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I dusted off some slides from (the former Republic of) Vietnam, scanned those which might be of some interest to this group, and thought I'd post them with a brief narrative. While this is not a comprehensive review of armor in Vietnam by any means (since I was not in an armor unit) I thought a little flashback might prove somewhat interesting inasmuch as we did see armor, we occasionally supported armor, we were sometimes run off the road by armor, and now and again we landed on top of armor to evacuate their wounded. (Sorry if I scratched the paintwork on any of your vehicles, gentlemen. I'm very sorry......grin)

Hope you enjoy.

Once upon a time (1967-68), in the Central Highlands of Vietnam just south of Pleiku, there resided the base camp of the 4th Infantry Division known as Camp Enari. The camp bustled with the sounds of armor by night and by day, much to the chagrin of battle-weary pilots attempting to sleep. <grin>


Many pieces of armor came in this box-like shape, were decorated with a red-and-white guidon, and were issued with a fine red dust covering.


Other pieces of armor carried their own bridges.


A bridge from the previous vehicle laid out, and with some sort of armored and wheeled tow trucks in the background.
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Your friendly neighborhood M88 crew racing west on the north perimeter road of Camp Enari.


The driver of this M88 appears to be having way too much fun.


Armor crewmen can be very creative.


On the eastern perimeter of Camp Enari, specifically at the intersection of Ft. Sill Boulevard and Cannon Cockers Lane, we find a battery of 105mm howitzers.


An Ivy Division 105 at your service, sir!


The gun emplaced to provide 360 degrees of "service" upon request. Dragon Mountain looms in the background.


What a 105mm bore looks like from the user's end.


The next several pics are dedicated to SFC Jeff "High Angle Hell" Button.


Your basic 4.2" mortar.


Range was obtained by varying the wafers of propellant at the base, or so I was told.


The view through the mortar sight showing the reticle and striped aiming stakes.


I promise to inflict only one more batch of these on you.

Inflict!!! Inflict!!!

Anyone notice the direction of the tracks on the M88? One is facing right and the other backwards.

Nice photos, thanks for sharing.

I noticed the same thing, Sabot.

Nice Pix!

Finally...pictures of something worthwhile instead of those stupid machines the dang wings turn around on...I mean, what´s up with those anyway?!

BTW, I have a shot or two of a TH-13 from Argentina I might put up just to taunt Bob....


(Wait´ll Jeff B. see´s the mortar pics...he´ll get a major indirect fire chubby over that high-angle stuff.... )

Thanks for sharing!

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the great pics!! Please keep on posting them!!

For a moment there I thought I was looking at a fob/camp in Iraq....

Hi Folks!

- Sabot

Anyone notice the direction of the tracks on the M88? One is facing right and the other backwards.

And those guys on that M88 are the unit's AFV mechanics!

Super pictures Bob! Thanks!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Folks!

- Sabot

Anyone notice the direction of the tracks on the M88? One is facing right and the other backwards.

And those guys on that M88 are the unit's AFV mechanics!

Super pictures Bob! Thanks!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Ahhh...the luxury of short memories. Who knows under what circumstances they may have had to re-track that sucker? We did it to "X-Ray" (the troop Forward Arty Observer vehicle) in the middle of dense bush surrounded by encroaching flames in the middle of Injun' Country.
BushFireTrackSequence1

BushFireTrackSequence2

I'm not sayin' it was that dire, but maybe they had lousy choices of terrain like little flat ground or a muddy firebase with little room for manuver and not a lot of time...not likely they didn't know which end was which. Wherever it was, it wasn't Boatwright Tank Depot.