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When Ha-Go Tanks Ambushed M3 Stuarts

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December 22, 1941. The island of Luzon is the stage for the first-ever tank clash between the United States and the Empire of Japan.
A column of heavily armored American M3 Stuarts is intercepted by Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tanks and a brutal, close-quarters brawl ensues.

While the Stuarts boast superior armor that easily deflects Japanese shells, their inexperienced crews struggle to spot the well-camouflaged Japanese forces. The battle evolves into an all round shootout, and two opposing commanders are forced to make decisions on-the-fly.

How did a jammed gun force an American lieutenant to rely on desperate maneuvers to keep his crew alive? Why did an outgunned Japanese commander resort to a suicidal ramming to halt the American advance? And what happened when the smoke cleared, leaving two crippled tanks and their commanders face-to-face?

Watch our new video to see the outcome of the Pacific Theater's first armored engagement.

Sources:
• Seiseikai [青星会]. (1975). The Footsteps of the 4th Tank Regiment [戦四の歩み].
• Raymond Woolfe Jr. (5/15/2026) Armored Debut on the Road to Damortis. HistoryNet https://historynet.com/armored-debut-...
• "Morin, 2nd Lt. Benjamin R. - Bataan Project 4" by Jim Opolony. Link:https://bataanproject.com/morin-2nd-l...
• "Rev. Benjamin ‘Ben’ R. Morin, soldier who survived Japanese POW camps, dead at 94" by Maureen O'Donnell, Chicago Sun-Times. Link: https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituari...
• "Vandenbroucke, Sgt. Raymond J. - Bataan Project 4" by Jim Opolony. Link: https://bataanproject.com/vandenbrouc...
• "Von Bergen, Sgt. Willard W. - Bataan Project 4" by Jim Opolony. Link: https://bataanproject.com/von-bergen-...
• "Zelis, Pfc. Louis C. - Bataan Project 4" by Jim Opolony. Link: bataanproject.com/zelis-pfc-louis-c.

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00:00 US M3 Stuart Tanks Spot Japanese Forces
01:22 Lt. Mitsuoka's Type 95 Ha-Gos Set Up Ambush
03:20 Corporal John Cahill Survives Machine-Gun Barrage
05:19 M3 Stuart Platoon Pushes Forward
07:53 Mitsuoka's Type 95 Ha-Go Rams Morin's Stuart
10:07 Private Louis Zelis Strands Damaged Stuart
12:10 Direct Hit Cripples Lieutenant Benjamin Morin's Tank
14:11 Japanese Reinforcements Force Remaining Stuarts To Retreat
16:51 Lt. Mitsuoka Captures American Tank Crew

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20 Comments

@Yarnhub Creator 6 days ago Pinned

Follow and Wishlist our game on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3606970?utm_source=0249

@MrLense 3 days ago

Pacific war really was just a different class of armoured warfare when even a M3 Stuart feels like an entire class of tank above.

@warthuderstuff 3 days ago (edited)

M3 in europe: I'm in danger
M3 in pacific: I'M THE DANGER
M4 in pacific: STAND READY FOR MY ARRIVAL

@maget7688 3 days ago (edited)

Stuart: The first time my armor is described as "thick skin"

@CEOofTrains 3 days ago

M3 Stuart in literally every other theatre: "I'm just a baby!"

M3 Stuart in the Pacific: "RIP AND TEAR, UNTIL IT IS DONE!"

@michaelcolleary7688 3 days ago

"The Stuart's frontal armor is too thick" is not a statement commonly heard

@Shanzo-X 3 days ago

When the Shermans arrived in the Pacific, they really felt like Tigers to the japanese

@Fleegle25 6 days ago

the details on the pupils of the japanese soldier is actually insane. props to yall

@Warmaster_24 3 days ago

This might be the first time I have seen the perspective of a Japanese tanker in an animated format. Great job Yarnhub.

@GHoPLAYZ69420 3 days ago

You don’t hear a lot about Japanese tanks, but it’s nice to see small American tanks vs these Japanese tanks which weren’t the biggest.

@Personthatlikespacestuff 3 days ago

Seeing the fact that Stuart Armor managed to survive Ha-go 37 MM AP shell feel different when comparing it to one of desert video when the tank easily Destroyed by Panzer III

@dawnofwar4302 3 days ago (edited)

Some extra context for this video.

The US forces in this engagement where essentially under prepared and short changed in both training and equipment. They had no live fire training, they were limited to using sub caliber munitions for gunnery practice. They also had improperly aligned gunsights either from lack of time to properly sight, lack of training on a brand new vehicle, and misalignment during shipping/tank deployment, And to top it all off the ammunition they were firing was stored in humid warehouses and it swelled shell cases and degraded powder hence the squib rounds lodged in the barrels of the M3's.

The Japanese on the other hand had underpowered equipment, But most of their crews had lots of prior combat experience from China and early engagements against the Russians.

@2sharp-9669 3 days ago

Damn never think a fight from a M3 Stuart and a HaGo could br this intense give me a feeling just like a Sherman vs Panzer fight

@modica3466 6 days ago

Damn, I never expect seeing babies going to war could be this intense.

@hhgff778 3 days ago

The Japanese commander cursing his tank's weak armor and gun is such a mood when I play WT and I can't pen someone 😭

@AviationVault-1805 3 days ago (edited)

I remember reading about Matsuoka's combat at Khalkin Gol. He and his regiment seems to have somewhat learned the lesson from the Soviets with tanks hiding in the deep grass. Lucky for him, Soviet BT-5/7 tanks had quite thin armour compared to Stuart.

@faithfullyyours1823 3 days ago

My home town of Agoo, La Union is just down the road from Damortis in the Philippines where this engagement took place. People from rural areas still find artifacts from the 1940s from time to time

@mr.calculus146 3 days ago (edited)

Stuart facing 🇯🇵- Heavy🗿
Stuart facing 🇩🇪- Tiny baby🐥

@masol3726 3 days ago

What did the japanese call their funniest tank ever?

the Ha-Ha

@PeterStorz-b6y 3 days ago

The Type 95 was designed for a different war and battlefield. It was a mid 1930s design for use on very minimal road systems and bridges to support infantry against other infantry to lacks tank and anti-tank support. In China and later in Malaya, it was very effective. Its 12 mm frontal armor might or might not withstand a .50 BMG; its 6 mm side armor might not withstand a M1919 .30 caliber or 30-06 rifle round. The workload for the tank commander - commanding the tank, selecting targets, hand-cranking the turret, and aiming/loading/firing the main gun - was extreme. The M3 was a ~1940 design. Its frontal armor was up to 2 inches, and its 37 mm gun was 53 or 56 caliber, high velocity. The Type 94 37 mm gun of the Type 95 tank was 46 caliber, lower velocity, as noted in the video. In an open field , one-on-one, perfect visibility, and no malfunctions fight, the Tye 95 would always lose. As this battle illustrates, training, terrain, and malfunctions matter.