Looking for Vietnam era pics of V100's with 504th

Looking for photos, stories, names and interesting trivia relating to V100's with the 504th in Vietnam. Feel free to PM or email me and any help appreciated! Photo attached provided by R.Hill

Was hoping to use photos and experiences provided by surviving crewmembers that would be helpful on a restoration of a XM706E1 (V100)

I remember Eddie Black was a great local resource for finding information relating to such things, unfortunately he has since passed away in 2007

Among the field modifications performed on vehicles in Vietnam was the addition of a weapon mount from a M113 cupola to the V100 turret as seen in the attached picture. The V100 we will be restoring actually had this modification as the mounting locations are still intact, and we are in the process of finding a mount.

While we are making the last few parts for the dummy M73's, a friend of mine called and asked if I needed a Ferret (like there's anyone who doesn't) and so we ended up with one. Everyone knows I have been looking for a photo of the 1969 Blood Sweat and Tears V100 from the early 70's and so far have not found anything. I get this 1954 British Ferret and in the matter of hours find a clear photo of it in service in the early 60's, thanks to @patracy...

The turret is nicely built fake but it rides on a legit turret bearing like was used on the T50 turrets and M26 and M27 cupolas.

Anyway, this acquisition will inspire us to build replica fenders and other parts that are no longer available for this little car

We just installed the M73 dummies in the V100 turret. We have an original ammo can being sent to us to duplicate as well as original Cadillac Gage drawings for the brass chute that fits between the two guns. Progress a little at a time.

Still looking for any photos of V100's that were assigned to the 504th in Vietnam.

Making progress on the turret parts. The original finish on this fire control box was removed and white Cerakote and laser engraving/color fill replaced the ink stamped markings. This control box mounted on the traversing gearbox and controlled the twin M73 mg's

We will re-wrap the wiring harness before we reinstall it to give it the final restored touch.

Good artic on the 504th MP Bn. And the twin 30 cal

I was forwarded a link to this M113 which bears the same name "Blood Sweat and Tears" and the caption associated with the photo reads "We had a slight problem one day. Bravo Co., 4th Bn., 23 Inf. Reg., 25th Inf. Div. 1970"

Although it isn't the photo of our V100 I had been searching for, it does give some hope that one may be found.

I have photos of V100 504th Company C. Where would you like me to send them to?

Still searching for a photo of this V100 while in Vietnam. Reg#1304269 hull number #10602
So far we have been unable to find a single photo and as time slips away, hope for finding any relevant photos or information fades as well. We've ran down every lead that has been offered and unfortunately those leads have all ended at either an obituary or with someone who would rather forget that chapter of their lives...either way, a dead end.
John McDonald was able to tell us a lot about the manufacture and delivery to Vietnam (March '69) and assigned to the 16th MP Group, 504th MP Bn, B company "Roadrunners" and operated in the Central Highlands AO, based near Pleiku. Later Da Nang in the north and later Ling Binh west of Saigon in '72 before returning to USA.
We were able to locate and reunite the young soldier named Don Tillman with his engraved Zippo in this vehicle, and he even provided some interesting items relating to his service there, but that is pretty much where the trail ends.
The completion of this restoration with markings would receive a much needed shot in the arm if we could only locate someone with personal knowledge of it's history and hopefully a photo.
Since this journey had began, we've found tons of photos and video featuring other V100's with a variety of nose art examples and there's been a few folks recommending possibly rebranding this one to a more recognizable variant, which we'd rather not do.
As always, any help will be greatly appreciated!

I agree with not renaming the V. Wearing something with its original name is, in my mind, better than sending it out wearing someone else's coat.

Cheers

M813rc said:

I agree with not renaming the V. Wearing something with its original name is, in my mind, better than sending it out wearing someone else's coat.

Cheers

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Rory I understand completely and we're holding out to see if anything turns up with regards to photos or first hand knowledge of this vehicle. Even Don Tillman didn't remember the nose art or much else specifically concerning Blood Sweat and Tears V100. We also have a 1911A1 that we will custom engrave to commemorate whatever is ultimately decided on, that will be displayed along with the vehicle. I figure by now there are a few folks that are going through old photos trying to find something captured in the background showing either the nose art or registration number and from that we can move forward. Heck it would be nice if someone had some specific memory of it but as I am learning from my own research, the chances of finding such a person are slim and getting slimmer by the day. I know I've been looking through available photos and videos for a few years now and haven't found anything but references to just about every other V100 imaginable, including a V100 with a M134 in the turret. Having that said, there's still hope but at this point nothing is off the table.

It was really an honor to be able to put this Zippo into the hand of the young soldier who dropped it 52 years earlier while in Vietnam. What was even more special was the fact that he was sitting in the same vehicle that he lost it in when he got it back. Could you imagine how many photos that would be available if the soldiers back then had smartphones like they do today?

I have dug through my rather massive photo file, nothing found so far, but I'll continue to dig.

It is a bit frustrating at times - I have yet to identify the Army serial number for my V, so while I know where/when the 720th MP had it, and have numerous V photos from that time, I don't know which, if any of them, is mine.
I do know the Marines had it post-Vietnam, so that is how I marked it.

Unfortunately, the number of folks with first hand knowledge of these vehicles is dwindling.

Cheers

M813rc said:

I have dug through my rather massive photo file, nothing found so far, but I'll continue to dig.

It is a bit frustrating at times - I have yet to identify the Army serial number for my V, so while I know where/when the 720th MP had it, and have numerous V photos from that time, I don't know which, if any of them, is mine.
I do know the Marines had it post-Vietnam, so that is how I marked it.

Unfortunately, the number of folks with first hand knowledge of these vehicles is dwindling.

Cheers

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Yes unfortunately their numbers are dwindling and it appears the few that are still among us either don't know or doesn't want to remember...which isn't a good thing to build a history lesson from.

The one promising lead we had ended at an obituary. Jack Hamilton was a Vietnam vet with the 504th and by the time we had tracked him down, we learned he had passed away just a matter of weeks earlier.

The posts on FB is getting a lot of reactions but that is about it. Anyway I am still chasing leads and putting feelers out and maybe someone purchasing a storage unit or items from an estate sale will run across something and hopefully wont toss it in the trash.

Rory I'm sure you remember all the grief I received over the years when I've posted something related to my customized military vehicles, saying I should have restored them...well I wonder where these same folks are now?

wgtactical said:

Rory I'm sure you remember all the grief I received over the years when I've posted something related to my customized military vehicles, saying I should have restored them...well I wonder where these same folks are now?

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I do indeed! I've often found that those with a negative opinion are considerably more willing to express it than the positive ones.
As my father used to say "Everyone has a belly button too, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world needs or wants to see it".

Cheers

mm yeah @M813rc thats an unfortunate side effect of how many humans rates things these days, you could have 20 neutral/negative ratings for a restaurant against maybe just 1 that praised the food there otherwise - and when you actually go the place then ask a few random tables there they would tell you its good or not bad (but these same people usually don't mention that online tho, hence the "problem" as I described!)

either way regarding the second photo in this thread, I was a bit curious about the humour of having pepsi boxes on top of an armour car and its only while looking at the 'sitting in an awkward spot on front, the car must be stopped or simply moving very slowly' human and then only did I noticed there was a likely-open single can by the one visible boot! and that front-sitting human sure seem to be using one of the eyelet bracket to stop the can from deciding to fall forward onto the ground in front of the car
(that darker-skin head seem to be grinning about something perhaps or its just the way his facial muscles are?)

Just received this one. Not Blood Sweat and Tears but it probably did share the same mud.