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Thought Dontos and Oldsarge would enjoy this. I found this in my fathers stuff the other day. I was told that this is one of 2 ontos that relieved him and 2 other com marines after they had been pinned down at a blown bridge between Chu Lai and Danang for a couple of days. There were several other pics of both of the ontos, but I can't find them. I'll post them if I come across them later.

This may be the bridge where my father was pinned down. These pics were taken several days after it had been blown and repairs had been started. the second pic shows a ferry that had been set up by his battalion while the bridge was being repaired.

[img]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa119/fitzday/wreck.jpg

These pics are of one of the marine's truck that had hit a mine right after they arrived at the bridge to begin repairs.

My dad looking at what's left of the truck.

Kool pics, brings a twinge, two things I grew to hate..mines and !@#$# mortars..well really three and !@#$#@! PIG!

I think I have found this event in the 1st Anti Tank Bn command chronology for Feb 1967.

4 February 1967:
'A light section of Ontos from Third Platoon Company C, provided security for engineers who were repairing a bridge at BS 597927.'

BTW:
An Ontos Platoon had 5 vehicles ( M50 or M50A1's ). Within a Platoon there is a Heavy section (3 Ontos) & a Light section (2 Ontos).

I'm sure 'Oldtop' oh I mean 'Oldertop' knew all of this, just wanted to enlighten everyone else.

Regards
Don

Thanks for the info. Never knew much about the incident or where it happened. My father only talked to me about it once after I graduated from bootcamp.

- fitzday

Thanks for the info. Never knew much about the incident or where it happened. My father only talked to me about it once after I graduated from bootcamp.

If there is anyway to confirm your dads unit, I'll find the CC, and post it

- oldertop

Kool pics, brings a twinge, two things I grew to hate..mines and !@#$# mortars..well really three and !@#$#@! PIG!

Ahhhh Yes, Mortars!!! Death from Above, Steel Rain, High Angle Hell, what ever you call it, it always strikes fear into those on the receiving end. LOVE those Mortars!

- SFC_Jeff_Button

- oldertop

Kool pics, brings a twinge, two things I grew to hate..mines and !@#$# mortars..well really three and !@#$#@! PIG!

Ahhhh Yes, Mortars!!! Death from Above, Steel Rain, High Angle Hell, what ever you call it, it always strikes fear into those on the receiving end. LOVE those Mortars!

OH "PULL-EASE"!!!

One assignment I remember the FA had such a 'poor' rating, that the old joke was,......

Whats the Difference between the FA Fire support & Dominos Pizza???

Dominos Pizza delivers....and in 30 minutes or less.....

Ducking for cover....

Don

Mortars are indispensible against formations, but in the context of Vietnam, as used against us, they were mainly effective and used against fixed positions. When I was working on foot (as I did most of the time), I was more apprehensive about mines than anything else. I hated mines. Everthing else was just a nuisance by comparison.

I had my incounter with "mines" in June 1965 out side Hue, blew the hell out of the 2nd !@#$#@! PIG's right side (I was sitting on the right of the engine grill) which was escourting a arty battery to a fireing postion, heavy section in the lead and light section bring up the ass. I walked away from it with only the lose of my right eardrum and a ringing in my head (which I still have to this day, but my wife says it made me a little goofy in the head also)) As for mortars..well all I can say is you never hear them coming.
Mines took out most of my sections member between 1968 - 69 , one dead, my sections leader a 2nd Lt ( he made it to 24 days in county) four wounded on a 5 ton when a mine went off under the rear wheels, and one more while driving our 2 1/2 ton, the mine ripped the front off the truck at the cab.