[SJPONeill]

I don't think that it is correct to try to equate the APC with a contemporary cross-country vehicle like Stryker...I always thought that it was designed and intended for more of an urban security role than actual warfighting cross-country. Thos might be supported by the fact that a vessel the size of the Sulaco only carries a small number (2-3) of dropships and only a few lightly armed Marines...

Thus a low-riding suspension and body line would seem to make sense in that scenario, possibly more so when you consider that they didn't really have a clue what they were getting into when they dropped on to LV-429(?); if they did, I doubt that such a lightly armed force would have been deployed...