G.I. Joe WWII M3 Tank Destroyer Vehicle 2001 Hasbro 81667 NRFB

The invasion of Saipan by the United States began on June 15, 1944. Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean, became strategically important as the ideal place to launch aerial bombardment on Japan. The Americans planned to target Japan's industrial base and needed the geographically suitable Marianas for their plan. First they took the other islands in the central Pacific to clear a safe path for the Allied forces, destroying resistance island by island, until they reached the Mariana. Of the over 127,000 U.S. military personnel converging on Saipan, two-thirds were Marines of the 2nd and 4th Divisions. Battleships and destroyers shelled Saipan and Tinian for two days before the landings. The invasion force swarmed the beach under heavy Japanese shell fire, but the American forces fought on until July 9th, when the Saipan resistance ceased. The cost was high; American losses on Saipan were twice the amount as on Guadalcanal.

One of the pieces of equipment used by the Marines on Saipan was the M3 Tank Destroyer, technically known as the M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage (GMC) and nicknamed the SMP (Self-Propelled Mount) by the Marines. The M3 Tank Destroyer was a variant of the M3 Half-Track personnel carrier. This version had, instead of seats for carrying troops, a 75mm M1897 A4 gun mounted on a metal box bolted to the chassis frame behind the driving compartment. Under the box was a ready rack containing 19 rounds of ammunition. The M3's gun was effective in destroying the thinly armored Japanese tanks they encountered in Saipan. With the help of the M3 and the strength and courage of the American forces, Saipan became another important milestone in the fight for victory in World War II.

Detailed gauges! - Working rear door! - 75mm gun with elevation, recoil action, and operating breech! - Exclusive GI JOE Figure Equipment List: Helmet, Shirt, Trousers, Boots, Dog Tags - Perfect for any G.I. Joe or History fan!

The box has some edge wear, scuffing, bending and creasing.