M-38 in Viet Nam?

[Thunder II]

I'm wondering if any flat fendered M-38s were used in the early years with any CIDG and/or MACV units? If so, any possibility of getting pics of markings, unit numbers and such?

 

[AceHigh]

I can only relate a story of one, but it is an interesting story. I bet there are pics somewhere but I don't have any.

In 1970 the 1st Cav Div was working the Ho Chi Minh trail and we were finding lots of stuff. The Cambodian Incursion was in May and June of 1970 and we located an enemy base we named Rock Island East. We found a US Army jeep we believed was originally captured by the North Koreans in the 1950s. It was stripped down when we got it and had been used to move materials from the north down.

Our mechanics in the 12th Cav of the 1st Cav Div painted it yellow with a stripe and horse head on the hood, Cav colors, and presented it to the Div Commander who was seen driving it in the rear from time to time. I heard it was souped up and could out run anything!

 

[73m819]

While I was there We "acquired" a m38, not sure what model it was, as I remember the motor pool had trouble getting parts, until a parts souse was found, it took a few more "AQUIRED" m38 to keep the first one running, When I left in 8/68, I believe we had two m38s running, a pile of frames/bodies/parts, also the junker arvn jeeps supplied some parts for these special jeeps (m3.

It would seem that if a need developed, we would ALWAYS find a FIX.

 

[Whiterabbit]

Look in the background. I'm not sure where this pic was taken though.

 

[Whiterabbit]

Look in the background. I'm not sure where this pic was taken though.
View attachment 513319
Oooops, Double post.

 

[bikeman]

Look in the background. I'm not sure where this pic was taken though.
View attachment 513319
Oooops, Double post.

I don't think those are M38s, the hoods look too high. I think those are the CJ-3Bs? M-606. http://cj3b.info/M606.html

 

[Whiterabbit]

Well, I learn something new every day!
I don't have any vertical slat jeeps, mine's grill slats are horizontal.

 

[maddawg308]

Yup - the jeep in the background is the CJ-3B/M606 with the F-head 134. They were used extensively in Vietnam by the South Vietnamese, and by our forces for putzing around the local roads. For tactical use, the M151s were pretty much all we used, with the exception of a few M38A1s.

I have never heard of, or seen pictures of, original M38s being used by our troops in Vietnam for official use. The few tales as told above from veterans regarding M38s AS FOUND in-country are about all you'll get for the M38 being in the Vietnam Theater of Operations.

 

[Thunder II]

I don't think those are M38s, the hoods look too high. I think those are the CJ-3Bs? M-606. http://cj3b.info/M606.html

Bikeman is correct, Those are M-606s. I'm hoping to find a pic or two, of an M-38 in ARVN service. I'm looking for what might be the correct colors & markings for my Jeep.