The M8 Light Armored Car was the only armored car used by the U.S. Army in combat during WWII. Originally developed for the Tank Destroyer force, the M8 armored cars were instead used primarily by cavalry reconnaissance squadrons. The M8 did not prove to be entirely adequate in this role, although this was as much a fault of the tactical doctrine as the design of the armored car. A command and utility version of the M8, the M20 Armored Utility Car, also saw extensive use during the war.

The M8 Light Armored Car started development in 1941 as a fast tank destroyer. Following the formation of the Tank Destroyer Command in 1940, there was an urgent demand for a mobile 37mm anti-tank gun. This was temporarily filled by an expedient design, the M6 37mm Gun Motor Carriage, consisting of a 3/4-ton truck with a 37mm gun mounted in the rear bed. It was widely appreciated that this design was far from satisfactory, so in July 1941, the Ordnance Department initiated a new 37mm gun motor carriage, intended to be light, fast, highly mobile, with a low silhouette, and suitable for low-cost mass production. The initial requirement called for a 6×4 wheeled armored vehicle with a turreted 37mm gun, a coaxial .30-cal machine gun, a bow-mounted .30-cal machine gun, and a combat weight of about five tons.

Early on, it became evident that the 37mm gun was barely adequate as an anti-tank weapon. Much controversy followed. Several variants were produced but did little to satisfy those in the Army who felt it was inadequate. The controversy continued into 1942 and 1943 with more variants and testing, eventually leading to the M8 entering combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in 1943-1944. It was first deployed with the 81st Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in October 1943 in Morocco and the 91st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, as well as some Tank Destroyer Battalions.

As the U.S. Army prepared for Normandy, the controversy, testing, and more variants continued. Despite all of the issues, the M8 entered Europe through Normandy and continued to play a role in cavalry reconnaissance through the end of the war.

A personal story was related to me by a 107th C Trooper regarding the M8. As the 107th moved across Germany, he told me it was not uncommon for the towns they were about to enter to have multiple white flags hanging from windows, indicating surrender. Upon entering the town, they would be fired on by German soldiers. Because of the design of the M8, the Germans would try to toss a grenade into its open turret. The usual response was to withdraw from the town, shell it, and then move back in to capture it.

A few photos of the M8 with the 107th from my collection follow.