Battalion Maintenance Platoon, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry Battalion in Vietnam

1st 50th Infantry Association

PAGE INDEX

1. Battalion S4 (Supply) Section
2. Battalion Maintenance Platoon
3. Battalion Communications Platoon
4. Battalion Support Platoon

Combat Service Support Units
1st Battalion (Mech) 50th Infantry

Charlie Company's M578 VTR

Combat Service Support (CSS)

Combat Service Support operations were a vital part of mechanized infantry operations in Vietnam. They consisted of the logistical functions needed for to sustain the battalion's ability to fight. Soldiers well supplied with food, water, ammunition, shelter, and medical care are more successful in accomplishing their missions than those who are not.

This page covers the combat service support functions that sustained the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry in combat in Vietnam. These important functions were provided by the following units:

S4 (Supply) Section	Supervised battalion supply, transportation, and field service functions. It coordinated requisition and distribution of supplies to company supply sections and turned in captured supplies and equipment as directed.
Maintenance Platoon	Provided maintenance activities which included inspecting, testing, servicing, repairing, parts requisitioning, and recovering and evacuating disabled vehicles.
Communications Platoon	Installed, operated, and maintaind the communications system for battalion command and control and support elements; established and operated the battalion radio and wire communications systems, and provided couriers.
Medical Platoon	Provided medical support to the battalion's assigned and attached personnel; prevented, sorted, treated, and evacuated casualties, or returned them to duty; provided all Class VIII support.
Support Platoon	Provided organic transportation, as well as Class I, Class III, and Class V resupply to the battalion.

S4 (Supply) Section

The S4 section was responsible for supply, transportation, and field service functions. It coordinated requisition and distribution of supplies to company supply sections and turned in captured supplies and equipment as directed. The S4 section was supervised by the S4, who was assisted by the property book officer and the battalion supply sergeant.

The supply sergeant was responsible for obtaining and delivering supplies to the company. He delivers small items and depends on the assets of the support platoon to deliver bulky or high-expenditure items. In combat, the S4 concentrated on seven classes of supply: Classes I, II, III, IV, V, VII, and IX. The support platoon leader, working with the S4 and HHC commander, coordinated the requisition, receipt, preparation, and delivery of Classes I, III, and V. The supply section coordinated the requisition, receipt, and delivery of Classes II, IV, VII, and IX.

The S4 section and the support platoon were responsible for obtaining water and maps. Using task force transportation, water is obtained from water supply points or from sources tested and approved by the medical platoon leader. Maps were stocked by the supply and service company of the main support battalion, and were requested through the supply company of the forward support battalion. The S2 was responsible for distributing maps as required. Classified maps were obtained through Intelligence channels.

1/50(M) Battalion S4 Personnel

Battalion S4		Property Book Officer		Supply Sergeant
	CPT Jim Delemeester 9/67-8/68 CPT James Lockhart 8/68-1/69 CPT Jesse Orta to10/69 CPT Ray Sarlin 10/69-1/70 CPT Carter -12/70		CW2 Andrew J. Hammond Sep 67-Sep 68 CW2 Verl D. Lantz, Oct 68-Sep 69 CW2 Gene Quimby, Sep 69- CW2 Mills -Dec 70	SFC Alfred R. Ludwig 5/68-5/69 SFC Jim Hobbs 9/69-9/70
		Davis , Gilbert, SP4, 76A10, Supplyman Cassell, Richard A, SSG, 76Y40, Unit Supply Specialist Foye, William R, SGT, 76Y40, Unit Supply Specialist Miller, Buddy D, SGT, 76Y40, Unit Supply Specialist White, John D, SGT, 76Y40, Unit Supply Specialist

Classes of Supply

CLASS	DESCRIPTION	RESPONSIBILITY
Class I Rations and gratuitous issue of health, morale, and welfare items	Meals (C-Rations, LRRPs, rice supplements) were stocked on board each vehicle in a basic load prescribed by SOP (usually three to five days). Rations and water were delivered daily to the line companies by the supply section. Hot meals were served when possible. Water was provided in water trailers or blivits provided by the supply sergeant. (Water was a critical item and must be replenished daily.) Rations were automatically requisitioned and issued by the S4 section, based on daily strength reports sent to the S1 by the companies.	S4 (Rear - Mess Section) (Field - Support Platoon delivered)
Class II Clothing, individual supplies and equipment.	Class II items (clothing, individual equipment, tentage, tool sets, and administrative and housekeeping supplies and equipment) were requisitioned by the S4 based on needs identified by company supply sergeants. The supply sergeant normally received these supplies in the rear and moved them to the field as required.	S4
Class III Petroleum, oil, and lubricants	Class III bulk and packaged products were delivered to the field by the support platoon. Resupply was accomplished as requested by the first sergeant. Small amounts of packaged products (hydraulic fluid, lubricating oil) were stored on each combat and tactical vehicle.	Support Platoon
Class IV Construction materials	Class IV items were requested through command channels. Basic loads of materials required for the construction of individual fighting positions were part of each vehicle load plan and specified in the company SOPs.	S4
Class V Ammunition	Class V resupply is based on a report of expenditures submitted to the S4 by the first sergeant. S4 coordinated requisitioning and delivery. Where practicable, ammunition wasl prepositioned or distributed as part of service-station or tailgate resupply.	S4
Class VI Personal-demand (PX) items	Class VI items were requested from the S1 by the first sergeant.	S1
Class VII Major end-items	Class VII items were requisitioned and issued through the S4. Crews were assigned by the receiving company and combat vehicles were normally turned over to the receiving unit in the rear. Occasionally, they were delivered direct to the field.	S4
Class VIII Medical supplies	Class VIII items were coordinated, requisitioned, stored and provided by the medical platoon. Requests were submitted to the battalion task force aid station by the company medics and issued to the medics by the aid station.	Medic Platoon
Class IX Repair parts and documents for equipment maintenance.	Class IX items were requested through the prescribed load list (PLL) clerk. They were usually picked up and delivered by the maintenance platoon to line units.	Maintenance Platoon

Battalion Maintenance Platoon

The battalion maintenance platoon provided maintenance activities which included inspecting, testing, servicing, repairing, parts requisitioning, and recovering and evacuating disabled vehicles. The battalion maintenance platoon was structured to maintain, evacuate, and repair the vehicles in the battalion. Proper maintenance is the key to keeping equipment and materiel in good condition. The maintenance platoon performed unit maintenance on all task force equipment except communications security (COMSEC) and medical equipment.

The mechanized infantry battalion's maintenance platoon consolidated all organizational maintenance assets, including communication and electronics equipment maintenance. The responsibility for operator and crew maintenance remained with the line companies, which each had their own highly skillful maintenance teams.

1/50(M) Battalion Maintenance Personnel

Battalion Maintenance Officers		Maintenance Technician			Motor Sergeants
	CPT Mortimer Murphy 6/68-8/68 CPT Vilnis Gailitis 8/68-12/68 1LT Theodore Dennis 12/68-5/69 1LT Ray Sarlin 5/69-6/69		CW2 James B. Woodruff 1/67-9/68 CW2 James A. Turner 9/68-9/69 CW2 Gus Ettledorf -12/70		1SG Kenneth Lee, 5/68-5/69 SFC Edwin Jackson 8/68-8/69
MOS 63B20		MOS 63C20/30/40, General Vehicle Repairman		Other Maintenance MOS
Christian, Fred L, PFC Douglas, George R, SP4 Ebert, Robert E, SP4, 63B20 Lynch, Stanley S, SP4, 63B20 Paynter, Danny, SP4, 63B20 Wilson, Lawrence B, SP4, 63B20		Clark, Richard D, SP5, Credeur, Walter R, SP4 De Maria, John P, SP5 Jones, Gary D, SP5 Kinsey, James D, SP5 Meek, Fred V, SP4 Sullens, Clarence, SP4 Thomas, Joseph W, SP4 Barnett, Michael L, SP5 Calhoun, Joshua, SP5 Congdon, Woodrow W, SGT Hill, Gerald, SGT		Duke, Elmer, SP4, 63F20, Recovery Specialist Woodward, Jenner M, SSG, 12B40, Engineer MOS 52B20, Power Generation Op/Mech English, Eddie, SP4, Miller, Melvin D, SP4 Ostrom, Patrick, SP4 Yazzie, Hugh, SP4 Montgomery, Cecil, SSG, MOS 65C40 Diesel-Electrical Repairman

Battalion Maintenance Platoon Organization

The platoon is organized as follows:

Administration section. The administration section maintains Class IX (repair parts) and the Army Maintenance Management Systems records. The prescribed load list (PLL) stocks are maintained for each company and managed by the administration section's PLL clerks. To facilitate rapid repair, selected high usage PLL items may be on the tracked vehicles supporting a company team.
Recovery Section. The recovery support section provides limited welding, metalworking, and backup recovery support to the maintenance teams.
Services Section. The maintenance services section provides maintenance support to the rear elements of the battalion, plus backup support to company maintenance teams.
Company Maintenance Teams. Company maintenance teams provide maintenance support to each of the line companies. This support includes automotive, turret, and communication-electronics maintenance, as well as recovery.

Based on the weapons systems within a company team, maintenance teams were task organized, with maintenance teams supporting the same company as far as possible. Maintenance personnel might be attached to the Scout Platoon or line Rifle Companies when they operated detached from the battalion, and they would be equipped with a supporting maintenance package that included thetools, test equipment, and PLL stocks necessary to support the line unit.

Battalion Communications Platoon

The battalion communications platoon installed, operated, and maintained the communications system for battalion command and control and support elements. It was responsible for establishing and operating the battalion radio, wire and courier communications systems.

1/50(M) Battalion Communications Personnel

Battalion Signal Officer			Battalion Communications Chief
	1LT Noel Allgood Jun 68-Aug 68 1LT David Bess Aug 68-Oct 68 CPT James Filson Oct 68-Sep 69

Battalion Communications Platoon Organization

The platoon is organized as follows:

Administration section. The administration section under the Battalion Communications Officer advised the commander and staff on electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), signals security, communications training, communications planning, and selection of CP sites from a communications standpoint, and prepared the command and signal paragraph of operations plans. They coordinated with signal units for communications support, and supervised the communications activities in the battalion, to include the installation, operation, and maintenance of the battalion communications system and equipment. They controlled the COMSEC equipment and served as the battalion COMSEC custodian, issued and accounted for COMSEC equipment, key lists, codes, ciphers, SOI, SSI, and authentication systems.
Wire Section. The wire section installs, operates, and maintains the landline communications system for battalion command and control.
Radio Section. The radio section installs, operates, and maintains the radio communications system for battalion command and control. The combat net radio was the major means for passing command and control and fire control around battlefield. The battalion used AN/PRC-77 and AN/VRC-12 series radios for short-and intermediate-range communication (up to 50 km) and the AN/GRC-106-based radio sets for longer ranges (up to 80 km and farther with proper antenna and frequency selection).
Organizational Maintenance Mechanic. The organizational maintenance mechanic (MOS 31V) assigned to the platoon performs organizational maintenance on battalion headquarters communications and night vision equipment. He also provided organizational maintenance, calibration and assistance for the line units. Defective radios and other communications equipment were turned over to the battalion communications platoon; the equipment was either repaired or forwarded to the support battalion for repair,

Battalion Support Platoon

The support platoon provided organic transportation, as well as Class I, Class III, and Class V resupply to the battalion. It was composed of a platoon headquarters, ammunition section, POL section, transportation section, and mess section. The platoon provides the majority of the battalion's combat service support, and it transported ammunition, POL, and supplies to battalion units, and prepared and issued meals to battalion personnel.

1/50(M) Support Platoon Personnel

Support Platoon Leader			Platoon Sergeant (Truck Master)		Mess Sergeants
	1LT Howard Goldstein		SGT Julius Thomas, 64C40		SFC Joseph Lagree 7/68-7/69 SFC Herbert Jones 12/68-12/69 SSG Michael N, Decker SSG Jack Kerley
Headquarters Section		Transportation Section MOS 64A10, Light Vehicle Driver MOS 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver MOS 64C20, Motor Transport Operator		Mess Section MOS 94B20, Food Service Specialist
Gravatt, Edward L, SP5, 71H20, Personnel Specialist Shelter, Gary R, SP4, 71L20, Administrative Specialist		Koons, Roger, PFC, 64A10, Light Vehicle Driver Adams, Thomas J, SP5, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Barnes, Dennis, SP5, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Blad?, Richard A, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Blof?, Donald J, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Brown, Johnny, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Burke, James P, PVT, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Costa, Timothy, PFC, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Finders, Sammie, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Georgeson, Fredric, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Haas, Richard W, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Hasz, James P, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Herrera, Larry, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Miller, David G, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Ramirez, Albert R, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Stalkach, Jan, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver T**Kow, Bryant W, SP4, 64B20, Heavy Vehicle Driver Green, William A, SGT, 64C20, Motor Transport Operator Vogel, Richard J, SP4, 64C20, Motor Transport Operator		Anderson, Ronnie D, SP4, Avala, Greg L, SP5 Bernard, Frederick, SP4 Briscoe, Joe W Jr, SP5 Bronson, Richard L, SP5 Coble, George R, SP6 Davis, Steven E, SP5 Dodson, Paul D, SP5 Dozois, Richard C, SP4 Duarte, Rafael A, SP4 Elde, Byron R, SP5 Garret, Rondal D, SP5 Garza, Ruben, SP5 Gilbreath, Therman, SFC Hall, Wilbur S, SP4 Hardwick, Donald Jr, SP4 Hathaway, Larry B, SP5 Luton, Lloyd, SP4 Mandas, Steven M, SP4 Mendez, Jose A, SP5 Soto, Bernabe, SP4 Stewart, George R, SP4

Battalion Support Platoon Organization

The platoon is organized as follows:

Headquarters Section. Although the support platoon leader works for the S4, he is under the supervision of the HHC commander in the field trains. The platoon leader is assisted by the support platoon sergeant, who is also the truck master of the transportation section. The support platoon also has the task force decontamination vehicle and operator to assist in unit decontamination.
Transportation Section. The transportation section is organized and equipped to transport fuel, ammunition, and supplies to the companies. The section normally transports a portion of the unit basic load of ammunition plus fuels and lubricants. The transportation section has a POL vehicle supervisor and, in armor battalions, an ammunition sergeant. It also has drivers assigned to operate the section's cargo vehicles.
Mess Section. The mess section is organized and equipped to prepare meals for all elements of the task force.

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Combat Service Support Units 1st Battalion (Mech) 50th Infantry

Combat Service Support (CSS)

S4 (Supply) Section

1/50(M) Battalion S4 Personnel

Classes of Supply

Battalion Maintenance Platoon

1/50(M) Battalion Maintenance Personnel

Battalion Maintenance Platoon Organization

Battalion Communications Platoon

1/50(M) Battalion Communications Personnel

Battalion Communications Platoon Organization

Battalion Support Platoon

1/50(M) Support Platoon Personnel

Battalion Support Platoon Organization

Combat Service Support Units
1st Battalion (Mech) 50th Infantry