A Troop, 2ND Squadron, 17TH Cavalry M151A1

[SNOOPY]

Hi,

When I saw this LIFE Magazine picture of this M151 in Vietnam ca. 1965, I knew that I would want to "reflag" my M151A1 to that same unit.

[SNOOPY]

Then I found a picture of an M151A1 with the Cavalry guidons painted on the sides...

[SNOOPY]

Next I found out how the numbering on the guidons looked like back then:

[SNOOPY]

So, this weekend I started the operation - this picture was taken in Bastogne yesterday morning

[SNOOPY]

Yesterday afternoon I added the guidons an TP markings

[SNOOPY]

next

[SNOOPY]

closer

[SNOOPY]

The other side - enjoy!

[LTDan]

Nice work, sir!

Bastogne photo is cool.

[salmonmutt]

Looks Fantastic!

[mrdibbles]

SWEET!

[SNOOPY]

Nice work, sir!

Bastogne photo is cool.

Thanks!
"Cool" is an understatement in this context.
It was freeeeezin' cold.

[johnfal]

Great job on the Jeep Snoopy, but are you sure the photo from the life magazine is Vietnam. I ask because:-

a) the terrain looks wrong.
b) Vietnam has little or no sheep and I have never seen any in my 11 years here. They have goats but not woolly critters like those in the pic.
c) the writing on the rear of the truck going the other way looks a bit middle eastish.

I stand to be corrected but it just sort of sticks out as wrong.

Still a great looking Jeep though.

[Francis Marion]

I have not been to Vietnam so I cannot correct you but I have been to a number of Middle Eastern countries and the terrain, lack of vegetation, animals, and vehicle numbers do seem to support your observations. I'll post this image and let you guys make your own decisions but it sure looks like that last vehicles bumper number is 26261 and the one up front looks something like ??5?0.

[rickf]

I do remember seeing country like that in the highlands. Remember Jon, Defoliants and bombs made things look a lot different back then. I can't say about the sheep, all I remember are water buffalo. Here is a reference to the company in question, credit Wikipedia.
I found no other indications that the 101st was anywhere else in that time frame.


In 1965 Troop A, 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was given a Valorous Unit Award for Operation Harrison Tua Hoa Vietnam, Meritorious Unit Citation, and later after being employed for recon scout patrols in the Tou Moroung battle to defend a Special Forces outpost and the Vietnamese company on the edge of complete destruction. Troop A deployed under the command of Captain Bill Carpenter (Lonesome End West Point football), who called in napalm air strikes on his own position as it was being overrun. Departing from this battle, Troop A patrols were tasked to rescue and reinforce Lieutenant Colonel David Hackworth's Tiger Force (the battalion recon platoon of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry) of 45 soldiers who had been overrun and outnumbered 40 or more to 1. The 80 men of Troop A were at that time deployed in reconnaissance efforts along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and throughout the Dak To Province. Each of the 12 patrols rendezvoused with a chopper flight to fight their way in to rescue and re-enforce Tiger Force. The scout's radio frequency was changed to Tiger Force as it did every time the scouts were officially attached to another unit. In all of the battle (Operation Hawthorne) of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division from June 2 to June 22, 1966, Troop A was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for heroism during this battle by President Lyndon Johnson.[clarification needed] The unit was also awarded, as attached reinforcements under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David Hackworth, the South Vietnamese Presidential Citation. 8000 combat helicopter missions were flown during this three-week battle while Troop A recon teams earned Combat Infantry Badges.