A new docuseries has been greenlit by Apple TV+ that will focus on the Vietnam War. The series entitled, Vietnam: The War That Changed America, will focus on different aspects of the war and how it ultimately impacted American society. This was considered the first televised war. While reporting on it truly showed some of the most gruesome aspects of the conflict, it built an iconography around the war and the aircraft, guns, and vehicles used throughout it. (The helicopter war: a look at the iconic helicopters that defined the Vietnam War.)
Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the military vehicles that played a number of roles during this time. To identify the vehicles that fought the Vietnam War, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of vehicles from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ranked these vehicles chronologically. We included supplemental information regarding the type of vehicle, year introduced, manufacturer, top speed, and armament.
One iconic vehicle that emerged from the conflict was the American M113 that acted as an armored personnel carrier. It was crucial for troop mobility and safety, despite the rough terrain of the Vietnamese jungles.
Although this war was not fought primarily with tanks, a few did make an appearance. The M48 Patton main battle tank saw some service, but it was primarily used in set-piece battles. The jungle terrain made it difficult for tanks to traverse, but again they were effective in assaulting fortified positions. (These are the most expensive military vehicles in the U.S. Army.)
There were a number of other vehicles ranging from artillery to armored vehicles that played different roles throughout the conflict on both sides.
Here is a look at the vehicles that fought the Vietnam War:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: Georgethefourth / Shutterstock.com
The Vietnam War was one of the first modern military conflicts that employed new vehicles, helicopters, and fighter jets. As such the tactics and strategies used throughout the conflict would be studied and refined for years to come. Understanding this facet of the conflict gives context to the overall conflict and provides insight into the evolution of military doctrine.
BM-8 / BM-13 / BM-31 (Katyusha)
- Type: Multiple launch rocket system
- Year introduced: 1939
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 47 mph
- Armament: 300mm rockets, 132mm rockets, 82mm rockets
M3 Scout Car
- Type: Armored car
- Year introduced: 1940
- Manufacturer: White Motor Company
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns
Ford GP / GPW (Government Pygmy)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor
- Top speed: 65 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
Willys MB
Source: DarthArt / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: Willys-Overland
- Top speed: 70 mph
- Armament: 75mm recoilless rifle, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun
Daimler Armored Car
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Armored fighting vehicle
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Daimler
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 40mm main gun, 7.92mm machine guns, 7.7mm machine guns
M8 Scott
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 36 mph
- Armament: 75mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun
GAZ-67
Source: bruev / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer: Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Armament: Typically none
T-34/85
- Type: Up-gunned medium tank
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 85mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
M24 Chaffee
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Cadillac / Massey Harris
- Top speed: 35 mph
- Armament: 75mm main gun, smoke grenade mortar, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
Centurion (A41)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Leyland Motors / Vickers / Royal Ordnance Factory
- Top speed: 21 mph
- Armament: 105mm main gun, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, smoke grenades
UNIMOG
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: N/A
T-54
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 100mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62 machine gun
BTR-40 (Bronetransporter)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 14.5mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
M35 / G742
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Medium-class military truck
- Year introduced: 1951
- Manufacturer: Reo Motor
- Top speed: 55 mph
- Armament: Oerlikon 20mm cannon, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, 40mm grenade launcher, XM134 minigun
M41 Walker Bulldog
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1951
- Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage
- Top speed: 45 mph
- Armament: 76mm main gun, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
M108 SPG
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 35 mph
- Armament: 105mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, M20A1B1 rocket launcher
M42 (Duster)
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 45 mph
- Armament: 40mm Bofors cannon, 7.62mm machine guns
M48 Patton
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Medium tank
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: Chrysler / Ford / General Motors
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 90mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns, smoke grenades
M53 SPH
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: Pacific Car and Foundry Company
- Top speed: 22 mph
- Armament: 155mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun
M55 SPH
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: Pacific Car and Foundry Company
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 203mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun
PT-76
Source: peer_gynt / Flickr
- Type: Amphibious light tank
- Year introduced: 1952
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 27 mph
- Armament: 76mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun
M56 Scorpion
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1953
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 28 mph
- Armament: 90mm main gun
M59 APC
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1953
- Manufacturer: Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation
- Top speed: 32 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine gun
M50 Ontos
Source: usmcarchives / Flickr
- Type: Tank destroyer
- Year introduced: 1955
- Manufacturer: Allis Chalmers
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 106mm recoilless rifle, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
LVTP-5
Source: national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr
- Type: Amphibious armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1956
- Manufacturer: FMC
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 105mm howitzer, 40mm anti-aircraft guns, 7.62mm machine guns
M274 Truck
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1956
- Manufacturer: Willys / Bowen-McLaughlin-York
- Top speed: 25 mph
- Armament: 106mm recoilless rifle, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, TOW anti-tank guided missiles
T-55
Source: Stocktrek Images/Andrew Chittock / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1958
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 31 mph
- Armament: 100mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns
Type 59
Source: Shadman Samee / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1959
- Manufacturer: NORINCO
- Top speed: 28 mph
- Armament: 100mm main gun, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
BTR-60
- Type: Armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1960
- Manufacturer: Gorkiy Automobile Plant
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 14.5mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
M113 SPA
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Tracked armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1960
- Manufacturer: FMC Corporation / United Defense
- Top speed: 38 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 20mm cannons, smoke grenades, TOW anti-tank guided missiles
M60 (Patton)
- Type: Main battle tank
- Year introduced: 1960
- Manufacturer: General Dynamics
- Top speed: 30 mph
- Armament: 105mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, smoke grenades
M88 Hercules
- Type: Armored recovery vehicle
- Year introduced: 1961
- Manufacturer: United Defense
- Top speed: 25 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine gun, smoke grenades
M1068 SICPS (Standard Integrated Command Post System)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Tracked command post vehicle
- Year introduced: 1962
- Manufacturer: FMC
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: N/A
M107 SPA
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1962
- Manufacturer: Pacific Car and Foundry
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 175mm main gun
M110
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1962
- Manufacturer: Pacific Car & Foundry / FMC Corporation
- Top speed: 35 mph
- Armament: 203mm main gun
M114 CRV
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Command and reconnaissance vehicle
- Year introduced: 1962
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 36 mph
- Armament: 20mm cannon, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, M72A1 LAW launchers
M578 LARV
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light armored recovery vehicle
- Year introduced: 1962
- Manufacturer: FMC Corporation
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine gun
Cadillac Gage Commando (M706 / G-392)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1963
- Manufacturer: Textron
- Top speed: 62 mph
- Armament: 105mm main gun, 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns, smoke grenades
M109 (Paladin)
Source: scguard / Flickr
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1963
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 155mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun
Type 62
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light tank
- Year introduced: 1963
- Manufacturer: NORINCO
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 85mm main gun, 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, smoke grenades
Type 63
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Armored personnel carrier
- Year introduced: 1964
- Manufacturer: NORINCO
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine gun
M106 MC
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Tracked 107mm mortar carrier vehicle
- Year introduced: 1965
- Manufacturer: FMC
- Top speed: 42 mph
- Armament: 107mm field mortar, 12.7mm machine guns
ZSU-23-4 (Shilka)
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1965
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Top speed: 31 mph
- Armament: 23mm cannon, SA-16 or SA-18 surface-to-air missiles
Kaiser-Jeep M715 (Five Quarter)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1967
- Manufacturer: Kaiser-Jeep
- Top speed: 55 mph
- Armament: Typically none
M551 Sheridan
- Type: Armored reconnaissance assault vehicle
- Year introduced: 1968
- Manufacturer: General Motors
- Top speed: 43 mph
- Armament: 155mm main gun, 12.7mm machine gun, 7.62mm machine gun, smoke grenades
M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Self-propelled artillery
- Year introduced: 1969
- Manufacturer: General Electric
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 20mm gatling gun
M561 (Gamma Goat)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Utility vehicle
- Year introduced: 1969
- Manufacturer: Ling-Temco-Vought
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Armament: N/A
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