General Gavin's Ontos Saves inept marines, Part 2 dynmicpara

[Fuzzmanz]

Love these old pigs. Stationed w/ 5th Anti-tanks in Okinawa in 68, went to 26th Marines in 69 as 0317

[ThumbWarDestroyer]

Marines like to think they get all the girls, all the glory...the fact is they are brainwashed. They're "man with a rifle vs. overwhelming forces" tactics work against inept, panicky and poorly trained forces. Against a large, mechanized infantry (like the US Army) they're tactics would lead to massive casualties. The Army isn't a "slower" fighter, it's just a more conserved, methodical fighter. Saves a lot of lives that way.

[dynmicpara]

oldjarheadvet writes:

"Second, we used beehive rounds, willie peter, and HE rounds back in 1970 defending An Hoa combat base, Golf Sector. At one point it was six marines and our 106 against at least 1500 NVA."

[dynmicpara]

That's the whole point: stop this stupid man-with-a-rifle fight-the-enemy-even stupidity and fight with SUPERIORITY in weapons, equipment and tactics...retiring the 106mm RR is not indicative of competence...

[barbaralovesblack]

HEP to the rescue!

[BlacktailFA]

This was a truly amazing machine.

The insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan would have been totally screwed if we had any of THESE to send...

[imstillalive0331]

we have some pretty cool shit of our own. plus our rules of engagement are probably too tight to properly employ the thing.

[barbaralovesblack]

It certainly had it's role; but I think I'd rather have a 120-mm gun/mortar. Somewhat bigger warhead, smaller munition, more rounds stowed. :-)

[BlacktailFA]

barbaralovesblack,

The British developed a Recoilless Rifle with a bore that size, the WOBMBAT (Weapon Of Magnesium, Batallion Anti-Tank), and a similar US weapon firing it's ammo would be able to hammer the ever-loving crap out of just about anything you could shoot it at.

A "Neo-Ontos" carrying a whole bunch of those would be THAT much more devastating.

But you do have a point about 120mm gun-mortars --- they would provide both direct AND indirect-fire capabilities through the same vehicle.

[astrialkil]

@BlacktailFA The marines have the stryker which has thin steel armor like the ontos and the stryker is faster then the ontos. the ontos would be harder to see as its smaller but the marines wont change there tactics and would still drive on the roads and get hit by IED's, so instead of piles of destroyed strikers you would have piles of destroyed ontos's . Bad tactic isn't over come by better equipment.

[dynmicpara]

USMC re-powered the M-50A1 with a Chrysler V-8 in '64. Then added the Fleshette round in 1967, WORLD's LARGEST SHOTGUN.

Steve - HUE CITY VET A-23 or ONTOSMAN

[dynmicpara]

U.S. Army developed the Flechette round since it used the awesome 106mm recoilless rifle on M113 Gavins and jeeps.