USMC Trencher going home

[papabear]

It's a done deal. Part of the CAMO Crew reported to LAAF to see the Trencher loaded...13:45hrs as directed.
The AF loadmaster did his inspection and signed off on the load...then they did the deed!

We shook the hands of the pilots and the crew and thanked them for serving our country and for helping in this mission.

She was loaded in a respectful and professional manner and wheels up time was 15:20hrs.

Now we gotta wait for the Marines at Camp Pendelton for what happens next.

Here's a few pics:

 

[gunboy1656]

Great work.

 

[papabear]

The Eagle has landed again. The bird experience 130 MPH headwinds coming West and didn’t land until 1700 Local. The K-Loader snatched it and brought it right to a concrete ramp that the beaver tail matched right up against. It was loaded quickly and headed to CamPen. Jim King dropped me off at the house since I have to get to the hospital and wife. He has help to get it into the Museum and that won’t be a problem. Plenty of pics were taken and we’ll get them to you ASAP. We stopped by 729th Airlift Squadron Ops and I dumped about 40 lbs of avocados on LTC Hackworth’s desk for him and the others there. Great guy and he took us over to the Aerial Port Crew. LTC Hackworth and his boss complimented all of us on our efforts and thought we really had it wired together (that included all of you guys). Anyway, we’ll get more info and pics to you later on. How about an “Operation Trenchfoot” campaign ribbon with device? HA!

SF,
Bob

 

[gunboy1656]

Hope the device is a "V". Wait there is another Hackworth in the ranks of COL.? Wonder if he is any relation.

 

[DUG]

I need to stop over and see this machine.

 

[papabear]

I gotta tell ya...this was a class exercise in joint service cooperation. Army, Airforce and Marines.
(We ask the Navy to assist, but evidently there is no waterway between Georgia and California they can navigate.)

The Army folks got a workout on coordination, the Airforce got some good training...and certified some new fellers on Airforce stuff, and the Marines get to restore/display a small piece of their history.

Oh...and some good ole retired Army Grunts get a good story to tell at the VFW, and a little bit of pride in all our Brothers in Arms that made it happen.
Are we happy campers???

 

[RDUKW]

Here is a few pictures from the other end that my friend at the museum sent over. The trencher touched down at 16:40 on the west coast. It got all unloaded safely and is in it's new home inside the museum to be appreciated by many.

Ryan

 

[RDUKW]

And a few more.

 

[OSO]

I see the building is period correct for equipment on display. Thanks for saving another piece of military history. Again GREAT WORK on the recovery and donation and getting it AIR TRANSPORT. That is awsome!!

 

[papabear]

Here is a few pictures from the other end that my friend at the museum sent over. The trencher touched down at 16:40 on the west coast. It got all unloaded safely and is in it's new home inside the museum to be appreciated by many.
Ryan

Gosh...the fellers musta flown thru a rust storm!

That rascal had a fresh paint job when she left here!!

I'm so happy to see the trencher inside and waiting for some much needed/deserved attention.

 

[papabear]

Got an email today with a pic of the "trencher" in her new display area:

 

[M813rc]

Here are a few more I took in the museum in April 2012. I was visiting my older son before he deployed to Afghanistan, he and I thought it was a fascinating machine.

Cheers

 

[papabear]

You know it's funny....I'm 98% sure that rascal would run and all the stuff would work if I could have found a magneto for it. (Didn't really try).

 

[swbradley1]

PB, Can your photo spy get pics of the other trencher sitting next to the Cleveland?

 

[papabear]

PB, Can your photo spy get pics of the other trencher sitting next to the Cleveland?

I don't see a trencher besides the Cleveland?? Maybe I'm missing something??

 

[dependable]

That is one classy old machine. I have a modern chain trencher, and it is likely better in every way, but when they built this, they were inventing the technology, and before hydraulic motors. I am impressed.

 

[M813rc]

SW, this one? Cleveland's little bitty brother.

Cheers

 

[papabear]

SW, this one? Cleveland's little bitty brother.

Cheers

Oh snap!! I saw the rear tires on that and thought it was some kind of small hoist maybe used to move stuff around with!!

I guess my "super powers" as a Recondo Scout have faded away over the years.

 

[swbradley1]

PB, It is the one in Rory's pics.

It looks like a Ditch Witch 2200 or 2300. I grew up running a DW J-20 with my Dad. My Brother bought a 2300 from that Teufel Hunden scrapyard Gimpy used to work at in Columbus, OH. I have Dad's old DW V-30 with brake steering. Bro has the 2300 Deutz diesel and a 5010 and a 6510.

It was good to see the Marines used good trenchers.



Thanks to both of you

 

[Migginsbros]

This scary russian one we spotted at a small tractor pulling near Berlin-Germany in 2015/2016.