![]() ![]() ![]() While the Marines groped to find weak spots in the enemy line across their front, the NVA soldiers brought RPGs and other heavy weapons to bear. After radio inquiries, it became apparent that the ARVN Airborne battalions had withdrawn from their advance positions during the night and elements of the 6th NVA Regiment had moved into the vacuum. ![]() The Marines were stunned to have run into such strong enemy opposition so far behind the ARVN Airborne Task Force’s front line. The Marines took heavy fire and took heavy losses. Heavily armed NVA troops occupied the Dong Ba Gate, tower, and the surrounding wall. As the third Marine stepped across, it started to rain grenades from atop of the wall. The second Marine in the column also crossed in front of the entryway. When the Marine point man reached the base of the Dong Ba Gate and tower, he turned right (southeast) and crossed in front of the entryway. ![]() 50 Caliber MG mounted on the commander’s cupola located at the center of the crew compartment roof. A gasoline fueled personnel heater was installed at the right rear of the crew compartment which was not used much in Vietnam. The hoist winch for the boom had a capacity of 50,000 pounds and was mounted below the cab with the cable passing through a cable chute between the floor of the crew compartment and cab roof. The “A” frame type boom was mounted on top of the hull and operated by the driver from his position. The main winch with a capacity of 90,000 pounds was mounted beneath the crew compartment and the cable exited through a hole in the front hull. The spade also could be used for light clearing or leveling. The spade was mounted on the front hull and operated by the driver to anchor the vehicle or to support it when lifting a load with the boom. The recovery equipment consisted of an hydraulically powered and controlled spade, main winch, boom and a hoist winch. The M88 Recovery Vehicle was produced by the Bowen-McLaughlin-York Company (BMY) from 1960 until 1964 with a total output of 1075 vehicles. ![]()
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