thedrifter
04-23-07, 08:59 AM
The Lore of the Corps
Strange Ontos proved its worth in Hue City
By Keith A. Milks - Special to the Times
Posted : April 30, 2007
The National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Vietnam gallery hosts one of the museum’s more curious exhibits. In a display commemorating the 1968 battle for Hue City, a strange-looking armored vehicle dominates the scene.
Officially called the “Rifle, Multiple 106mm, Self-propelled, M50,” the vehicle was more popularly known as the Ontos, which is Greek for “the thing.”
The prototype of the Ontos, which was designed to serve as an air-transportable tank destroyer, rolled off Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company’s assembly line in 1952. By 1955, the vehicle had entered full-scale production. However, the Army canceled its order, and the Ontos entered the Marine Corps’ inventory in November 1956. It was produced until 1957.
Assigned to each of the Corps’ divisional tank battalions, the Ontos’ strengths lay in its light weight, transportability and firepower.
Originally, the vehicle was powered by a General Motors six-cylinder gasoline engine and had a maximum road speed of 30 miles per hour. A 47-gallon fuel tank gave it a 150-mile range.
In the early 1960s, a fleetwide upgrade included the introduction of a Chrysler eight-cylinder engine that increased horsepower and torque. This version was designated the M50A1.
Standing just less than 7 feet tall, the Ontos was nearly 9 feet wide, 13 feet long and weighed 9� tons. The tracked vehicle’s armored hull had a pyramid shape and tapered into the commander’s cupola. The unique design was severely cramped for a three-man crew of driver, loader and commander/gunner.
On the revolving commander’s cupola were two stalks, each bristling with three M40A1C 106mm recoilless rifles, two of which could be removed for dismounted use.
The commander’s cupola, and by extension the rifles, could be manually shifted 80 degrees side to side, and plus 20 or minus 10 degrees vertically. A .30-caliber machine gun rounded out the Ontos’ armament.
In 1965, the 1st Marine Division deployed to Vietnam with about 70 M50s in its anti-tank battalions. Used in defensive positions at bases, for convoy security and escort, and during joint armor-infantry operations, the Ontos came into its own during the battle for Hue City.
Limited air and artillery support during the retaking of Hue meant that grunts needed fire support that could navigate the city’s narrow streets — and the Ontos fit the bill.
Used with great effect against entrenched North Vietnamese troops, the Ontos provided accurate point-blank fire during the fighting. This was especially true when the vehicle’s gunner triggered all six recoilless rifles in one devastating salvo. There were reports that the mere appearance of an Ontos would prompt the enemy to take flight.
Although loved by its crews and adored by grunts on the ground, the Ontos was withdrawn from service in 1969. Most of the vehicles in Vietnam were converted to static base defenses or scrapped.
The writer is a master sergeant. He can be reached at kambtp@aol.com.
Ellie
Strange Ontos proved its worth in Hue City
By Keith A. Milks - Special to the Times
Posted : April 30, 2007
The National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Vietnam gallery hosts one of the museum’s more curious exhibits. In a display commemorating the 1968 battle for Hue City, a strange-looking armored vehicle dominates the scene.
Officially called the “Rifle, Multiple 106mm, Self-propelled, M50,” the vehicle was more popularly known as the Ontos, which is Greek for “the thing.”
The prototype of the Ontos, which was designed to serve as an air-transportable tank destroyer, rolled off Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company’s assembly line in 1952. By 1955, the vehicle had entered full-scale production. However, the Army canceled its order, and the Ontos entered the Marine Corps’ inventory in November 1956. It was produced until 1957.
Assigned to each of the Corps’ divisional tank battalions, the Ontos’ strengths lay in its light weight, transportability and firepower.
Originally, the vehicle was powered by a General Motors six-cylinder gasoline engine and had a maximum road speed of 30 miles per hour. A 47-gallon fuel tank gave it a 150-mile range.
In the early 1960s, a fleetwide upgrade included the introduction of a Chrysler eight-cylinder engine that increased horsepower and torque. This version was designated the M50A1.
Standing just less than 7 feet tall, the Ontos was nearly 9 feet wide, 13 feet long and weighed 9� tons. The tracked vehicle’s armored hull had a pyramid shape and tapered into the commander’s cupola. The unique design was severely cramped for a three-man crew of driver, loader and commander/gunner.
On the revolving commander’s cupola were two stalks, each bristling with three M40A1C 106mm recoilless rifles, two of which could be removed for dismounted use.
The commander’s cupola, and by extension the rifles, could be manually shifted 80 degrees side to side, and plus 20 or minus 10 degrees vertically. A .30-caliber machine gun rounded out the Ontos’ armament.
In 1965, the 1st Marine Division deployed to Vietnam with about 70 M50s in its anti-tank battalions. Used in defensive positions at bases, for convoy security and escort, and during joint armor-infantry operations, the Ontos came into its own during the battle for Hue City.
Limited air and artillery support during the retaking of Hue meant that grunts needed fire support that could navigate the city’s narrow streets — and the Ontos fit the bill.
Used with great effect against entrenched North Vietnamese troops, the Ontos provided accurate point-blank fire during the fighting. This was especially true when the vehicle’s gunner triggered all six recoilless rifles in one devastating salvo. There were reports that the mere appearance of an Ontos would prompt the enemy to take flight.
Although loved by its crews and adored by grunts on the ground, the Ontos was withdrawn from service in 1969. Most of the vehicles in Vietnam were converted to static base defenses or scrapped.
The writer is a master sergeant. He can be reached at kambtp@aol.com.
Ellie