M-59 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

Over 6,000 welded steel hull M-59 and M59A1 APCs were produced from 1953-1960 by FMC as a replacement for the more expensive M-75 APC. The M59 was itself replaced by the M-113 APC in the 1960s.

The fully amphibious M-59 incorporated many cost-saving civilian components. However, its twin engines were underpowered for its 21 tons and difficult to maintain.

The M-59 had a crew of two and could transport a squad of ten. Its dimensions were 7ft 10in high, 18ft 5 in long. It could travel 32mph on the road and 4mph in the water. Amphibious capability made the M59 very versitile but it was limited to calm water.

The commander's cupola was armed with a .50 cal. machine gun. The configuration changed as the M59 evolved through several variants. Early M59s had a rotating mount for one M2 HB .50 cal. machine gun around the commander's vision block cupola. Mid-production M59s were equipped with periscopes instead of vision blocks, but retained the external MG mount. Late-production M59s were fitted with the M13 cupola, armed with an internally-mounted .50 cal. machine gun.

The M84 was the mortar carrier version of the M59, configured with folding hatches that could be opened to deploy the mortar.

[Thanks to Jim Chorazy for help with this section.]

M-59 APC.

M-59 APC at the Texas Military Forces Museum, Camp Mabry, TX, 30 January 2006. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.

Detail of cupola on M-59 APC at the Texas Military Forces Museum, Camp Mabry, TX, 30 January 2006. Photo: Courtesy of Bob Pettit.