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Pictures From My RATT RIG Days

rboltz

rboltz

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I am in the process of creating a web site for RATT RIGS, the slang used for Army Signal Corp Radio Teletype Shelters. I began digging through my pictures from my Signal Corp days and found these I took of shelters on the M-715. These are from the 414th Signal Company in about 1969 plus or minus a year. Later I was in the 129th. I was not the least interested in trucks in those days, just the radios and did not remember taking these. The people are "my squad" and I don't even remember their names. Take a look at the S-144 shelters, with the AN/GRC-46, that do not fit well on the M-715. They were designed for the M-37. This is mentioned in the "Quirks" booklet for the M715. Notice the tie-down cables go outside the bed and under the truck to the frame. Why? I have no recollection as we did not mount the shelters. Ahhh, the good old days!!!
 

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Crazyguyla

Crazyguyla

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I remember back in 1992 when my 1st unit(501st Sig Bn, 101 ABN DV) was turning there rat rigs in for the new stuff. Those things were so old LOL
 
rboltz

rboltz

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steelandcanvas said:
Shame on you, you don't remember their names? But then I guess it was about 41 years ago. Great photos!
Click to expand...
I remember the guys I was first with but not these names, just faces. I do remember the guy in the white T shirt got hurt. He was firing a M1919 .30 cal machine gun and had a stoppage. He forgot the rules "pull the charging handle" and opened the breech cover. A "cook off" round exploded in his face. He was lucky as no eye damage.
 
Chief_919

Chief_919

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I know where there are several shelters that have the racks, many of the GRC-106 componets and the teletypes still in them.

Waiting for someone to save them frm being stripped down for the coppper...
 
gunboy1656

gunboy1656

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Nice mix of equipment. All the RATT rigs were out of our inventory before I got in (1992). My unit had just taken all their CUCV's with shelters to get line of sight systems. Only things I drove regularly was M1008, M1009 (as part of the wire team) and HMMWV's (radio operator days) Only deuces we had was Supply and Mess.
 
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bgx2063

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I Joined the 414th Sig Co in Oct 1970.. One of thse pics might be of me. I was an SSG in the RATT Pllatoon under SSG Raemes. Jerry Fischbein

rboltz said:
I am in the process of creating a web site for RATT RIGS, the slang used for Army Signal Corp Radio Teletype Shelters. I began digging through my pictures from my Signal Corp days and found these I took of shelters on the M-715. These are from the 414th Signal Company in about 1969 plus or minus a year. Later I was in the 129th. I was not the least interested in trucks in those days, just the radios and did not remember taking these. The people are "my squad" and I don't even remember their names. Take a look at the S-144 shelters, with the AN/GRC-46, that do not fit well on the M-715. They were designed for the M-37. This is mentioned in the "Quirks" booklet for the M715. Notice the tie-down cables go outside the bed and under the truck to the frame. Why? I have no recollection as we did not mount the shelters. Ahhh, the good old days!!!
Click to expand...
 
rboltz

rboltz

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bgx2063 said:
I Joined the 414th Sig Co in Oct 1970.. One of thse pics might be of me. I was an SSG in the RATT Pllatoon under SSG Raemes. Jerry Fischbein
Click to expand...
We, the 129th, were attached to the 414th for TDY in 69 or 70 at Ft. Meade. I was also there in 68, and 71 but just for a few weeks. Those in the pictures were from the 129th Sig Bn. Were you at Meade? I think the 414th was in Germany sometime during those years also.
 
wreckerman893

wreckerman893

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I remember back in 1992 when my 1st unit(501st Sig Bn, 101 ABN DV) was turning there rat rigs in for the new stuff. Those things were so old LOL
Click to expand...
I was in the 501st in 1973-74. I was a teletype operator. I was reclassed from the infantry due to a training accident (FUBARED my left knee) and switched to Signal. Back then there was very little money for travel so they cross trained a bunch of us at a school set up at Campbell.
 
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