Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

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Ralph Fuller
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Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by Ralph Fuller » February 11th, 2011, 7:45 am

Normally, the convoy commander rode in the rear vehicle on a 5 ton gun truck. In the early years the convoy commanders rode in a Jeep in front of the convoy. During attacks, the convoy commanders found they could not go back into the kill zone to direct fire. Ideally there would be 10 cargo trucks and then a gun truck during travel with 100 meters in between.
A Jeep and trailer was not normally in a Transportation company's convoy because they were normally within a days travel. There were times during Lam Son 719 truckers stayed on their vehicles for several weeks, communicating with their rear by radio only via the gun trucks. Cargo drivers had no communication, and had to wait inside/under their vehicles during an ambush. The gun trucks would go into the kill zones and pick up drivers. The vehicle in front of the Jeep is a gun truck.
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Ralph
1967 M151A1
1967 M151A1
1967 M416
1947 Bantam TC-3 trailer
If The Phone Don't Ring ... You'll Know It's Me
Airborne Ranger CIB Vietnam

csmith
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Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by csmith » February 11th, 2011, 7:30 pm

That's a great photo and info Ralph, have you been back since your service there? If not any desire to go back? I would likely feel a lot different if I had been in that war but it is a beautiful country today, especially along the coast. While in Quy Nhan during my last visit I ran into a bunch of men and their families that had served during the war and had returned, about 20 soldiers with friends and family. They told me they just wanted to come back and see the places they had been to during the war, apparently they had been in country about 2 weeks and traveled all over to places that were American bases or strong holds.
1976 M151A2 4 Color Cammo Mutt, aquired August 09
1976 or 7? M151A2 "Miss Sandy" Driver, aquired May 2010
Former owner M151A2 "Miss Saigon" Vietnam Rescue Sold Sept 09
Fond appreciation for the M151 Breed!!

Ralph Fuller
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Joined: November 26th, 2007, 7:44 am
Location: ~Heaven~

Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by Ralph Fuller » February 11th, 2011, 8:57 pm

No desire to go back to Vietnam. There have been a couple of times when I was showing my MUTT and talking to Vietnam vets when I had to stop and walk away. They all seemed to understand. I never know in advance when these feelings are going to hit me. I was Infantry and Transportation.
I have given out more than 300 gold, U.S. dollars to both active troops in uniform, and vets. It doesn't matter to me if they spent one day or 20 years, they are all my brothers/sisters. I thank them for their service and explain that "In God We Trust" is now written on the edge of the coin. I get uncirculated gold coins from the bank in $25 rolls. I won't give a tarnished dollar to a troop.
Ralph
1967 M151A1
1967 M151A1
1967 M416
1947 Bantam TC-3 trailer
If The Phone Don't Ring ... You'll Know It's Me
Airborne Ranger CIB Vietnam

ppauto
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Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by ppauto » February 11th, 2011, 10:03 pm

Are you sure the Jeep is at the rear of the convoy? Maybe someone on another truck is taking the picture.

Crusader_22
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Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by Crusader_22 » February 11th, 2011, 10:30 pm

Thanks for all you did, Ralph.

My tour in Iraq was both rolled into one, an Infantry unit doing guntruck escort for all types of convoys. I would like to post the details of how we organized the convoys, as it would be interesting and relevant to this thread, but I think it would be an OPSEC issue since it is likely still SOP in many cases overseas, so I'll leave it at that.

Cool pics, as always, and I really understand your feelings. Thart was a while ago, but it still is the same today for us newer vets. You find that the littlest things remind you of specific things, and you just don't know when and where that will happen, but there it is, in your face.

Oh, well. I wouldn't trade the experience I had for anything, I guess.

But i agree - if Iraq someday becomes a tourist spot, I would not go. I have no desire to see it again.

Jeff
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11 yrs Army NG, currently full time AH-64D Apache Longbow crewchief
Former 11B, 32 IN BDE, WIARNG "RED ARROW!" OIF 3 2005-2006
General know it all jerk 42 years and running.

SOLD 1971 AM General M151A2
SOLD 1966 USMC M416

csmith
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Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by csmith » February 12th, 2011, 4:30 pm

Ralph, I / We all owe you and everyone who served in that war a debt of gratitude.

Today I see the country from a different prospective going there on business, but while there and traveling about I always wonder what it would have been like to have been in the war. As I have said here before living in Va. Beach with the Navy’s master jet base we were very much tuned into the war and many of my school mates dads were POW’s, pilots. I was a skinny immature 10th grade kid in 74, scared that come 76 when I graduated I would be called up. No doubt I would have gone but I always wonder if I would have made it if so. Today it is a beautiful country, especially on the coast and the people are hard working and for the most part want what we all want in life, especially in the south.

I have a good friend here whose Downs son is one of my son’s friends. He flew jets in VN and then by choice switched to choppers and at the end of his 4th tour was shot down behind enemy lines, captured (you know the drill) and after 17 days escaped. Took him 14 days to reach friendly lines. He wanted to buy a mutt and we looked and found him one and he was just about to close the deal when he called me up and told me how he was in his garage thinking about getting his new toy when all of a sudden he broke into sweats and chills, he said it all came back to him and he was just afraid that having that mutt would bring back too many memories, and like you said he never knows when it will hit him. He said he was sorry and asked if he could just ride around with me in mine once and a while. I told him no need to apologize and yes I would be honored any time he wants to ride or drive mine. Now whenever he is over he ask to see it, has not ask for a ride yet but one day he will and I will happly take him for one..........
1976 M151A2 4 Color Cammo Mutt, aquired August 09
1976 or 7? M151A2 "Miss Sandy" Driver, aquired May 2010
Former owner M151A2 "Miss Saigon" Vietnam Rescue Sold Sept 09
Fond appreciation for the M151 Breed!!

Ralph Fuller
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1654
Joined: November 26th, 2007, 7:44 am
Location: ~Heaven~

Re: Jeep & M416 at Rear of Convoy, Vietnam

Unread post by Ralph Fuller » February 13th, 2011, 5:37 pm

ppauto wrote:Are you sure the Jeep is at the rear of the convoy? Maybe someone on another truck is taking the picture.
The picture was taken from the last gun truck in a convoy going the other way.
Ralph
1967 M151A1
1967 M151A1
1967 M416
1947 Bantam TC-3 trailer
If The Phone Don't Ring ... You'll Know It's Me
Airborne Ranger CIB Vietnam

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