ðə dɪzˈaɪn wʌz klˈæsᵻfˌaɪd "lˈɪmɪɾᵻd pɹəkjˈʊɹmənt" ɪn mˈeɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː ænd tˈuːhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tˈiː twˈɛnti θɹˈiː z wɜːɹ ˈɔːɹdɚd; ðiːz wɜː bˈɪlt bᵻtwˌiːn noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi θɹˈiː ænd dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ ɔːlðˈoʊ ðə dɪzˈaɪn wʌz nˈɛvɚ stˈændɚdˌaɪzd ɔːɹ ˈɪʃuːd tə fɹˈʌnt lˈaɪn jˈuːnɪts.
The design was classified "limited procurement" in May 1943 and 250 T23s were ordered; these were built between November 1943 and December 1944 although the design was never standardized or issued to front line units.