Research Type
ResearcherPerson
Chris CausleyDate
Jun 1, 2023Notes
1962 Ford M151, Truck, ¼ Ton 4X4 with ENTAC
The museums Ford M151, serial number 2D1870, was delivered to the US Army in May of 1962 as part of the second contract for these ¼ ton vehicles.
In 1951, the Ford Motor Company was awarded a contract to design a replacement for the 1/4 ton 4×4 truck or “jeep”. Unlike previous jeep designs, whose structure consisted of a steel tub bolted to a separate steel frame, the M151 was a unitized-body design, integrating the frame rails into the sheet-steel body-structure. By eliminating the separate frame M151 had slightly more ground clearance and a lower center of gravity. The Ford design also replaced the leaf sprung rigid axles that all previous military jeeps had used with a four-wheel independent coil spring suspension. The M151 family of vehicles served with the US military through the 1980’s.
This vehicle has been fitted with the French Model 58 ENTAC Missile System which saw limited service with the US Army. Designated as the MGM-32A, it was intended as an interim weapon, to be used while the BGM-71 (TOW) was being developed. The first missiles were deployed in 1963.
The timeline for the M151 mounted ENTAC is short:
On 14 September 1961the Office Chief of Ordnance (OCO) informs U.S. Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) that the ENTAC System will be mounted on the M151 Truck.
On April 1962: OCO approves research and deployment program to standardize the ENTAC mount for the M151 ¼ Ton Truck.
On 16 October 1963 the Army Materiel Command (AMC) Informs Missile Command (MICOM) that further procurement of the ENTAC after FY64 is cancelled. Procurement of the M151 adaptation kits is deleted from the program.
There is some evidence that the 7th ID, 1st Cavalry deployed with the M151 mounted ENTAC in Korea, but this is not 100% confirmed. It is not known how many M151/ENTAC units were built, but it had to have been a limited number.
This is the only survivor we know of.
