Around was not in whatever way we could weight you to definitely pallet straight back on this new lighthearted truck, thus being the an effective Samaritans we had been, i piled as much times once we you will definitely toward all of our V-100-a whole lot that we could not change this new turret. Obviously, there were some disappointed MPs one nights and a great amount of dreadful headaches 24 hours 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 The brand new Roundup, our local GI newspaper. The April 1970 article was headlined, “66th MP Co. Super Heroes to Combat VC Wrong Doers.”
From time to time we had the minutes, for instance the day when escorts Spreitenbach we have been escorting an excellent convoy within the An Khe Admission and something of one’s automobiles forgotten a whole pallet away from beer
David A great. Swisher resides in Marshall, Sick. The guy received the Army Commendation Medal that have V Device to have their procedures into the ambush on A keen Khe Pass from inside the April 1970. For further training, see: Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando 1960-71, by Richard Lathrop and you may Jim Laurier; and you may Combat Police: U.S. Army Military Police in Vietnam, from the Rick Younger.
Most of the difficulties arrived to your QL-19, but I usually noticed hotter thereon street than simply towards the QL-step one, simply because they there were much more convoys to your QL-19 and that higher likelihood of backup. My personal baptism of fire came towards plant in the hairpin contour regarding An enthusiastic Khe Ticket. The V-100 got currently come through the latest hairpin and you may try going down the new solution, when the westbound convoy are struck. The language “Get in touch with! Get in touch with! Get in touch with!” came over the radio online when i is actually operating, thus i turned into brand new V-100 to and you will going back up the admission. Once we reached the brand new hairpin, We noticed specific Korean troops pinned down. Included in this got their sleeve stuck-up in the air directing to the south region of the hairpin turn. I pulled the new V-100 involving the Koreans in addition to status he was pointing so you’re able to, therefore we you will definitely provide them with a bit more security and then have engage with the firepower.
My V-100 try escorting a good convoy out of Tuy Hoa one-day whenever there’s lots of framework work with the trail, causing slightly an accordion effect
Things from the running this new tracks every day try which you never know just what uncommon procedure was going to takes place 2nd. In the event the side of your convoy stopped, the rear fasten. Then the side do begin once again, as well as the convoy spread out before the bottom you are going to start. Because of that, We told the V-100 driver Reno Catalano to enter the middle of this new highway therefore we could keep most other car away from our very own convoy up to we got out of the construction city. While i always assist quicker vehicle go ahead and solution the fresh convoy autos, because there is actually a whole lot framework I needed to save the fresh convoy clear of another tourist.
On one convoy so you’re able to Weil Nang, one of the vehicles hit a Lambretta full of Vietnamese. It absolutely was somewhat in pretty bad shape. The brand new Lambretta ran from the highway and you can off an embankment. Once we got an excellent dustoff indeed there and you can got anything eliminated right up a little while, there are a myriad of black pajama-clothed those with firearms updates doing speaking and you will shouting. Of the language barrier, a misunderstanding can potentially keeps arisen, but before one taken place i got off around and straight back to your convoy.