In Hue, Vietnam 1968, an M50 Ontos and some other US armored vehicles. Peter Balsiger/RDB/ullstein bild via Getty ImagesThe US Army and US Marine Corps began a joint project in 1950 to create a light anti-tank vehicle.The M50 Ontos was a small tracked vehicle equipped with light armor and six rifles.Although the Army rejected the M50, the Marines accepted it and put it on the frontlines of Vietnam.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.A number of small and odd-looking armored vehicles, sometimes with strange looks, were captured on camera shooting into enemy-held buildings as news crews covered the Battle of Hue in the 1968 Tet Offensive.They were much more agile than traditional tanks and looked very similar to them. They were just 7 feet tall and 8 feet wide, with no turrets or large guns.These vehicles were M50 Ontos tank-disaster destroyers. The Army abandoned the Ontos during its development. In 1956, the Marine Corps adopted the Ontos.Despite its unusual appearance, it was an integral part of the Corps' armored force during the Vietnam War.A light, air-transportable tank destroyerAn M50 Ontos light armored anti-tank vehicle, with six mounted 106mm recoilless rifles. La Port, Indiana 1955. Department of Defense/PhotoQuest/Getty ImagesThe Army-Marine Corps began the development of the M50 in 1950. The M50 was designed to be a light tank destroyer that could easily be transported by air and deployed quickly to support troops against enemy armour.It could only be 10 tons to carry by planes. It was an unusual model that was so unique it was named "Ontos" which roughly translated to "the thing" in Greek.It was a small, tracked vehicle without turret or sloped armor. The vehicle's suspension was too heavy for a traditional gun to be handled when fired. Six M40A1C105 mm recoilless guns were replaced (officially labeled at 106 mm to avoid confusion) that could also be fired electronically from the vehicle.Ontos could fire its rifles in one, two, or all at once. Its main guns could also be moved up or down 40 degrees. Four recoilless rifles were equipped with M8C spotting guns of.50 caliber that fired bright tracer bullets at targets to verify the gunner was within the right range.Continue the storyThe Army rejected the Army's test results.It was too small to carry three men, and its armor was too thin. The Army also thought that it would be too difficult to stop larger rounds than.50 caliber. This meant that an armored vehicle was not practical.The Army cancelled its orders and pursued the M56 Scorpion instead. The Marines refused to give up and ordered 297 more.Excellent at fire supportAn M50 Ontos landing at Chu Lai beach, South Vietnam, US Marine Corps Base in June 1965. US NavyThe 1958 crisis saw the M50's first deployment to Lebanon.It only killed enemy armor during the US intervention at the Dominican Civil War, 1965. In that conflict, it destroyed an AMX-13 light-tank built in France and an L-60 light-tank made in Sweden.Vietnam saw the M50 in action. It was lighter than a tank and could easily traverse jungles. The M50 could also be carried by CH53 Sea Stallion helicopters.Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army had very little armor, but the Ontos was a great fire support vehicle. It fired high-explosive, shaped charges into fixed positions, and also fired "beehive", anti-personnel rounds that were loaded with thousands of steel projectiles, at charging enemy troops.They quickly earned a reputation for being good at static defense. They were then sent on offense in 1968.An M50 Ontos passes US Marines in Hue, February 23, 1968. Bettmann Archive via Getty ImagesDuring the Tet Offensive, NVA and VC forces dug into South Vietnamese cities and were hard to dislodge. To root them out, the Ontos were brought in.It was a great urban combat vehicle. The recoilless rifles were capable of destroying buildings at distances between 300 and 500 yards so friendly infantry could enter or destroy an enemy position in seconds.Because of its speed and maneuverability, it was able to conduct "shoot-and-scoot" operations, arriving quickly and firing before retreating to safety to reload.After the battle, Col. Stanley S. Hughes, Commander of the 1st Marines, stated that "if any one supporting arm is to have been considered more effective than the others, it must the 106mm recoilless rifle especially the M50 Ontos."Khe Sanh was also a success with the M50s, which repelled numerous human-wave attacks.Unavoidable limitationsA US Marine Corps M50 Ontos, June 1, 1967. US Marine Corps/Pfc Kenneth L. FullerHowever, the M50s had their limitations.The M50 could carry only 24 rounds, which is far less than other tanks. It was very dangerous to stand behind the M50 while it fired its recoilless guns.Its weak armor on the bottom was its biggest problem. The VC used anti-tank mines to great effect and blasted through M50s quickly.Ammo storage, which placed spare shells under the rear doors of the vehicle, did not help. Secondary explosions were possible after running over a mine, or being hit by rocket-propelled bombs.Crews were also affected by the cramped interior and constant enemy fire in Hue. They still had to leave to reload. Ernest C. Cheatham, then-Lt. Col. Cheatham, observed that crews who "come out from those tanks...they looked like they were drunk."Due to the limited supply of M50s in the Corps, Marines were forced to cannibalize spare parts to keep their own ships running.The M50s were out of service by 1970. The few remaining M50s were sent home and most were scrapped.Business Insider has the original article.
