Driving through the quiet rural town of Pe Ell, Washington on the way to Tokeland I was a bit surprised to see a small tank along the highway. A little M3 that is currently serving as a veteran’s memorial.
Having played a few tank based wargames I immediately recognized the tank and we took a few minutes to check it out.
I did need to check a few references to identify which variation this example was, the vertical glacis and lack of a raised engine deck identify this as the M3A1 version.
The M3A1 Stuart is an American light tank that served through World War II in both the Europe and Pacific theaters. Many units served well after the war for which it was built, with some remaining in service into the 21st century around the world. A very successful design it featured a 37mm main gun, several machine guns, plus a reliable engine and drive train.
I have passed through Pe Ell so many times in my life, heading to the coast and the reservation. I do not remember seeing this little tank. Did I just miss it? Or has it been moved?
The Wikipedia article on the M3 light tank has a list of the remaining examples that can be visited. This list omitted the Pe Ell veteran’s memorial, thus I edited the Wiki to add the location.
The tank was one of many diversions my father and I found ourselves enjoying along the drive. Passing through the Willapa Hills of western Washington with no tight schedule allows for some facinating stops along the way.
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