Also remember that different kinds of shovels are suited to different uses. If you want to dig a hole, you need a spade. If you want to move a pile of dirt, you use a transfer shovel. For snow, snow shovel, etc. So the number of shovels isn't simply a function of the number of crew members available to dig, but also the various tasks for which you expect to need a shovel.

When I was in 2ID In Korea, before the 1988 Olympics, we used to see “three man shovels” in use on construction projects everywhere. This consisted of a wide spade shovel with a grommet hole in each upper corner, to which a rope was tied. One guy would jam the spade in on an angle with his foot, and the other two guys on each end of the ropes would pull it out with a shovel full of dirt. Not a very efficient use of manpower, but in reality, they could work longer without as much fatigue with this method. It was a treat to see a well coordinated “shovel team” work, as they could really move along. On the other hand, a poorly coordinated “team” resembled the “Three Stooges”. When I returned to Korea in 2000, these “three man shovels” were nowhere to be seen, and neither were the “one eyed dragon” three-wheeled “agricultural motorcycles”— they had all been displaced by “more modern” “ western style” equipment. I also digress, but it’s amazing the variety of use for a simple ancient tool. One shovel for three guys vs four shovels for four guys!
VR, Russ

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When I was in 2ID In Korea, before the 1988 Olympics, we used to see “three man shovels” in use on construction projects everywhere. This consisted of a wide spade shovel with a grommet hole in each upper corner, to which a rope was tied. One guy would jam the spade in on an angle with his foot, and the other two guys on each end of the ropes would pull it out with a shovel full of dirt. Not a very efficient use of manpower, but in reality, they could work longer without as much fatigue with this method. It was a treat to see a well coordinated “shovel team” work, as they could really move along. On the other hand, a poorly coordinated “team” resembled the “Three Stooges”. When I returned to Korea in 2000, these “three man shovels” were nowhere to be seen, and neither were the “one eyed dragon” three-wheeled “agricultural motorcycles”— they had all been displaced by “more modern” “ western style” equipment. I also digress, but it’s amazing the variety of use for a simple ancient tool. One shovel for three guys vs four shovels for four guys!
VR, Russ

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For those who do not know what a 'one eyed dragon' is here's a vid of one they were also known as 'one eyed water buffalos' and 'rice paddy assault vehicles'. You could find them on road with a trailer full of people heading to town even saw them on Route 1, a major highway.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyQtNZiqbo

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When I was in 2ID In Korea, before the 1988 Olympics, we used to see “three man shovels” in use on construction projects everywhere. This consisted of a wide spade shovel with a grommet hole in each upper corner, to which a rope was tied. One guy would jam the spade in on an angle with his foot, and the other two guys on each end of the ropes would pull it out with a shovel full of dirt. Not a very efficient use of manpower, but in reality, they could work longer without as much fatigue with this method. It was a treat to see a well coordinated “shovel team” work, as they could really move along. On the other hand, a poorly coordinated “team” resembled the “Three Stooges”. When I returned to Korea in 2000, these “three man shovels” were nowhere to be seen, and neither were the “one eyed dragon” three-wheeled “agricultural motorcycles”— they had all been displaced by “more modern” “ western style” equipment. I also digress, but it’s amazing the variety of use for a simple ancient tool. One shovel for three guys vs four shovels for four guys!
VR, Russ

---

For those who do not know what a 'one eyed dragon' is here's a vid of one they were also known as 'one eyed water buffalos' and 'rice paddy assault vehicles'. You could find them on road with a trailer full of people heading to town even saw them on Route 1, a major highway.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyQtNZiqbo

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Yes— I was on a 20 mile forced march around Dongduchon in July 1987, and had taken “point” just as one came careening around the corner on a very narrow side road, loaded with about ten people. To avoid a potentially life ending collision, I dove head first into a “turtle ditch” (a concrete culvert about 3ft deep and 2 feet wide) alongside the road, with a full 50lb ruck. These ditches are normally filled with really nasty stuff. Mine had about a foot of slimy water and a lot of “orange belly” toads. I spent about 2 seconds in there, when I came out, I had toads clinging all over my ruck and LBE, and was covered in a mass of slimy green algae. To this day, I have great respect for those “one eyed dragons”. When I got back to Camp Casey, my team gave me “the order of the amphibian”, and it was quite a topic that night in the mess— after I got cleaned up.
VR, Russ

For those who do not know what a 'one eyed dragon' is here's a vid of one they were also known as 'one eyed water buffalos' and 'rice paddy assault vehicles'. You could find them on road with a trailer full of people heading to town even saw them on Route 1, a major highway.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyQtNZiqbo