Weasels in Pacific

[Roland Koster]

Hi There,
maybe not the vehicle belonging on this website but I give it a go.
I read that M29 (weasels) were used by the British in Europe en by the Amicans in the Pacific. Are there any pictures of these vehicles in this kind of service? and what kind of colorsheme would the have? Were they also used by the navy?

Looking forward to your replies.

greetings,

Roland

[Snowy]

Weasels were both softskins and carriers, so technically your query could belong in more than one MLU forum

This is all off the top of my head so someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but AFAIK most M29C's in the PTO were generally standard OD all over, except for the three-colour camo scheme seen on Iwo Jima. Online there are photos but they are generally scattered around the net - I have one of MacArthur standing next to a four-star M29C on Leyte.

For now, this one is probably closest to your query, it's a short film of Weasels in the PTO: http://www.realmilitaryflix.com/public/755.cfm

You can also see another OD one for a second or two in this clip on Youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBxvT54ZOc

Have a look through the Weasel Board at http://www.m29cweasel.org as there are a few pics there.

If you are after published photos, the ISO Weasel book (first edition is best) has quite a number of images taken in the PTO.
Also the book 'US Amtracs and Amphibians at War 1941-45' by Steven Zaloga has a few good photos including some featuring the 3-colour scheme mentioned above. This matched the scheme seen on LVT's in the same area.

Although in common use in the ETO from D-Day on, they appeared in the Pacific relatively late - Iwo was IIRC the first time, according to the book 'Across the Reef' - so that is my guess as to why PTO Weasel photos are comparatively rare.

Not sure about Navy use during WWII, but I've seen photos of (grey?) USN-marked M29C's used for emergencies and evacuations during the 1950's and orange USN-stencilled ones in Antarctica during the IGY.
Hope that helps a little,

Steve.

[horsa]

I've seen references to the Weasel being referred to as “continuous track carriers” by the British in the ETO. Weasels, T-16s and anything else with a similar function to the Universal Carrier often got generalized as “carriers” so reading multiple accounts of the same action is required to sometime figure out what vehicles were on hand. Wartime notes from the Reichswald Forest (British XXX Corps - Operation Veritable) campaign mention mud being so bad that only Weasels could get around. Also the recommendation in an after action report that each tank squadron should have a Weasel to facilitate movement of attendees for “O” group meetings since they were more practical than taking a Churchill for that purpose.

[cletrac (RIP)]

A few pix off the IWM site.

THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45

first pic
Date: 1 November 1944
Description: Royal Marine Commandos going down the ramp of a landing craft tank in an Alligator amphibious personnel carrier, whilst some more men in a Weasel amphibious carrier are about to follow. The LCT has just beached on the island of Walcheren at Westkapelle, the most western point of the island, during the final phase of the battle to free the Belgian port of Antwerp. Note the badly damaged buildings and sea defences in the background.

second pic
Date: 15 February 1945
Description: A Weasel tracked cargo carrier leads a DUKW along a flooded road near Kranenburg, after the Germans had deliberately blown dams in the area,

third pic
Date: 22 January 1945
Description: Weasel amphibious vehicles being used to transport wounded.

[cletrac (RIP)]

And an American one in winter camo scheme. Location not mentioned.

A weasel is tipped over onto its side on a snowbank along the side of a road. A Tenth Mountain Division soldier surveys the situation. Two ski by on the road while others ski past on an elevated path above the snowbank. (1943-1944)
Note: later model M29 with 20" tracks and mudguard

[Roland Koster]

thanks for your replies. Any change they were used in any other colour then white and green? :-)

greetings,

Roland

[Snowy]

Originally Posted by globalkoster

Any change they were used in any other colour then white and green?

Yes, the 3-colour scheme mentioned above. Expanding on this a little, the Zaloga book has two photos (p. 64) of M29Cs on Yellow Beach 1 on Iwo Jima. Although these are both black and white images, the first clearly shows the sand + red brown pattern over OD. The second photo could also be a 3-colour scheme but there are too many people standing between the Weasel and the camera to verify this and only two colours are distinctly visible.

Weasels also came from the Studebaker factory in three white/black camouflage variations- two zig-zag-style, and a spotted pattern.

On eBay at right now are two original Weasel windscreen black/white camo covers which illustrate this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STUDE...spagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/STUDE...spagenameZWDVW

So in summary, Weasels were in OD, white/black, sand/red-brown/OD and probably other colours but I've only ever seen these. My T24 s/n 0046 is in all-over OD which is unusual because all(?) others built at that time were finished in white/black.

Steve.