Elizabethtown in Hardin County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Prototype Remote Control Vehicle Created Locally

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Prototype Remote Control Vehicle Created Locally Marker

Inscription.
Technically It Is A Target For Military Practice, made from scrap military hardware at the Fort Knox Armor and Engineer Board, but it was a significant first step in war technology to put fighting machines and robots — instead of flesh and blood — on the battlefield.

The C.S. Spalding Invention was created using a M114 Command and Reconnaissance Carrier. The M114 was a light-weight, low-silhouette, Vietnam War-era tracked armored fighting vehicle, retired from military service in 1973.

The MI14, constructed of aluminum and weighing 13,100 Ibs., carried a three-man crew.

Designed to be fast, stealthy and amphibious, it was also light enough to be carried by cargo aircraft and dropped by parachute into the field.

It cost $4,700 to convert the scrap M114 hardware into this remote-controlled fighter.

When created, this new technology was a step towards the future in military ground operations - tracked vehicles maneuvered and weapon systems fired at the same time by remote control and by one operator to explore new areas, hold land and protect observers without risking personnel in direct fire.

The

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RFV, remote fighting vehicle, carries the name of one of its co-creators, Elizabethtown’s, Charles S. Spalding. Spalding, a WWII Marine veteran, was a 27-year employee of the Fort Knox Armor and Engineer Board where the Spalding invention was developed.

The developers of the C.S. Spalding include its namesake and Maj. Manfred Petzinger, Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth W. Davis. Sgt. J.J. Reinke, Burnice J. Booth of Elizabethtown, Raymond, L. Delk of Elizabethtown, Steven R. New of Vine Grove and Raymond P. English of Bradenburg.

Developed during a time of peace, the modified Army vehicle was placed at the American Legion Park and dedicated on May 8, 1982.

(Sidebar)
Fort Knox, Kentucky - July 1981 Military Brass got its first look at the Spalding Invention. The debut came on Wilcox Range. Two video cameras were strapped to the vehicle and the remote operator ran the machine from a TV screen. While on the move, the machine successfully pumped 48 of 50 rounds into a target. The AFV is rigged out with a machine gun on the turret and grenade and smoke launchers at each corner. It also has a self-destruct device.

(caption)
Sgt. 1st Class Ken Davis uses a radio transmitter to control the C.S. Spalding. The operator can control and fire the vehicle's weapons by remote control.

Erected 2015

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Prototype Remote Control Vehicle Created Locally Marker

by City of Elizabethtown Parks and Recreation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1981.

Location. 37° 42.438′ N, 85° 51.267′ W. Marker is in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in Hardin County. It is on North Miles Street 0.2 miles north of Park Lane, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located within American Legion Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 801 North Miles Street, Elizabethtown KY 42701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Elizabethtown Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Severns Valley Baptist Church (approx. 0.9 miles

Prototype Remote Control Vehicle Created Locally image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

3. Prototype Remote Control Vehicle Created Locally

away); John Young Brown (1835-1904) (approx. 0.9 miles away); Commodore Joshua Barney / First Brick House (approx. 0.9 miles away); Brown-Pusey House (approx. 0.9 miles away); First Presbyterian Church (approx. one mile away); The Lincolns Move From Kentucky (approx. one mile away); Lincoln’s Hardin County Connections (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Elizabethtown.

Also see . . . American Legion Park. (Submitted on August 3, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 268 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 3, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.