ADA in Vietnam – Automatic Weapons Battery (.50 Caliber Machine Gun)
The first display reads:
ADA in Vietnam – Automatic Weapons Battery (.50 Caliber Machine Gun)
The M55 Quad-.50 Caliber antiaircraft system was designed as a lightweight alternative to the M16 antiaircraft halftrack or M51 2-ton trailer Quad-.50 systems. While all three utilized the Maxson M45D quad-.50 turret, the M55 mounted on a compact M20 trailer and first saw service with the US Army Airborne Forces in the fall of 1944. The M55 could fire a staggering 2,600 rounds per minute (650 rounds per gun) and was easily transportable, whether in a C-47, glider or in the bed of a 2 ½ ton “deuce and a half” cargo truck.
By early 1966, Quad-50s were again pouring fire downrange, this time in South Vietnam in support of US forces. Four separate automatic weapons batteries used the M55 system in Vietnam in both the truck-mounted and fixed emplacement firebase defense roles.
The M35 series 2 1/2 ton truck served as the standard prime mover for the M55 system. M35s performed admirably in the gun truck role, often hauling more than twice their specified 5,000 lb. load. With the turret weighing in at 1,600 lbs, and 10,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition carried in the truck’s bed (4,000 lbs.), the AW battery gun trucks usually had at least 2,000 lbs. of additional sandbags, armor and crew equipment aboard as well. This additional weight tended to overstress and wear on transmission and engine components, causing gun trucks to be maintenance intensive. Due to the particularly rought terrain in the Central Highlands, E/41st replaced most of their M35s with M54 5-ton trucks by 1969.
M35 Specifications:
Weight: 13,000 lbs.
Length: 23 feet
Width: 7 feet 11 inches
Height: 9 feet 4 inches
Engine: (M35A1) 140hp LDS-427 Turbo Multifuel Engine
Range: 400 miles
Crew: 5 (driver, commander, gunner, and two loaders)
The primary missions for the Air Defense Quad-.50s in Vietnam were convoy escort and firebase defense.
The terrain in the Central Highlands of II Corps wore down E/41st M35 trucks rather quickly, particularly because of the increased loads they would typically carry. Following in the footsteps of several transportation gun truck companies in the region, E/41st adopted the M54 5-ton truck, giving them increased performance and a heavier load carrying capability. That increased load capacity translated into better armor and crew protection and more ammunition for the .50 calibers.
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Jeffery G. Jarman, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Battery D (Machine Gun), 71st Artillery, II Field Force Artillery. Sergeant Jarman distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 May 1969 during a coordinated rocket and ground attack on Husky Compound at Xuan Loc. Shortly after midnight, from his position on a quad fifty-caliber machine gun, Sergeant Jarman detected a large North Vietnamese force advancing on the perimeter and immediately directed fire on the assaulting troops. As the battle continued, he realized that the compound’s other quad fifty-caliber gun had fallen silent. Fearing that the emplacement was in danger, Sergeant Jarman dashed across the fire-swept base to reach the other weapon. Observing that the position had received a direct rocket grenade hit, he quickly removed one casualty to safety. Returning to extract the second wounded gunner, Sergeant Jarman was shot in the shoulder by an enemy soldier who had penetrated the perimeter. Using his good arm, he fired his M-16 rifle killing three hostile invaders and routing the remaining aggressors. While Sergeant Jarman provided suppressive fire, members of the gun crew moved the casualties to a nearby 105 millimeter howitzer position to receive medical treatment. Only after he expended his ammunition did he withdraw to the howitzer where he assisted the artillery crew in cutting fuses and dispensing ammunition. Suddenly, a rocket impacted next to the howitzer, wounding several of the crew members as well as Sergeant Jarman. Despite his multiple wounds, he braved the incoming fusillade to drag several critically wounded men to the next howitzer position. When all of the casualties had been moved, he continued to fire on the enemy until rendered unconscious by his wounds. Sergeant Jarman’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
The second display reads:
E Battery, 41st Artillery, attached to 4/60th Artillery
G Battery, 55th Artillery, attached to the Americal Division
G Battery, 65th Artillery, attached to 1/44th Artillery
E Battery, 71st Artillery, attached to 5/2nd Artillery
These four batteries operated almost continuously until finally returning to the US in 1971 / 1972.
The final display reads:
Air Defense Units in Vietnam
The US air defense role in the Republic of Vietnam was straightforward: defend friendly ground forces from air and ground attack. The equipment Air Defenders had at their disposal ranged from World War 2 vintage M55 Quad-.50 caliber machine gun turrets to the cutting edge MIM-23 Hawk Missile System.
Arriving in South Vietnam in early 1966 as “Artillery” battalions and separate batteries, Air Defenders served under I and II Field Force, providing convoy escort, firebase defense, battlefield illumination and an air defense umbrella over friendly territory that was second to none.
Three battalions and eight separate batteries covered friendly skies from the DMZ south to the Mekong Delta. Two additional battalions provided medium range air defense for the cities of Da Nang and Saigon from the very real threat of North Vietnamese IL-28 medium bombers.
In July 1968, Air Defense split from the Artillery branch and became an independent branch of the US Army. Although relatively few in number, Air Defenders in Vietnam made an indelible impression on the US experience in Vietnam and those battalions returned home in 1972 as the combat-experienced core of the Army’s newest branch.
Taken December 17th, 2013.
ADA in Vietnam – Automatic Weapons Battery (.50 Caliber Machine Gun)
The first display reads:
ADA in Vietnam – Automatic Weapons Battery (.50 Caliber Machine Gun)
The M55 Quad-.50 Caliber antiaircraft system was designed as a lightweight alternative to the M16 antiaircraft halftrack or M51 2-ton trailer Quad-.50 systems. While all three utilized the Maxson M45D quad-.50 turret, the M55 mounted on a compact M20 trailer and first saw service with the US Army Airborne Forces in the fall of 1944. The M55 could fire a staggering 2,600 rounds per minute (650 rounds per gun) and was easily transportable, whether in a C-47, glider or in the bed of a 2 ½ ton “deuce and a half” cargo truck.
By early 1966, Quad-50s were again pouring fire downrange, this time in South Vietnam in support of US forces. Four separate automatic weapons batteries used the M55 system in Vietnam in both the truck-mounted and fixed emplacement firebase defense roles.
The M35 series 2 1/2 ton truck served as the standard prime mover for the M55 system. M35s performed admirably in the gun truck role, often hauling more than twice their specified 5,000 lb. load. With the turret weighing in at 1,600 lbs, and 10,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition carried in the truck’s bed (4,000 lbs.), the AW battery gun trucks usually had at least 2,000 lbs. of additional sandbags, armor and crew equipment aboard as well. This additional weight tended to overstress and wear on transmission and engine components, causing gun trucks to be maintenance intensive. Due to the particularly rought terrain in the Central Highlands, E/41st replaced most of their M35s with M54 5-ton trucks by 1969.
M35 Specifications:
Weight: 13,000 lbs.
Length: 23 feet
Width: 7 feet 11 inches
Height: 9 feet 4 inches
Engine: (M35A1) 140hp LDS-427 Turbo Multifuel Engine
Range: 400 miles
Crew: 5 (driver, commander, gunner, and two loaders)
The primary missions for the Air Defense Quad-.50s in Vietnam were convoy escort and firebase defense.
The terrain in the Central Highlands of II Corps wore down E/41st M35 trucks rather quickly, particularly because of the increased loads they would typically carry. Following in the footsteps of several transportation gun truck companies in the region, E/41st adopted the M54 5-ton truck, giving them increased performance and a heavier load carrying capability. That increased load capacity translated into better armor and crew protection and more ammunition for the .50 calibers.
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Jeffery G. Jarman, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Battery D (Machine Gun), 71st Artillery, II Field Force Artillery. Sergeant Jarman distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 May 1969 during a coordinated rocket and ground attack on Husky Compound at Xuan Loc. Shortly after midnight, from his position on a quad fifty-caliber machine gun, Sergeant Jarman detected a large North Vietnamese force advancing on the perimeter and immediately directed fire on the assaulting troops. As the battle continued, he realized that the compound’s other quad fifty-caliber gun had fallen silent. Fearing that the emplacement was in danger, Sergeant Jarman dashed across the fire-swept base to reach the other weapon. Observing that the position had received a direct rocket grenade hit, he quickly removed one casualty to safety. Returning to extract the second wounded gunner, Sergeant Jarman was shot in the shoulder by an enemy soldier who had penetrated the perimeter. Using his good arm, he fired his M-16 rifle killing three hostile invaders and routing the remaining aggressors. While Sergeant Jarman provided suppressive fire, members of the gun crew moved the casualties to a nearby 105 millimeter howitzer position to receive medical treatment. Only after he expended his ammunition did he withdraw to the howitzer where he assisted the artillery crew in cutting fuses and dispensing ammunition. Suddenly, a rocket impacted next to the howitzer, wounding several of the crew members as well as Sergeant Jarman. Despite his multiple wounds, he braved the incoming fusillade to drag several critically wounded men to the next howitzer position. When all of the casualties had been moved, he continued to fire on the enemy until rendered unconscious by his wounds. Sergeant Jarman’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
The second display reads:
E Battery, 41st Artillery, attached to 4/60th Artillery
G Battery, 55th Artillery, attached to the Americal Division
G Battery, 65th Artillery, attached to 1/44th Artillery
E Battery, 71st Artillery, attached to 5/2nd Artillery
These four batteries operated almost continuously until finally returning to the US in 1971 / 1972.
The final display reads:
Air Defense Units in Vietnam
The US air defense role in the Republic of Vietnam was straightforward: defend friendly ground forces from air and ground attack. The equipment Air Defenders had at their disposal ranged from World War 2 vintage M55 Quad-.50 caliber machine gun turrets to the cutting edge MIM-23 Hawk Missile System.
Arriving in South Vietnam in early 1966 as “Artillery” battalions and separate batteries, Air Defenders served under I and II Field Force, providing convoy escort, firebase defense, battlefield illumination and an air defense umbrella over friendly territory that was second to none.
Three battalions and eight separate batteries covered friendly skies from the DMZ south to the Mekong Delta. Two additional battalions provided medium range air defense for the cities of Da Nang and Saigon from the very real threat of North Vietnamese IL-28 medium bombers.
In July 1968, Air Defense split from the Artillery branch and became an independent branch of the US Army. Although relatively few in number, Air Defenders in Vietnam made an indelible impression on the US experience in Vietnam and those battalions returned home in 1972 as the combat-experienced core of the Army’s newest branch.
Taken December 17th, 2013.