Gun Truck

[jeffhuey1n]

There appears to be some interest in gun trucks. I found this picture in Dad's division book. Thought some of you might like to see on in action. I checked, nothing that would be bad for a family friendly site, just a truck shooting.

It doesn't quite fit in the Deuce thread being a halftrack, but there isn't a half track thread in the Korean War section....

 

[jasonjc]

My dad drove those in the Korean war. He was a MP in the Air Force and they used those for air field security.

 

[wreckerman893]

When I was in Korea I had to take a group of officers on a Terrain Walk to the site of a battle near the DMZ.

The NCO that gave the briefing said that during the battle the Chinese sent human wave assaults against the American defender's position. One of the weapons that were used against them was a halftrack with Quad 50 mounted on it.

During the height of the battle the quad 50 fired until the barrels were so hot they drooped down when the ammo ran out.....after that the fighting was hand to hand......the Chinese were finally repelled at great loss of life to the American forces.

When they counted the bodies of the Chinese there were over 800 killed.....mostly mowed down by the Quad. In some places they were piled eight to ten deep.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Dad was a rifleman. They trained him on 2 1/2 tons, sent him to Korea and handed him an M-1 and off to the Kumsong Valley he went. Has lots of stories and he gave me his 24 Div book. Dates back from the beginning to when the 24th was pulled out in early '52 to go to Japan. Has LOTS of MV in action photos. Some are OK, some not OK 'cause of their content if you know what I mean. Jeeps, Dodges, 2 1/2 tons, tanks (mostly Pattons), Long Toms (155), just about everything the Division used up to when the pulled out. Doesn't have anyhing after they went back in '53.

Dad has stories about the human wave tactic. Not a pretty picture.

Anyway, I found the quad 50 set up fastinating. Made for AAA and used for just about everything from guarding airfields to front line battle.

 

[wreckerman893]

One "Ma Deuce" is an awesome weapon.....when you add three more and a rotating mount with T&E mechanism you have devastating firepower.

Sucks to be on the receiving end.

 

[nattieleather]

One "Ma Deuce" is an awesome weapon.....when you add three more and a rotating mount with T&E mechanism you have devastating firepower.

Sucks to be on the receiving end.

You said it brother!

 

[hippiedude]

Kinda like the german quad 20mm .......... ... Don`t want that pointed at you ..........

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Judging from the other pictures that are not family friendly, being on the receiving end was EXTREMELY unpleasant! Haven't seen one but are there any out in the MV world? I've seen plenty half tracks and the Vietnam Gun trucks are WOW, but no half track gun trucks...

 

[Driver523]

When we went into Cambodia we hauled the 4th Div. around, they had found a NVA camp that was pretty large, even had a motor pool of all kinds of vehicles, one of these vehicles we hauled back was a half track, on this half track was a ring mount and cradle mounted ----it also had other gun points back there---don't know for what, maybe a .51---but on the side of this NVA half track was lettering, maybe a NVA gun track????---also it still had its load in the rear---the 512th back hauled it to Cha Rang valley, I later heard that it had been stolen from a reconditioning depot in Korea-------but who knows---here's a couple photos-----hence a half track gun truck--------for us they were just to slow for convoy situations------------Driver

 

[Skip]

human wave

One of my uncles was a machine gunner in Korea and told me that they had to leave their gun because they shot so much that the barrel drooped and there were more coming. There were so many that they would just clime over the dead ones in front.

 

[nattieleather]

Haven't seen one but are there any out in the MV world? I've seen plenty half tracks and the Vietnam Gun trucks are WOW, but no half track gun trucks...

Yes the Half-track quad mount trucks are out there. Some even restored with propane firing 50s on them for display. Actually a neat ride in the gunners seat...

I've seen a half dozen or so in collectors hands in different states of repair and restoration.