U.S. Army photo by Staci-Jill Burnley, 10MAY2021.
On 10MAY2021, a Liberty Mark VIII (8) tank returned to its birthplace; Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois: “Rock Island Arsenal was designated to produce one hundred of these tanks in January of 1919 at a cost of $35-thousand each. The first tank was completed on January 5, 1920 and the 100th was completed on June 5, 1920.”-Patrick Allie, Rock Island Arsenal Museum
USA photo by Staci-Jill Burnley, 10MAY2021.
The Mark-8 tanks were retired in 1932. In 1940, 90 were shipped to Canada. Reportedly there are only three Mark-8 tanks still around; one in United Kingdom and two in the United States.
USA photo by Staci-Jill Burnley, 10MAY2021.
USA photo by Staci-Jill Burnley, 10MAY2021.
USA photo by Staci-Jill Burnley, 10MAY2021.
This Mark-8 came from the Armor and Cavalry collection at Fort Benning, Georgia. It will be restored and then displayed at the Rock Island Arsenal.
USA photo by Debralee Best.
An old photo of the Mark 8 on outdoor museum ‘gate guard’ duty.
Liberty Mark 8 when it was brand new, USA photo.
This photo is dated October 1921. The information that came with it states the Mark-8 (no mention of ‘Liberty’, probably because previous U.S. tanks were also called Liberty, as well as U.K. tanks which were sent to the U.S. to sell Liberty Bonds) weighs 35 short-tons (U.S./Canadian ton), required a crew of 12 to operate, had four machine guns and two cannons, and even had a wireless communication system. Mark-8 tanks were built at several locations, such as factories in Ohio and Connecticut.
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