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Where are they now?

The M551 Sheridan was one of those rare AFVs that was clearly ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it was also a compromise design combining qualities for both light reconnaissance and airborne assault vehicles, and was built before the necessary technology of its components were perfected. The result was a vehicle that appeased no one. Although the Sheridan is no longer in service as a battle vehicle, the complicated story of its design and service is another interesting lesson in AFV planning and design.

The M551 Sheridan has now been completely retired from any official service duties with the only army in which it ever served. A few good examples of the vehicle can still be found for those wishing to view or research it further. These include the outdoor display of the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin; one in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor at Ft. Knox, KY; the display at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC and one at the private Military Vehicle Technology Foundation in Palo Alto, CA.

At least one example has recently appeared at the Latrun Museum in Israel, having been shipped from the United States with fading 3/73rd Armor, 82nd Abn. markings.

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AKA the "Shank" and not in a complimentary manner. It was a most advanced design, too far ahead and too poorly tested.

It's Treadhead Tuesday! Woohoo!

Nice job on the thread. Thanks for being upfront about the "warts" on the 551. Thankfully, I never was assigned to a Sheridan unit. One look at that main gun ammo was enough for me.

A real head-turner, the classic 1964 Big Daddy Roth Surf Buggy
fills up at the diesel pump for that weekend run to "Surf City".

High resolution

M551 Sheridan of G Troop, 2/11th ACR bustin' bush in Hau Nghia province. Image courtesy of Doug Kibbey

High resolution

In line formation with M551, G Trp., 2/11th ACR, Hau Nghia province '72. Image courtesy of Doug Kibbey, cmdr. M113 ACAV G71, 2/11th ACR.

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

SABER CHARLIE

Again from the early M551 TM, this photo shows the protective padded/fire proof asbestos bags added to the conventional rounds to help provide some protection. Each round was removed from the rack and both the asbestos bag and an inner neoprene liner bag stripped off before loading it into the G/L, obviously slowing the loading process greatly. By the mid 1970s a newer plastic bag was used as the cases were now redesigned stronger and more robust and did not require the extra padding of the early shell casings. This rack is the horizontal 5-round rack under the gun. One of the two CBSS air bottles is to the left.

By the mid 1970s most deployed Sheridans had the CBSS. However, many of them retained the older gun/launcher with the bore evacuator, known as the M-81. The newer tubes were the M-81A1. Also, many active unit Sheridans at this time were Viet Nam rebuilds, issued directly from Anniston Arsenal, including many with the older gun/launchers. Generally, the older G/Ls were replaced with newer ones only when they were worn out (from shooting) or condemned for other reasons. While the CBSS rendered the bore evacuator redundant (and an additional point for maintenance), the two types of g/ls were still interchangeable. If a Sheridan required a new tube, and if a plain ol' M-81 was available, that's what you got stuck with until they were depleted from the inventory through normal demand.

The Sheridan's last battle action was with the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 73rd Armor of the 82nd Airborne Division during the Gulf War. When the M551A1(TTS) vehicles were finally placed in the battlefield position that they were originally designed to dominate, the long armed Shillelagh missile system killed Iraqi armor very well indeed. After taking over twenty five years to prove itself on the field of battle, the Sheridan weapon system was then quietly withdrawn from front line service just five years later.

From US M551 Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle, "Sheridan", Part 2, Revised 1/12/01

82nd Armor

M551A1 TTS Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle "Sheridan"

The M551 and the Eaglehorse

In other news, former National Security Advisor Samuel "Sammy" Berger is the subject of a criminal investigation for having stuffed the plans for the Pentagon's new anti-gravity force-field-protected particle-beam-weapons infantry vehicle into his jacket, pants, and socks: