Vehicle - cargo shipping - VTF- SVN, 65-72, a reference

[Carzee]

  Here's a result of some desk duty at the AWM library for a few days making summaries and notes.

With the help of archives from the AWM and the fantastic number of books that have been published... REMLR ARN information can checked against a simple data foundation of dates and facts. A foundation that is trustworthy as any available, but also easily updated or corrected if an error comes to light.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The "REMLR SVN Timeline" is in spreadsheet format and is compiled from sources such as:

An AWM official history of Australian Army in Vietnam ("Fighting To The Finish" by Ekins and McNeill, Appendix B) http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/seasia/fighting-to-the-finish/

The official HMAS Sydney "Reports On Proceedings", monthly reports from 1965 to 1973 (excl. 1967) archived at the AWM. eg (1965) http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm78/329/awm78-329-11.pdf
and my summary notes of the Sydney ROPs: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByrmtN4GydAxa1kxYmJoV2ZCdjA/edit

A number of books published by RAR Battalion Associations detailing their 'Tours' in South Vietnam.

An AWM volume, "Mud & Dust", by Michael Cecil (2009) http://www.awm.gov.au/shop/item/9781741107678/#.Uuw6Zj2SywA

A book about HMAS Sydney, "The Vung Tau Ferry and Escort Ships (1965-1972)" by Noel Payne and Rodney Nott (2001).

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

HERE IT IS:


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AirmtN4GydAxdHRTX0pKMHRrVkR6Y3JRdnlRV0t0VkE&usp=drive_web#gid=0


This spreadsheet is a direct result of the following threads:
http://remlr.com/forum/index.php?topic=206.0 "A couple of logistical resupply photos"

and

http://remlr.com/forum/index.php?topic=933.0 "VTF Notation in the ARN Database"

and

http://remlr.com/forum/index.php?topic=215.0#msg1654 "Document - Australian Unit Allocations in South Vietnam" [dated may 1972]

WHY?
In brief, I have researched the shipping and unit allocation dates to build up and cross-check any details on files pointing to specific units who used certain vehicles in SVN. The shipping files are not neatly sorted, and some handwritten forms are dated only with a day and a month but necessarily a year. Its all a bit of a lucky dip. The majority of the "Bills Of Lading", shipping manifests, telexes and other shipping documents seen so far do not mention a specific unit source in relation to a vehicle in the main; but some do have their Units recorded, eg., 17 Construction Sqn.

Big thanks to Mike Cecil, Zulu Delta (Glen) and Tommy (Stuart).

In the next few weeks, the ARN spreadsheet listing "SVN service" for Australian Army vehicles with source document references.


* observations so far
1. some vehicles are sent over, come back to be fixed, and are then sent back over again.

2. some vehicles are obviously in a pool. At the 1ALSG vehicles were used by numerous members of the various units. "Sign here, take that one, here's the keys". On one log that documents "visitors to vessels", certain ARNs come and go on the log over a 48 hour period and they are driven by a number of different members with correspondingly different unit identification. Yet other 1ALSG units, eg, 33 Dental Unit, have their own allocated or establishment vehicle. Units of the 1ATF also have their specific vehicles.

3. loading and unloading the Vung Tau Ferry and other ships was honed to an art form as the years of the war went along. Preparations, meetings, and stores planning SOPs etc are archived at the AWM as well. Where to stow the 6x6 or the MBT so the trim of the ship is optimal? I have seen a "Trim Plan" (HMAS Sydney) in the archives so far; it folds out as large as a blueprint. Impressive.

4. Aid shipments, cargo for local civil affairs units and some large shipments from Canberra to Khmer (aka Cambodia). There are more than a few. I knew we sent 'shiploads' of Dodge trucks, etc, to Cambodia ( eg AWM film F10747 -- http://static.awm.gov.au/video/F10747.WMV ). There were 3 shipments; a typical load was 134 trucks and parts. But how about the Jeparit delivering sub-machine guns to Vung Tau? They were delivered in December 1970, just in time for Christmas, and well before the trucks etc. They were sent via the Dept of Supply to the AUSTEMBA in Phnom Penh to hand over as "Aid" -- 3000 Thompson submachine guns (23 pallets) with a further quantity of pallets of magazines and 85,000 rounds to suit. Was it WW2 surplus? I wonder what PM John Gorton was up to? In October 1970 the Lon Nol government had been installed in Cambodia, and it was pro-US and anti-communist.

(Something something something CIA something redacted redacted perhaps)

[cookey]

Great work Ross...............must have taken a considerable amount of time.

Very much appreciated.

cookey

[Carzee]

Thanks Cookey, in part it was a case of DIY since no book or website I'd seen had what I wanted.

[Phoenix]

Fantastic work Ross, that is amazing, and a very good timeline resource.  A great one for the website, if I could work out a way to easily make it a website.  Perhaps the best way would be to have a REMLR page about shipping to Vietnam, or a Vietnam war timeline and link directly to that file on Google Drive, with perhaps a version saved on the REMLR HDD??   Depends on if you think there will be regular updates to do?

[Carzee]

Thanks Richard, there's a long line of files I'm slogging thru. Mike Cecil did it all years ago too.

Here is a sample of what are in the AWM file folders.

Very nostalgic for most people who served in South Vietnam and elsewhere.

First, here's a cargo of mess supplies, march 1970:



Footlockers...

Here's the forms...

"T58"


"Declaration"


"Personal effects"

[Carzee]

 



While I am at Corowa, surrounded by olive drab, here is the promised spreadsheet.

It is based on the AWM 312 series documents which were directed my way by Mike Cecil (big thanks and IOUs there)

It is a work on progress..

SVN Vehicle and Plant shipping info etc combined with the Diary Noted ARN spreadsheets:

the link

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AirmtN4GydAxdEtNLUUwMW51ZUU2UEI0cGQyVTFKb3c&usp=drive_web#gid=23


There is still work to finish covering the earlier years before 69-70-71-72 which is what the 312 series covers (in stack).

[Phoenix]

An amazing piece of work, well done Ross!

[Phoenix]

An old thread, but I am trying to carry this information over to the ARN database as a priority (apart from the time sensitive auctions that is).