Some could name the LVT(C)3 that served during the Korean War.
But I personally wonder how many know about the LVTP-5. It was designed after the Korean War and the Marine Corps at the time was in the same spot that it finds itself in today. The Marine Corps had just finished with a relatively long (at the time) war/police action that was somewhat controversial, not at all popular and lacking in total public support. In other words the country was war weary after having just fought WWII and Korea. The Marine Corps found itself under attack with many critics having called for its elimination and even more people calling it a second land army.
The greats of that time vowed to get the Marine Corps feet wet again and the push was on to make sure that the Marine Corps was viewed as an amphibious force first and foremost. That would extend to its equipment, its doctrine and its vehicles.
From this muddle the LVTP-5 was born. Check out these stats from Wikipedia.
| Specifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 37.4 t | |||
| Length | 9.04 m | |||
| Width | 3.57 m | |||
| Height | 2.92 m | |||
| Crew | 3+34 passengers | |||
| Main armament | .30 caliber MG | |||
| Engine | Continental LV-1790-1 V-12 gasoline 704 hp | |||
| Power/weight | 19 hp/tonne | |||
| Suspension | Torsilastic | |||
| Operational range | 306 km (road), 92 km (water) | |||
| Speed | 48 km/h, in water 11 km/h | |||
Yeah you're reading that right. 34 fully equipped Combat Marines. 37 tons. Almost 8mph in the water. That has all the hallmarks of a winning amphibious vehicle right?
Wrong.
The specifications were for 50% water/50% land. In other words it was estimated that the vehicle would spend at least half its time in the water. During exercises and during the buildup to full fledged combat in Vietnam it served well.
Once the action heated up it didn't.
The problem. The vehicle was OUTSTANDING in water. On land its suspension broke, it couldn't handle its own weight and it was vulnerable to landmines...so vulnerable that Marines rode on top of the vehicle and risked being shot instead of inside where a landmine would cause flash fires to erupt.
The warning for the Marine Corps today is to make sure that the vehicles that are bought are robust enough for extended land combat. Being good in the water is not enough. Never forget the 2nd Gulf War and the march into Iraq. Marine supply lines were stretched, our vehicles had trouble maintaing the momentum and it took will power and pure stubborness not to get left behind in the Army's dust.
We need amphibious vehicles that can make it to shore and THEN keep up with an M1 Abrams main battle tank cross country. That is the measuring stick. Anything else just won't do. We must not repeat the LVTP-5 experience.
I rode those three times. Once in Okiawa, both beach and surf, inside, as training in 65. Twice in Nam, on the roof in 66. The floor and the roof were covered with sand bags.
ReplyDeleteIt had its gas tank under the floor. If the driver was lucky when it hit a mine, the sand bags might slow the ball of flame. If he wasn't, the first flash would crisp him as it flared out the hatch. Then, there would be a vacuum sucking anything left back inside to finish the job. I was glad I was nice and safe as an 03.
wow. so thats how it worked...i had only read stories about having to ride on top...now i really understand why.
ReplyDeletehow were they in the water? the book says they were good..even better than the LVTP-7 but worse on land. is the book right?
They didn't bob up and down too much in heavy waves since they rode very deep. They only had about a foot of freeboard and the roof hatches leaked. As long as the bilge pumps worked you were okay if you were buttoned up. Unfortunately, at least one Marine would get seasick in the dark stuffy compartment, and start a cascade of sympathetic heaving.
ReplyDeleteIt was dead flat where I saw them used and they kept the speed down to about 15 mph, trying to steer along the ruts of those who had gone before in loose, dry sand. This in a roadless area south of Da Nang and North of Hoi An, sometimes called Apache Territory. I recall tracks requiring an enormous amount of maintainence.
C-rats and similar were carried inside. Ammo was freighted on the roof