Armored Division 1943-1945"
[12] Sayen, John. (2001) “Battalion: An Organizational Study of the United States Infantry.” pg 71
[14] Reference Data Infantry Regiment (May 1951) referencing TO&E 17-37N "Tank Company (Medium)"; FM 7-35 "Tank Company Infantry Regiment" (June 1949)
[15] FM 17-33 "Tank Battalion" (September 1949); Reference Data for Armored Units (July 1953)
[16] Reference Data for Armor Units (ROCAD-ROCID) (May 1957)
[17] Reference Data for Armored Units (March 1956)
[19] Infantry Reference Data, ROAD (September 1962)
[22] ST 7-157 "Infantry Reference Data Volume 1" (FY 75)
[23] ST 17-1-1 "Armor Reference Data in Two Volumes Volume I: The Army Division" (FY 1977)
[25] Herbert, Paul. Leavenworth Papers No. 16 "Deciding What Has to Be Done: General William E. DePuy and the 1976 Edition of FM 100-5, Operations" p. 80
[26] Kuamoo, W. "Master Gunners — 20 Years Later"; Armor Vol. LXXXVII No. 1 (Jan-Feb 1978) "Master Gunner's Corner"
[27] Swain, Richard. "Selected Papers of General William E. Depuy" page 182; Romjue, J. "The Army of Excellence: the development of the 1980's Army"
[28] ST 17-1-1 "Armor Reference Data in Three Volumes, Volume III: Division 86 Organizations" (1981)
[29] FM 71-1 "Tank and Mechanized Infantry Company Team (26 Jan 1998); Stallings, P. "Tank Company Security Operations" (1991) page 21-22; TOE 17377L000 "Tank Company, Tank Battalion, Heavy Division/Brigade" (17 April 1997)
[31] Cameron, R. "U.S Tank Gunnery: Historical Ebb, Flow of Proficiency"
[32] FKSM 71-8 "Armor/Cavalry Refernce Data: Brigade Combat Teams" (Oct 2005)
[34] MCoe SM 3-90 "Force Structure Reference Dat: Armored Brigade Combat Team" (Oct 2016)
[35] ATP 3-90.1 "Armor and Mechanized Infantry Company Team" (October 2023)

[carlodelacruz]

>Does not want to skip the M3 Lee tank structure in favor of the M4 Sherman
>Plays Medal of Honor Allied (A)ssault Theme
>Based Battle Order

[clydedopheide]

As an old tanker I lived the change from 5 x M60s to 4 x M1s, so I very much appreciate this episode. You do great work!

[BattleOrder]

13:14 Correction - The M31 Tank Recovery vehicle based on the M3 Lee did actually get into service before the M32, and it probably took part in the Tunisian campaign in early 1943. However I'm not really sure where it was organizationally. The original 1942 Armored Battalion & Tank Companies don't seem to have had a purpose-built tank recovery vehicle or wrecker organic to them and examples of recovery in the FMs show regular tanks towing tanks

[billb]

Cool video. One observation. I was a junior officer in the 2nd Armored Division from 86’ to 90’, platoon leader and XO of a tank company. I never heard of or saw any motorcycles assigned anywhere, including the scout platoons. You are correct about the master gunner position. In my experience that position was never filled with a hard charger. It was usually filled with one of your weaker staff sergeants who you didn’t want commanding a tank. Really interesting video.

[MEKreyton]

The basic M1 saw combat in ODS (just to be clear IPM1 Never did). 2nd Brigade, 1ID consisted of 4-37AR, 3-37AR and 2-16INF which in total had 120 105mm M1s (upgraded to a late 80s standard where they got a bustle rack). 116 of these were used with the extra 4 being backup in case of losses or breakdowns. The basic M1 was retired in 1996, though I have seen evidence that IPM1 made it until about 2005 in national guard units.

For Army 2020, 3ID has fully made the switch to AMPVs and JLTVs. 2ABCT initially made the full switch in early 2022, just as they started signing for M1A2 SEP V3s. The JTLVs stayed but the AMPV had severe transmission issues due to fleet production quality issues, so the AMPVs were pulled from service with the brigade. This also happened when they first pulled M2A4s, they all had factory QC issues so severe almost every single transmission failed during OPNET, so they were also pulled but quickly replaced. The AMPVs showed back up recently and as of about 3 months ago 2ABCT is fully modernized IAW that at least in armor companies. Funnily, for a while we had no support APC, we turned in all of our 113s to send to Ukraine so we were generally handed down medical humvees to replace them, in which the 1SG operated unless he chose a JLTV.

Also, anecdote here. In actual practice I have only seen a Master Gunner (gonna say MG from here on out), ride in either JLTV if they're about to PCS and have no tank. Usually they're tank commanders due to how few slots we have and the fact that making him the TC of a JLTV messes with his ability to promote. Currently my company MG is our First Sergeant, this is due to the fact that there are so few MGs and the one we had for almost 3 years finally PCSd.

[ericearhart]

I joined in Oct 85' as a 19E assigned to the M60A3 TTS. We were give 1911A1 pistols and M3A1 "Grease Gun". My first duty station was with the 9th Light "High Tech" Division. We had the dune buggies until receiving the first Hummers in the Army. In 86' we were phasing out the M151A3. In one section of the motor pool we had about 100 crated replacement powerpacks for the M151. The Army underwent some amazing transformations over the next couple of years to field the power force that conducted the lightning war in the Gulf in 91'.

[InAcTiveArmaLite]

Getting a War Thunder add with 4.4K hours logged will never stop being funny for me

[Edgar-dpqu]

I’ve been so pumped about this since you announced it.

[williamdavis]

20:24 I hear that Call of Duty 3 music in the background. A man of culture indeed.

[CamonaTempest]

Your creativity in this concept is pure genius, thank you

[jakewebber]

Since it seems modern FMT structure is missed, here’s how it (normally) goes, at least for vehicles. It depends on personnel, every FMT is run differently.

We usually run an Oshkosh M1075 Palletized Load System (PLS) 10x10 truck with an FRS (“fresh”) modular tool shop, pulling our STTE (special tools + test equipment) connex on a dolly trailer.
Humvee contact truck (if it’s running or you have enough NCOs on your team) for light duty field maintenance
M88A2 ARV, upgraded from the A1 with better winches and crane, welded armor and sideskirts
And a flatbed MTV with a BOH (kinda like a mobile shop office/parts storage) connex on the back.
Again, personnel varies, as there’s not a whole lot of 91As to go around. It’s a small and understaffed MOS, but a crucial to keep the tanks rolling.

[feibdegrassi]

Will u ever do an in-depth video of more European army? Like British or Italians? I feel like their cavalry component is often overlooked

[jefft]

My experience as a tanker 75-79 was that very few E-5s were gunners expect on the CO and XO vehicles and a lot more E-2s loading and driving and spec 4s gunning. But that was my experience

[rinkashikachi]

Yeah, referencing Chieftain in these is a must

[JustABalrog]

Perfect video, I love tanks especially the abrams

WAR THUNDER IS NOT FREE
IT WILL COST YOU YOUR SANITY
low tier is fun though

[qelleri]

Interesting to see that the first organizations post ww2 had quite a lot of replacement personnel. Maybe they learned during the war that having semi-trained men to fill the crew losses was very important. Looks like that lesson has since been lost.

[eldahirr]

The OG medal of honor theme at 9:20 caught me by surprise. Great video

[michaeldove]

I went from an m1a1SA to an M1A2SepV3 last summer and Jesus Christ it’s like going from a 90s f150 to a 2025 f150

[talscorner]

10:16 love the rifle scabbard on the carriage xD

[ryanbrennan]

26:47 I love how the M113A2/A3 model/picture you used shows the mounted .50 cal with a BFA on haha