Contents

M116 Husky

Weapon

M116 Husky
Company B, 11th Motor Transport Battalion M116
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1960-70s
Used by	United States
Wars	Vietnam War
Production history
Designer	Pacific Car and Foundry
Manufacturer	Blaw-Knox Pacific Car and Foundry (M733)
No. built	197 93 (M733)
Variants	M733
Specifications
Mass	10,600 lb (4,800 kg)
Length	15 ft 6 in (4.72 m)
Width	6.8 feet (2.1 m)
Height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Crew	1
Passengers	13
Armor	none
Main armament	none
Engine	Chevrolet V8
Payload capacity	3,000 lb (1,400 kg)
Transmission	Hydra-Matic
Ground clearance	15.5 in (39 cm)
Operational range	300 mi (480 km)
Maximum speed	37 mph (60 km/h) land 3.7 mph (6.0 km/h) water

The M116 Husky was a tracked amphibious cargo carrier/marginal terrain vehicle that served with the United States Marine Corps.

The M116 was a lightweight low-silhouette vehicle designed to transport cargo or personnel over unimproved roads, loose sand, soft marshy terrain and inland waterways. Its low ground pressure of 1.67 to 2.74 psi (11.5 to 18.9 kPa) when fully loaded gave good mobility on marginal terrain. ^{[1]: E-1–2}

The M116 was designed by Pacific Car and Foundry as a replacement for the M76 Otter. Pacific Car and Foundry built four prototypes and then three pre-production models, however the production contract was awarded to Blaw-Knox which produced 197.^[2]

The M733 was an armored variant of the M116 with steel armour plates added to provide ballistic protection capable of stopping .30-caliber ball ammunition. The purpose of the vehicle was to provide small arms protection for infantry security elements accompanying marginal terrain vehicles. The primary armament was one M60 machine gun, but two other pintle mounts were provided for additional M60s. The M733 could also mount the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun or an 81mm mortar.^{[1]: F-1–2} The M733 was produced by Pacific Car and Foundry which built 93 with the first deliveries occurring in 1966.^[2]

Both the M116 and M733 served with the Marines in the Vietnam War.^[3] The M116E1 was placed into service in April 1969 by the 11th Motor Transport Battalion to support the 1st Marine Division in the low and often inundated areas south of Danang. Virtually unaffected by weather, the M116 had the effect of reducing reliance on helicopter support. The M733 was placed into service in August as a convoy escort.^[4]

^ Smith, Charles (1988). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown 1969 (PDF). History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 272. ISBN 978-1494287627. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.