In 1933, the prototype T2 light tank was built. It utilized a suspension system similar to the British Vickers 6-ton, a tank which was influential in regards to tank development, especially in Russia and Poland. However, it was seen that the weight of the tank was too much for the suspension and so vertical volute suspension was used instead. The redesigned tank became the T2E1 and after a period of evaluation, the tank was standardized as the M2A1 light tank in 1935. Source depending, nine to nineteen M2A1 tanks, to include the initial prototype, were built. The M2A1 had a fixed turret, meaning, it could not rotate, and was armed with one .50cal. and one .30cal. Browning machine-gun. The M2A1 was quickly superseded by the M2A2 and the biggest change was the replacement of the fixed turret with two, rotating turrets. The armament was the same save the .50cal. machine-gun was in the left turret with the .30cal. machine-gun in the right turret. Each turret had an effective traverse of 270 degrees otherwise the guns would foul each other. The M2A2 was in production from 1936 to 1937 when an improved model, the M2A3, appeared in 1938. The improvements consisted of longer stroke springs for the suspension and extending the distance between the two bogies to enhance the ride, increasing armor protection, a slightly longer hull, better engine cooling, and other minor improvements. However, the turrets remained exactly as the earlier M2A2. The majority for the M2A2 and M2A3 tanks were powered by a 250hp Continental W-670 engine which gave the tank a top speed of 30mph on roads and around 18mph cross-country. For armor, the maximum thickness was 16mm with the minimum being 6mm. The .50cal. machine-gun was provided with a little over 2,000 rounds of ammunition while the .30cal. machine-gun was supplied with 7,185 rounds. By 1940, the M2A1, M2A2, and M2A3 light tanks were declared obsolete though they remained in service as training tanks early into World War Two. The twin turreted tanks had the unofficial nickname of “Mae West” which referred to the turrets representing the ample bosom of the actress who, at 4'11, had a 32C bust which, for the day, was a bit above the average.
The M2A2 tanks in the photograph belong to the 24th. Infantry Division, known as the “Victory Division”, and this is told by the insignia which consisted of a green taro leaf outlined in yellow on a red background surrounded by a black circle. This was an homage to the unit's previous incarnation as the Hawaiian Division. It is likely the tanks belonged to the unit's 24th. Reconnaissance Troop as other photographs show the crossed sabers of the cavalry on the turret sides. Also just visible on the front of the hull was the armored forces insignia which consisted of a World War One tank over a pair of crossed rifles. The division took part in the defense of Oahu, Hawaii on December 7, 1941 and it would remain on the island until May 1943 when it deployed to Australia to train before going into combat during Operation Reckless, the landings on Japanese held Dutch New Guinea which kicked off on April 22, 1944. Later, the division took part in battles on Leyte and Luzon, Philippines and would later occupy Japan following the Japanese surrender.
The only M2 light tank series to see actual combat were M2A4 models which reverted to a single turret armed with a 37mm gun, the last of the 365 built being completed in March 1941. Some fifty of the tanks were employed in Guadalcanal in 1942 by the 1st. Tank Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps when they landed on the island on August 7, 1942. There are claims that some M2A3E3 (which used a Guiberson diesel engine) tanks saw combat in Burma. The M2A4 led directly to the M3 light tank which saw extensive action in all theaters of the war.
As for the 24th. Infantry Division, it was inactivated on August 1, 2006 after seeing combat in the Korean War and the Gulf War. Given the unit's extensive history and battle accolades, it remains second on a list to be reactivated if the U.S. Army requires it.
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