Remembering the DIY Vietnam Gun Trucks (VIDEOS)

By Chris Eger

In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day, take a minute to remember the U.S. Army’s unauthorized Mad Max-style gun trucks of the conflict.
While Hollywood would tell you everything moved by low-flying helicopter in Vietnam, the hard fact of life was that it was road-bound truck convoys that schlepped the bulk of the food, fuel, and ammo to American and allied units stationed around the countryside. However, these predictable routes soon became obvious targets for enemy ambushes.
One of the worst supply runs was that along Route 19, some 150 miles of winding nowhere that became known as “Ambush Alley” for the motor transportation guys having to make the drive. It was not a new problem. Back when the area was still called Indochina, the French had a 3,500-man unit — Mobile Group 100 — largely annihilated over the course of a week as it passed along the same road.
The American response? Hit the scrap piles. Using salvaged steel, sandbags and anything else they could find, up-armor Deuce and a Half and later five-ton trucks. Then, they’d pile on whatever ordnance they could mount.
Note the collection of M60s and improvised armor plate which started at quarter-inch steel and grew from there.
In some

Source: Guns.com