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  Type 4 Ho-Ro 15cm Self-Propelled Gun (Clark Field)  
IJA
14th Area Army
2nd Tank Division
Independent Gun Company

Tech Info
U.S. Army January 1945
Tank History
Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) as Type 4 Ho-Ro 15cm Self Propelled Gun. Transported from Japan to Luzon in the Philippines.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 14th Area Army, 2nd Tank Division on Luzon. During early 1945, this Type 4 Ho-Ro was assigned to the Independent Gun Company supporting the 2nd Tank Division and 8th Infantry Division to defend Clark Field.

On January 24, 1945 the Battle for Clark Field began when two U.S. Army Infantry Divisions assaulted the Clark Field area including the 40th Division from the north and 37th Division from the west. By January 31, 1945 the Japanese were defeated and lost all their tank and heavy weapons including this Type 4 Ho-Ro that was abandoned. Afterwards, the surviving Japanese retreated into the Zambales Mountains.

Wreckage
After the Battle for Clark Field, captured intact by the U.S. Army. Later, transported to the United States for technical evaluation and as a war prize.

Display
Later this Type 4 became part of the National Museum of the Marine Corps (USMC Museum) until loaned to the American Heritage Museum. Today, displayed as part of a World War II Pacific Theater exhibit at the American Heritage Museum. The Type 4 has traces of the original paint with some superficial damage from shrapnel. On each side of the turret is a Japanese rising sun flag, likely painted afterwards.

References
American Heritage Museum - Type 4 Ho-Ro - Self Propelled Gun

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019

 

Tech Info
Type 4
Ho-Ro
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