Just as the Sherman tank was the quintessential 'American tank' in
WWII, the M48A3 Patton tank was the most prominent US battle tank
during the Vietnam War years of the 1960s and 1970s. The US Marines, who arrived
in Vietnam with M48A3s in
March 1965, were the first American forces to bring tanks to Vietnam. Close
on their heels came the US Army, with its Patton’s in October 1965. The Marines
then introduced a flame throwing version of the M48A3, namely the M67A2.
Beginning in July 1971 the US began supplying M48A3 tanks to the
South Vietnamese army in line with President Richard Nixon's commitment to the
Vietnamisation of the war.
Although the 52-ton Patton had been received with some scepticism
when it was introduced it possessed features that proved well adapted to combat
conditions in South-east Asia. The thick armour
of the M48A3 protected crewmen from Viet-Cong mines, and the vehicle's sheer
mass enabled it to force its way through thick jungle vegetation. Illustrated
with 109 photos, plus colour profiles and detailed line
drawings.
