Commando

[Forty Rod]

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Anybody notice up in the right hand corner of many of these pages id a vehicle marked POLICE?

That's an M-706 / V-100 Commando Light Armored Assault Vehicle made by Cadillac Gage.  Had a couple in 'Nam and when I'd been at Seal Beach some years later, the Corps got us two for perimeter and intrusion defense vehicles.  I was the only marine  anywhere around who had ever seen one and became the instructor for the crews.

Three man crew and ten passengers, air-droppable, amphibious, fast, maneuverable, and safe.  I had one airborn for about 60 feet (all 15 tons of it) at 45 mph at the top of a small hill more than once...just showing off.

I'd love to own one of my own...with the upgraded turret carrying one .30 and one .50 machine gun.  Sure would be handy in heavy traffic.

[Leo Tanner]

40, I go commando everyday.  I feel so free.

[Texas Lawdog]

Leo, are You Bragging or Complaining?

[Forty Rod]

40, I go commando everyday.  I feel so free.

I'll bet that ain't so...'specially if you ride that hoss in your picture much.   

[Leo Tanner]

Tweren't my hoss.  But I did ride an iron one fer several years, commando an all.  Again, I feel so free an have no unsightly panty lines.

If this aint a 40 Rod thread nothin is.

[litl rooster]

I got go wash my eyes out

[litl rooster]

could find the link on this page,


Forty I was in the Air Force Security Police and we used them

The Commando was used extensively in Southeast Asia, not only by the US Army and US Air Force, but also by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and Thai forces. The XM706E2 USAF, was employed by Air Force Security Police personnel for base perimeter defense during the conflict in Southeast Asia. US Army M706s were used by military police units and saw extensive service in Vietnam as road patrol vehicles. The V-100 series experienced high rate of rear-axle failure during these operations.

In July 1967, V-100 Commando armored cars became a welcome addition to the 720th and 504th Military Police Battalions. Prior to their arrival, the 18th Military Police Brigade depended on gun-jeeps. The V-100 was tested and evaluated by the military police in Vietnam, resulting in an authorization for the procurement of 72 vehicles. They provided a big morale boost for the MPs and were a great augmentation for the gun-jeeps. Due to added military police commitments and the fact that the battalion's V-100s were positioned in Saigon to assist the 716th MP Battalion, the 720th MP Battalion acquired 12 M113 armored personnel carriers armed with .50-caliber machine guns. The importance of putting the carriers into action as soon as possible did not leave time for the MPs to receive formal instruction on the operation of this vehicle. The MPs instead took the initiative and learned on their own.

The MPs had earlier requested the Cadillac Gage V-100 vehicles, but had been denied. The initial XM706 vehicles acquried by the US Army were loaned to them from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, being returned when the US Army finally procured the vehicles for Military Police Units. The vehicles were an improved version, designated the XM706E1. The major differences between the XM706E1 and the earlier XM706 / V-100 Commandos included replacing the M37 machine guns with M73 machine guns and removing one window and associated gun port from each side of the vehicle. The XM706E1 was also to have had armored fuel tank covers, but many vehicles made it into the field without the modification. The US Army standardized the XM706E1 as the M706.

After the 1968 Tet Offensive in Vietnam, a number of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) were ordered by the USAF to help provide the necessary firepower and protection to counter the threat of mass attack. Delays in delivery forced Air Force Security Police planners to accept 60 M706 Armored Cars as suitable substitutes. The older, lighter Armored Cars were found to be more vulnerable to attack because of their large pneumatic tires and lighter armor, and did not have machine gun mounts. The M113s were subsequently reordered, but maintenance problems and a lack of spare parts led to problems with those vehicles as well. By 1969 the USAF had not yet determined which of the 2 vehicles were more valuable in the South Vietnam. It had found that 2 factors favored the M706 over the tank-type tracks of the APC: (1) most of the roads on bases in South Vietnam were paved and (2) the terrain was predominantly low marshland. Air Force Security Police continued to operate both the M113 and XM706E2 vehicles until the end of the conflict, at which time many of the vehicles were turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

As of 1995, the US Air Force still retained a small number of XM706E2 vehicles, stored at Nellis Air Force Base, which were Visual Modifications (VISMOD) used to simulate SA-9 SAM systems and command and control systems.

http://www.warwheels.net/M706INDEX.html


 





We also used the gun jeep

[Forty Rod]

The first picture in your link is like my babies.  It had the later driver /commander hatches that were raised a bit for more headroom, engine hatch covered with an "anti-molatov cocktail" shield, one less vision block and firing port on each side, and some other stuff.

Most drive components were "off-the-shelf" Chrysler truck parts with a gasoline 361 cid V-8 engine 5 ton truck axles (too light and later improved), and so on.  

Top speed was about 60 mph on roads and maybe 3-5 mph on the water.  It had "run-flat" tires and could continue at reduced speed (40-45 mph) with all four shot out for a limited period and distance.  Range was 450-500 miles on roads, less that half that off-road.

It was 20 feet long, almost 8 wide, and 8 1/2 high over the turret.  Dead curb weight was just over 8 1/2 ton and fully loaded and hunting for trouble, and with  a dozen troops aboard, it came in at almost 15 tons.

I loved my babies.

[Texas Lawdog]

Back in the early 90s, the Sheriff's Dept. that I worked for aquired one of those Armored cars for our SWAT team. I never saw anyone drive it. It spend most of it's time either at the county garage or the Precinet garage. I looked at the engine and the crew compartment. I remembered that it had a Chrysler engine in it.  I don't know what ever happened to it. It may have been returned to the military.

[Forty Rod]

Armor went from 1/2" at front down to 3/16' on top and was ballistic aluminum.  It would turn anything in the .30-06 class at 50 feet and up to .50BMG taken from further out and hitting on an angle.

Some of our local PDs have some.  LAPD has the E-3 variation without a turret and a big-ass door bashing ram on the front.

[litl rooster]

the door ram seems to be a common add on

[Texas Lawdog]

That battering ram makes an opening where there ain't one.

[litl rooster]

I know this is an old post  but I found some old unit photo's this one had the guns a blazing

[Silver Creek Slim]

Barrel is a little warm. 

Slim

[Texas Lawdog]

The Army replaced the M-706 with the M-1117. 

[Forty Rod]

The Army replaced the M-706 with the M-1117. 

Better mechanicals (engine, transaxle, etc.)
More versatile turrets selections (we only had 3 variations)
Better exterior surface angles
Better armor
Better visibility for crew
Air conditioning
Superior headlight placement
Reduced personnel capacity (M-706 had driver, commander, gunner, and up to 10 infantrymen)
Firing ports seen to have been eliminated.
No longer amphibious ( a dubious value)
Top speed about the same
Slightly increased range

Looks like a right fine grandchild for the 706.