Doyle, David M551 Sheridan. The US Army's Armored Reconnaissance / Airborne Assault Vehicle from Vietnam to Desert Storm

The M551 "Sheridan" is often referred to as a light tank, but in actuality it was an armored reconnaissance/airborne assault vehicle. The M551 was designed to be a lightweight, amphibious, air-droppable vehicle armed with a massive 152 mm gun that doubled as a rocket launcher. The gun launcher was designed to fire the MGM-51 "Shillelagh" antitank missile, or 152 mm conventional rounds with a combustible cartridge case. The vehicles saw extensive use in Vietnam, Operation "Just Cause" in Panama (where they saw their only combat air drop), and Operations "Desert Shield" and "Desert Storm". The "Sheridan" ended its service with the U.S. Army masquerading as Soviet Bloc vehicles at the National Training Center. Through dozens of archival as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest extant examples of these vehicles, the "Sheridan" is explored, and its history explained. Part of the "Legends of Warfare. Ground" series.

The gun launcher was designed to fire the MGM-51 "Shillelagh" anti-tank missile or conventional 152mm shells with a shell casing that burns when fired. The "Sheridan" was used extensively in Vietnam as well as during Operation "Just Cause" in Panama (where it had its only airborne mission) and in the combined operations "Desert Shield" and "Desert Storm" (1990/1991). The "Sheridan" completed his service with the U.S. Army at the National Training Center, where he manned Warsaw Pact armoured vehicles. A large number of contemporary b/w and colour photos show the M551 "Sheridan" in action around the globe, while photographs of preserved museum specimens show the details of the design.