These photos are of A Troop Aero Rifle Platoon, but are typical of the "Blues" in action in any troop. They are checking out tunnels and fighting positions found by the Scouts, engaging the enemy and removing captured equipment.
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| A brave Blue platoon trooper goes into a hole in search of the enemy. |
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| Searching the dead for intelligence material. |
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| Hand grenades in! |
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| Who will be first? |
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| Anyone home? Trooper with M16 ammo bandolier checks out a hole before entering. |
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| Fire in the hole! A Trooper drops in a grenade. |
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| Let's go in! The designated tunnel rat carefully enters the hole. |
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| Cocked and ready. A married Pvt E-2 is ready with a cocked .45ACP in case he meets anyone down below. |
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| Gas mask ready. CS "tear gas" was often used to smoke out the enemy. |
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| Draggin 'em out by their heels. Troopers remove the enemy dead from the tunnel. |
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| M60 up! A cavalryman stands ready for action with his M60 machine gun. |
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| Checking it out... A radioman (RTO) runs past an enemy hole and fires. |
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| Taking five Time to rest. Note the AK-47 on his back. He is also carrying two canteens and a rappelling rope. Hos C-rations are in a sock below the canteens. |
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| Sgt Jerry Alexander of Houstaon, TX Alexander carried a captured SKS rifle in addition to his two CS grenades and machete. |
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| Evacuating captured salt Troopers carry out salt captured from enemy positions. Depriving the enemy of food was important. |
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| Carrying out the salt |
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| Teamwork Sometimes getting across streams and took a lot of teamwork, especially getting out. |
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| Crossing the bridge Tricky walking, but they might keep their socks dry on this crossing. |
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| Inserting the Blues Infantry troopers hit the ground running during an insertion by the #5 lift ship to check out enemy positions. |
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| On the go! Extraction. |
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| Loading the salt Captured salt is lifted out for later redistribution to friendly forces and civilians. |
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| B40 rocket launcher Lt. Dick Laesque of the A Troop Aero Rifle Platoon and a trooper show a captured B40 launcher and rocket. |
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| Gunner A sergeant with an M60 stands ready for action. |
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| Wounded in action, medic at work! Looks like the medic is washing out the CS gas in the eyes after the tunnel work. Photo 24 is a picture of Dennis Carlin just before he was raised up on the litter through the trees. The picture was taken by a sergeant in Headqarters or our troop HQ. To get away from the boredom of HQ he would go out with the troops to take pictures so he may have had other shots on the roll. By the time we were shot down Col. Johnson was gone and Col. Inglett was Troop commander and flying overhead. Hope this information helps. Jim Sapp A Troop Scouts 67-68. |
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