I was watching an old US Army production about US Special Forces and the training of Montangards pre-1965. It showed a vehicle being driven by a SF Medic. The only unit identification on the vehicle was "BE" on the left rear and "B43E" on the right rear. The vehicle was very square and "flat" in shape, no windshield, doors or tailgate. It had two seats with a large cargo area behind.

Doing some looking around with not much info to enter for search terms, the one thing that even came close was a Land Rover 110. Is it possible that a US Green Beret would have been trravelling around the Central Highlands in a British Army vehicle?

Can anyone ID either the vehicle or the unit designation? Curiosity can be very frustrating sometimes!

Thanks
Chris W

Can't remember what it's called. But have seen pictures of it caring cargo and one with a 106 mm recoiless rifle (,Vietnam Nam ) . Think it was somekind of air portable / dropped by parachute 4 x4. Doesn't look much bigger than a John Deere yard tractor. Sorry not much help. Jim

If my memory serves me, and we're talking about the same thing, we called them,"Mighty mules." I don't know if that is it, but I have seen them with a 106mm mounted on the back. It was a highly useful utility vehicle. They used them for everything. That might not be what you are talking about. I hope this has been helpful. Also, I was a Marine, not Army so that might make some difference in the vehicle. Hope I've either been helpful or at least entertaining.

Matt

Yeah sounds like the Mule to me too ( M274 1/2 tonner ).

The M274 Mule has only one seat (and not much else ):

To me it doesn't look like a Land Rover...

What about a M422 Mighty Mite ? :





HTH
Frenchy

Thanks for the replies so far!

Definatly not a mule...this was a much larger vehicle. Not so much tall as long. If the driver had been standing up, and assuming he was about 6', the top of the hood would have been about 3'. In length, i want to say it was between 7 and 10 ft long...I would have to go back to the DVD and take another look. So far Frenchy's 3rd picture is the closest. I will see what I can do about getting an image of it somehow.

thanks

Chris W

Ok, I was able to get a couple of screen shots, but I haven't tried posting pics before so this may be ugly!






Does this look familiar to anyone?

Thanks
Chris W

Im no expert but it appears to be a WC-54 Dodge ambulance with the rear end body cut down for use as a cargo bed.

http://www.dodgewc54.com/

Chris

Hi - I don't usually post here, but that sure looks like the old Dodge 3/4 ton "Beep" WWII-era utility truck, with the windshield and canvas roof removed.

Hope this helps!

Tom

As to the unit designation, I'm not sure about "BE" or "B43E," by B-43 was one of the Operational Detachment Bs in the Mekong Delta region, at Chi Lang, near the Cambodian border.

The truck chassis is lengthened. I'm quite sure it was originally a WC 64 KD ambulance. On this vehicle, the rear body really was a box which could be easily dismantled into a series of flat panels to reduce the required shipping place (KD = Knock-Down ) :



You can even notice the specific jerry can holder still in place on the front right fender.

More pics and info about the WC 64 KD here : http://www.pinodesign.nl/dodge/history.htm

HTH

Frenchy

thanks alot for the responses! That last picture from Frenchy look like the exact thing.

Curiosity Satisfied!

Chris W.