A Tank Question ...pre-war Schofield Barracks?

[patches]

I was just thinking about this today, was there any Tanks present at Schofield Barracks or at any other Army post on Oahu or in the other Islands on Pearl Harbor Day? I know this might only be a say a platoon or so of Light Tanks, but were there any? I never seem to hear about this if there were.

 

TANKS IN ADVANCE.

[Jim Baker]

Tanks on Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, around December 1941. I'm trying to get info on the unit but Google is not being my friend tonight.

 

[patches]

Tanks on Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, around December 1941. I'm trying to get info on the unit but Google is not being my friend tonight.

 

 

Thanks Jim, I would say they must have only been a Seperate Company level unit, I havn't seen any info that Tanks were a part of the Infantry Regiment in those days.

[vostoktrading]

Tanks on Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, around December 1941. I'm trying to get info on the unit but Google is not being my friend tonight.

 

Hmm.. Jim, I need to check, but my bet is this photo is a few months later, into early 1942. I may be wrong.

Other forum members such as Wailuna, Kiaiokalewa or Kekoaiki may have more information about this.

Here is a photo of General Walter Short reviewing the Hawaiian Division at Schofield Barracks September 1941.

Jon.

[Wailuna]

...I was just thinking about this today, was there any Tanks present at Schofield Barracks or at any other Army post on Oahu or in the other Islands on Pearl Harbor Day?

11th Tank Co (L) was assigned to the "square" Hawaiian Division from July 15, 1922, until it was relieved of assignment on October 1, 1941. The company remained intact until it was disbanded April 23, 1942; don't know where the tanks went after that but probably not very far from Hawaii. BTW, 11th Tank Co.'s postwar lineage eventually passed to 11th Airborne Reconnaissance Company, 11th Airborne Division in 1950.

 

11th Tank Company static display at Schofield Barracks, T.H., ca. mid-1930s.

(Note Hawaiian Division insignia on tank's turret.)

[patches]

Thank guy, another save. I would guess this unit would have been used if the Japanese staged a landing following the air attack. you know like I don't think these guys were lolling around in the days after the attack, since they were relived from the Hawaiian Division they may have on and after December 7th been put at the disposel of the Hawwaiian Department for whatever deplyment or area to guard as would be needed.

[Wailuna]

11th Tank Co. (L) M2A3 tanks in line at Schofield Barracks ca. late 1930s...Hawaiian Division on turrets and Tank Infantry insignia on hulls:

 

[patches]

Fabulous, a fabulous photo, thanks for sharing.

[Jim Baker]

That is a very nice shot. Thanks!

[patches]

Found this, The list will be one for after the Hawaiian Divsion was disbanded as both the new 24th Division and the 25th Division are listed. It seems that the 11th Tank as Wailuna mentioned was still around after it's was relieved from the Hawaiian Division, it is listed along with an array of Support units, these support units I can only imagine were organic to the Hawaiian Department, kind of like Army or Corps Troops are.

 

This site as you will see is a real good one, it list all Armed Forces units there in Hawaii at that time.

 

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etheri...y_of_hawaii.htm

[vostoktrading]

Tanks on Beretania Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, around December 1941. I'm trying to get info on the unit but Google is not being my friend tonight.

 

OK, I finally found it!

Jim, I agree with you about Google, It has not been my friend either all week! I know this picture but wasn't sure where. Drove me nuts trying to track it down!

I finally found it. It is an official US Army Signal Corps photo. Caption says:

"Army tanks move down Beretania Street through the business district of Honolulu to attack opposing forces in Army maneuvers"

The date stamp on it is August 30, 1942.

I must say the street is wrong as Beretania Street runs parallel with the mountain range and obviously this street heads up to the mountain range. It must be Nuuanu or one of the other ocean to mountain streets. I've been thinking of doing a before and after photo thread for Hawaii much like General Apathy does for Normandy. It would be a short thread (limited to events on December 7th) but interesting.

Jon.

[Wailuna]

...It must be Nuuanu or one of the other ocean to mountain streets...

How about looking northeast on Smith St. at the intersection of Smith and Hotel St.s? That two story masonry building on the left looks a lot like the Tan Sing Building before it was restored and in 1942 there would have been that same clear view of the Pali on the horizon from where the photographer was standing to take this picture.

[Jim Baker]

Thanks Jon. :thumbsup:

[Kaneoheboy]

Another pre-war tank picture on Oahu.

 

One more.

 

Yet another.

[patches]

Aloha.Thank's for adding these photos.

[Wailuna]

Another 11th Tank Co. M2A2 sighting.

 

[Wailuna]

And an M1 Armored Car:

 

[Salvage Sailor]

11th Tank Company, Schofield Barracks, T.H.

[Salvage Sailor]

11th Tank Company, Schofield Barracks, T.H.

[GITom1944]

The November 28, 1941 Honolulu Advertiser had a photo of a vegetable garden at Schofield Barracks belonging to the 11th Tank Company. And per the December 30, 1941 Honolulu Advertiser, there were "armored forces at Schofield Barracks" at this date. So, the tanks might have been at Schofield on December 7th.

 

 

Tom

[Salvage Sailor]

USMF Topic -->> Pineapple Armor - 11th Tank Company, Schofield Barracks, T.H. 1922-1941

[Cadre Co A 740th TB son]

My dad was a tank commander in the 11th Tank Co. In 1942 he was sent on a detail to the Christmas Isle with the antique A2 tanks. The dug holes on the perimeter of the island and drove the tanks in hull down, and then removed the engines. The turrets became hand cranked pill boxes. On the return trip to Pearl the transport put into Midway to replenish water. They departed the next morning and a couple hours later it was announced that Midway had come under attack. In early 1943 he was sent to Ft. Knox where he was part of the cadre for the 740th Tank Battalion Special Top Secret and was sent to Europe. 
 

There were 16 tanks on Oahu during Pearl Harbor. Dad was in Pearl the morning of the attack at a Navy Chief’s bungalow when the attack commenced. He drove back to Schofield Barracks and drove straight through McComb gate without stopping. He found Major Dark staring at the sky and asked for his orders. Dark was stunned, he yelled Major we need our guns for the tanks. The Major snapped to and sent him to the armory to draw weapons. The armorer would not dispense any guns without recording their serial numbers and getting a signature for the weapons. The tanks were dispersed and hidden under trees and stuff to avoid being destroyed.