With the end of hostilities in the Second World War, the US Army had a huge inventory of M24sr some 3833 examples, and requirements from many Allied nations (and some former enemies) for tanks to re-equip armoured units reforming after the war. There were also plans to distribute a large number of M24s to National Guard units across the country. Some deficiencies and problems had been identified during the war and most M24s were modified to improve their capabilities. The wartime T72 steel tracks were replaced with a new T85E1 rubber chevron track very similar to the T49 tracks on many M4 Shermans, the aft-mounted turret .50 M2HB machine gun was relocated to the forward turret roof, and the 2 inch smoke mortar was eliminated and its place used to mount a second antenna for extra radio equipment. Early tanks were also fitted with the mounts for the wading pontoons that were on the later M24s. Not all modifications appeared on every M24, but most of the post-war tanks did have most of them.
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