It's been a while since I have posted any of my work here as this past year has been a busy one at work. Here is my latest diorama, "Stand Down Shenanigans" which takes place at Camp Bearcat (also known as Camp Martin Cox)in 1967. The scene depicts four Grunts from 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized), 9th Infantry Division during the second day of a rare three day stand down at their home basecamp, Camp Bearcat. The first day of their stand down they tried to go to the PX to pick up some nice-to-have items for when they return to the field, but since they just got back from the field and did not have any clean uniforms that had all of their patches on them, the MPs turned them away. Not good for troop morale at all. So, dressed in newly cleaned jungle fatigues with their patches on them, and after drinking since they came back, these guys pass by an unattended MP M151 while on their way back to the company area. One Grunt decides this would be a great time to show the MPs what he thinks of them not allowing him into the PX. His buddy half-hartedly tries to stop him from urinating on one of the seats of the MP M151 but it is too late. One of the MPs saw what was going on and is about to confront this guy. Passing by the M151, another Grunt is overcome by the alcohol and the heat. His buddy holds his beer while he heaves his guts out. For sure, the First Sergeant will not be happy about this when he gets informed about the incident by the MPs. The culprit will be on [auto-censored] burning detail for quite some time.

I am going to present this diorama in a different way than I normally do. I will start with some photos of the completed diorama against a backdrop of photos of the PX at Camp Bearcat and of one of the company streets. It may seem like many of the photos are the same, but they are from slightly different angles and were taken for the benefit of Veterans of this battalion.

Some details to note in these photos are the 9th Infantry Division patches, name tapes, US Army tapes, and CIBs on the uniforms of the Grunts; MP armband with 9th ID patch, 9th ID patch and 9th MP Company logo on the gloss painted helmet liner as the MP is a member of the 9th MP Company; Carlin's Black Label, PBR, and Ba Mi Ba 33 beers; reflection in the mirror of the M151, and spit-shined boots on the MP.

Note the reflection in the mirror...

I took this next set of photos prior to those you have just viewed. After I took these I realized that I had not added the antenna yet, so I quickly glued it on for the previous photos.

And now the figures themselves. They are all conversions of Bravo 6 figures. The first is the MP who just has had his head changed our for one from Hornet. He is painted with acrylics and depicts a member of the 9th MP Company.

The Grunt who is holding his buddy's beer while the buddy pukes. Note the unit crest on the hat, Carlin's Black Label beer, and patches on the uniform.

Here is the guy trying to keep his buddy out of trouble - sort of. This figure was originally the SSG Barnes figure from Bravo 6's Platoon series of figures. I scraped off all of the gear, resculpted the shirt pockets, added a Horner head and changed the left hand and right arm.

Here is the figure who has thrown up. Only conversion to the original Bravo 6 figure is moving the right arm slightly and the addition of a Hornet head.

And the final figure - the guy urinating. The original Bravo 6 figure wore only a t-shirt and trousers. Since I wanted him to be in full uniform due to the setting of the diorama, I sculpted the details of the jungle fatigue shirt along with patches. A Hornet head was used and the cap came from Alpine.















Thanks for looking. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Cheers,
James

Another great scene James! MPs were the pain of most of the guys, I once got a speeding ticket in my 5 ton dump truck! The background really makes them pop. Wayne

Thanks, Wayne. It means a lot coming from you. I am glad you like it. A speeding ticket! Damn MPs!

As a former “Octofoil” Division veteran (9th DIVARTY, 80-82), I can relate to this exquisite diorama. Although I think the MP wouldn’t just be pointing, he’d probably be using that head buster “billy club” on his belt.
VR, Russ

Outstanding! I’ve always been a big fan of your figure mods and painting, your modeling techniques and your entertaining storylines. This is just too cool!

Cheers!🍺
—mike

Nicely done James !!!

Yep,another well researched and evocative dio from you Sir!
All of your stuff instantly brings me back to the very early days of my career with the style of uniforms,unit crests,etc. Nice.
Yeah,the [auto-censored]e burning detail may be mild for that guy. But maybe Top has an old beef with the mud puppies himself ? Brushes it all under the headshed rug ? heheheheh "Why yes...yes Sir! Pvt tentpeg has been SEVERELY punished,you have my word!"
J

Glad you like the diorama, Russ. The MP isn't pointing, he is getting ready to do a two finger hard tap on the urinating Soldier's shoulder, so I guess that is a ding on my planning that it wasn't obvious or perhaps my photos didn't show it well enough and made it look like the MP was just pointing. The use of the billy club or an MP running towards the culprit probably would have been better, but this is the figure I had.

Take care,
Cheers,
James

Thanks, Mike and Cheyenne. I am glad you guys like this diorama. It was one of the most fun ones that I have ever built.

Cheers,
James

Thanks, Jerry. Glad you like the diorama. Thanks for suggesting the use of the background photo for the photography of the diorama. It really adds to it.

I kind of figure that the First Sergeant probably has had run-is with the MPs before, so this might get swept under the rug. It just depends if the officers get wind of it or not. Personally, if it were one of my Soldiers, depending on the circumstances, I think a mild corrective action would be taken. "wink, wink"

Take care, Brother!
Cheers,
James

Speeding ticket????
When I was working up and down Highway One in the Spring of 68, we had half our unit on an OP with the 4th Infantry. About a thirty five mile trip on a gravel road. Once you got three or four miles past an LZ, the pot shots started coming. Plus you knew the road hadn't been swept in who knows when, or ever at all. They had a rule that you couldn't go faster than 20 or 25mph, and you best have a flak jacket and helmet on. Our M54's didn't have a governor, and were the fastest thing on the road; period. In the sunny 115 degree morning we would use a little Kentucky air conditioning by putting the windshield down (also a no-no), sat on our flak jacket Who knows to protect the family jewels. Who knows where the helmets were! The throttle thing on the dash was modified so that if you pulled it out all the way, we could go about sixty five or seventy mph. No MP on the planet is going to catch up with you! Plus that mine would blow in the rear of the truck.
Fast forward a few hours and picture me an "Bozo" rolling down Highway on headed about fifteen klicks south of Quang Nghai. We got beer and soda, and a couple bags of mail. Plus three or four Sundry Packs and a couple quarts of whiskey (Canadian Club to be exact). We'd already had a run in with a couple MP's just north of the Bein Son Bridge, but the crashed into a rice paddy when they got into the dust cloud (good show boys). Then we meet a Jeep headed north, and he wasn't about to give us an inch. They crashed in the closest rice paddy! We go on an get our business done while being shot at a half dozen times. We get back about three in the afternoon, and I see quite a commotion going on as we roll thru the gate. They point at us! Here comes Top, and we could see he wasn't happy. Seems that the north bound Jeep was the Sargent Major and his driver! We sorta figured he found out about an irregular visit in Quang Nghai (town was off limits). Nope! I got thirty days of extra duty, while Bozo got to burn dodoo for thirty days. Ten months later, and I was still stacking sandbags! Actually Top thought it was funny. We just got the extra duty to get rid of the Sargent Major.
gary
P.S. those MP's couldn't figure out who we were. So we drove nice to the Bein Son Bridge after that. Then it was balls out!

I had a good laugh at those kids! I had two or three run ins with MP's, and always came out on top. There were no such thing as an MP 25 klicks west of the ocean. So when we went back to the rear, it took awhile to adjust to them and the stateside military. Just kept a low profile
gary

During the drawdown in 72 they decided to move the MPs to our compound so we had to redo some hootches for them. Somehow, when the [auto-censored]ters were set up someone wired them all with gas grenades. On top of that when they came to inspect them they had to drive thru the Air Cav area, and wouldn't you know it, it was weapons cleaning time. They went back and told the higher ups that they were staying where they were. Wayne

My best friend was a German kid named Fred. Fred was about three or four years older than myself, and I was considered to be ancient! Old enough to remember Russian armor in Germany! I carried a custom built 1911a1 (Jim Clark built), and it stood out. This MP in Chu Lai stopped me about that pistol, and wanted me to surrender it. I asked him how long he wanted to live. He really got wound up, and pulled his 45. About three seconds later Fred has his P38 jammed in his ear. Fred marches him to a four holer and takes is 45 and drops it into the endless pit. Then Fred looks at his pants and steals them! Rest of his clothes went ontop the 45 in the endless hole. We cleared out at a dead run, and were headed back home in less than an hour. Next day Freddie wore those pants! Top asked him where he got new pants, and Fred told him from the endless supply in Chu Lai. End of conversation, but it wasn't! Fred lamented about not stealing the guy's shirt as both were corporals and had the Americal patch sewed on.

Fred could be as mean as a rattle snake, but was always the best right hand man I ever knew. Got tagged three times right after Thanksgiving, and then got the ticket home. I had 120 days and a wake up to go (we both extended 71 days).
gary

This is simply sublime. A CIB in 1/35 scale has totally blown my mind.

-Andrew

Thanks, Andrew.