USMC Information Thread

Devildog · Post by **Devildog** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:53 am

Awesome ShortRound70, just what I was looking for, thanks.

ShortRound70 · Post by **ShortRound70** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:53 am

To Devildog:

Glad I could help. I'm slowly building my own MEU, so I need the TO&E as well.

To Thomas.tmcc:

Post away, mate. Honored to have it on your site. I will have to check out your site, as I have not yet done so. Besides, when I finish my Marines, I'll need some "bad guy" TO&E's.

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:50 am

Another amtrack question...

GHQ models their AAV-7A1/LVTP-7 command vehicles without gun turrets. I've seen pictures of vehicles with gun turrets labeled as command versions. Which is accurate? In reality, do the command versions of the LVTP-7/AAV-7A1 have gun turrets?

Paul

jb · Post by jb » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:00 pm

av8rmongo wrote:Another amtrack question...

GHQ models their AAV-7A1/LVTP-7 command vehicles without gun turrets. I've seen pictures of vehicles with gun turrets labeled as command versions. Which is accurate? In reality, do the command versions of the LVTP-7/AAV-7A1 have gun turrets?

Paul

Thats a good

any

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Devildog · Post by **Devildog** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:30 pm

There are two command AAV in each AAV Company - these do not have turrets and contain extra radio mounts. An AAV Company has 3 platoon each of 12 AAVP. Each platoon can lift a Marine Rifle Company.
Perhaps the pictures seen showing "command" AAV's with the Upgunned Turret are the vehicles assigned to lift the Rifle Company CP.
There is a great article in the Marine Corps Gazette from a year or so back on AAV platoon organization when attached to a rifle company - I will track it down ASAP (in the middle of a move right now) - in essence though a RIfle Company would have an AAV platoon of 12 AAVP7A1's attached to it - 3 to carry each Rifle Platoon and attachments from the Weapons Platoon - and 3 attached to the Company CP, 1 to carry the Command Element, 1 as a Logistics vehicle, and one to carry the Fire Support team and possibly to LWCM's (60mm Mortars) to mark targets with smoke, fire ILLUM.

Hope this helps,

Devildog

pmaidhof · Post by **pmaidhof** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:38 pm

From the usmc open source "fact files", the only Amtrac with the upgunned turret is the P-7 version. The Command versions and Recovery versions are listed with a single 7.62mm MG.

http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7 ... enDocument

http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7 ... enDocument

http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7 ... enDocument

jb · Post by jb » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:01 am

Devildog wrote:Perhaps the pictures seen showing "command" AAV's with the Upgunned Turret are the vehicles assigned to lift the Rifle Company CP.

Devildog

This sounds reasonable-I was actually thinking along these lines

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:16 am

Devildog,
Thanks, that sounds like it makes sense. I'll try to scan in the picture sometime this weekend so you can see what I'm talking about. Aside from the turrets is there any other external difference? The troop compartment door perhaps? In the picture I have (looking from the back) there are Marines with their heads poking up through the open overhead hatch on the right side. The area on the left side where the hatch should be looks different - like its not a hatch. I've had one ride in an LVTP-7 and since it was ship to shore movement all the troop hatches were closed so I don't know if what I'm looking at is really what I'm seeing.

Paul

pmaidhof · Post by **pmaidhof** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:24 am

The "C7" has a cupola with vision slots and in the field a boat-load of antenna's. I agree with devildog that the upgunned "C7" was probably a rifle company commander's track. They did not rate a true "C7" as there were too few to go around.

ShortRound70 · Post by **ShortRound70** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:55 am

av8rmongo;

Devildog & pmaidhof are correct from what I found at GlobalSecurity.org. C-7's are used by the track co. CO and the infantry bn. CO. Rifle co. CO's use the track platoon leader's vehicle. They may have additional infantry radios brought aboard by the infantry. Would like to see the pictures posted.

ShortRound70 · Post by **ShortRound70** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 10:45 am

Found the website, it has several TO&E's if you can read through all the "stuff". If it doesn't link up, I'm sorry, I'm technologically challenged. Most old-farts are.

[urhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library ... ndex.htmll][/url]

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 10:39 pm

Okay here's the AAVC-7A1 picture I was talking about. For photo credit it appears in Vol 7 of Assault the Journal of Armored & Heliborne Warfare

The text clearly identifies this as a "C" model but as discussed it could just be the command element of the rifle company. Any distinguising external features that would provide a clue? I asked about the hatches but looking again now it may just be that there is additional plates attached to the left side hatch. Any thoughts?

Paul

jb · Post by jb » Sun Feb 19, 2006 12:38 am

av8rmongo wrote:Okay here's the AAVC-7A1 picture I was talking about. For photo credit it appears in Vol 7 of Assault the Journal of Armored & Heliborne Warfare

The text clearly identifies this as a "C" model but as discussed it could just be the command element of the rifle company. Any distinguising external features that would provide a clue? I asked about the hatches but looking again now it may just be that there is additional plates attached to the left side hatch. Any thoughts?

Paul

It appears the port side hatch is "usual",the cupola seems a little different,of course there is an antenna mount on it-not usually found- one of of the grunts has a manpck radio(skinny antenna) and some more skinny ones in front of the vehicle (can't really tell if more RTOs are in front of the AAV)- and I hope for their sake a thunder storm is not going to develope!

pmaidhof · Post by **pmaidhof** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:00 am

That many radio nets would lead me to believe that it is a battalion command track, although the officer to the left with radio operator could be a company commander. Who knows, the Bn CO may have wanted to "go forward" and loaded his COC Forward into a P7 with all of the nets sticking out of the troop compartment. That would leave C7's rearward with the COC Main.

I'm sticking with C7's not having the upgunned turret and the fact that just about anything can happen in the USMC. Semper Gumby.

JB's thunderstorm and manpack radio antenna's - reminds me of a moment of levity in a wide open field atop the mesa at Sierra del Retin.