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Quoted Textthere were no M114 howitzers used in Vietnam. They were all M1a1's. The M1a1 dosn't have the grooved barrel. Bronco probably built their kit off an M114 gate guard (there are some on Marine bases).
In 1962 the Army redesignated their artillery pieces to avoid the confusion caused by the howitzer, carriage, and recoil mechanism having different model numbers. As noted above, the the M114 series was just the WW II/Korea era 155mm howitzer combination with a new name and sheet metal tag saying "M114" riveted on. Some may have never gotten the tag or never had the ordnance mechanics put them on, but as far as the Army was concerned every 155mm howitzer used in Vietnam was an M114 series. The breech ring was still stamped M1 or M1A1, but it was an M114 series weapon.
The M1A2 cannon (as they redesignated the shooting part) was not developed before Vietnam fell, so there were no "grooved" or M114A2s used in that conflict, but there were M114s.
KL
at Sill (and if there was an M114 to had it would be there) there was no M114's in 1967. I puled guard duty at several of howitzer parking lots back then that were full of 155's. They were itdentical to the ones we used in Vietnam.
When I went to Vietnam in Dec. 67 I told them I hadn't done much on a 155 towed gun, but had shot them for about a week. I went thru an orientation and the called the gun out aa an M1a1. When I went to my perminate party unit they also said they were shooting M1a1's. When the piece I was on was CBL'd, they brought out a beat up M1a1, and it was replaced with one from the states in less than a week. It was a nearly new M1a1 right out of a wharehouse in washington state. My batallion was considered to be a "first strike" outfit out of FT. Bragg,and if the M114 was the latest piece and the greatest piece; they'd been using them. They brought all their equipment with them from the states, and it was an M1a1. I don't ever recall anybody ever calling out that number to be exact, and really never heard of it till the last ten years or so. There's little doubt that the gun existed as there are a few photos out there, but it was as rare as hen's teeth. In I-Corps my unit was followed by the 1st of the 82nd, and they brought their own pigs with them. All were M1a1's. I saw Marines using M1a1's and have seen lots of photos of other units up our way, and every gun was identical to what we were using. Now they might have started calling out the M1a1 as an M114 later, but in Vietnam it was still an M1a1
gary
