Com-Central.net

Here's some photos of an M7 "Priest" that was at the 1st Cav museum. On the rear tow lug it read 3099, on the front hull 17451, and on both of the front fenders there was C100650B. Hopefully Joe Demarco can help with IDing this.

According to info in the Steve Zaloga book on US SP's that should be an M7 from the 1944 batch. Note the VVSS with "upswept" return roller arms, the deeper MG pulpit, the sharp-nose differential housing. Pretty decent shape.

Gary

Yes, 1944 was on both the breech stamping and the gun mount data plate. The rear tow lug serial number is what I'm hoping someone can identify and pin-point this vehicle build with. My 12 year old son Jeffrey took these pictures and wanted to post this M4 chassis varient.

Good looking late production M7. I could've used this one on the M7 H.M.C. CD I just finished. Anyway, this one has both types of return roller arms. The deeper pulpit could be found on mid-production types. What's interesting about this one is that it has ventilation louvers on the rear stowage boxes. Early and mid production M7's had two vents in the engine deck that vented out the built up gasoline fumes from the engine compartment. It also has the late pattern headlight guards. On the downside, its missing the folding side armor plates.

I'm hoping to hear from Joe DeMarco on this M7. I've been keeping him busy lately. Over the Labor day weekend, I hope to spend some more time on post getting some more pictures of M4 chassis vehicles. Chris, do you have any requests, and what is your website again? Did you post the M43 SP?

Jeff, for my part, if you could just take some general shots each row at of the 1st Cav & 4th ID museum areas that would be great. The closeups are great, fantastic even - but shots of each row would enable me to confirm what I have listed for each museum.

Right now I still have the following unconfirmed, and I'm pretty sure there are some erroneous duplicate listings between the two museums:

1st Cavalry Division Museum
2S1 SOV out
AMX-10P FRA/IRQ? out
BMP-1 SOV/IRQ? out
BTR-50PB SOV out Captured by Israel in 1967
EE-11 Urutu BRA out
M5A1 Stuart USA out
M20 USA out
M26 Pershing USA out
M36B1 USA/YUG/HRV out Post-war assembly?
M59 USA out
M113A2 USA out
M163 USA out
PT-76 SOV out
T43 Heavy Tank USA out
T-54/55 SOV out
T-55 ARV SOV out
T-62 SOV out
T-72M SOV/IRQ out
Type 69 CHN out

4th Infantry Division Museum
2S1 SOV out
BMP-1 SOV out
BRDM-2 SOV out
M2? Bradley USA out
M8 Greyhound USA out
M42 Duster USA out
M43? USA out
M59 USA out
M60 USA out SN 1420
M114 USA out
MT-LB SOV out
T-55 SOV out
T-72M1 SOV/POL out

Alternatively, if you just want to print out this list and check off what you see/what you dont see, that would be great too.

Thanks again for all the wonderful pictures & information!

Neil

I'm on it Neil. I'll shoot some shots of the large areas of armor, trucks, APC's, and arty and let you see what you can. Kind of a virtual museum visit. I'll post them here, possibly over the next day or two. I'll do the 1st Cav museum first.

Coolness. Thanks much Jeff!

Neil

Neil,
I didn't make it to the 1st Cav Museum by I did get to the 4th ID museum instead. I will post those pictures this evening. I believe I got every piece that is on the actual museum grounds into a picture. I know of a 728 CEV, a Bradley, and an M1 that sit in front of the 4th ID HQ's, and I spotted a sand colored BRDM (I think) down a side street today as I was running around. I think that will be it for the 4th ID side of the house.
Neil, do you record the whereabouts of armor as its reported to you and keep it in a data base of some sort? I know there is an M47 in town I have to get to still, it sits in a city park beside a AH-1 Cobra.

- SFC_Jeff_Button

I'm hoping to hear from Joe DeMarco on this M7. I've been keeping him busy lately. Over the Labor day weekend, I hope to spend some more time on post getting some more pictures of M4 chassis vehicles. Chris, do you have any requests, and what is your website again? Did you post the M43 SP?

Do I have any requests? That's like asking a crack addict if they want some more rock! Give me a day or two to think about it and I'll let you know. I haven't posted any other M43 pics on my site yet. I'm getting an update ready for posting either tonight or tomorrow. I'll include my other M43 pics.

My site is Toadman's Tank Pictures

Thanks again for all the great pics! I really appreciate them and I know that Joe DeMarco is enjoying be kept busy with them!

Ah! I was madly researching the M7 Priest just last month for a project! Oh well, at least I can use these pictures to double-check my results .

Mike, are there any shotd of the M7 that you need? I believe there are two here on post, one at each museum. I haven't gotton to the one at 4th ID yet though for its individual pictures.