M3 Half-tracks in service in Congo ?

[F.L.]

There is a wreck of an M3 half-track in the Congo (RDC, former Belgian colony). However, this vehicle was apparently not used by the Congolese Army.
Does anyone know more about it ?
Was it used by mercenaries in the 60s wars ?
I couldn't find any information on the net about this.

https://www.afcvm.com/vehicules-du-bout-du-monde/

 

[Archibald]

Could be a 1944 french vehicle ending, well, in a former colony.

 

[F.L.]

Could be a 1944 french vehicle ending, well, in a former colony.

This Congo is the former Belgian colony, RDC, ex-Zaïre.

 

[DWG]

The first question to settle is probably not how, but which Congo? Is that:

The Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaire, ex Belgian Congo)
or
The Republic of Congo (ex French Congo).

Edited to add: answered while I was typing, I see.

 

[Archibald]

Free Belgium probably got M3 halftracks in 1944. And they were such good and undestructible vehicles, they probably had long careers after war.

 

[F.L.]

Free Belgium probably got M3 halftracks in 1944. And they were such good and undestructible vehicles, they probably had long careers after war.

The Belgians did indeed have M3s.
What surprises me and makes me curious is that I could find absolutely nothing about the use of M3 half-tracks in the Congo, whatever the period.

 

[BlackBat242]

But there were Thompson SMGs...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRWCK9zGynA

 

[F.L.]

Interestingly, ex-Belgian M3 Scout Cars were used during this period.
Mercenaries in Katanga were using some in 1962. UN forces also used them.
The M3 is the ancestor of the M2 half-track.