The US Army wished to examine and adopt a split-trail carriage, which would allow a higher elevation for indirect fire and dropping shells into trenches.

It did not work at high elevation angles,[3] and by early 1918 production of the US version of the French Canon de 75 modèle 1897 was emphasized.

In an attempt to resolve the recoil system problems, hydro-pneumatic recoil cylinders (using compressed air instead of springs) were designed in 1917 by French colonel Émile Rimailho [fr][4] who had earlier participated in the development of the M1897 at the Atelier de Construction de Puteaux.

Field trials in France showed that there was excessive play in the elevation and traverse mechanisms, making the gun very inaccurate, along with poor durability in cross-country movement.

[7] Although World War I had shown that light field guns like the M1916 lacked adequate firepower to destroy an entrenched enemy the majority of combatants had large numbers of them and had little impetus to replace them.

[8] Beginning in 1938, funds were made available for the conversion of 180 of 320 M1916s to use motor traction and nearly all were eventually converted to the new M1916A1 or M1916MIA1 standard.

The kits included sprung axles, steel wheels, and pneumatic tires that allow them to be towed at higher speeds.

[8] The Coast Artillery Corps deployed about 24 of these weapons on fixed pedestal mounts for land defense in the Panama Canal Zone in 1926, replacing the 4.7 inch howitzer M1913 in this role.