As the Cold War continued, the need for better tanks in large numbers grew. The M47 followed the M46 as the Army’s main battle tank.

It was our first medium tank to have an internal range finder and ballistic computer and to have its engine and transmission both in the rear of the hull.

A small number of M47s arrived in Korea late in the Korean War after most of the enemy armor had been destroyed. Most M47s were sent to Europe to guard against a possible Soviet invasion. The M47 saw very little combat with the US Army and was used mostly in Cold War training.

The M47 was exported to more than 19 countries, and some were still in use in the 1980s. The 63rd Tank Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, used M47s while stationed in Germany. The Division returned to the US in 1955.