The U.S. Heavy Guns of the Vietnam War

Self-propelled and towed artillery is demonstrated with operational overviews of the M109 155mm, M108 105mm, M107 175mm, M110 203mm, and M115 203mm, M114A1 155mm, M101A1 105mm, and M102 105mm.

[@billcowan6070]

I served with A battery 2/94 Artillery in Vietnam from July 1969 til September 1970 . I was a Gunner on a 8inch Self Propelled Howitzer n we were a very very very great gun crew.

[@billcowan6070]

@Predrag Babic Artillery is the KING of Battle, Infantry is the Queen

[@fraz72]

@Predrag Babic Artillery is the King of Battle

[@brianvanwagner4802]

How far can an 8inch shell travel

[@billcowan6070]

@@brianvanwagner4802 the M110, 8inch howitzer I was on in Vietnam in 1969-1970 fired maximum 10 n possibly 12 miles

[@brianvanwagner4802]

That's crazy.

[@wayneadams9468]

US generals didn't know how to fight a war in Vietnam , Our big shots in Government knew nothing. God bless our deceased troops.

[@neiloconnor9349]

I formerly served in a Marine 155mm battery -- M114A2. It was a great piece of gear -- very durable.

[@robertcassin3727]

Army 13 Bravo here. I was my sections M110a2 sp' 8" howitzer driver and number two man during desert storm. This magnificent machine performed at it's apex and when it counted most in the sandbox. Boasting a 300 meter circumference killing radius the M110a2 sp' 8" truly was The King of Battle in the Persian Gulf. I've experienced unimaginable events over there during and after my units fire missions. It's great to be alive and back home in the land of the free ❤🇺🇸

[@MayheM_72]

My Dad joined the NJ National Guard in '65. He was in the 50th Armored "Jersey Blues". He was an artllary officer, and retired in the 80s. I find this stuff fascinating!

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

Yeah me too, knowing your dad and all these murderers are burning in hell for masskilling civilians defending their country from invading white people playing worldpolice for mythologic communism that never got a foothold in vietnam. And still lost lmao. The Tet offensive and that it was even possible, among all of vietnam, showed nobody wanted americans there in the first place. Just ask Agent Orange

[@arnoldj.gerdsnerter2662]

All you guys are talking about firing and crewing these guns, I was one of the people on the receiving end and developed a healthy respect for the 105 mm. We prayed that the guy aiming that thing hadn't been up all night playing tonk. If they were firing from behind us we could hear the shot and the round howling through the air before it hit. Let me tell you that shrapnel was hot when it landed on us. D co, 1/16, 1st Inf Div, 1968

[@JoeDan541]

I was Field Artillery in the 70's. In a M110 8 inch S/P unit but trained on all of them. That 155 towed was the loudest dammed gun any of us ever served on too and everyone I've ever met who'd crewed one said the same thing. Man, that dude would yell BOOM for 20 minutes and play rock and roll afterward. But I loved that M110, one thing you could count on was it was going to hit exactly what the coordinates you were given. Accurate as hell.

[@moneyandtimefreedom3352]

What? I can’t hear you the gun was to loud. Can you repeat your comment?

[@felixmadison5736]

I could not agree more! No sound from video can do it justice. I served in 'Nam in 1969 when I was 20 years-old. I'm now 70, and my hearing is pretty much shot because of the two years I spent working around and on those guns.

[@felixmadison5736]

A SGT. over in Vietnam told us we could hit a postage stamp with those babies!

[@thJune]

Holy fuck I just did the math.. max range of 20.3 miles. Good lord

[@blakekenley1000]

Were SP guns ever used in Vietnam? We had towed 105s manned by 82ND backing us grunts in Afghanistan, never saw tracked vehicles there.

[@mnpd3]

I'm thinking back a long time, but I want to remember that the Army decided it needed 175mm self-propelled guns in Vietnam, but the active Army didn't have any. The gun was however available in the National Guard. LBJ wouldn't let the Guard be called up for Vietnam, but an exception was made in this case. A Kentucky (?) National Guard artillery unit that had the 175 SP was called up and sent over to Vietnam where it fired quite a few fire missions. Not too long before the unit was due to be redeployed to the States, it was hit hard on some firebase and lost some people.

[@cynthiamoon372]

I piloted CH-47s in Nam. One day I was slinging a load of 175 ammo. They directed me to set it behind and off to one side of the gun. As we were hovering, they fired ... the concussion blew the windows out of the right side of the cargo bay. In addition my SAS (stability augmentation system) went wacky but recovered after the shock wave passed. We kept in close radio contact with “arty” so we knew the max ordinance (peak height) of the trajectory. At times we had to fly under the arc. That sucked because we never knew if they might have an unintentional weak powder package (or whatever they called the charge). Another artillery not mentioned was Naval battleship support. Those huge guns, I believe were 16”. Several times I watched them hit the jungle. Instant BIG hole. I can’t vouch for the accuracy since I had no idea what the intended target was.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

I read a story about German tanks under assault by Russian infantry they just fired the main guns and the concussion DESTROYED the infantry

[@johnlund2313]

Recon member,Naval 16 inch was very accurate when we used them.

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

How does it feel to have lived and die as a murderer and warcriminal, blowing up a bunch of farmers defending their country from hundreds of thousands of invading white people? I am white and proud of my Race but you are a criminal murderer and will burn in hell and then "it will be as if you never existed". Gotta be exicted for that, right? Felix "raining death" madison?. The only heroes were the students protesting and rioting. And the hippies of course. Those unwashed hairy apes, but with good hearts

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

@@johnlund2313 Did you also massacre and rape vietnamese like at My-Lai and other villages? The 501st can speak tales of that

[@matthewcullen1298]

Greetings from Australia Mate 😀 wow that must have been a butt cheeks clenching experience. I'm glad you're ok mate. My uncle was an Aussie soldier in Vietnam. I was born in 73 but I still vividly remember him flinching when a door slammed in the late 70s. As a small kid I couldn't understand why his eyes darted with such intensity surveying my grandparents old farm house. I was too young to understand the stress you gentlemen had experienced. Then as a teenager my dad was promoted in the fire service and dad had a patrol car and was on 24/7 call. We started going to motor vehicle accidents with him as he had to go everywhere in his service vehicle and I saw the look on his face after he'd cut some dead mangled kid out of a car and his uniform was splattered with their blood. The Vietnam veterans here as in America were treated like crap when they got back from a war that most didn't want. It might not mean much but Im glad you got home safely and want to show my respect and appreciation for what you did.. Hope you are well, best wishes from Australia 😊

[@AdamosDad]

The largest guns used in Vietnam were the 16 inch guns on the battle ship USS New Jersey (BB-62). I was on the US Navy heavy cruiser the USS Newport News (CA-148) we had 9 × 8"/55 caliber guns 12 × 5"/38 caliber guns 12 × 3"/50 caliber guns We could fire our main battery 90 rounds before the fist one hit the ground. All guns loaded and fired in any position. We carried 1400 rounds of 8" and could expend all rounds in about 15 min. Our guns were trained by fire control radar or the main director, all of our guns were auto loaded and were capable of anti aircraft fire, why are these guns not shown here I spent 2 tours in Vietnam north and south.

[@jamesmitchell3496]

YOU GUYS WERE DANGEROUS

[@ronalddavis]

because its an ARMY training film duh

[@rancherfarmerguy]

Did you guys have a main turrent blow up that killed some guys and took u out of action for a while??

[@AdamosDad]

@@rancherfarmerguy That happened in 1972, a faulty round exploded in 2 gun in T2, there was a fire that killed 20 ( brave souls), I left the ship in 1970 to join the crew of the USS Springfield (CLG-7) so I was not around, when it happened. They talked about putting a gun into her from one of her sisters but said it was to expensive, so they just locked the turret in train and continued missions with the other guns.

[@armantape]

@@ronalddavis 😅

[@felixmadison5736]

I trained on those 8-inch self propelled howitzers, and the .155 SP. in the States. Over in Vietnam in 1969, I played for keeps on the .105, and then the .155 towed howitzers. They were brought into the 'landing zone', (called that because you couldn't drive in) hanging from a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter, with us troops riding inside just waiting to be picked off by the Viet Cong. We were sitting ducks in those damned things as they sat there hovering!! We had a few close calls!

[@nagoogle8542]

Did you carry around nuclear ammo?

[@jacksoncole6672]

@@nagoogle8542 go away troll

[@boscodog4358]

8" was nuc capable

[@felixmadison5736]

@@nagoogle8542 Closest thing I saw to nuclear ammo was Agent Orange.

[@robertpayne2717]

My Dad's little brother had to leave his trk and a 155 howitzer in the sea at Tarawa due the timing of the tides during the invaision in 1943. He drove off the laning craft into about 15 or twenty feet of water . He then swam ashore 2nd Marine division

[@stylinstylist2005]

Wow...God bless him, He's lucky to be alive.....

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I have heard first hand stories of the accuracy of the 155's. They would drop HE shells 8 miles away into an area the size of a little league ball diamond (that's actually the term he used) Our sniper teams or a spotter plane would radio back targeting data and within five minutes shells were in flight. That is how you fuck up an enemy badly and quickly.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

@TJ Murphy oh yes it is. Believe me highly accurate

[@DanielMartinez-fk9qb]

It all came down to. How long your Forward Observers would last ? There life expectancy on the Battlefield? 13 Seconds ! Saw how those guys performed. On a High Observation Point in Graffonwohr West Germany back in 88.

[@seamusmccartin9683]

And yet....the vietcong over-ran the lot !

[@wechaimoua9537]

Lao gov't should need the 175mm that hit target at 32 km range to be used during The Secret War in Laos. Because Russia provided the 130 mm that can hit targets at 20 km to Vietnam to battle Gen. Vang Pao's troops in Laos around Long Cheng which were atthe Skyline areas that caused major damages to 2nd battalion in Xieng Khouang.

[@recaptchapt.221]

Thank you so much for uploading!!!

[@ManDuderGuy]

Those guys loading the 155 look like the most regular-ass dudes I've ever seen in my life. I trust them completely.

[@galesams4205]

i fired the 155mm HOW in vietnam , lz action had 3 with a 175mm long tom, with 4 batterys of 105mm st. and 2 4.2 motor st. 4th inf. div . the highlands, dak-tko.

[@nicholassheehan8234]

I was in Dak to in 68, 69. D. Co. 299th combat eng. Every time them dam 175 went off our candles went out, hated them dam guns.

[@caseyjoanz]

We’d rotate six months on 155mms, six to a battery, getting hit and sometimes overrun; then six months on the big guns, four to a battery: two 8” howitzers and two 175mm guns: the 175 is not a howitzer. A howitzer is a medium velocity gun. A 175mm sends a 150lb projectile out of the tube at 3,000fps, the speed of an M16 bullet. A 155mm is loud, louder than an 8” howitzer. But a 175mm with Zone 3 powder jumps up like a frog and feels like it’s changing the rotation of the earth. Words like “loud” aren’t adequate to describe it. Everyone dreaded those six months, and everyone wanted to get back to normal, fucked-up fire missions and dealing with the prospect of getting hit and sometimes overrun. They made the 175mm obsolete because just firing them too long causes CTE. There are always guys claiming they’ve lost their minds and trying to get out of there. But the ones who really lose it won’t leave, won’t sleep, if they’re wounded they just bleed and walk around bloody and have to be taken out in handcuffs at gunpoint. Their Systematic Nervous System (SMS) surrenders to being pulverized, and they feel nothing. It’s not PTSD, it’s literally shell shock in its truest form.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

From firing the weapon you would loose your mind ?

[@michaelsullivan2554]

God bless you guys.

[@johncliff5417]

I was the C.O.'s Radio Op. at 32 Hvy Regt. R.A. in 1965 when they fired the first 175mm round on the ranges at Honne. When it was safe we went to the impact area and dug out some shrapnel from that round. I was impressed with the colour of the metal. I got a beautiful piece of about 8"x 4 .5" in the shape of the island of Cypress. It was still warm when I first handeled it. Colour of gold -red, merging through to indigo blue. That piece went into the map pocket of my combats before the C.O. saw it. we dug some more out that was bound for the officers Mess no doubt. My piece ended up has a present for an Ex. Gunner, who was a Amateur radio pal living in Pieter-Mariotsberg , South Africa. His old mate took his wife out to see him and took the present for me. I had the piece mounted on oak with a brass plaque enscribed that it was from the first 175mm shell fired by 32 Hvy. Regt. R.A from the M107 SP Guns. Ho and yes they were F---g Loud. What did you say. Cotten wool was no good at keeping the Boom out of your head. When I got posted to Malasia, My leaving present was to pick a target and control the firing of a Divisional Shoot. Two Heavy regiments firing. I picked "Hitler Howe" and blew it to Sh-t

[@peppermintcatsass3141]

Nice👍

[@jimmyarbutus2555]

Hi John, That's fuck all, pal. I got some of the first agent orange on my skin. I wasn't able to keep it as most of it was absorbed by my skin and my clothing. I kept some, but unknowingly passed a "gift" on to my children (deformity and retardation). You see I too went to the impact area only I went there before the impact. The bit I was able to keep seemed pretty small at first but continued to grow, unnoticed by me, until my doctor found an angry looking lesion on my back. Coincidentally, it was also gold -red, merging through to indigo blue, but the shape looked more like Italy or an old combat boot. Anyway, it seems we have similar stories except I grew up in a tiny hamlet outside of Quang Dong. Anyway, thank you for sharing your inspirational story. It's cool to shoot things off, alright.

[@BOB-wx3fq]

@@jimmyarbutus2555 why would you experience agent orange in china?

[@jimmyarbutus2555]

@@BOB-wx3fq Quảng Đông is a hamlet in Quảng Trạch District, Quảng Bình Province, in Vietnam. Are you ignorant of the geography of our great country. What kind of communist are you? If you lived in my village I would report you to the authorities immediately. You deserve retraining.

[@nateg9770]

@@jimmyarbutus2555 We hate communism. Any veteran that is. sorry for being exposed to that shit. but our government exposed our troops to the same thing. USMC FOREVER. 2002-2012

[@2_dog_Restoration]

I recognized a lot of the training area. Spent the summer of 1981 in HOT Fort Sill OK!! Basic training fallowed by 13-B gun bunny training. Not a lot of fun but I would not trade that time for anything. THANKS Dan H

[@brandonfaubert7180]

Ohh Ft. Sill

[@James-uh1is]

Man all I see is some engineering finesse.

[@jimhendrix2465]

Literally they were telling the enemy of their tank capabilities, though. That’s just asinine thinking.

[@rjsmith5071]

Concerning the m 109, 175 mm howitzer..........Zone 1, 2, and 3. After 300 rounds of zone 3's we replaced the barrel. They had a tendency of becoming structurally dangerous. When fireing a zone three the crew took cover behind a sandbag barrier. Too dangerous to be on the vehicle. Think you've heard loud noises? A zone 3 pack is the loudest thing I have ever heard. It actually brought me to one knee! Thought it broke my ear drums. They told me to put my ear plugs in my ears but I didn't. I did after that! The blast forward of the gun would actually rip the older tents in the company area. Supposedly,,,,,, supposedly, you got used to the noise and could actually sleep thru a fire mission!! I don't think I could be drunk and passed out and sleep thru that. I can only imagine what a 16" battle ship gun would sound like. I believe that would physically harm a human body if standing near the Barrell. Central Highlands VN 1966-67 The greatest year of my life.

[@fload46d]

Must have been the self propelled 8 inch I saw at An Khe in Vietnam. That was 70-71. I remember they had long barrels but I don't remember if they were on tracks. Biga Booma! Also watched 105s work at one of our firebases. Then they found out I could type.

[@13thBear]

Very impressive overview of the artillery used in Nam--my war. I was a mortar-man back then and thought I was a badass. After seeing this video, now I wish I had been in artillery from the start! They were and are the bad asses of bad asses!

[@HugDeeznueces]

King of Battle! I did my time on the arty arena but my hearing suffered

[@jaimeolguin3887]

13thBear that was my plan, I wanted to be train in artillery

[@robertw4230]

13thBear ....I was a 13 bravo back in the day , 8 " self propelled howitzer but never fired a mortar , I feel your pain .

[@clintonwalsh2264]

13thBear for sure the 155mm is a true jungle buster. Specially if air bursted 10feet in the air.

[@hansvonschlader8227]

The Bad Asses still ran home to America with thier tails between thier legs.

[@Motumatai3]

Back in 2008 I was involved in a UXO clearance mission in An Tay. The single most accurate rounds we found just HAD to be the rounds fired by the M115's inside the Iron Triangle Some time during the war a 3 round illum mission must of been called in, as we found all three expended rounds sitting about a meter under the surface. From the bearing they laid at we were able to confirm which firebase they had been delivered from. They had travelled about 18km. All three projectiles were less than 3 metres apart in bearing, and two were about 3 metres apart in range, with the third round 25 meters away . Having said that, some hooch must have been consumed on the gun line, as we often found 155 and 105 rounds 1-2 meters underground, still with their shipping plugs screwed in ;-)

[@stylinstylist2005]

Now that's accuracy...

[@PaulGruendlerBeau]

And the Honored Enemy made booby traps of the ones they found.

[@charleschapman6810]

There were a few occasions Vietnam where these guns helped defeat NC/NVA infantry attacks by aiming by looking down the barrel with the breech open!

[@felixmadison5736]

We called 'em 'ground attacks'. We opened up the darkness with flares at 2am, and fired every weapon we had from every man we had. The .155s were all parallel to the ground as a last resort. Engineers went around after the fire fight with dump trucks to pick up the body parts and bulldozers to cover 'em. It was like a Mardi Gras without any of the fun.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

@@felixmadison5736 there wouldn't be anything left if ya got hit by that ?

[@richardque4952]

Assault on fire base gold.

[@MrAlbert1811]

And using beehives!

[@kaseymoe]

They said join the army and learn a trade, so I did. I ended up in vietnam 69/70 in an 8" and 175 unit. When I got home I found out nobody was looking to hire a 175 gun bunny.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

We need them now to shell so called peaceful protesting

[@digitaldesignfan7918]

Why didn’t you use your GI Bill to go to school and learn a trade?

[@David-gh6vp]

@@digitaldesignfan7918 Better to have selected a trade that you can use in civilian life from a Military Tech school, and then use GI Bill to pay for GUR's or augment your trade. Electronics, or even truck driving, were available. My tech school was Aviation Weather [for SAC/ B-52's. et c.] and that paid off over much of my life.

[@felixmadison5736]

On our 155 towed howitzers, we dug the spades in by shooting off the first round. It would dig itself in.

[@SFarling]

Battery B 2/320th Field Artillery 101st Airborne Div. March 20 1970 - March 25 1971 I Corp Vietnam. M102 Howitzers FADAC Operator, Generator Mechanic Fought in the last major battle in Vietnam, The Battle of Firebase Ripcord, firing support from Firebase Gladiator. We were waiting to replace the destroyed Battery of 102’s on Ripcord, when they decided to abandon Ripcord. We were firing support the entire time of withdraw of Ripcord, until we got to observe the B52 bombing of the abandoned Firebase to destroy any remaining equipment left there.

[@andyscud5842]

still miss my days on a M107. My tinnitus reminds me everyday of my time served. :)

[@ralphgreenjr.2466]

I was Infantry, called 8 inch in "Danger Close" mission once that was something to witness. Rounds hit within 200 meters of my position. WOW! The 175 mm "Danger Close" mission was considered 1,000 meters, not the most accurate! Best support was from 105mm, 155mm, and 4.2 mortars. They could really fill the air with steel and were really fast shifting from a known point. American artillery wins wars.

[@erin19030]

I was Artillery during Nam. We had towed 105 Howz on barges along the Mekong. Shoot, move and communicate!

[@chrislong3938]

I was in Target Acq in the '70s and we always found the 8" SP to be the king of accuracy. The towed 155mm were next followed by the 105mm. Those 8"s could really reach out and touch someone!

[@gmac8852]

2/92 fa Brave Cannons 8in.

[@chrislong3938]

@@gmac8852 7th Inf TAB - 2/8th was our big guns

[@gmac8852]

@@chrislong3938 Ain't no party without the ARTY.

[@chrislong3938]

@@gmac8852 Aye baby!

[@joyrider8882]

I was trained on a 105 mm as a gunner, but was called for to shoot a 102 mm, which I had never fired before, came in on a helicopter and set up and put the toob straight up, shot a round and shot a direct fire and hit the target at the same time.

[@Arcada011]

M110 - KIng of battle. Go RedLegs.

[@philgiglio9656]

@Jim lastname...from Thee Outlaw Josey Wales: redlegs is shorthand for arty. Has been since at least the Civil War.Yellow is cavalry and green was medical .

[@richardwilson3548]

King of Battle.

[@specialk5548]

So great to seeing the plckle uniforms we used to wear 🇺🇸😎

[@HoaHoang-dg8vc]

🇻🇳🤣👎🇺🇸

[@2_dog_Restoration]

It's been a few years since i have herd the saying "Pickle Uniforms" THANKS Dan H

[@fredtompkins5247]

In March of 71 during lom som 719 , 2 rounds of 175 landed in our ranger teams ndp, I'll never forget the sound they make coming in and then the explosion, each round sent me sent me about 20 meters, most of the 7 of us lost blood and some body parts, then it was a 12 hour wait to get a chopper in to get us off the mountain top. I was with team 1-4 p company rangers 75th ranger regt. With the 5th inf div. Mech. In quangtri, the 175 rounds came from camp Carroll. RLTW

[@leonelquintanilla479]

1st.good mention of artillery I've come across.i was in a btry 1st of the 27th arty.155 s.p.in dau tieng.6 pcs.in lazy w.many battles were fought in dau tieng.1968 feb69 to feb69.thank you for mentioning the artillery men.

[@robertw4230]

Break-free CLP is what we used on our howitzers , M16s and 50 cals.

[@screamingcat142]

when i went to Camp Blanding i got to see one of the M115 203mm, that gun is huge.

[@1776adb]

Served in the ammo section - A Battery 13th. Artillery 25th. Infantry. CU CHI 1966-67.

[@nelbax2084]

They were far from perfect, I was with the 5th division on the dmz. During a firefight we called for arty support, a 155 round fell short killing 8. We relied on tanks of 177 armor for support after that.

[@leonelquintanilla479]

Had 6 mos.to go when I came home.went to ft Carson. Also with a great unit.4th of the 84th arty.on the 175s.also s.p.did annual training war games while there.

[@korvtm]

I was told a story about how an 8'in towed howitzer unit that was called the Automatic Eighth,got it's nickname.Seems that during the Korean war the unit was involved in an attack on a N.K.unit.The N.K unit was captured and the commander,an artillery officer ask if he could see how the 8' in autoloading system worked.He simply could not believe that men could fire the howitzer that fast.loading by hand.At least,that is the story I was told.

[@andrewvines5170]

charles woods I’m in that unit

[@DanielMartinez-fk9qb]

You would've had to have been a Bad Ass Mutha. To load an 8 inch Towed by Hand. When I fired it at Fort Sill in 87? It took Four Men. Just to carry it to the Gun. To be lifted and Loaded into the tube. Talk about One Hell of a Recoil. Imagine an 8 inch for Home Defense in your Front Yard. Thugs come along to try and break in? They would without a Doudt? Provide you with the Maximum amount of Fertilizer for your front and back yard.

[@waynehankinson8210]

The 8 in howitzer had a low trajectory and was its undoing in hilly areas of Vietnam. They had a hard time hitting the backside of steep mountains/hills. Eventually was replaced by the 155mm towed and M109.

[@stanleymuir5795]

Respectfully disagree my brother ; I served in D battery 5/16 artillery 4th division. I crewed on an M110 and was in the FDC . We were in a very hilly area approx. 6 clicks from the Cambodian border supporting the 101st and couple other infantry .the gun was incredibly accurate regardless of the terrain . Thanks for your servicr

[@broznkyra4853]

Note the 4 M-14s in the weapons rack...dates this to ca. 1961...1967...

[@jamesritchie2167]

South African artillery got the 155mm to reach 60,000 meters! We pioneered base bleed technology ! Russians and Cubans could not understand how we were hitting them so hard ! No clue how far away we were! My SF teams were within 1000 meters spotting and calling in adjustments! The 200 square meter blast area of HE 155mm trashed them big time! Our gunners would fire 4 salvos from 6 guns then relocate ! 😆👍🏻

[@SunilKumar-xe9wq]

thank you for uploddig

[@JohnnyRebKy]

My dad was a Marine Cannoneer in Vietnam. 65 to 67

[@forwardobserver2048]

Bunkered next to a 155 battery @ FSB Iron 1 Fall ‘69. They’d go off all night long, raining concussive waves, sand, and earth shattering noise.

[@TheInnerParty]

I grew up in Ft Sill Ok, artillery capital of the world. My dad was the post Sergeant Major. I've fired every single one of these, and did it as a young teenager. Could never happen today.

[@reicht4]

in my service we used m110a3 and towed 8" we were kind of good at targets located around 13-14 km (10~55 m accuracy) but towed guys were shooting as accurate as rifle... but while changing positions we were drinking tea in our fire control truck and towed guys were packing / digging / unpacking and redigging.. were really sorry for them ;) ps : turkish army field training

[@soundknight]

excellent for fighting in Europe

[@magnagermania9311]

Why of I may ask? Better terrain

[@thepowerofdream8772]

@@magnagermania9311 cause in southeast asia mostly covered by thick jungle terrain filled with deep swamp and river.

[@majorlee76251]

I am glad the Army was concerned about safety, but never got the impression they cared for comfort.🙃

[@1murder99]

The crew of that M109 are the slowest artillery men I have ever seen.

[@Crimsonedge1]

You do know it's a demonstration video yeah? They're showing what goes on. If everyone was working at speed, there would be a few things the camera just wouldn't be able to see. Keep in mind the age of the video too. It's not like they could just rig up loads of GoPros back in those days to get all the necessary angles. Also, they're not in combat so they're neither being shot at nor are they trying to protect people and provide fire support for people who are being shot at. People naturally get faster at what they're doing when they're being shot at.

[@yalltherollas2925]

Sy W I'm sure an artillery unit wouldn't be under fire but I absolutely agree if there were orders they would've been live

[@Crimsonedge1]

Artillery units have come under fire in every major engagement that artillery has been a part of since artillery was first invented. Similar idea with a tank. While tanks are armoured, like artillery, they're also bullet magnets. Artillery naturally makes a high priority target... Smash your enemy's big guns and he can't pound you with them... The reality is that the only safe place in a war zone is the inside of a coffin.

[@yalltherollas2925]

Usually artillery is far behind the action if they are under fire it's indirect I never said they were safe only out the way. What's the point of being a spas if they have to be within reach of the enemy

[@korvtm]

Usually true,but sometimes even gravesites get hammered.

[@isacchris1]

That’s amazing to be able lob a shell 20 miles down range!!

[@thomasbroking7943]

And put it in a bucket. Amazing

[@davidca96]

especially a 175mm round

[@jerrymarz9040]

Christopher Isac the amazing part is they pinpoint a target they can’t see.

[@jimhendrix2465]

@@thomasbroking7943 😂

[@robertglace813]

I was in maint contact team in Nam changed the 175mm barrels short life span 3 to 4hundred rounds and elevation motors did not last seals blowing out anyway 8inch was a good weapon

[@nuclearthreat545]

8:01 look at those rifles

[@codenamehalo9847]

nuclearthreat545 I llike the M14 too but I'd rather have it as a Sniper Rifle.

[@rksmith5273]

I was raised on the 8”. Love that howitzer.

[@tommymagnusson]

Awesome great stuff

[@daveybernard1056]

I keep expecting the narrator to mention the location of the dealership. I'm sold, where are these? Does WalMart have the ammo?

[@Dr.Pepper001]

Davey Bernard --- Yes, Walmart does have the ammo but you can't buy it unless you are 21 or over.

[@peppermintcatsass3141]

Western Auto...lol

[@351linzdoctor]

LOL!

[@codenamehalo9847]

Dwight Turner the fuck do you mean? in the US you can own a Tank as soon as you're born!

[@joe-bang8501]

Do they take trade ins?...I got a 68 pounder muzzle loader collecting dust.

[@impactabledecided8050]

Did the “paladin” get it’s name from the western “have gun will travel??” (Traveling gun) If so.. bad ass! Anyone know?

[@harryscott9533]

a trusted military leader or champion of a cause , also one of 12 knights from charlemagnes court in the 8th century , that is what the knight symbol on paladins gun holster stood for ! 👍😎 , and i would think there could not be a more fitting name for a traveling gun , great tv show by the way i have all 225 episodes on dvd

[@meomy12wer36]

I do not know .but if not .it should have been. I was armor 81- 87. Fire and movement. Have gun will travel . I concurr. Bad ass.

[@bobthompson4319]

is it a chamber evacuater or is it a bore evacuater?

[@jphaolai526]

No weapons could overpower the unity of the people, Vietnam lesson.

[@lionelneymar4327]

💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 fact

[@user-tr3py5nz2j]

Maybe so, but there’s a few million less of them after Saigon fell and it took decades to rebuild that garbage pit country, so, yeah, I quess you won.

[@guiseppe46]

Casualties hero! One million VC and NV regs! But you know that huh?

[@onlydeacon]

We had a 106 recoilless mounted on a 113A1 APC…Ist Infantry 1968/69..

[@cheedevulan8547]

Where can I get a few of these?! 😁

[@lyntwo]

Too bad the film did not show the immense smoke ring the 175mm could make when firing. The 8" howitzer shell produced a "ripping silk" sound when it went overhead at altitude. Funny, I still dream of those sounds and more even 48 years later.

[@panzerffaust6231]

M109 till used today

[@howardcrowe6743]

lyntwo So do I.

[@pplett8238]

Is the a rocket at 3:08? I didn't know that the USA had those type of mobile icbm's

[@stlpaulie]

That’s a Pershing1. It was a short range nuclear ballistic missile. Not an ICBM.

[@ralphcraig5816]

During the Vietnam thing my uncle was a commander of an artillery battery in I Corp. A General was inspecting the DMZ early one morning and witnessed the NVA raising their flag, a huge flag along with huge speakers just out of range of the 105s. Not happy with the display the General ordered my uncle's unit of 155s to move into position. The next morning at dawn the NVA flag was about half way up the flag pole when everything disappeared...

[@jrjohnryanjr]

Ralph Craig but in the end Vietnam was unified and now makes all our shrimp and sneakers and is our ally against their big neighbor China

[@lynnwood7205]

@@jrjohnryanjr and steel and clothes and furniture. Yes we saved our free market capitalist system from communism, yes we did.

[@jrjohnryanjr]

Lynn Wood do you think that Vietnam is a "communist" country ? How did we "save" our free market system if we lost the war ? Have you ever been to Vietnam ?

[@dennissutton3767]

You could hear those 155mm guns miles away….plus the ground would shake…..after a long barrage

[@skinsman3]

King of battle!

[@bantalee2002]

So everyone knows,.the cannons are a hell of a lot louder in real life. I remember the report of the 155 towed Howitzer. I ran comm wire from gun to gun and HQ before each fire mission.

[@rredhawk]

0:07 I built a model of this vehicle back in the early 1970s. It was a 1:48 scale plastic model kit by Aurora. Haven't seen the kit in a long time as I'm sure it's been discontinued.

[@philgiglio9656]

That is the scale for HO train models also.

[@tasman006]

There was also the American older M55/53 SPG's that also served in the Vietnam war.

[@johnberry6929]

Anybody notice the M102 did not have a pan-tel? The gunner just kneeled next to its empty mount. Kind of hard to aim an artillery piece without one. I suppose that was why they were at low angle shooting direct fire. Kind of a Hollywood moment.

[@jerrycofield6038]

Yea I was on the 110 Self Propelled Howitser Biggest Bad Ass Artillery Weapon they had in the Army at that time 1972 it could really reach way out there and for sure mesh up the Enemy’s day Guarantee over 20 Miles 100% to hit its Target,I damn sure wouldn’t want to be on the Receiving end of it for sure.

[@g2macs]

Is it just me but did they add sound effects for a better boom?

[@felixmadison5736]

Believe me, they don't need sound effects to get a 'better boom' from those guns. Those bastards would shake loose the fillings in your teeth!

[@therond.patron4959]

I was on a 105 and 8in I don't miss any of that shit at all. I have no regrets in serving but field artillery you can keep that shit all that maintenance it's for the birds especially self-propelled artillery if you go into that field you want to stay on a 105 I'll leave the rest of that shit alone.

[@jamesdean1598]

Seems these beasts had better MPG than my Toyota Camry.

[@Astania08]

I love artilleries.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

My kind of girl

[@shirleyk6009]

I was on FSBs they had 155 ,175,8” big guns plus others i never see any thing like there and the 175 used to put the barrel almost on top of my bunker

[@AYEcorolla]

The M109 has evolved. A lot.

[@gregbacon819]

Arty truly is the “King of Battle”!!

[@nagoogle8542]

Wait.. what was that last ammo type he mentioned for the m109? 😳

[@galesams4205]

ONE battery 4 at LZ Blackhawk. respect from vc . will stop incomming of their 60mm motors. 4th inf. div vietnam, yes liked the cluster round better than HE. hawk

[@katiadimarco9469]

What kind of propellant used those ?

[@timg2088]

Now, there is no way I can imagine shooting anything nuclear from any of these weapons. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

[@thomasholmes8063]

Hearing Protection ???? Do you use it? I sure hope they did.

[@ashman187]

WHAT?

[@kuiper921]

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?!?

[@readhistory2023]

It helps but you'll still have hearing loss. Turns out very loud sounds bypass the earplugs and are transmitted by your own body to you ear drums.

[@randomguy2929]

SPEAK LOUDER I CANT BARELY HEAR YOU.

[@benjamindixon7465]

negative ghost rider. Even when I was in during the mid-late '00's we didnt typically wear earpro. typically fire missions get called down so fast that you dont have time to put them in, then you really need to be able to hear the fuse, fuse setting, amount of powder, round type, as well as the deflection and quadrant.. everyone needs to be able to check everyone else. nothing scares you more than thinking someone might be accidentally loading a white phosphorous round instead of an illumination round in night time operations.. and nothings more embarrasing for a gun than their illumination round having a point detonating fuse on it, thus going off when it hits the ground hahaha

[@lelandgaunt9985]

Those guns survived Vietnam! We used those in that 3rd ward magnolia ya heard meh.

[@Sproutt]

I look back at the video I just watched and think wow just teach everybody (every other country) to build their own army.

[@philbrown9764]

There’s was a lot of manual loading, that makes me wonder if it’s still that way today.

[@j.b.m4640]

Sure is

[@IMP-vi6je]

There is nothing better than A speaking tree that shot bullets It can run on rise and water And really effective

[@ashman187]

You yell. We shell. Like hell.

[@joeford860]

Outstanding

[@patrickwalls1407]

yeah you artillery guys saved my uncles life by raining pain. on what he called the ant hill.

[@mrichar9]

Great for shoot-n-scoot and evading counter battery fire.

[@orgeebaharvin6284]

Shout out to you Red Legs!

[@wolfd89]

look at the M14's stacked by the 107! Drools a bit

[@theburgernoder2441]

Understandable reaction man.

[@xihuynh9222]

@@theburgernoder2441 9.

[@jacknifedbl]

Hello steel rain!!!!!

[@rredhawk]

0:07 American "Hummel". 3:18 American "Wespe".

[@johnperea4534]

Served 71-74...B Battery 2d of the 20th Divarty..3d of the 17th.. Merrell Barracks...gun bunny..FDC... forward observer...We computed the data but the guns kicked ass.... Artillery... Queen of Battle...

[@tarkusmjg]

Conventional or Nuclear??? at 0:47. Wow.

[@hauntedhouse7827]

Yeah, at this time in history al the major powers had the nuclear boner.

[@T3hderk87]

And I thought it was just atomic Annie!

[@Bushcraft-xz6xd]

Wasn’t the Atomic Artillery shell possibly a ruse to frighten the Russians should they invade Europe? It wouldn’t have been hard to fake the Atomic Annie shot but I’m unsure if this is just a conspiracy theory?

[@staightstory5374]

We had nukes for our guns in Germany I was an 13F but stationed with an artillery unit . the Russians where 100 to 1 against us but they were never going to get through fulda.

[@moneyandtimefreedom3352]

Marv Gordonski there are some interesting videos on KZbin about how they do it and show the atomic blasts.