Walk Around Photo Feature:    M106A2 Self Propelled 107mm Mortar Carrier

This M106A2, armored, Self-propelled 107mm mortar carrier was manufactured by the FMC Corporation in 1962. It is part of the M113 family of armored personnel carriers. The M106 carried a crew of 6 and had an M-30 107mm mortar tube mounted on a traversing base plate in the troop compartment along with 88 mortar rounds. The M-30 could be fired through doors opening in the roof of the carrier or a portable plate could be placed on the ground and the M-30 mortar mounted and fired outside of the carrier.

The hull of the M106 is constructed of H32 aluminum armor approximately 1 1/2 inches thick. The vehicle is amphibious and able to travel at around 3.5 mph in the water and in the best conditions it could reach a maximum road speed of 40 mph with a range of 300 miles. It weighs in at 26,910 lbs, and is powered by a 2 stroke, 6 cylinder Detroit Diesel engine with an Allison Tx-100 Transmission which had 3 forward gears, and 1 reverse gear, with a fuel capacity of 95 gallons.

This Vehicle saw duty in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry division in its original configuration. After its upgrade to an A2 it was turned over to the U.S. Army reserve and eventually it became obsolete in its combat role. Athe the end of its military career, this vehicle sat in a field with weeds and brush growing up around it at Camp Selby, Mississippi. After it was acquired by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #467 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, it was discovered after being delivered to its display area, that this vehicle only had 210 operating hours on it since its upgrade to an M106A2, in essence it was very lightly used.