If you have ever ridden in the back of a United States Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicle, then you know it can be a scary ride taking something that dense and heavy and riding it straight into the ocean. But that’s just another normal day in the life of a Marine Corps AAV crewman, and if you ask them, they would not have it any other way. The Marine Corps AAV is an 18 horsepower, 29-ton vehicle that can drive on land or float at sea. It can be operated by as few as 3 Marines but can hold up to 21.
The traditional role of AAVs is to put infantry Marines on a beachhead along with any equipment they may need for an assault. But unlike some vehicles, they don’t just drive away once they drop everyone off. On the contrary, because they are mechanized tracked vehicles, they can also be used for armored operations inland as well.
It’s a fun job and these Marines are happy to do it, boasting tight communities wherever they happened to be stationed.
Check out the video below to learn a little bit more about being a crewman on one of these behemoths:
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