If you were at Camp San Luis Obispo on 17 October 2006, you may have seen an unusual site in this day of 60-ton M-1 tanks.  There along the camp's central mall was a Japanese T-97b "tankette" suspended in mid-air. 

Mounting either a 37mm cannon or a 7.7mm machine gun, this armored vehicle was the Imperial Japanese Army's first line fighting vehicle in divisional reconnaissance regiments.

This vehicle was taken to the Camp Roberts Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES) for repair, conservation and repainting.  When done, the tank will be returned to its home at Camp San Luis Obispo where it has been on display since World War II.  In addition to these repairs, a very rare 7.7mm Type 97 machine gun was found at the California Veterans Home in Yountville.  This gun will be mounted in he tank's turret on special occasions.

At one time, the Camp San Luis Obispo Museum , a branch of the California State Military Museum located in Sacramento , had two of four know surviving examples of this extremely rare light tank.  The second one was traded to the Patton Museum of Armor and Cavalry at Fort Knox , KY for the Japanese anti-tank gun used in the Camp's Bataan memorial.

This project was coordinated by the MATES Superintendent, LTC David Martin and the CSLO Museum Curator, CW2 (CA) Sandy Peralta.

 

CAPTION for Photo:  Watch for flying tanks!  (CW2 (CA) Saundra Peralta, California Center for Military History)

Dan Sebby

Director, California State Military Museum

A United States Army Museum Activity

1119 Second Street

Sacramento, CA   95814

Voice (916) 442-2883

Fax (916) 442-7532