AAV Amphibs

[29palms]

Didn't know where to post this but this is pretty nautical. An Amphibious Assault Vehicle. This armored vehicle splashes in the ocean, usually carried around by an LST of the U.S. Navy. The AAV's are used by the USMC to perform beach landings, beach assaults and haul equipment, and rations on to shore. When this vehicle drives off the ramp and into the ocean, they flank the sea and head for shore, usually no more than a few miles out. It uses a cummings or allison engines and a lever is switched to use the propellers. Upon hitting the bottom to surface, the tracks are then used to propell the vehicle onto land.
If you have never experienced this before, it is only the USMC that uses these vehicles, and some other forces like Brazil, only when we hand it over to them. They carry about some 30 combat ready Marines along with their equipment. Pretty much submerged most of the time. Your ears pop and you can see a little bit of water trickling on the walls from condensation and temperature differences. It's stuffy in there and not very comfortable. Many guys get sea sick in them and they are told to puke in their helmets if all else fails. Luckily, I never puked but I swear I came close. On top of the vehicle, there are several places to tie off when you need to get towed or to tie off somewhere.
I have often wondered what it would be like to use these vehicles in a string of islands such as in the Bahamas or Philippines, somewhere where the distances weren't so far apart. Of course, only the driver would actually enjoy the trip because everyone else is pretty much submerged. This would be a great tool for replenishing supplies on islands and actually drive on land to its destination. Probably not very economical though. I'll post an interesting video on this on the next string.

[29palms]

These guys made a video, kind of funny, with a little bit of a rap song to go along with what its like to be an AMTRACKER. I was comm on those in an Amphibous assault unit a long time ago. 82-85 so I got a kick out of it. Check it out.

Amtrack Rap Official Music Video (aav) - YouTube

[29palms]

The deal about the peaches on board an amtrac goes back during WWII when it became Marine Corps supersticion when some amtrac took a dirct hit and killed all the crew and they were hauling peaches. So you don't eat peaches on any armored vehicle. Ti's TABOO!