M706E2 (V100) Commando
As American involvement deepened in Vietnam, the US Army recognized a need for light vehicles that could effectively operate in the jungle. The M113 armored personnel carrier was deemed sufficient, but there were not enough M113s to go around, and the Army wanted a light armored car that could be used by the Military Police. This would free up M113s for combat units. Cadillac-Gage submitted its V100 design to the Army, which accepted it in 1962 as the M706 Commando.
Cadillac-Gage had come up with a remarkable design in a relatively short time. To save time and provide parts commonality, the V100 used the same drive train as the M34 truck and the same engine as the M113. It was fast and amphibious, and if it was a little more high-profile than the Army liked, this also meant that it had a good field of fire from the weapons position. Cadillac-Gage offered a wide variety of weapons options, from a simple open-topped turret with a pintle-mounted M2HB .50 caliber machine gun, to a closed turret with machine guns of varying calibers, Mk 19 40mm grenade launchers, or even 20mm cannon. (Export V100s were offered with an option for 90mm guns or even 105mm howitzers.) All of this, plus thick armor for an armored car design, also made the V100 heavier than the Army preferred, and the vehicle would have a habit of rear axle failures--but crews liked the armor protection and heavy armament.
Though only employed by the Army's Military Police and USAF Security Police forces in American service in Vietnam, the M706 performed well and fairly reliably. The South Vietnamese loved the design, which was robust and easy to operate in the jungle, and it became the ARVN's primary scout car during the war. In both Army and USAF service, it was referred to as the "Duck" for its shape and amphibious capability.
Following Vietnam, the Army could see little use for the M706 in a European-style war, and the type was retired; most were expended as targets. The USAF would retain theirs into the 1990s. The V100 and its variants would also find considerable export success. Eventually 3200 were built and served with 34 nations; some remain in service to this day.
This M706 is on display inside the Russell Military Museum in Zion, Illinois, in an appropriately Vietnam-style display. Though it is painted in overall Army brown, this is likely a former USAF example, as it uses the M706E2's open-topped fighting compartment rather than the turreted versions used by the Army. It looks to be in excellent condition.
M706E2 (V100) Commando
As American involvement deepened in Vietnam, the US Army recognized a need for light vehicles that could effectively operate in the jungle. The M113 armored personnel carrier was deemed sufficient, but there were not enough M113s to go around, and the Army wanted a light armored car that could be used by the Military Police. This would free up M113s for combat units. Cadillac-Gage submitted its V100 design to the Army, which accepted it in 1962 as the M706 Commando.
Cadillac-Gage had come up with a remarkable design in a relatively short time. To save time and provide parts commonality, the V100 used the same drive train as the M34 truck and the same engine as the M113. It was fast and amphibious, and if it was a little more high-profile than the Army liked, this also meant that it had a good field of fire from the weapons position. Cadillac-Gage offered a wide variety of weapons options, from a simple open-topped turret with a pintle-mounted M2HB .50 caliber machine gun, to a closed turret with machine guns of varying calibers, Mk 19 40mm grenade launchers, or even 20mm cannon. (Export V100s were offered with an option for 90mm guns or even 105mm howitzers.) All of this, plus thick armor for an armored car design, also made the V100 heavier than the Army preferred, and the vehicle would have a habit of rear axle failures--but crews liked the armor protection and heavy armament.
Though only employed by the Army's Military Police and USAF Security Police forces in American service in Vietnam, the M706 performed well and fairly reliably. The South Vietnamese loved the design, which was robust and easy to operate in the jungle, and it became the ARVN's primary scout car during the war. In both Army and USAF service, it was referred to as the "Duck" for its shape and amphibious capability.
Following Vietnam, the Army could see little use for the M706 in a European-style war, and the type was retired; most were expended as targets. The USAF would retain theirs into the 1990s. The V100 and its variants would also find considerable export success. Eventually 3200 were built and served with 34 nations; some remain in service to this day.
This M706 is on display inside the Russell Military Museum in Zion, Illinois, in an appropriately Vietnam-style display. Though it is painted in overall Army brown, this is likely a former USAF example, as it uses the M706E2's open-topped fighting compartment rather than the turreted versions used by the Army. It looks to be in excellent condition.