The M53 and M55 were a common-chassis heavy artillery pair: the M53 carried a 155 mm gun and the M55 an 8-inch howitzer in a large armored rear turret.
M53 / M55 Family. Primary reference image for this archive profile. Source date: 2007-09-19.Mark Pellegrini; CC BY-SA 2.5Image source
Roleheavy armored field artillery
Main weapon / system155 mm gun (M53) / 203 mm howitzer (M55)
Platform / layoutPatton-derived chassis with rear fully enclosed turret
MediaPrimary image integrated
Development and design
Designed around components from the Patton tank family, the vehicles moved the engine forward and placed the weapon crew in a protected rear turret. The M55 used the same basic platform as the M53 with the larger-caliber howitzer. 1, 2
Operational use
The family served through the 1950s and into the Vietnam era, particularly with allied armies after U.S. replacement began. The M55 provided close general support to armored columns and heavy fire against defended positions. 1, 2
Role and significance
These vehicles represent the peak of the very heavy, fully armored Cold War artillery approach before the lighter common-chassis M107/M110 family took over the long-range and heavy-caliber mission. 1, 2
Sources and further reading
Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.
