I am looking for reference materials regarding the US Army M577 Command vehicle as used in firing batteries during the Vietnam War. I’m particularly interested in the interior as it has been 46 years since I was last in one. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I just ran a couple Google image searches- M577 Vietnam and M577 Vietnam Interior and came up with quit a few hits… Another idea is to try Prime Portal, although the stuff on their tends to be more current.
Thanks for your help Stikpusher, I appreciate it!
Earl
Anytime A43. I look forward to seeing your 577 project.
in june '77 i had the orange swimsuit poster of farrah fawcett majors hanging in my 4.2" mortar platoon 577 FDC track at grafenwoehr so it’s been a few years for me too. that was a good week. we had just passed the divisional mortar test and wehe set up on firing point 161 i think in illumination support of the tank platoon night abttle runs on range 79. everyone was focused with good reason on the tanks so nobody screwed with us. i don’t even think range control came out.
Ahhh…the hotel on tracks… been a long while sine I was in a 577 FDC. I have made up custom print/decal sheet with GFTs, RDP, Grid Square Chart Table Top, Status Board and FM 6-40. If you are interested, ping me a message.
Rounds Complete!!
Grafenwoehr, now there is a place to have fun with a battalion of 8 inch howitzers firing for effect at a time on target. We got up to 4 qualifications per year there when the cold war got hot and heavy. I loved that 577, sure beat the hell out of banging our heads and the constant bending over in an M113. Nice hearing from you Wayne and thanks for the Grafenwoehr reminder.
Redleg 12,
I am very interested in the decals which you make. Gino said that you are very good,and that is what I am looking for. That hotel on wheels made FDC a pleasure to work in. And where else could we get 5 star accommodations (sleeping on diamond plate flooring,and 5 star meals ( C rations ). When we got our’s I named it ABACUS because everything that we computed was done on forms with a pencil and slide rules. I will need for starters: theGrid Square Chart Table Top, Status Board and FM6-40 which I an assuming is a decal also.I have a picture, hopefully in my house which I can send you as a reference. I am not familiar with the GFTs and RDP. Perhaps this is ner and not to the Vietman era.
On, the way over,
Alpha 43 Earl
I will not be starting the M577 until I get all my ducks in a row. I hope that I can make half as good as the models which I see that you fellows turn out.
Range control gave us wrong coordinates once. We only spotted it during plotting of no fire zones.
Alpha 43,
I will have to dig through my photos of Nam, most are black&white, but I’m pretty sure I have some of the inside. I was in HQ’s Btry 6/32nd 8’’ SP/175MM, In 67’, when I find them I will post here. In the mean time, some Info:
www.army-guide.com/…/product3249.html
zstripe
Alpha 43,
In '69 I lived in one for about a year as Fire Computer (aka slide rule sharp shooter) for 8" M110’s. It was a lovely accommodation:( I generally model armor but even after all these years, I still haven’t built the 577. Maybe it’s time to start. Thanks for the memory shaker!
Dennis.
(Sgt. Smitty)
Alpha 43 - My brother by another mother…Gino, is much too kind. Ping me an email and I can get you a supply drop
Rounds Complete!!
Dennis,
They were a great piece of equipment and I am still in the search for everything to remember. I was the Chief of Section during 1966 to June of 67, back when slide rules, paper and pencils were high tech. I have the Tamiya model which does not have an interior. I was also in an 8" Battalion, sure was an accurate weapon.
Earl
Dennis,
How much more confidence can you have in yourself getting that line exactly where it should be when you do your computing to get that round precisely where it needed to be. Do you remember the initial times using the slide rule and hoping that you did it right? Being in FDC for an 8" M110 firing battery, made your chest pound with pride and who could not fall in love with their M577?
Regards,
Earl ( Alpha 43)
Wayne, Sorry I am responding a little late on this. Being a section chief after passing all of our firing tests of our 8". I contacted range control and got permission to take the guys out to watch other units taking their tests. It was awesome watching them firing their Fire for Effect with HP and WP rounds. We only had a one hour clearance but it gave the younger guys the opportunity of seeing what we were capable of doing.
Earl
On the way over