Military "Cattle-Cars"

[ssgtwright-usmc]

Yeah, I remember Paris Island. 1986 Recruit number (60) riding from 1st BN to the old air strip for our ICT training. God, it seems like we got all four platoons into one and seemd like the ride was forever with that SC heat and humidity.
God I miss those days nows.

 

[cbvet]

Cattle Cars

Wow! Some of you guys really had it made, with fancy transportation like in the pictures here.
I rode in "cattle cars" at Cam Ranh Bay, Phu Bai, & DaNang.
Nothing but a semi trailer with a few holes chopped in the sides, & usually some chain link fence over the holes.
No benches, hand-holds, etc. Some had a set of steps cut into them or hanging on the back.
A few miles was a LONG ride!
Eric
CBVET

 

[bulldog_mack13]

RE: Cattle Cars

We didnt have seats of any type at Sill , Only a few bars to hang on to. And loaded like that and a soldier get into a fight with another soldier, oh boy!

One behind a Duece tractor would be nice and a good tribute to history

 

[panzerbob]

I can attest to them still being used at Fort Lewis as of 2 years go. We rode everywhere in them during my training to upgrade from E-3 to O-1. All of the officer candiates were mooing one day, and they made us get out and march back to the barracks. The TAC SGT said "you all want to act like anmals you will be treated like animals." We probably spent 2-3 hours per day for 30+ days in the cattle cars, except for a period where the door controls caught fire, and they substituted two short busses from the base schools. Of course that spawned a whole line of officers riding the short bus jokes.

 

[steelandcanvas]

and they substituted two short busses from the base schools. Of course that spawned a whole line of officers riding the short bus jokes.

Probably a some truth to that one.

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

They definately had them at Fort Bragg. During ROTC Advance Camp we used them every day to get out and back to the ranges. In the mornings most guys would fall asleep and I would play my harmonica with some blues honking out in a slow rythmic beat to lull them off to sleep.

On the sniper lane our squad accually did not have anyone killed and I killed (MILES) both the Sniper and his sight man. We were the only ones to do that and got the first truck back to the showers. Ours were being pulled by Duece tractors and wouldn't you know it the driver could not get it started and all the other ones took off leaving us last. I finally got fed up and went up and bled the fuel system and got him started. He did not know how to get back and we drove all around Fort Bragg for hours winding up missing chow and not getting back till they sent out a Blackhawk to find us and then a Sergeant came out and led us in. We did not get back till almost lights out.

That is one reason I have stayed in the Army.

You just have to love it.

 

[tmbrwolf]

We rode in one from reception to the BCT unit at Leonard Wood, the first and last time we rode one in basic, "maximum 80 pax" MY REAR!

 

[tmbrwolf]

oh that was 1975!

 

[bmH1065]

The ones we called cattle cars at Ft Ord in 68 were flat bed trailers with side racks and benches down both sides and one down the middle. They took us from reception station to up on the hill (basic traing area) and a few other times back from the riffle range. Most of the time we dubble timed.

 

[JeepMan]

Brings back memories of Ft. Leonard Wood Basic Training in 1981 also.
I remember some high-strung 1rst Louie training brigade commander during orientation fast pacing back and forth on the stage telling us that "We're not like the rest of the training brigades, we don't ride -- we march or run to whereever we have to go"!! Except for the required 5/10/20 mile marches we rode to the ranges. Course we did'nt do our marches on the nice blacktop road, noooo,(!!!), we had to march on the shoulder over the rocks. I remember we were riding somewhere and we were riding with some soldiers that had just got done with the end-of-training "campout" and telling us of all the gas attacks they endured.
Yes, I remember those cattle cars.

 

[MarineTracs]

I don't remember riding in them at Parris Island. But, I guess we chalked up several miles in them in ITR at Camp Geiger, although not as many as we did on foot at 'Verona Loop'. ( By the way, did any of you other jarheads do ITR at the Camp Stone Bay area of Camp Geiger? It was back near the rifle range.) That was back in 1969. For the life of me, I could not accurately descibe what they looked like then. But, I seem to recall them haing no seats, just rails to hold on to while moving. And I would be willing to bet that they were forrest green, not shiny. Ahh, the good old times!

 

[ONTOS66]

Hmmm, cattle cars ... yes, I do have recollections of them based on personal knowledge. Needless to say, the Marine Corps version was the base model when compared to the luxury models enjoyed by the other services.

The Marine Corps does not believe in such silly things as seats - you can pack more in if they all stand. Certainly that applies with any transportation used for Marine recruits. And naturally they were GREEN!

I don't recall them being used at MCRD San Diego, but I do recall a thrilling ride to and from old Camp Matthews (the rifle range) with full pack and rifle for the range portion of boot camp. 16 man squad tents with the sides rolled up during the day in the winter and no heat. Everything you owned (including your bucket) jammed in to a sea bag and locked to your bunk while you were on the range. Ah fond memories .. best enjoyed through the lense of time.

I know I've seen them used else where, like Subic Bay as a fleet liberty bus to get the Marines and squids back to ship for cinderella liberty. I believe those had seats, and were probably Navy gray. Remember "cross decking" after a fun evening in town?

Speaking of being treated like animals:

Many, many years ago during one of my stays at the beautiful, parched brown hills of Camp Pendleton I was traveling back to the barracks for a shower after a fun day greasing road wheels and such when I passed the Camp Pendleton base band all standing in a cluster. Next to them were several duces with their tail gates down.

As I approached I heard one of the pampered few commenting to his peers:

"Now I know how the infantry feels ... "

As you can imagine, the band normally travels by nice buses. Seems that their limo broke down and they were going home the hard way in the back of a duce. (they had been in our area for a graduation at one of the Marine Corps schools at Camp Horno - Cooks and Bakers I think)

Being a very salty Lance Corporal, having returned from my first overseas posting at Okinawa, I felt it was my duty to educate the poor misguided slick sleeve (private). So I addressed him by rank and took him in tow. As luck would have it our Company Gunnery Sergeant was also passing by and asked what I was doing with the horn blower. I explained his comment and stated that since he had expressed interest in life as a grunt I was taking him to see their NCOIC to see about a transfer or at least a familiarization course. The gunney allowed that I had the right idea but suggested that we might just want to toss him in the POL shed behind the Ontos park until the band left. Then take him for a walk in the hills. Of course poor bandsman was pale and shaking, having never had personal contact with actual Marines from the Fleet Marine Force before. About that time the NCOIC of the band showed up, had a short talk with the gunney, grabbed said bandsman by the stacking swivel and drug him off for further education.

Ah the good old days .. always better from a distance with a beer or two!!

 

[moose53]

I'm surprised nobody from the east coast jumped in... we had cattle cars at Ft. Dix too, at least in the late 80's early 90's...

Jim

 

[Crazyguyla]

We rode in one from reception to the BCT unit at Leonard Wood, the first and last time we rode one in basic, "maximum 80 pax" MY REAR!

I worked at the Reception Battalion on Ft Leonard Wood, the "max capacity" was 50 with duffel bags. We sometimes stretched the when a cattle car failed to show. See Westy's picture. I so miss packing sardines into cattle cars. The rule was, the drill sergeant needed 3 ft of space in the back.. those were the days. Cattle cars were getting phased out when I left ft wood. Now it's buses and the super cattle car limo aka the "MANSCEN". It can comfortably seat 80 soldiers.

 

[gsomersjr]

I rode them in 86 at Ft Jackson. I remember taking the ride with all our gear from the reception station out to Tank Hill. When the truck stopped the DS stood in the middle of the exit and told us all to get out and that we'd better not touch him doing it. We also rode them to the ranges quite frequently although we still did a good bit of marching. They pulled them with M915s.

 

[BLKBRD]

I can verify that Ft. Sill is using them now. My wife and I were down there for a pick up yesterday at GL and saw them full of fresh young faces. As always you could hear the MOOOING.

 

[chvss65]

I rode the one's at Ft. Jackson a couple of times. back in 1969.
Same way reception station to the billets, but back then the DI's were chasing ya up the company street and putting boots up rears and a saying not to touch them, back then they could touch recruits
Ha Ha fun and fond memories !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pevrs114]

I rode them at Ft. Sill in 1999... they were mainly used to transport recruits during reception in-processing, and then 'across the tracks' to the training areas.

We were usually piled into deuces for training, one platoon got one deuce. So, two drill sergeants and a private up front, and 44-1=43 privates in the back.

The drill sergeant would yell into the back of the deuce, just after it was loaded- 'How many people do you have back there?' 43 voices would yell back, 'Twelve, drill sergeant!'

IIRC we got real blue birds to go out to the rifle ranges.



Man I haven't thought about those cattle cars in ten years.






ETA- per below, I don't remember them having seats. The best place to sit was in the wheel well near the side door, you could actually sit down for a second. Beat standing up smashed against your 'buddy' for long periods of time!

 

[frodobaggins]

Yep. Remember them at Ft. Sill in 97. No seats, just bars.
We were always packed so full, I would climb up onto the
upper bars to get some air. Not so comfortable with your
butt on a 1.5 inch tube

 

[GoHot229]

Talking about cattle cars, when I arrived in Camp Eagle in Vietnam, after leaving Camron Bay. We, (about 45 guys) rode (unarmed) up to Quan Tre in a stakeside flatbed, what seemed to be about 50 or more miles. It was a tractor-trailer comfiguration. At the time it seemed scarry because of the risk of being attacked. Alll along the way was burnt out Deuce's, Hueys, and an asortment of destroyed equiptment, making for a very unpleasant ride to our next unit.