Around wasn’t in any manner we are able to stream you to pallet right back for the the newest lighthearted truck, therefore as being the a great Samaritans we were, i piled as numerous cases once we you will definitely to your the V-100-so much that individuals could hardly change the fresh turret. Obviously, there have been particular disappointed MPs you to evening and you may loads of terrible headaches a day later.
To the men who served on a V-100 for a year, the vehicle became more than just a machine. It became your life, your friend and your protector. All but two of our V-100s were named after comic book heroes. These included “Captain America,” “Thor,” “Big Ben,” “Flash,” “Spider – man,” “Barbarian,” “Atom,” “Daredevil” and “Iron Man.” The other two were named “Road Hog” and “The Lemon.” Each of the V-100s had a painting of the character or the name across the front, life-sized and in coloric book superheroes painted on the front of the V-100s made for an interesting article in Brand new Roundup, our local GI newspaper. The April 1970 article was headlined, “66th MP Co. Super Heroes to Combat VC Wrong Doers.”
David A great. Swisher lives in Marshall, Unwell. The guy acquired the Military Commendation Medal that have V Tool to own their measures from inside the ambush on An Khe Citation in the April 1970. For additional training, see: Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando 1960-71, by the Richard Lathrop and Jim Laurier; and you may Combat Police: U.S. Army Military Police in Vietnam, of the Rick Younger.
Much of our difficulties emerged with the QL-19, but I usually considered hotter on that highway than for the QL-1, simply because there are a whole lot more convoys with the QL-19 and that greater likelihood of backup. My personal baptism out-of fire emerged into bush during the hairpin curve regarding An enthusiastic Khe Solution. All of our V-100 got currently come through the fresh hairpin and you may try headed down the latest citation, in the event the westbound convoy was strike. The words “Get in touch with! Contact! Contact!” showed up across the broadcast web whenever i try driving, and so i turned the brand new V-100 up to and you will oriented backup the brand new citation. Whenever we got to the newest hairpin, I noticed some Korean troops pinned off. Included in this got their case stuck up floating around pointing south area of the hairpin change. I pulled the fresh new V-100 between your Koreans and also the status he had been pointing so you’re able to, so we you will provide them with a bit more coverage and also have engage Martigny escort with our firepower.
Things regarding powering the new routes daily is that you never ever know just what unusual matter was going to occurs second. When the front of the convoy averted, the trunk tightened up. Then your front create begin again, and convoy spread out up until the bottom could begin. Due to this, We informed all of our V-100 rider Reno Catalano to enter the midst of brand new street so we could keep most other vehicle of all of our convoy until i had out of the design city. Whereas i constantly help quicker auto please citation this new convoy automobiles, because there is much framework I needed to store the latest convoy free of the other travelers.
On a single convoy to help you Weil Nang, our autos struck an excellent Lambretta laden with Vietnamese. It absolutely was a bit in pretty bad shape. The newest Lambretta ran off of the road and you will down an enthusiastic embankment. Once we got an excellent dustoff truth be told there and you may got something cleaned up a while, there had been all types of black colored pajama-clothed people who have weapons updates to talking and you will yelling. Of the language barrier, a misconception can potentially keeps arisen, prior to that occurred i had out of there and you will back to our convoy.
