The M114 Command and Reconnaissance Carrier is a Vietnam War-era tracked armored fighting vehicle used by the United States Army. It was manufactured by the Cadillac Division of General Motors in the early 1960s. The M114 was designed to be fast and stealthy for use in the reconnaissance role. It was amphibious and could be deployed by parachute.
In October 1961, the Army awarded General Motors Corporation two contracts to produce some 1,215 M114s. The M114 was a lightweight, low-silhouette vehicle, designed to complement the M113 in command and reconnaissance roles. It was produced in four variants, and was used by the U.S. Army, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the El Salvadoran Army.
During combat operations in Vietnam, the M114 armored reconnaissance vehicle proved to be mechanically unreliable, underpowered, and had extreme difficulty conducting cross country operations. The main flaw was its lack of resistance to land mines. By late 1964, the M114 was replaced in Vietnam, but was deployed to Europe, Korea, and the U.S. The M114 was retired from service in 1973.
