Wild deuces

[wreckerman893]

Yesterday, while on a story assignment at a training area here at Fort Benning, Ga., my photographer and I happened across a pair of wild deuces (Truckus Gigantacus).
We were able to observe them in their natural environment and I managed to get close enough to the male (they have the big winch out front) to actually pet it.
The female was somewhat nervous until she got used to us. I think she may have had a calf (M151) hidden further out in the woods.
Since they were in a protected area they had not suffered any damage from their natural enemy, the Leadfooted Moron.
They seemed content with their lot in life which occasionally includes being overrun and boarded by infantry trainees.


On the serious side it is a gross miscarriage of machinery to allow these trucks to sit out in the woods and decay. The one with the winch looked like it just came out of depot rebuild.
I think if I put in a set of batteries in either one I could start it and drive it out of there.
The irony is that the Army will let them sit out there till Hades freezes over but if I took one out and gave it a good home they would send me to Fort Leavenworth. Go figure!!!

 

[FrankUSMC]

At one of the training areas at Fort Jackson, SC, there was about 6 M38A1 jeeps. This was in 1977. Same way, looked like you could just start them and drive off. I was SOOOOO tempted, but I had already signed up with the Marines and did not need Grand Theft Auto on my record.
One of the few, Frank

 

[SETOYOTA]

lots of cool stuff sitting around at benning Stuarts, halftracks etc. etc. The ranges hold many treasures

 

[texas-5-ton]

What a waste . . .

 

[hndrsonj]

The really sad thing, how much stuff is now going into scrap dumpsters lately because it is cheaper than to have GL list everything. (anyone else notice how many locations have dried up except for scrap deals?) We turned in a brand new Snap On paint gun cleaner only to have it junked because it was not worth it to list!!! (My plan was to buy it back-though no such luck)

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I saw a dumpster full of M35 parts one time, but was of course not allowed to go dumpster diving, much less look in it! What a shame! I was told it would take too long for the DRMO to sort and count everything, so in the dumpter it went! Doors, fenders, winshield frames, tailgates, bed bow corners, bumpers, etc. Worst part, half looked BRAND NEW! Of course I could only look for about a minute at 50ft before being shooed away. Somebody with a scrap contract just got super lucky! The worst part- they won't relize they got super lucky and will melt it all down to become volvos or something. Or, more likely, Chinese weapons of war. (cheap consumer goods)

For training, can't they just put a cab and bed up on blocks?!?!?!?!? Or at least a truck with nothing left but a frame, cab and bed? Heck, I'll find 'em one of those and swap 'em out!

 

[lacoda56]

I've talked to a NG pilot about vehicles on firing ranges and he said they'd rather not have hard targets with engine blocks, transmissions and axles because of the chance of a stray ricochet returning to sender.

 

[bigbee]

Wreckerman, I want a job like yours. Just tool around from base to base, chatting with the guys and finding wild critters in the woods.
Our Museum group lost a 10 ton MANN eight wheeler to the hard target range. Thought it was being held for us until I heard the base fire chief talking about a vehicle fire-- they caught the wood bed on fire by flat towing it with either the P brake on or it in gear or something. "Couldn't read the data plates," is what he said they said.

Upset my supply sergeant when we were at Camp Atterbury Indiana for train up before deploying. Pointed out the M109 vans on the range right after he found out that his was being reassigned to another unit.