Using a Mule in theatre

FrankUSMC said:

My first CO was Col. Chistmas (later BG Christmas) he talked about useing them in the battle for Hue. His account and the one on the history channel are almost the same.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

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Very intersting. I was stationed at 29 palms Ca, in the early 80's. I was assigned to a unit that controlled all the live fire exercises. I drove Col. Christmas on a tour of the training grounds. His battalion was coming for training and he wanted to check out the training grounds. If anybody knows anything about 29 palms, its huge. Spent the whole day just him and I. I was just a Lcpl and he treated me great. Super nice guy and we talked all day. He also talked about the battle of Hue where he was wounded if my memory is correct.
I wonder if you were in one of his battalions during that time? I can't remember which one as thats been along time ago and we ran through about 8-10 battalion sizes exercises a year.

Hue

One from my collection of shots, one from Hue, others?


Hue


Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket shot


Fire-base with shower in background


From Olive Drab Web Site about the Mule, Notice the pull start cable in his hand.

just trying to help...

BryanMichenfelder said:

One from my collection of shots, one from Hue, others?

just trying to help...

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That one is from Full Metal Jacket, the Kubrick movie.

BryanMichenfelder said:

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That shot is from Olive-Drab's webpage about the mule:

http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_m274.php

clinto said:

That one is from Full Metal Jacket, the Kubrick movie.



That shot is from Olive-Drab's webpage about the mule:

M-274 Mechanical Mule

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Thanks I had no idea where they were from, now I know, thank-you.
I am always collecting them and friends send me what they find also.

My dad was an weapons mechanic/shop supervisor for 101ABN. In the early 80's (he retired in 85), his shop mounted some mini guns on some mules for 160 Special Operations Aviation Reg. (SOAR). I wish I had some pictures, but they weren't allowed. An besides, it was just another job.

A MULE on a patrol!? Uh, no. This doesn't even pass the "DUH" test.

I think some of confusion about the use of Mules in the 'field' is defining what is the "field''.
In Vietnam the 'field' was any place out side of the major large US installations, ie Long Bihn, Da Nang, Tan Son Nhut, Cam Rahn Bay, Bien Hoa. It would probably be better defined as any place the First Sergeant wasn't LOL. So any fire base, camp, base camp, staging area or even a defended position would be in the 'field'.
So the Mule could be used defensively on the perimeter at these locations with the various mounted weapons others have mentioned and often was.
No patrol use I know of and it would not be possible to carry.
Most of the mules I saw all over VN were used to take the supplies we would bring in from the helipad to the storage area. They could haul ammo around a position, and other duties such as a drop off/pick up of a change of guards
In my unit we had one that took us out to our aircraft every morning from the ops shack for missions, and load up the ammo 2.75 FFAR rockets, minigun ammo cans and what ever we would use. It was easy, reliable and didn't need much maintenance.
Here is ours with tires I think we scrounged from the Air Force. I never could find out if the Mule was part of my unit's TOE {probably a midnight acquisition by sling load} but no one much cared either way except the IG and we hid it when they showed up piled high with the 'extra' 50 cals, M-60s, grenade launchers, radios, etc.

This one was one LUCKY Mule- everyone in the photo made it home, some earlier than their normal DEROS and all are alive still today. That is me in front next to the driver. a 22 year old Captain.

BTW here is mine in florida driven by the same guys from my unit that drove ours in VN.