M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE)
The M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover is an amphibious, fully tracked vehicle used to prepare firing positions for artillery, tanks and other weapon systems. It features an 8.7 cubic yard scraper bowl and bulldozer blade. The hydro-pneumatic suspension allows the front of the vehicle to be raised, lowered or tilted to permit dozing, excavating, rough grading and ditching. It has a two-speed winch with a 25,000 pound pull.
The M-9 ACE has two smoke grenade launchers for its own protection and also provides chemical-biological protection for the operator. It is equipped with an aluminum structure, which protects against small arms fire and artillery fragments.
USMC M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) undergoing suspension and a sprocket drive gear modifications, Camp Pendleton, CA, December 2002.
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Today in WW II: 7 Apr 1939 King Zog of Albania flees the invasion of his country by Italian fascists, forcing him into exile. More ↓
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7 Apr 1945 German aircraft ramming unit [Sonderkommando Elbe] makes its only flight, destroying 24 B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers of the US Eighth Air Force.
7 Apr 1945 Following the loss of Okinawa, Kantaro Suzuki becomes Prime Minister of Japan, ad advocte of ending the war on any terms, opposed by Japan's military leaders.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.
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M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE)
The M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) is a highly mobile armored tracked vechicle that provides combat engineer support to front line forces. In addition to construction of fighting positions, its tasks include elimination of enemy obstacles as well as maintenance and repair of roads and supply routes.
M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) Characteristics
| Length |
20.5 feet |
| Width |
9.2 feet
10.5 feet with dozer wings |
| Height |
8.9 feet (windshield down)
9.9 feet (windshield up) |
| Weight |
26.9 tons |
| Max speed |
30 mph |
| Range |
200 miles |
M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE). Photo: Courtesy of Mark Holloway.
USMC M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE), Twentynine Palms, CA.
USMC 5th Marine Regiment M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE), with an equipment trailer attached, in the Kuwait desert during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, 18 March 2003.
Marine uses an M-9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) to create berms at Camp Coyote, Kuwait, during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, 6 February 2003.
