Id. US infantry trailer

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Can anyone identify the small trailer that appears in this photograph, behind the US soldier with the flamethrower?
It was a standard equipment or an field improvisation?

Regards Sturm78

[YD-Collector-1944]

I think it was just a field modification.

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Can anyone identify the US trailer that appears behind the abandoned Japanese Type 97 tank?
I suppose it will be some sort of generator. It was a standard equipment?

Image from Ebay
Thanks in advance. Sturm78

[binder001]

The hand cart is a standard US Army issue infantry hand cart. They don't show up often in photos but they were issued. I believe that the basis of issue was to heavy MG squads and 81mm mortar squads. These were also used by airborne units. There is a scene in "The Longest Day" that shows John Wayne as Ben Vandervoort catching a lift from a couple of 101 Abn troopers with an ammo cart - the real Vandervoort did the same thing. In mechanized combat these hand carts were probably a pain to load and unload from trucks, so maybe some units ditched them. There were a couple different wheel types.

The trailer in the second picture appears (to my old eyes) to be a towed air compressor like road crews used.

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your answer, binder001.

Do you know the official US designation for these trailers?

Regards Sturm78.

[binder001]

Hand Cart M3A4 had a general box body, Hand Cart M4A1 had brackets for an MG tripod, and there was an M5A1. The M3A4 had disk wheels with holes, I'm not sure if the wire spoke wheels were a different variant number or not.

Reference; "The American Arsenal", which was basically reprinted from Ordnance data sheets.

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Another image of a infantry cart. It is a Hand Cart M3A4 or other model?

Image from LIFE
Regards Sturm78

[Cannonade]

Hi all,

Can anyone identify the small trailer that appears in this photograph, behind the US soldier with the flamethrower?
It was a standard equipment or an field improvisation?

Regards Sturm78

Sturm78,

This appears to be a light-weight jungle cart specially produced for jungle warfare. These carts were not standardized to my knowledge. They were developed in theater during 1942, and nearly six hundred were subsequently procured by the US Army, probably as a result of BG Borden's Special Mission and recommendations for special procurement of selected items for jungle warfare.

Cannonade

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Another US trailer; I think generator. Have anybody any information about this equipment?

Regards Sturm78

[binder001]

Sure looks like a generator trailer to me. Don't know the model - in WW2 it was probably designated by a manufacturer's designation versus an "M" number.

Look at the M3 halftrack in the background, the sides are built up and there is a top in place, most likely a command vehicle or commo vehicle (but there aren't a lot of antennae showing). There's no Geneva cross markings, so it's not medical. Somebody's customized command track. Bumper markings indicate 3rd Armored Div, but the "3" that is visible doesn't help except to show that it is from a regimental HQ (a combat command would have a letter versus a number). So 32nd, or 33rd Armored Reg't or 36th Armored Inf Reg't.

Interesting photo.

[cckw353]

Hi all,

Another US trailer; I think generator. Have anybody any information about this equipment?

Regards Sturm78

Sorry about the late post.

The trailer pictured is a Wehrmacht Sd.ah. 25/2 with a Zundapp Generator. It was war booty picked up by this Command Halftrack.

I own on of those trailers minus the generator.

If anybody would like to own it for huge amounts of money please contact me.

Bill

wehrmacht_trailer1.jpg

[Sturm78]

Thank you, cckw353 .

Sturm78

[ROLAND1369]

RE STURM 78 post on Aug 2009, 12:35 . The cart is not a specal construction but an M3 hand cart. Source ORD 12SNLOGS1 PAGE 14. The flamethrower modification was made in the Pacific during ww II.

[ROLAND1369]

Forgot to post that the trailer is carring spare nitrogen bottles and thickened fuel in the 5 gallon cans to be used to reload the flamethrower.

[Sturm78]

Thank you very much for your answer, ROLAND1369.

Regards Sturm78