Vietnam Guntruck Gathering XIII

[marchplumber]

PB,
We need some updates and more importantly pictures. I wish I could have made it. For all concerned, I killed the interview so I'm pretty confident that I will be promoted to GS-12 soon as a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist. If not, no worries, GS-11 pay is what I've been used to for 2 1/2 years now and nobody in my 2 acres goes hungry or without. I need the promotion as my oldest son will likely need braces when he becomes a teenager. Youngest son got his Momma's teeth and they are straight.

Congrats on interview! Hope you get it!! Kids, the number one reason for an empty wallet and a full smile!!

 

[papabear]

All I have to say is WOW!! This was another great Gathering with some super good Americans.

Left the hooch at 05:00hrs Thursday morning and arrived at the ORP in Chattanooga, TN at 09:00hrs without issue. Ace of Spades and UNTOUCHABLE were already loggered in and on display so we unloaded Proud American and occupied our designated battle position.
We set up our little pop-up tent thingy and before we had our tables, chairs, coolers and BBQ grill set up folks were swarming around to socialize and it went on til around midnight and everyone went to bed to R&R for the next day.

Did a couple of Guntruck rides around town for those who could climb or be dragged on and a few folks went on some fabulous tours the ladies had arranged.

I don't think we ever got a true count as getting folks aged 60yrs old plus) to do anything in an organized manner is sorta like trying to poke a pig from under the front porch with a wet rope.
I do know the numbers ranged safely in the 265 to 300 range as near as we could tell.

I don't think anyone wanted to leave but life got in the way so yesterday a few left and today there was a mass exodus.

I'm just gonna post a few pics in no particular order. Please excuse the pics of the dinner because I couldn't get any wide angle pics with my phone to show everyone at once. I think the ladies said there were 240 folks in attendance:

 

[papabear]

And a few more:

 

[papabear]

Now for the only bad news of the weekend... We got 22 miles from the hooch today and blew two tires on the same axle on the landoll trailer!

Not to worry though folks...we downloaded Proud American, ripped the blown tires off the rims and chained that side of the axle up and continued the mission. The trailer will go to the tire shop first thing in the morning and be back in operation ASAP.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Proceed to march. Well done Sir!!!

 

[tommys2patrick]

Well done indeed!

 

[marchplumber]

Congrats PB on a successful mission! Glad everything went so well, Murphy must have been busy elsewhere. Hope all the others have as good or better luck getting home. Exactly how does one "rip" a tire off of a rim? Wow! Tony been eating his Wheaties??? Glad ya can carry history forward for others can learn and experience.

 

[papabear]

Congrats PB on a successful mission! Glad everything went so well, Murphy must have been busy elsewhere. Hope all the others have as good or better luck getting home. Exactly how does one "rip" a tire off of a rim? Wow! Tony been eating his Wheaties??? Glad ya can carry history forward for others can learn and experience.

One snakes a chain through the shredded tire and hooks a ratchet binder to the trailer and chain and...well...you just had to be there...took me a few minutes to develop that technique...LOL