The Ontos

[Hollis]

The ontos, was a anti-tank armour vehicle, weighed about 9 tones, gasoline engine with the governed top end of 35 MPH, or ungoverned about 60 mph.

It had six 106 recoiless rifles mounted on a saddle on top of a pancake turret. (Two banks of three) each bank had a 50 caliber spotting rifle. The Ontos also had a M60 MG.

A crew of three served the ontos, driver, gunner and loader. Crew weapons were the 1911 pistol and M3 grease gun.

They were phased out of RVN by Spring 1969. They were used in the defense of Khe Sahn. Flachettes were a lethal anti-personal round. The Marine MOS for ontos crewman was 0353.

I am writting this from memory so if, there is a error.. MY primary MOS until Dec, 1969 was 0353. Nick name for the ontos was Pig. In the States Ontos was still at Del Mar, Calif. Not sure when the Corps closed them down.

[Matzos]

The Ontos

http://www.militaryimages.net/imagehost/images/Matzos/ontos.jpg

Here is a great link about this equipment.

Ontos (http://www.wartanks.com/wtontos.html)

[Hollis]

Matzos, thanks for the link.

[Bombardier]

heres another picture

http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/data/716/M50_Ontos.jpg

[IronFootedBstrd]

Odd looking beast it was too!

I guess it was a sort of stop-gap measure to give the USMC & Airborne some anti-tank capability? Airdropped, or just air-portable? Maybe as a Marine you wouldnt know Hollis.

Reminds me a little of some of the stop-gap WW2 vehicles a bit...well the principle anyway.

I guess it was just a 6-shooter? Doesnt look to be much room in it for reloads.

[Hollis]

Odd looking beast it was too!

I guess it was a sort of stop-gap measure to give the USMC & Airborne some anti-tank capability? Airdropped, or just air-portable? Maybe as a Marine you wouldnt know Hollis.

Reminds me a little of some of the stop-gap WW2 vehicles a bit...well the principle anyway.

I guess it was just a 6-shooter? Doesnt look to be much room in it for reloads.

Reloading was done externally, Sometimes the loader would walk along side or ride on top, there was room in side for them to ride. I never thought of them being air lifted. I was with ATs in the states, by the time I was in-country they where phased out.

[03Fox2/1]

disregard, 03Fox2/1

[Hollis]

Thanks for the additional info, I noticed in the picture there were four spotting rifles, I could not remember, If it was on per bank or two per bank.

The idea of the spotting rifle is that it would travel the same path as the 106. So you fired the spotting rifle, if you hit the target, a second spotting rifle round was fire followed by a 106. The second spotting rifle was fired to set up the 106 to respond in sync with the spotting rifle, or something like that. The only time I fired one is what I was in training in the states. Some of the Marines in AT in the states were in 1st AT in RVN. I have heard of a few stories. A mishap in a convoy, and a Ontos, that got into a rice paddy and could not get out. They could not climb over a very high burm, Maybe something like 30 inches.