Today in WW II: 20 May 1940 German General Rudolf Veiel's 2nd Panzer division reaches the English Channel at Noyelles, splitting the Allied defense.  More ↓
20 May 1940 Largest Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, opens in Poland. Before liberation in 1945, about 1.1 million people died there, 90 percent Jews.
20 May 1941 Germans launch Operation Mercury, the Battle of Crete, the first airborne invasion in history.
20 May 1942 First African-American seamen taken into the United States Navy.
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Staghound Armored Scout Vehicle (G-122)

The Staghound Armored Car (Car, Armored, T17E1 4x4) was produced starting in October 1942, As the Staghound, it served with the Australian Army from 1943 through the late 1960s and was widely exported to British Commonwealth countries and other users. Although it was developed for the U.S. Army by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors, designated the T17E1 or M6 Armored Car, it was never adopted by the U.S. About 4,000 were produced in several configurations with varying cannons or antiaircraft machine guns mounted.

The wheeled 4x4 Staghound was powered by twin six cylinder gasoline engines that gave it a maximum speed of 55 mph. Most Staghounds (Mk I) mounted the M6 37mm gun in the turret plus an M1919A4 co-axial .30 cal. machine gun, a second M1919A4 machine gun and .45 cal. submachine guns for the five man crew.

For British Commonwealth service, a two inch smoke mortar was mounted on the right front of the turret and the No. 19 Radio Set was installed.

Staghound Armored Scout Vehicle Characteristics

Crew 5
Weight, gross 29,100 lbs.
Height 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Width 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
Length 18 ft (5.49 m)
Engine Twin GMC Model 270
Horsepower 97 bhp each
Transmission Twin GM 4 fwd speeds, 1 rev
Transfer case 2 speed
Road speed, max 55 mph.
Range 450 mi.
Fording depth 32 in.

Photo of prototype Staghound at Chevrolet during WW II
Prototype Staghound (T17E1) at Chevrolet during WW II.

Prototype Staghound (T17E1) in U.S. Army tests during WW II
Prototype Staghound (T17E1) in U.S. Army tests during WW II.

Trainload of Staghounds (T17E1). From a WW II Chevrolet advertisement
Trainload of Staghounds (T17E1). From a WW II Chevrolet advertisement.

Staghound Armored Scout Vehicle. Photo: Courtesy of Douglas Greville
Staghound Armored Scout Vehicle. Photo: Courtesy of Douglas Greville.

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