An overview of the U.S. Army’s 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1A1 from Antitank Weapons, Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C., July 1944.
75 MM PACK HOWITZER MlAl ON CARRIAGE M3A3
The 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1A1 on Carriage M3A3 is a light artillery weapon of great mobility. The carriage M3A3 was designed for high speed towing and use with cavalry divisions. It has a split trail and pneumatic-tired disc wheels with divided rims which can be retracted to allow the carriage to rest on a firing base, thus, with the two trails, providing three-point ground support and giving excellent stability in firing. The carriage is equipped with shields. Employing Shell, H.E., A.T., M66 this howitzer can be used as a direct fire antitank weapon.
CHARACTERISTICS
| Weight of howitzer and carriage in traveling position | 2,159 lb. |
| Muzzle velocity: | |
| Shell, H.E., M48 | 1,250 f/s |
| Shell, H.E., A.T., M66 | 1,000 f/s |
| Maximum range: | |
| Shell, H.E., M48 | 9,610 yd. (charge 4) |
| Shell, H.E., A.T., M66 | 7,900 yd. |
| Elevation | -9° to +50° |
| Traverse | 45° (22½° Rt., 22½° Lft.) |
| How fired | From firing base |
| Rate of fire | 6 rds. per min. |
| Time to emplace | 3 min. |
AMMUNITION
| Type | Wt. of Projectile | Wt. of Powder Charge | Wt. of Complete Round |
| Shell, H.E., M48 | 14.70 lb. | .92 lb. | 17.67 lb. |
| Shell, H.E., A.T., M66 | 13.27 lb. | .41 lb. | 16.30 lb. |
ARMOR PENETRATION—Shell, H.E., A.T., M66
For both homogeneous and face hardened plate the penetration is between 3 and 4 inches at all angles of armor inclination from 0° to 60° at all ranges at which it is possible to hit the target.
