Sgt. Grit,
It’s funny, lately, I’ve been meeting Marines that served during the ’80s, ’90s, and 00’s years, and when we talk about our experiences, enlistment years, and MOS I always have a hard time explaining the 106mm Recoilless Rifle and 50cal spotting rifle. They have absolutely no idea what this fine weapon was all about and how much fun it was to shoot!
I had the pleasure of being assigned to 106’s Platoon, H&S Company, 1st Bn., 8th Marines during the mid-seventies. We fired the 106mm RR four to five times a year at the G5-A Range Camp Lejeune, NC. We shot at targets over the Inter-Coastal Waterway ranging between 3,000 to 7,000 yards. Our platoon would fire over two hundred rounds per firing session.
The backblast concussion from this gun felt like you were getting slapped in the face by Mike Tyson. On one occasion the platoon had all eight guns online and we fired a salvo! Each gunner depressed their triggers almost at the exact time and it felt as if the air was being sucked out of your lungs! A lot of times the backblast would spit out a fireball stretching back several feet away from the gun. Though we had hearing protection our ears would ring for days after the shoot.
During one live fire, we had a stuck HEP-T round with the breach particularly closed, then the round cooked off and blew up the 11ft., 385lb gun and sent it spinning through the air landing about 50ft. downrange. The backblast sent the 22lb. breach backward past the safety berm, over the road, and into the trees 400 yards away from the firing line. Fortunately, no Marines were seriously hurt.
I’m wondering if any of the “Old Corps” Marines would want to share any stories or experiences with this gun?
Semper Fi,
Francis J. Hauser
Sergeant of Marines, 75′ to 81′
Any one remember the Ontos?
Finest “armor” a platoon could hope for. My boot camp buddy was in Hue and it saved their asses countless times.
Yes, Harry, I remember the Ontos! SIX recoilless rifles on that little platform. Extremely accurate! Definitely more bang for your buck!
Yes… I remember the Ontos. They had 3 assigned to us. I was in Ky Ha in 1965. This village became Chu Lai after the runway was installed. I was with Echo Co 2nd Bn 4th Marines. I have some pics of the Ontos. Sgt Lopez was in charge of them at our location.
They were on Operation Starlite with us around August 1965.
Those Marines were ballsey. Had to get out after they fired the last round to reload. Backblast was something else.
I
IN 1965, HILL 51, NORTH OF CHU LAI AIRBASE, FROM TIME TO TIME, M-48 TANKS WOULD SHOW UP AT DUSK AND FIRE
H&E ROUNDS AT LIKELY AVENUES OF APPROACH. SOMETIMES 106’S WOULD SHOW UP. ALL IMPRESSED WITH 106! MY FAVORITE VIETNAM WEAPONS SYSTEM.
I was a Marine in a 106mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon, H&S Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines on Okinawa in 1978… Then they dissolved our platoon, and got rid of the 106mm Rifles, making us into Dragon, and Tow gunners…
ITR, October 1969…saw a demo of the 106. Definitely learned NOT to stand behind it and was VERY impressed watching the round go down range. One of my favorites…right up there with grenades, M60 and Bazooka.
Cushing, John M. SGT
’69 – ’75
I actually used the 106 in Vietnam in 1966-67. I was with H&S Co 3/9/3. We moved about with various company’s throughout Quang Tri Province. There were places where the gun was very usable and places where it wasn’t but I loved firing the 106. When you put your head up to the sights, just a couple of inches off the barrel and fired the gun it would ring your bell a little but I loved doing it. When the gun’s weren’t in use we would fall into the ranks of whatever company needed extra grunts and requested our presence but when the 106 was needed we would man the gun.
I wouldn’t take a million dollars for my experience in Vietnam but I don’t think I would want to do it again.
SGT Billy D Richardson USMC
When I was with 2/26 at LZ Rockcrusher outside Danang someone decided to mount a 106 and an M-60 onto the back of a mule as a sort of rapid response vehicle. One day an officer decided we needed to test fire the 106. At this point we were on the helipad and he spotted a huge boulder on a far hill. An operator bore-sighted the gun, fired a .50 caliber tracer round to verify and they let ‘er rip. It was an HE round which hit the boulder, ricocheted off and headed east toward Danang. Things were bundled up in a hurry and we were of there!
Later, when I was transferred to 2/7 at LZ Ross we had 106’s and they fired some missions, but mostly were loaded with beehive rounds with a level barrel to fire into the outside wire when they were coming through. I still remember the sound of the fleshette’s as they flew out.
The only problem with the Ontos was YOU HAD TO GET OUT OF THE DAMD THING TO LOAD IT! H&S 9TH MAR 1964/65
Hue City 68 ,”Delta 1/5” 106 kicked NVA butts. Semper Fi, L/Cpl John Murdock
Semper Fi fellow Marines
I was designated 0351 mos which was the 106 recoiless rifle. I served in Vietnam with H&S 3rd Battalion 5th Marines at LZ Ross (know as rocket pad Ross) from 70-71. Our areas were the hilltops of the QueShan mountains southwest of DaNang. We were hilltop security for 105 Howitzer units as well as 4 duce mortars. Thank all my fellow Marines for thier support during and after this war.
Cpl Ignacio R Alarcon
Marine Corps Oct 1969 – Oct 1973
I went to Ordnance School , mainside Quantico, in Nov. 1963. As large as the weapon was , a small artillery piece , it’s repair was the responsibility of the armorer, small arms repairman. I was assigned to Ordnance Maintenance Co., 2nd FSR FOR 18 months and none ever came in for repairs. We did up to 4th Echelon repairs there, anything higher it went back to the factory.
We were an H-34 crew having just refueled at Quang Tri when we were called to an ambush in progress on Highway 9. By the time we arrived the Ontos were there from Vandegrift and Charlie beat feet. We were instructed to fly low and slow where Charlie had headed to try and draw fire while the Ontos stood at the ready. No response.
Reply to Sgt Cushing–Sept ’69–ITR–also the M-79 Blooper and LAW– VERY EDUCATIONAL back then–I was with Oscar Co–all the neat toys!
RMD/Sgt 69-75/1st Maw/HMH 462
I was an 0331 with Lima 3/7 operating out of LZ Ross in April ’70. We would occasionally operate off of Hill 273 where they had one 106 recoilless rifle. There were several times when we were on patrol & got into a firefight where the Marines on that hill provided us with fire support from that weapon. I remember one time they shot what I think they called HEPT rounds in support of us. They looked like balls of fire flying through the air & I bet Charlie thought we had the gods on our side. The back blast from that weapon was deadly. Also spent time on Hill 753 where they had artillery that we provided security for. Anybody remember the bombed out church in the valley you could see from 753? I transferred to Kilo 3/5 who took over Ross when 3/7 left. To Cpl. Ignacio R Alarcon who replied in the above entry, I was there when you were there.
HEPT round -High explosive plastic tracer. I was in 1st. Armored Amphibian Co. and before we went to the Nam, we fired a few HEPT rounds. Quite a sight. Semper Fi-God Bless
Yes, I am well acquainted with the 106 recoilless rifle. I ended mu stint in the corps in 1971 as a platoon sargeant for a 106 platoon. I was a reservist but we fired many rounds at LaJeune and also in Quantico. Never had a hept round explode on us but did have one stuck in the breach at least once. They were noisy and powerful weapons. I’ll never forget those experiences. It’s been a long time since we fired. Them back in the Vietnam era.
1966 after ITR went to BITS at Pendleton
0351 school. Trained on the 3.5 Rocket Launcher, 106mm, demo trained, and the flame thrower. Went to Nam carried the 3.5 fired it a few times, set some demo chargers, then they needed machine gunners so the last 10 months carried the M-60.
Yes, Had Them in Okinawa Dec 1969. They were Parked next Our M48A3 in Camp Hansen.
During the. Vietnam War/era they installed them on mules as well. Only a single barrel. They would fire it into enemy position . That back blast would raise so much dust that the infantry could advance under a type of smoke screen to help wipe out that position. I think they used it at the Battle of Hue.
I may not be as Old Corps as the rest of you, but I AM at least knowledgeable about both the 106 RR, and the Ontos through historical TV, war movies, and history books. Today’s kids don’t learn about U.S. history, let alone U.S. Marine Corps history, and to me, that’s just plain sad.
Oh!!! Just an FYI for everyone… There IS, NOW, a Cold War Service Medal. Although, it lists as a commemorative device, so I don’t know if it’s authorized on uniforms. But I HAVE seen it. It DOES, NOW, exist. One catalogue that has it is: MEDALS OF AMERICA, (the Cold War Victory Comm.). It honors all who served between 2, Sep. 1945 – Dec. 1991. ……I know I sure would have appreciated it if it had been authorized by Congress while I was still on active duty. Not sure what good it does anyone now, except to add to a Shadow Box. But…..there it is for anyone who might be interested. Hope I didn’t piss off anyone by posting this info here. It just seemed the best way to inform as many service members as possible, of a piece of good news….for a change.
For those of you who were in the ground side of the house, (as opposed to me being in the wing), I always wondered how the M48A3 would have fared against a Russian tank. Anyone care to chime in??? Could the Patton take a hit and the crew survive??? Or was the Patton in deep kaka against a T-55, or T-72??? I know some like to brag, but I’m looking for an honest, real assessment. The Patton started with a 90 mm main gun, but was later upgraded to a 105. The Russians started with a 100 mm, and then a 125. So which gun had the range? Which crew was better trained, (honestly)? Which tank was faster? Which tank had better armor? I know the Russians love their auto-loader, and that human loaders are faster….at first, but get tired if multiple rounds are fired. I am absolutely fascinated by tanks and, in truth, I probably should have been a tank crewman instead of a parachute rigger, but I didn’t have a whole lot of say in the matter. Every M1 Abrams crewman I’ve ever seen interviewed has said they wouldn’t trade their job for anything. Anyway, I would love to hear from someone who was actually a Patton crewman.
I saw one fire once. Had a .50 cal spotting barrel on top. Pretty awesome.
Your article, however, leaves me wondering. If you were in a .106 platoon, and you only shot it four or five times a year, what did you do the rest of the time?
The 106 was an amazing weapon to see fired…especially following the .50 cal spotter shot.. Like a golf ball on fire followed by a rocket!!!.. Had seen it in action many times while in Nam. On the ONTOS…what an awesome looking vehicle powered by a Buick V-6 from what I understood at the time. I believe a platoon composed of 4 vehicles. Had heard of a tragic accident where all 4 were somewhat aligned on a hill and an inadvertent round misfired from number 3 in the row, destroying all 4 units… Not sure if that was scuttlebutt or truth at the time…I’m thinking this was in the ’66 time frame during tour #1.. Semper Fi…..Pete C. (H-2-5, E-2-1 in 66-67) (H-2-5 in 69).
Hey Frank! Did you ever think you would get this much response? Take care my friend! Semper fi! Mac
I was with 106’s, H&S/1/7 Jan 1966 to Feb 1967. Also H&S/1/2 at Lejeune, Apr 1967 to Mar 1968. Made a Med Cruise with BLT 1/2 from about Jul 1967 to Feb 1968. Most of my RVN time was attached to Charlie 1/7, primarily providing additional security for a platoon across the Song Tra Bong river or at PF Hill within sight distance from a “ville” on Highway 1. Also one 106, crew of four, alone on “Langtry” Hill at the mouth of the Song Tra Bong (South of Chu Lai). Blew away a sampan scuttling away toward the sea after hearing a serious firefight across the river from our position. Later heard there were 5 enemy KIA. Another KIA when ordered by the section leader to fire at a large boulder across the river. We also manned an OP with tripod mounted binoculars focused on enemy country across the river.
Years later, in San Antonio, TX, ran into Lemons, who joined my gun crew in Vietnam shortly before I rotated back to the USA. Stated that about April 1967, 1/7 moved north so the Army occupied the Chu Lai area. While up north, the gun crew suffered casualties (gunner dead) as a result of a cleaning rag stuffed in the barrel and failure to clear the barrel before a fire mission.