VIETNAM ERA 1

VIETNAM ERA FIGURES

Trooper showing rear of M69 Flak Jacket and 'Death Card' Motto

Taking a break......

1ST INFANTRY DIVISION

A Trooper of the 1st Infantry Division takes time out for a Coke and a Smoke plus a browse of his favorite read

U.S NAVY BOARDING PARTY

This Sailor is part of a Navy Boarding Party,these Parties were used when Suspected Shipping was stopped and searched for suspected Gun Running and smuggling activities in the Coastal Waters of Vietnam. This Sailor is wearing standard Denims and Shirt but added to this are an M1 Carbine,M1 Helmet,Boots and Legging plus Webbing Belt with Canteen,First Aid Puoch and Ammo pouch.

Troopers of the 1st Infantry Division,or 'The Big Red One' pose for a picture.

AIRFORCE SECURITY POLICE

Airforce Security Policeman at Tan Son Nhut Airstrip during the Viet Cong attack on Saigon Airport in January 1968. 700 VC attacked this Airstrip and the 7th Airforce Command Center,the nerve Centre of U.S Command during the War.

SEALS

Here we see a SEAL during a brief respite checking his Weapon (H+K G3) during Operation Bold Dragon III in 1968. He's dressed in locally made Tigerstrip BDU's with M1956 Webbing and M14 Ammo pouches to fit the larger 7.62 G3 Mags.

Here we can see the great differences in equipment carried and used by the Navy SEALS. As most of their Missions were supposed to be 'hit and run' they needed to be able to approach the Target undetected and hit it hard and disappear again

ARVN RANGER

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) employed it's own Ranger Forces,these were trained and equipped by the U.S ,hence the variety of ex U.S Gear this Ranger is carrying. WWII Garand Rifle and Webbing plus indigenous Camo BDU's with the Black Panther head design on the Helmet and unitPatch.

'HERD' M-60 GUNNER

Here we have a M-60 Gunner taking a Smoke. He belongs to the 173rd Airborne Brigade otherwise known as 'The Herd'.He is carrying 200round Boxes of Ammo as opposed to the Belts slung around the Body as the Boxes kept the Ammo clean although they were uncomfortable to carry.

The M-60 or 'PIG' as it was known was and unpopular Weapon with it's users,heavy,hard to handle and prone to jam but very popular with the rest of the Troops because of the firepower it provided. In trained hands it was a good weapon but in unskilled Hands it would jam when the firer got carried away and forgot the instruction about using 'short controlled bursts'.

COLONEL,AIR CAV

This Figure portrays a Colonel in the 1st Air Cavalry,also a Pilot,we'll take a look at his Helo later.

MAC-V

Members of MAC-V Units (Military Assistance Command,Vietnam). The Two Soldiers in Black are CIA Operatives,tasked with 'Snatch' operations,to capture high ranking VC members. The Operator in the 'Duck-Hunter' Camo BDU'S is a member of the 5th Special forces,tasked with the training of indigenous Troops which was abreviated to CIDG (Civilian Irregular Defence Groups) and finally the last one is a member of 'Mike-force' who provided the reserve forces for CIDG groups.

NVA and VC

A Viet Cong Patrol moves through the Bush.

Part of a VC Patrol prepare an Ambush,the VC kneeling is Armed with a vintage Russian Light Machine Gun,most of the VC Weapons were of Eastern European,Russian or Chinese Manufacture.

North Vietnamese Army Regulars pose for a Propaganda Photo.

NVA Regulars congregate around a Sniper as he demonstrates his Art.

Two VC Volunteers man a Cross Roads look-out post/Bunker. One is armed with an SKS Rifle the other an RPG Launcher.

VC Column 'half-stepping' on their way to an Ambush. They should be farther apart and checking their flanks and rear but it's a nice day and the Suns shining................

Above you can see a VC (Viet Nam Cong Sam,VC for short ) Sniper. He's dressed in generic Jungle BDU's which would probably have been of local manufacture with cloth sent down from the north of Vietnam,NVA/VC cloth Jungle Hat and old French or US Boots. He's travelling light with just a canteen and a small pouch for a Rice meal and Ammo for his WWII vintage Russian Rifle.The netting draped around his Shoulders could be entwined with Foliage to add to the Camouflage effect.

The NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and the VC (Viet Nam Cong Sam or 'Viet Cong') were the communist forces arrayed against the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam),the USA,Australia,New Zealand and the ROK (Republic of Korea) forces. The NVA were the regular Army and as such received meagre training and pay where as the VC were the Guerilla force,composed of mostly Peasants and armed with what ever was available to them at the time.

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