M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier

United Defense



The M113, often described as an armored box on tracks, is designed to get light infantry from point A to point B on the battlefield. It was the first modern “battle taxi,” With its 8 cylinder Chrysler engine, the maximum road speed of the vehicle is 40 mph on road with a cruising range of 200 miles. The amphibious roll is enabled by its construction as a watertight unit with all hatches and doors being fitted with rubber seals making hem watertight. Its speed on water is 3mph, when it is propelled by the rubber track shroud on each side of the hull.

The vehicle can carry 13 people; a commander in the center of the hull, a driver in the left front and 11 passengers. Originally the gunner’s position manning the .50 cal weapon had been very exposed. The gunner was also the commander being in the center of the vehicle. After 13 gunners had been lost in the battle at Ap Bac in 1962, a combination shield and turret was designed to afford the gunners much needed protection. This was then made standard on all vehicles that followed.

Originally, steering was accomplished by two sticks coming up from the floor, with each one controlling a track. (Later versions included a steering wheel.) Some of the units built in the 40’s and 50’s are still in use as emergency vehicles. During operations in Viet Nam, troops had elected to ride on top of the vehicle rather than inside, as they considered that to be suicidal. Not hard to understand when one knows the ammunition was stored under the troops seats inside and the armor did not protect against land mind explosions. Most of the M113s still in service have been upgraded with add-on armor, reactive armor coats and sandbag protection.

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