m-35 gun trucks of viet nam
Gun trucks were developed during the
Viet Nam war to protect convoys of trucks from attack by the
Viet Cong who found the convoys inviting targets. It was
impossible to secure the roads travelled so it came down to
protecting the convoys from within the convoy. The first
attempts were done utilizing sand bags on the rear of Deuces and
adding various types of machine guns to pour a wall of
lead upon an attacker. This approach was problematic due to the
excessively rainy climate which soaked into the sand bags making
them prohibitively heavy and less effective.
The soldiers
improvised and built steel armored trucks utilizing scrap steel
armor plates and they mounted various weapons including .50
and .30 cal machine guns, and grenade launchers. There was no set
design and each truck did have a personality of its
own. Wild and colorful nicknames were painted on the sides of
the trucks giving them unique characteristics. It is estimated
that there were between 300 and 400 trucks that were modified to
serve in this capacity and these trucks served to the end of
American involvement in Viet Nam in 1973.
Standard operating procedure was that if an attack occurred
against the convoy, the gun trucks would drive into the enemy
attackers pouring fire upon
them and driving them off hopefully inflicting severe casualties
upon them. The original convoys were up to 200 trucks but
once the difficulties were met with the hostile actions of the
Viet Cong, these were reduced to about 100 trucks with a gun
truck located about every ten trucks or so within the convoy.
On November 24th 1967 a convoy headed into "Ambush
Alley" and was attacked and this was the first ambush that was
thwarted by the Gun trucks in a convoy. Although there was
damage and casualties inflicted on the gun trucks and the convoy,
this ambush and the resultant counter attack cost the Viet Cong
41 KIA and proved the worth of the concept of a heavily
armed and armored Gun truck for Convoy defense.
Even with the
increased security the attacks continued and the limitations of
the original 2-1/2 ton chassis was evident. The Gun Truck on the
deuce chassis was underpowered and overweight.
Eventually the 5
ton truck was used as the platform for the convoy defense Gun
Trucks.
Jatonka's replica "ACES AND EIGHTS" is based on one of the
original M-35 Gun Trucks that was built and served in Viet Nam.
Aces and Eights was built as a tribute to these brave men who
served in harm's way in convoy service and protection. John has
put countless man-hours in preparing and finishing this
truck.
If you want to find out more about the Gun Trucks of Viet
Nam, two books cover this fairly well. "The Hard Ride" and "The
Hard Ride 2" are considered by some to be the definitive volumes
on this topic. Please feel free to drop Jatonka a note if you
have any questions about his beautiful replica that commemorates
the ingenuity and perseverance and bravery of the American Soldier.
aces & eights
JATONKA with friends along with "Aces &
Eights" participated in "The Gathering at Carlisle 2010"
of all of the Gun-trucks that could make it to the Carlisle area
on the week of Aug. 4th - the 8th, 2010.
This coincided with the Nation Historic truck show.
Pictured at the left is The M35 Aces & Eights in the parade of
all of the Gun Trucks in attendance in front of a huge
grandstand crowd.
This was a great and wonderful opportunity to remind the
citizens of the brave men and their machines that fought a
ruthless enemy to get the convoys through in the Viet Nam War.