M3 Half Truck

Learn about the M3 Half Truck, a personnel carrier in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, armed with a .50cal MG and seating for 10 men.

The M3 Half Truck is a variant of the M2 halftrack, a personnel carrier vehicle produced by the USA during the war years. The prototype for these vehicles was the T14 halftrack personnel carrier, produced in the late 1930s. The M3 model was produced concurrently with the basic M2 model, which was intended as an artillery gun tower for the 105mm howitzer.

The M3 model was primarily used as a personnel carrier. It was armed with a .50cal (point-five-caliber) Machine Gun (MG) on a pedestal mount and had seats for 10 men, allowing it to transport a rifle squad in the rear. The vehicle had a crew of three.

There were many variations of the halftrack produced, including carriers for 81mm and 4.2-inch mortars, 75mm and 105mm howitzers, a 57mm gun, and various anti-aircraft (AA) mounts. These AA mounts included the 40mm Bofors gun, twin .50cal MGs, four .50cal MGs, and a 37mm cannon plus twin .50cal MGs. The halftrack was originally conceived as a reconnaissance vehicle with adequate protection against small arms and good cross-country performance, and it was widely used throughout the army for various jobs.