Phil Ca
Member
In 1965/66 Vietnam with the Big Red One we had a 12 gauge shotgun that we kept on our main entry gate. The M14 was a bit much for the gate due to the possibility of over penetration.
On one re-supply convoy the lead jeep had an E-6 with double barrel, sawed off 12 guage. He said that while on patrol it was a great weapon to carry on point. If a VC popped up or crossed the trail, he would fire both barrels and drop, allowing the men behind to open up with M16s.
In 1963/64 while stationed with a hawk Missile outfit in the mountains of Korea we had a real hard time dealing with the "Slicky Boy" problem. That was the name of the thieves that would enter the compound over the 8 foot fence with outriggers and barbed wire and concertina wire on top. There was a double fence around part of the compound and a KATUSA dog handler with a K-9 on patrol at night. They still got in and one night stole valuables from the BOQ, watches, rings, razors etc. The captain mentioned that we had ben hit, during morning roll call. He declared that nothing big would ever be taken from the place, and a few weeks later, while he was in Seoul at Yongson, the thieves came in and got his stereo.
I did a survey of the compound and went to the orderly room and borrowed a tech manual on physical security. I read through it and then wrote up a four or six page treatise on how we might better secure our area. I passed it to the first sergeant and asked him to pass it on to the captain. One of my suggestions was to get rid of the .45 ACP pistols that we carried on interior guard duty and at the main gate. I suggested that we obtain the sturdy, 12 guage shotguns with the ventilated handguard and the bayonet stud. I suggested we get M1917 bayonets due to their length and then issue these on guard duty with 00 Buckshot.
About a month later as we were turning in our rifles after duty on the mountain where we had the Hawks, the armorer asked if I would stay behind and help him with something for a few minutes. I was well known in the unit as a gun person, since I had a personal pistol and a Savage over-under, rifle/shotgun in the arms room. I used the shotgun to go pheasant hunting with a sergeant and a warrant officer. After the troops had left he slid out a wooden crate and opened it up. Inside was a sight to make your heart beat a bit faster. There were 6 of the most beautiful/ugly shotguns with slings, bayonets and scabbards, that you ever saw! I showed him how to rig them up and he mentioned something about,"What person had this idea?'', in a not too pleasant tone. I just smiled inwardly.
As soon as we were able to go out and get everone in the unit to fire at least 5 qualification rounds, the shotguns replaced the pistols on guard duty. Guys grumbled a lot, but did not mind being seen for a photo to send home of them holding the shotgun with a fixed bayonet. One night during a heavy rain I looked out the window of our quonset hut and saw the guard walking the fence line. The shotgun with fixed bayonet was pointed down and slung from his shoulder under a poncho. As he walked down a small incline the bayonet made a little furrow in the mud. The main thing that really pleased me was that as long as I was there we were never infiltrated again. You could see the would-be thieves walking down the road carrying an A-frame with straw or bundles of twigs and glaring at the guard at the gate with the shotgun and fixed bayonet.
In 1959/61 I was in the USAF at Clark Field in the P.I. I worked 12 hour ????s in base supply, delivering priority parts to aircraft in the A&E shop, flight line and hydraulics shop. One night I had to go to a place I had never been before to obtain something that could not wait until morning. I knew there would be a DOD guard from the Negrito tribe thaat lived behind the base. I pulled in to the parking area with my pick-up truck and had the light on high beams. I rolled down the window enough so I could shout to the guard and not be overly exposed. When no one showed up, I opened the door and stepped out, careful to leave the door in front of me. The 4 foot 5 inch guard stepped out partially in the opening with his bow drawn and an arrow that was tipped with a wicked arrowhead shaped like a terrible fish hook, with barbs going every direction. After I gave the appropriate ID he let me go get what I had come for. Sometimes the Negritos were armed with a 12 guage that was slightly shorter than they were. They were barefoot with very tough soles. They wore the DOD unoform of that era and were very good about keeping people out of their area of responsibility.I would have liked to see them shoot some double 00 buckshot out of those old shotguns!
Going back a few years to 1956, I was a buck private at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland and assigned prison chaser one day. The sergeant at the stockade asked if any of us had NEVER shot the shotgun before. I was one of two of us out of five that had not. In front of the prisoners we would be dealing with he had us each fire a 00 buckshot round at a barrel filled with rainwater. We each hit it and we were now qualified to carry the shotgun and follow prisoners all over for the next 6 hours.
That about does it for shotguns and military stories. I have a few about training and using shotguns in the Treasury Department and the police department though for another time.
On one re-supply convoy the lead jeep had an E-6 with double barrel, sawed off 12 guage. He said that while on patrol it was a great weapon to carry on point. If a VC popped up or crossed the trail, he would fire both barrels and drop, allowing the men behind to open up with M16s.
In 1963/64 while stationed with a hawk Missile outfit in the mountains of Korea we had a real hard time dealing with the "Slicky Boy" problem. That was the name of the thieves that would enter the compound over the 8 foot fence with outriggers and barbed wire and concertina wire on top. There was a double fence around part of the compound and a KATUSA dog handler with a K-9 on patrol at night. They still got in and one night stole valuables from the BOQ, watches, rings, razors etc. The captain mentioned that we had ben hit, during morning roll call. He declared that nothing big would ever be taken from the place, and a few weeks later, while he was in Seoul at Yongson, the thieves came in and got his stereo.
I did a survey of the compound and went to the orderly room and borrowed a tech manual on physical security. I read through it and then wrote up a four or six page treatise on how we might better secure our area. I passed it to the first sergeant and asked him to pass it on to the captain. One of my suggestions was to get rid of the .45 ACP pistols that we carried on interior guard duty and at the main gate. I suggested that we obtain the sturdy, 12 guage shotguns with the ventilated handguard and the bayonet stud. I suggested we get M1917 bayonets due to their length and then issue these on guard duty with 00 Buckshot.
About a month later as we were turning in our rifles after duty on the mountain where we had the Hawks, the armorer asked if I would stay behind and help him with something for a few minutes. I was well known in the unit as a gun person, since I had a personal pistol and a Savage over-under, rifle/shotgun in the arms room. I used the shotgun to go pheasant hunting with a sergeant and a warrant officer. After the troops had left he slid out a wooden crate and opened it up. Inside was a sight to make your heart beat a bit faster. There were 6 of the most beautiful/ugly shotguns with slings, bayonets and scabbards, that you ever saw! I showed him how to rig them up and he mentioned something about,"What person had this idea?'', in a not too pleasant tone. I just smiled inwardly.
As soon as we were able to go out and get everone in the unit to fire at least 5 qualification rounds, the shotguns replaced the pistols on guard duty. Guys grumbled a lot, but did not mind being seen for a photo to send home of them holding the shotgun with a fixed bayonet. One night during a heavy rain I looked out the window of our quonset hut and saw the guard walking the fence line. The shotgun with fixed bayonet was pointed down and slung from his shoulder under a poncho. As he walked down a small incline the bayonet made a little furrow in the mud. The main thing that really pleased me was that as long as I was there we were never infiltrated again. You could see the would-be thieves walking down the road carrying an A-frame with straw or bundles of twigs and glaring at the guard at the gate with the shotgun and fixed bayonet.
In 1959/61 I was in the USAF at Clark Field in the P.I. I worked 12 hour ????s in base supply, delivering priority parts to aircraft in the A&E shop, flight line and hydraulics shop. One night I had to go to a place I had never been before to obtain something that could not wait until morning. I knew there would be a DOD guard from the Negrito tribe thaat lived behind the base. I pulled in to the parking area with my pick-up truck and had the light on high beams. I rolled down the window enough so I could shout to the guard and not be overly exposed. When no one showed up, I opened the door and stepped out, careful to leave the door in front of me. The 4 foot 5 inch guard stepped out partially in the opening with his bow drawn and an arrow that was tipped with a wicked arrowhead shaped like a terrible fish hook, with barbs going every direction. After I gave the appropriate ID he let me go get what I had come for. Sometimes the Negritos were armed with a 12 guage that was slightly shorter than they were. They were barefoot with very tough soles. They wore the DOD unoform of that era and were very good about keeping people out of their area of responsibility.I would have liked to see them shoot some double 00 buckshot out of those old shotguns!
Going back a few years to 1956, I was a buck private at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland and assigned prison chaser one day. The sergeant at the stockade asked if any of us had NEVER shot the shotgun before. I was one of two of us out of five that had not. In front of the prisoners we would be dealing with he had us each fire a 00 buckshot round at a barrel filled with rainwater. We each hit it and we were now qualified to carry the shotgun and follow prisoners all over for the next 6 hours.
That about does it for shotguns and military stories. I have a few about training and using shotguns in the Treasury Department and the police department though for another time.
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