I have several photographs of Vietnam. I will try to list them in themes. So we will start with Long Binh. A 155 howitzer faces the perimeter of Long Binh Post. The 1st Signal Brigade Headquarters building is in the background.
What is it with photobucket? Total pain in the a**e! I agree I have made several attempts to correct the picture. And succeeded at last!
Did you serve the gun from inside the turret or on the ground behind the vehicle? Also, I realize that it is a indirect fire weapon. Did it have the capability for direct fire and if it did, did you have anything like cannister or grape shot?
I was not a tanker but would suggest that the weapon was served from the inside. The weapon would traverse left and right and up and down. As to load I have no idea, over to an expert somewhere.
The 11th Armoured Cavalry moving into jungle in a search for Viet Cong who fled positions they had occupied the night before 100 yards outside the perimeter of Long Binh. 23 February 1969.
David, I have to agree with Paul. You are posting some excellent photograpohs from the Vietnam conflict. Regards Tom
The 11th Armoured Cavalry moving into jungle in a search for Viet Cong who fled positions they had occupied the night before 100 yards outside the perimeter of Long Binh. 23 February 1969. If memory serves me correct, the area shown is north-east of the main base at Long Binh. Tiger Island (local name for the place) was the subject of nightly exchanges between US and Viet Cong troops. Parachute flares over the island were a common sight.
Ah 11 ACR, commanded by B-G George S Patton 3rd IIRC. Espoused a simple tac doctrine 'find the bastards and pile on'. Piling on was the easy bit.
Giving the onboard ammo load was less than 30 rds (24 IIRC) of mixed natures, then the need for ammo from outside emerged fairly quickly in any mildly serious action. 155mm was limited to HE (various fuzes), Smk, WP and Illum. Of course the rate of fire was nothing to get excited about, and the speed of response of US arty can best be described as ponderous (and that's being very charitable).