The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday -The M50 Ontos May 2, 2007

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[alfa6]

INTERVIEWS

Joseph Androlowicz (USMC Retired MSgt.)
(Stories compiled from e-mail messages)

Joe Androlowicz's career almost mirrored the adoption of the 106mm recoilless rifle and its changes on the antitank units of the Marines. Joe also rode the Ontos from its earliest assignments to its decommissioning in 1970.

Prior to the 106mm recoilless rifle being adopted as the antitank weapon of the Marines, the 75mm recoilless rifle was the antitank choice. In 1958 Joe was with the 4.2 mortar section. At this time the big mortars were considered an infantry weapon. Later when the 4.2 mortars were assigned to the artillery, Joe was reassigned to the newly formed anti tank sections. This reassignment coincided with the adoption of the 106-mm recoilless rifle as the Marine's anti tank weapon. Joe's first anti tank assignment was with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, at Camp Lejune, NC. At this time the 106 had been mounted on a modified M38A1 jeep. In 1959 Joe was involved in the testing of mounting the 106 on the M274 mechanical mule. The mule was a 900 lb. fat tired off road machine that was designed as an ammunition carrier. The mule with the 106 was considered an antitank weapon, but was used as a direct fire weapon that did good service in this configuration against everything but tanks.

In 1961 he was assigned to the Ontos as Platoon sergeant, 1st platoon, A Company, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendelton, California.

In 1965 Joe found himself in Chu Lai, Vietnam. They were called out to support infantry by destroying fortified villages and performing convoy duty. The Ontos platoons were respected for using their guns against any sniper fire even though Regimental permission may not have been secured. Many of the field commanders warned the Ontos crews to secure Regimental permission, but most commanders still covered for the gunners when the fire fights developed too fast to get it. The Ontos crewmen had to defend the stripping of the Ontos's 30 caliber machine gun against unit commanders that just wanted an extra automatic weapon. Some commanders wanted to use the Ontos as a minesweeper. This exposed the vehicle to destruction. On one occasion Joe walked in front of his vehicle to show contempt for the order.

Joe's outfit once modified an Ontos by mounting a 50-caliber M2 machine gun to replace the 30 caliber. They then removed all but two of the 106 rifles. The vehicle made a great assault vehicle.

Joe's Ontos was destroyed by a remotely triggered, buried 105 MM artillery round. This occurred near a fishing village outside of the Air Base at DaNang. A heavy and light section of Ontos was working without supporting Infantry when the Ontos was blown up. Joe was sitting on the top of the turret using a radio when the machine got hit. Joe was blown off the machine onto the road in front of the Ontos. He sustained shrapnel in his right thigh. The driver lost hearing and had debris in his face and eyes. The commander soiled his pants. The Ontos lost its right track. The track ended up 15 feet behind the machine. It also lost the front two road wheels and drive sprocket. A small hole was found in the hull. As a result of the detonation of the 105 shell, the wire that had triggered the explosion was lifted and exposed on the road. The wire was easily followed back to the women that had triggered the mine. She was armed when found and so was killed by the crews of the remaining two vehicles. About a half-hour later the men of the village (about 150 men) surrendered to the Ontos platoon. The 14 crewmen had to guard the 150 prisoners until they could be relieved the next morning

The Ontos platoons often did outpost work by setting up a good observation point and look for targets of opportunity. It was a common route for Joe's platoon to patrol from the air base at Chu Lai to hill 69 about 10 miles north of the air base. From hill 69 they could observe the entire valley. About the 3rd or 4th visit to the hill the second Ontos crew heard a horrendous metal to metal screech. The noise came from the steel track bars (grousers) rubbing on the fuse of a buried bomb being used as a road mine. The crew did enough digging around the fuse to realize that the bomb was huge. A call was made to the combat engineers who used towing cables to slowly pull the Ontos off the bomb/mine. The engineers then uncovered a 500-pound bomb attached to the fuse. The bomb was exploded in place. From the size of the hole it left, there was little doubt that, if detonated, the bomb would have destroyed the entire platoon of five vehicles and crew. It taught the crews of this platoon that spacing between tracks would forever after be observed.

PIG, in reference to the Ontos, may sound like a derogatory term, but it could have been worse. In 1960 the 2nd Marine Division performed an amphibious landing at Onslow Beach. President Kennedy and other VIPs were there to observe the landings. A static display of tanks and Ontos was observed by President and a Colonel that later related the story. President Kennedy commented " what a weird little bugger that is". Most crewmen I have spoken to would choose "pig" to "weird bugger".

Dennis Richardson (Former Captain)
(From a telephone conversations)

During operation PEGASUS, then LT. Richardson found himself leading a platoon of "pigs" on this operation to clear the road to Khe Sanh. The siege of Khe Sanh had been broken, but the road leading to the base had to be cleared. LT Richardson was placed under the Battalion Commander of 2nd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment 3rd Marine Division. The road leading from the Marine Base at Camp Carroll to Khe Sanh would take about a week. The Ontos would stay close to the road while the infantry swept the steep hills. As the road got closer to Khe Sanh, the effects of the massive B52 bombing showed on the terrain. The once heavily forested hills looked like a moonscape as most of the trees were blown down.

In a conversation with the Battalion Commander, LT Richardson pointed out a lone pine tree that had survived the bombings. The Battalion Commander said the Ontos couldn't hit the side of the hill much less the lone pine tree that sat about 1500 yards away. Lt. Richardson bet the commander $1.00 that his crew could mercy kill the pine on its first shot. The LT picked a good crew for the shot and the deed was done as ordered. After the tree fell, the commander quickly departed without leaving a penny in his wake.

Later at a Battalion meeting the chaplain told the gathering that he had noticed a rise in gambling going on within the battalion, even within the highest levels of command. The commander showed concern. The chaplain added that low morale was accompanying the gambling, as some debts were not being paid. The Battalion Commander got the message and stalked out of the meeting to return with a US dollar that was given to the LT.

The commander asked the chaplain if that would end the morale problem.

[alfa6]

W. B. Blanchard
(from e-mail)

The tracks were the most difficult part of the "Thing". I recall that the track bolts were a SOB to get loose. The sand and dirt wore down the head to where a normal 12 point socket would not work. I recall us having friends and family send us 6 point sockets. We spent many,many hours with the bolts and the sorry.track jack. The worse memory I can recall is to have a track broken in a deep rice paddy. Then have to pull the Ontos and its track dragged out by an Amtrac (tracked amphibious vehicle). (this ordeal) was followed by many hours of trying to pull the vehicle back onto the track. Works good on concrete with one Ontos pulling the vehicle and another holding the track. Try it in sand and you will need another to pull and a lot of luck.

Parts were what you cannibalized from others. I also remember one other area of problems with the Ontos. It was the armor plate bolts. I guess someone thought that using fine threads on the bolts was a good idea. Yeah right, with dirt and sand, it was often the case that no more than the four bolts could be installed. This to me was of great concern. The Ontos, as with all vehicles, were the constant target of the clever VC mine. I spent much time riding on the top (sitting on the round pipe that held the 30 cal MG). Most of the time thinking of being blown off the vehicle then have that dammed armor plate land on me. Mines took 4 of 5 vehicles during my 13 months.

Mr. Blanchard reminded me that the Ontos crews had more weapon cleaning than any other crew served weapon. The three man crew had to clean six 106-mm recoilless rifles, four 50 caliber spotting rifles, one 30 caliber machine gun, one 45 caliber submachine gun as well as clean their personally issued 45 caliber pistols and whatever unofficial weapons they may have carried.

Educational Resources

(http://ontos.homestead.com/main.html)

(http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m50ontos.html)

(http://hometown.aol.com/biskit89/index.html)

[alfa6]

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Good Wednesday Morning Everyone.

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[Soaring Feather]

WOO HOO! Howdy alfa!

[Soaring Feather]

I need to get a new tank!

[alfa6]

TREADHEAD PING

Editorial Note, I have tried to post this that last two Tuesdays and each time the broadband went down just as I was getting ready to hit the post button. Better late than never, eh!

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[PAR35]

Checking in.

[alfa6]

Good Morning Ms. Feather. I finally got the dang thing posted.

How’s the weather up in the Northeast? It’s kinda cool and drizzly here in Kansas City.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

Good to see ya, sorry for the delay on a new thread bur sometimes life gets in the way

Reagrds

alfa6 ;>}

[Soaring Feather]

It’s kinda on the cool side today, lovely sunny day though. We had rain last night and may have more coming.

It’s getting very lovely around here, leaves are coming on should be out completely by Mother’s Day.

Hope all is well in your household, remember me please to Mrs. alfa.

[alfa6]

Mra alfa6 says howdy:-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Alfa6 and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

((HUGS))

[U S Army EOD]

I have often wondered if this vehicle had stayed around and had been equipped with TOW’s and a 30mm how effective it would have been.

[alfa6]

Well with a pair of TOWs, one on each side and a 25mm, or 30mm in a turret on top it might have been a formidable machine. Given the light weight and the low profile, although a turret on top might negate the low profile, with good cross counttry mobilty it would have been a fairly effective machine, IMHO.

However dedicated TDs generally did not hold up all that well against tanks.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[U S Army EOD]

Actually what we should have done is developed a missile to have been launched from the 106mm RR or the 90mm RR. This could have been an over caliber missile launched by using a expulsion charge with the substainer on the missile. For example an RPG 7. The RPG 7 is an over caliber recoiles launched rocket with a substainer. Just make it bigger and put a guidance system in it. This would have kept the 106mm and the 90mm in the inventory. This would have given the infantry a capability of not having to use a $300,000 missile on a pile of dirt with the bad guys behind it.

The Ontis or a modern version would have been a good vehicle to mount something like this on.

[alfa6]

That's a thought, which got me to remembering this pic, for some reason.

I think this what you would call an OH SH** type of moment, no?

According to the caption this is at a practice amphib landing in the late '50s and that is a "practice" round you see exiting the top right 106mm rifle!!!

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[U S Army EOD]

Oops!!!!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

Editorial Note, I have tried to post this that last two Tuesdays and each time the broadband went down just as I was getting ready to hit the post button. Better late than never, eh!

I was about to say...