Designed in 1940, the M5 3″ anti-tank gun combined the barrel of the 3-inch anti-aircraft gun T9 with the breech, recoil system and carriage from the 105 mm howitzer M2. Though heavy to manhandle, it gave US crews significantly better anti-tank capabilities than previous guns. Usually towed by M3 half-tracks, the M5 was mainly assigned to Tank Destroyer battalions, seeing action in North-West Europe and the Italian campaign.