Jump to content

Vietnam War bringback: a VC pickaxe


Bob Hudson
 Share

Recommended Posts

Found this in a box of tools from a career Marine. It almost went on the scrap pile until my buddy noticed some writing on the handle. Turns out it was captured by on a dike by CAG (a Community Action Group) Alpha 7, Feb 12, 1968 near Thuy Duong, in Thien-Hue Province in Central Vietnam.

 

There is writing on both sides of the handle and the pick has what looks like a large letter "A"

 

1.jpg

 

2.jpg

 

3.jpg

 

4.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cap Camouflage Pattern I

Very nice! More utilitarian objects are not as common souvenirs as "sexier" items like flags and guns. Love it when items have the history written directly on it so it cannot be lost or forgotten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been wondering about the use of this pickaxe: seems a little too business-like for working a rice paddy - looks like something for tunneling. I did a quick google search for anything on the VC and pickaxes: this is from Fallen Angels, a novel by Walter Dean Myers

 

Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 7.52.52 PM.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tthe design reminds me of the US WW2 issue pick-mattock where the handle is removeable.

 

Curious if this may have been a US piece then used by the French or French piece that found its was into the area NLF unit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

USCapturephotos

Very interesting reading Bob. Great detective work finding not just one but several accounts mentioning the pick axes in VC equipment lists.

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tthe design reminds me of the US WW2 issue pick-mattock where the handle is removeable.

 

Curious if this may have been a US piece then used by the French or French piece that found its was into the area NLF unit

 

I also thought it was like the US issue - the only mark on the head is the large letter "A"

 

The handle has some marks besides the info written in English: it looks like someone scratched in their name but it's hard to read because of the other writing:

 

name.jpg

 

name2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gerradtgrant

 

I also thought it was like the US issue - the only mark on the head is the large letter "A" 

 

The handle has some marks besides the info written in English: it looks like someone scratched in their name but it's hard to read because of the other writing: 

 

{style_image_url}/attachicon.gif name.jpg

 

{style_image_url}/attachicon.gif name2.jpg

Maybe you could out a piece of white paper over the inscription and take a pencil and lightly go over it and see if it is any more legible and make out the name.

 

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...