tomrommel1 | 23 Sep 2019 12:59 a.m. PST |
Here is the M60 gunner for my US Marines platoon. A Paul Hicks sculpt. Avalable from Empress Miniatures:
more on link |
Giles the Zog | 23 Sep 2019 4:23 a.m. PST |
Like the detail- the watch ! |
deadhead | 23 Sep 2019 4:41 a.m. PST |
I did wonder, but did not like to ask. Right hand? I like the dry brushing on the M60. I have a couple from the Gringos40 range and wondered about dry brushing with gun metal, but this seems to work well. |
HMS Exeter | 23 Sep 2019 7:13 a.m. PST |
He's got that fungus thing going on his left wrist, so he had to switch out. It's starting to get better. If he introduces himself, best not shake either hand. He'll understand. |
Empress Miniatures | 23 Sep 2019 7:40 a.m. PST |
Left handed people sometimes wear it on the right. One of my daughters does. Our stuff is based upon picture evidence so there was at least one Marine in Hue with his watch on the right wrist. |
Legion 4 | 23 Sep 2019 8:04 a.m. PST |
"Hump'n the Hog !" |
deadhead | 23 Sep 2019 1:18 p.m. PST |
Now this set me wondering and Googling every image I had saved or could find of Marines in Hue. (Yes, I know and I will start to get out more).. First that struck me was that most Marines did wear a watch. Fragile things and expensive, first thing I ever do is take off the Rolex (it is only an Air-King though). I think Don Mc Cullen's shell shocked Marine has an expanding bracelet on his right wrist. The well known shot of the Marines pinned down behind the wall has the RTO kneeling, wearing something on his right wrist, but maybe on the left too. I have found a couple of Marines firing M16s left handed (thought you could not do that!) but still with watches on left wrist. Hundreds (literally, well almost), with watches on the left. Must tell you, on the Napoleonic Forum this would now have turned very nasty and abusive. Much demand for citation and misquotes of earlier contributors. This Vietnam thing is so gentlemanly….. |
Legion 4 | 23 Sep 2019 3:13 p.m. PST |
Military Field Watches were issued in many cases. As well as you could get a watch fairly cheaply in many places in SE Asia, i.e. Vietnam. Also Military Wrist Compasses were also issued[I still have one I was issued in @ '80]. Some of those "watches" you may have seen maybe Wrist Compasses. firing M16s left handed (thought you could not do that!) I am left handed, and on the range/in garrison we were issued easily mounted "Shell Deflectors" sometimes. They just "popped" in between the upper receiver and sight bridge/aka, the "carrying handle". I have been burned a bit in the field without the deflector. When hot brass was ejected. Leaving faint burn marks of the hot shells on my inner forearm. My fault … I had my sleeves rolled up to my elbow. Leaving my forearm exposed. |
deadhead | 24 Sep 2019 4:47 a.m. PST |
Doubly fascinating. Wrist compasses! Never thought of that. Yes, the M16 ejection I thought meant must be fired right handed or ouch! Deflector is new to me. So many marines in Hue wore their sleeves down and indeed even wore that darker, almost grey, rainproof Navy jacket. Both very Tet to me.. Thanks ! |
Legion 4 | 24 Sep 2019 8:42 a.m. PST |
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Bismarck | 24 Sep 2019 9:24 a.m. PST |
Like Legion just posted, both the M14 and M16 could be fired left handed. I too am a "southpaw". Deadhead, that grey waterproof Navy jacket was a rain parka that was really heavy "water resistant"(treated) canvas. I heard that in later years it was available rubberized like our ponchos. They were frequently issued in cooler wet weather in north I Corps. Most of the ones I saw were actually a shade of olive drab. |
deadhead | 24 Sep 2019 10:53 a.m. PST |
I am fascinated by that rig (I do have obsessional traits I admit). It is probably the photography and how it is now reproduced. But I noted as a schoolkid that the Marines in Hue had long sleeves so often. Not the Rambo thing of a flak jacket over nothing or a T shirt. Now, again, I now work out many of them are wearing the tropical shirt sleeves up or down. Fine But it is that jacket that was totally Hue 68 Tet. Obviously never seen in the jungle, I had imagined. I had no idea it ever got cool near the DMZ. Wet, yes. US Olive Drab is a very very dark green I am beginning to realise (stress I am a Napoleonic collector +++). Really appreciate your input. No idea why this caught my imagination so much, other than the sad thing that I have to get this right. (My wife is very patient). Even with Greenstuff, I want to do a few of my Gringo figures in that Navy jacket and notice that you never wear the ammo belt with the bullets pointing inward. It hurts your neck and risks them falling out. The tour guide at the Washington Memorial did not appreciate me pointing out that error, which was probably not unreasonable, but she had not even been born in 1968 and I did mean well. Our sense of humour does not always translate.
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Legion 4 | 24 Sep 2019 3:39 p.m. PST |
But I noted as a schoolkid that the Marines in Hue had long sleeves so often. Not the Rambo thing of a flak jacket over nothing or a T shirt. Yes I can never remember seeing anyone at anytime wearing a "flak vest" over anything but the Fatigue/Utility shirt. Whether the standard fatigue shirt or Jungle Fatigue, etc. The Jungle Fatigues, whether OD or Camo was far superior to any version of the old fatigues. Obviously never seen in the jungle, I had imagined. I had no idea it ever got cool near the DMZ. Wet, yes. Army had a similar rubberized "rain jacket". More for keeping you dry than anything else. Many times in heavy rains/monsoons the air temp does drop. But I can tell you running around in that rain jacket only makes you sweat and adds to the misery ! and notice that you never wear the ammo belt with the bullets pointing inward. It hurts your neck and risks them falling out. Yes that is true. I've never seen it done any other, at least not for long. The tour guide at the Washington Memorial did not appreciate me pointing out that error, Frakk her !!!! |
Skarper | 24 Sep 2019 9:03 p.m. PST |
It can get chilly here. And if you get up a few hundred metres into the mountains even colder. It's also a damp clammy cold so feels much worse than the thermometer says. A lot of survivors of the war remember feeling cold at times. Depends on the region. The delta and close to Ho Chi Ming city it never gets really cold. But in DaNang we often have temperatures around 12-14C and it was 9C a few winters back. So if you are living outside in a wet forest/jungle or muddy trench it will feel cold. Hue is even colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. The mountains make a barrier for the cold/hot air. |
Legion 4 | 25 Sep 2019 1:16 p.m. PST |
One of my NCOs who served in Vietnam also told me similar. In certain higher elevations the temp will drop, even had to wear a sweater. And as we know when you get wet you may feel cold again based on a number of factors. I do remember this being in the Infantry for 10+ years. It always seemed you were too hot or too cold or too wet, too tired, etc. etc. … |
deadhead | 25 Sep 2019 3:05 p.m. PST |
That is great input. Many thanks. The ammo belt issue. Upham has it the wrong way around in the film/movie SPR. The only other example I have ever seen is the Washington Memorial statues. I really did not mean to be a pain in the rear end/an anorak/a wise guy and thought the statues brilliant (the Korean War ones far better), but I did say that they would never be worn that way around…..did not go down well. I just pretended I was English because I do sound very much so (my three sons laugh at my BBC accent, living up North). Chap walking past overheard, from Texas, of a certain age, and agreed with me 100%, from his experience. Upham's belt was canvas, so bullets would all easily drop out, which is disastrous in an automatic weapon. But even today…
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Skarper | 25 Sep 2019 8:35 p.m. PST |
Such a pity that error slipped thru. I guess it looks better with the tips pointing upwards but it makes no sense to carry them that way. Besides getting poked in the neck or under the ribs they would snag on tree branches. If they changed the M16 flash hider to avoid it catching on twigs it must have been a thing… If only they had run the sketches past a few people who were there – they would have flagged it right away. |
Legion 4 | 26 Sep 2019 7:43 a.m. PST |
I'm sure some may have tried carrying them pointed up. But as I said they probably wouldn't be for long. And generally because of anything and everything getting caught up in vines, flora, etc. in the jungle or forests, etc. We would generally not sling them "Bandito" style. But I can see in an urban environ it they could/may be slung "Bandito". Plus generally the rounds would be expended fairly quickly. Something we also have to remember with the 1000s upon 1000s of troops being involved in any conflict things don't always look "picture perfect", per se. I.e happens ! |
deadhead | 26 Sep 2019 9:21 a.m. PST |
Oh absolutely. The many, many, photos I have amassed are largely in Hue , Khe Sahn or Saigon, Tet 68. I can well imagine the bandolier would be far from appealing, let along good for the ammo, diddy bopping all the day through the boonies. Probably ideal however when contact is inevitable within seconds and in urban surroundings. But I have never seen a photo of any soldier in any war carrying an ammo belt "upside-down". Not sure how wise it would be to have all those rounds pointing in at you personally, if one was somehow triggered in conflict. Does not detract from the incredible work that went into the Vietnam trio. The detail is amazing. I imagine there is a copyright that prevents someone modelling them? |
Legion 4 | 27 Sep 2019 6:41 a.m. PST |
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