Hi Jake,
Thanks for getting back to me regarding the tool question. Firstly, thanks very much indeed for your observation about my attention to detail. For me, trying to achieve the most accurate representation of a scene is very important to me & now that I've found this website & I'm speaking to guys like yourself then there is no excuse, really. Getting it right is my small way of honouring the guys that were there. Like you I'm not really in to that "whatever" attitude either although when I've completed my model & eventually worked out how to post photos onto these threads here somebody is bound to comment that something or other is inaccurate & that is what I'm trying to avoid!
I've found your latest reply most interesting, Jake! So, I should leave the tool rack empty & place the OVM tools elsewhere on the vehicle. When I was trucking I used to place the longer tools (shovel/tyre wrenches/etc) up by the headboard on the truck bed so mabye I could place these tools there. An air hose, air chuck & hydraulic jack sounds like great additions. You see, I would never have thought to add those items! How long was the air hose? And you'll have to forgive my ignorance here but was is an air chuck that you refer to & what does it do & look like? Did all trucks carry this sort of equipment? Do you know of any manufacturers that make a 1/35th air chuck & hydraulic jack?
Also, your reference to wheel chains is interesting. Were these ever used much in Vietnam?
BTW, I like your ironic use of the term "feebay". Very tongue in cheek. LOL
And you've written a book about the Tropic Lightning. Interesting...
Do you have any photos of your time in country that you might want to share? I'd be very interested in seeing them.
Thanks again, Jake. It's been a pleasure talking with you.
Joe.

What is that cylindrical conrraption?

So the snow chains came in handy, did they? I mean, it was that muddy, then?
Love to hear you Vets talk about your experiences with the mud out there.
Joe.

Hi Joe,
I need to clear up a few things.No,sorry I did not write a history about the 25th.An outfit called Albert Love Enterprises from Georgia(USA) printed this history of all the smaller units attached to each brigade( 1st & 2nd in Cu Chi,3rd in Plieku) in the 25thID from 1Oct41-1Oct66.I bought one for posterity.

WARNING!!! This is all from memory.(HA what little is left)Anyway, an air chuck is tool that attaches to the 25'(I believe)air hose,that connects on the passenger side under the dash,which has air piped from the engine driven compressor that allows air to be put in to the tire thru the valve stem.They have double head allowing for the valve stems being in two directions,due to the face(front) of the rims facing one another on the rear duals,facing out on the front tires.I wish I had the ability to draw/place pics here but,alas,I have had absolutly no joy with that,even with help from others on the site(thank you BTW).I guess we can depend on Frenchy for pics/artwork.Thank you sir!

I knew I would forget something ie, grease gun. As far as the other OVM, our motor officer collected a lot of shovels,axes,etc and locked them in a connex container(the smaller predecessor to today shipping containers,still used in places in the military) cause he was afraid he would have to pay for any losses(can you say combat loss???).

As far as the one truck referred to with the sb bed,it was used solely to pickup FNGs at the Plieku airstrip by Personnel types.3rd Brig. was in the process of swapping out the original troops with replacements and newbies arrived almost daily from 90th Repo Depot in Long Binh.

Ah the photos... A kindly ex-wife disposed of most everything I had in the way of stuff from Germany & Vietnam. Oh well,that's why she's an ex.

I enjoy your questions and answering them,and others experiences too.
Regards,
Jake

Did any of you Vets ever stash equipment on top of the spare wheel & gas tank like chains & tarpaulins, etc?
Joe.

Hi Gary,
So, were the wire rope cables & polyester slings kept stowed on the truck or kept elsewhere?
Joe.

Joe

Just came across this one. Probably not the most common truck in Vietnam... :


It think it should dwarf a 5-ton truck hands down . Reminds me of the big oil rig trucks made by Kenworth.

Frenchy