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Looking to hear any stories from the unsung hero's in the Vietnam era who were vehicle/equipment mechanics. Interested in any risky recovery missions and the type of vehicles used by mechanics for these missions back in the day.
Biggest recovery was a 6x6 multifuel in Minesota that broke down and was left behind. Vandalized, batteries taken, seats cutup and windshield taken out. All on US spoil. We had orders to bring it back reguardless.
Why oh why they did not let us take a wrecker.
Thanks, doing some research on "recovery missions" especially near combat zones wondered about what sort of protection the mechanics were given in the field to do their work and if vehicles they used had any protection from possible attack, etc.
In Viet Nam, in 1968 we got a bunch of new Ford tractors painted yellow for ground handling helicopters. Well since we were FMF (Fleet Marine Force) all our equipment had to green with all the tactical markings like weight, cube size, serial numbers and so forth. We had to send our squadron's Yellow Ford to the base equipment to be painted. We had a Staff Sargent (infantry retread) to take it to the paint shop. They painted it green and when they put the chrome F-O-R-D letters back on they installed them D-O-R-F. When S/Sgt came back he said these new Dorfs drive so much better than the old FORDS.
A co-worker was in VN and was a mechanic. He said they went out to retrieve vehicles even in the night. The vehicle they drove was six rubber wheeled armored-car with twin 50's a big searchlight. He said things were uneventful on his missions. Anyway, this is what I was told.
Another co-worker was a mechanic in WW2. He spoke mostly of the equipment he worked on. One day he showed me the three bullet wounds he received over in Europe. One to the upper arm, which was done by the Germans the other two were from one bullet, that went though both of his calves of his legs by fired by a fellow soldier.