Okay, so I'm not really sure what they used the Mules for, besides, in places of well, mules.
Maybe saying out on patrol was incorrect.
I'll go do a Google on them and see what i can find.
Found this:
U.S. Military M274 Truck, Platform, Utility 1/2 Ton, 4X4 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The M274 Mule was introduced in 1956 to supplement both the 1/4 ton trucks ("
Jeeps") and 3/4 ton trucks (Weapons Carrier Series and
M37 series) in airborne and infantry battalions. The M274 evolved from improvements to a vehicle designed at the end of World War Two by
Willys-Overland as a medical evacuation litter carrier from areas and terrain that would even be a problem for its famous Jeep to access. Further tests by the US Army at Eglin Field, Florida proved it also useful as carrier for both supplies and men. In 1948 the US Army purchased a small number of these test vehicles with the designation the
Jungle Burden Carrier for evaluation in jungle warfare and with airborne forces.
[1] There were 11,240 Mules produced between their introduction and 1970, when production ceased. They were used throughout as platforms for various weapons systems and for carrying men, supplies, and weaponry/ammunition during the
Vietnam War and in other U.S. military operations until the 1980s. As a completely open and exposed vehicle, they offered absolutely no protection to the driver, yet that was relatively unimportant as they were mainly used as cargo carriers and medium-range infantry support vehicles, rather than close-combat anti-infantry vehicles. They were phased out from military usage in the 1980s with the introduction of the
HMMWV series vehicles. The HMMWV was, however, unable to fulfill the role of the Mule, so the M-Gator, a military variant of the popular
John Deere Gator vehicle, was introduced.
Further on:
The M274 Mules were often outfitted with a wide array of weaponry, especially in the Vietnam War. They could be modified to carry virtually any type of conventional weapon that could be mounted on a truck. Most commonly, the M274 was outfitted with:
- M60 7.62 mm NATO light machine guns
- M2HB .50 Caliber machine guns
- 106 mm Recoilless Rifles
- TOW anti-tank missile systems
So if they weren't used really 'in the field' why would they need the closer action weapons? This is what confuses me.
And yes, carrying these around would be a hardship on any group of men. So, my chain is officially yanked, as I can find no info on this actually happening.
