Thank you my friend SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL for sharing an image of US Army M54 five-ton gun truck fitted with M113 APC hull armor dubbed “King Cobra” assigned to the 597th Transportation Company [597th. Trans. Co., 8th Group, 1971-72, King Cobra Gun-truck, Phutai, Vietnam]
Big Bad John discarded the shields for the two side M60 machine guns while King Cobra retained them for is side .50 caliber machine guns.

Here are some images of the M54 five-ton gun truck dubbed “King Cobra” and one of Big Bad John

1. King Cobra M54 5-ton gun-truck in Viet Nam.
2. King Cobra M54 5-ton gun-truck Vietnam 2
3. King Cobra M54 5-ton gun-truck with Crew.jpg
4. 1972 Big Bad John M-54 gun-truck with APC mounted

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy WilberSGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon PO1 H Gene Lawrence

I saw one these trucks in a museum. It was called “The eve of destruction” and it had a pin up model dressed up as the grim reaper! It was pretty bad ass!

One fighting machine.