Lock N' Load traces armored vehicle evolution from WWI to Vietnam
In a video from Military Heroes, the Lock N' Load With R. Lee Ermey archive walks through the history of armored fighting vehicles, from early World War I troop carriers to Vietnam-era battle taxis. The episode mixes history with live demonstrations, including firing a 20mm flak gun mounted on a halftrack and driving an M8 Greyhound and M113 variant.
Snapshot
The episode traces how armored vehicles evolved from the slow, 4 mph British troop carriers of World War I to fast, purpose-built machines like the M8 Greyhound and the German 251 halftrack. Ermey and his guests explain how each design traded off speed, armor and troop capacity, setting up the eventual shift toward fully tracked vehicles like the M113 used in Vietnam.
Key points
- M8 Greyhound: Built for reconnaissance, the six-wheeled M8 hit 56 mph and carried four crew, with Harlon Glenn noting its 19mm front armor versus just 3mm underneath to keep it light and fast.
- German 251 halftrack: Jack Lreka explains that the Germans angled the armor plate to deflect incoming rounds, and the front-wheel steering made the vehicle easier to train crews on than fully tracked tanks.
- Flak gun demo: Ermey fires a 20mm flak gun mounted on a halftrack, showing how the Germans adapted an anti-aircraft weapon to strike ground troops and lightly armored vehicles.
- M113 in Vietnam: Staff Sergeant Ian Brown describes how the fully tracked, aluminum-armored M113 could ford rivers at roughly 3.5 mph, carrying 11 troops where the M8 and halftrack couldn't go.
- M113's weakness: Despite its versatility, the M113's thin underbelly left it exposed to mines, which is why troops often rode on top rather than inside.
Quick take
For viewers who like their military history paired with live-fire demonstrations, this episode delivers a clear, hands-on walkthrough of how armored vehicle design changed across three wars, with the hardware doing most of the talking.
Watch the full video: Military Heroes