Q: Diggers in Viet Nam - MG ammo belt improvised bandoleer?

[Catch22]

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1856/anzacbz2.jpg
Mates, the question is fairly simple - these improvised bandoleers, what they have been usually made of? I've heard about two versions: sewn from some fabric or made of rubber from cut inner tube tyres... You know which was true? Or maybe both?

[retrobob]

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1856/anzacbz2.jpg
Mates, the question is fairly simple - these improvised bandoleers, what they have been usually made of? I've heard about two versions: sewn from some fabric or made of rubber from cut inner tube tyres... You know which was true? Or maybe both?
The belt covers were fashioned from the tubes of 'matress,pneumatic section,' basically a three section air matress which consisted of a green or black nylon outer cover with three 'pockets' and three black plastic inflatable sections/tubes.By all acccounts Diggers in RVN had little use for them but found by cutting the ends of the inflatable sections off they made good covers for their 7.62 link.The mattress cover could also be made into a hammock and the full inflatable mattress could also be made into a 'field expedient' life preserver by wrapping the thing around your waist and tying it up with a toggle rope. Hope this helps.

[gafkiwi]

I know Kiwis in Vietnam did the same thing as you said with tire inner tubes and/or anything they could get there hands and make themselves, i.e. sections of kanvas cut off "other peoples" tents. It isn't suprising to find both kiwis and aussies doing similar stuff considering kiwi coys were attached to aussie bns in vietnam.

I do know that this practice of covering the belt was still been done by some kiwi soldiers as late as the mid 90s whilst training in foriegn countries when they wer carrying to much belt to fit into there webbing and packs

[Catch22]

Thanks a lot bot retro and gaf! That was exactly what I wanted to get. :-)

[2/1kiwi]

one of our section gunners in East Timor 2000 used to use a cover made from canvas and velcroe

[2/1kiwi]

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/9233/vietnamvu7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Another pic of a kiwi soldier with the improvised bandolier

[Catch22]

Thank you too 2/1! I checked it out with a friend who collects Vietnam era stuff and it seems the matress thing fitted the belt like you guys said.

Here's both:

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/981/pict4765zmianarozmiarunz9.th.jpg (http://img73.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict4765zmianarozmiarunz9.jpg)

[digrar]

That's different to the one that was issued to the Australians. The Australian one was black and came in three seperate pieces, they were about a foot wide and 6 or 7 feet long.

[Catch22]

I see, it still does the trick with US issue one though.

[digrar]

Yeah any vinyl/ rubbery type material would do.

[Baboonass]

I'm missing the point of this.


Were these inflatable so you could float the ammo?


Or just a cover for all the shiny brass?

[digrar]

A cover to keep the sh!t out of the link.

[Baboonass]

A cover to keep the sh!t out of the link.


I used to bandolier link before LBTC made the 100 round pouches. I tried a few different configuartions.

You can spray paint link and it'll still feed, no problem, it's just a lot more to clean.

I bought an XXL cammi top and cut off the arms and buttons and sewed in velcro. I would banolier my rounds, then put this over the top of everything. You could still break off rounds a pull them through with little issue.

I changed my entire set up to 100 round boxes with a soft bag attached to the weapon. My re-loads were a bit slower, but it more than made up for it's efficientcy.

[Catch22]

Since you mentioned LBT stuff Matchanu, what about this thingy? Was it any good as a belt carrier/feeder? We were thinking about trying something similiar for the PK but maybe it's not worth the hassle.

http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_1.jpg
http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_2.jpg
http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_3.jpg

[Spud]

By all acccounts Diggers in RVN had little use for them ...


It wasn’t just Vietnam era digs who found little use for them ... I think I still have a couple of the inners stashed away in my "trunk o' useless ****e the Army has given me." We used the outer as stretcher covers (2 per section) and before the real arrival of Bivvi Bags and wimp mats most guys still used the outer as a ground sheet.

One of the great "stories" was how despite which order you put the inners into the cover an outside one would always go flat causing the poor digger to roll off in the middle of the night ... then of course there is the flash flood stories about coming back from piquet to find half of your crap had floated away on the airbed.

I was also intimately familiar with a gunner who tried to recreate the link bandolier system on one of my first trips to Nungers ... he got immediately named "Pancho" by the DS (themselves VN vets ... anyone remember Evil?) and we all got to carry an extra 100 rounds each.

[Baboonass]

Since you mentioned LBT stuff Matchanu, what about this thingy? Was it any good as a belt carrier/feeder? We were thinking about trying something similiar for the PK but maybe it's not worth the hassle.

http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_1.jpg
http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_2.jpg
http://www.aggressor-group.com/lbt/lbt_other_gear04/1732/1732a_3.jpg



I really can't comment on it as I've never seen it used or used it myself.

I'd only comment that LBTC is quality stuff, it's doubtfull they'd produce anything that wasn't of worth.