The 3/4CAV had several M48a2’s, but have also read that they were upgraded to the later power packs. Makes sense as it would make refueling much easier. Think the 69th Armor had several as well. Never saw a gas engine in a track up north. The only thing that used Mogas was 1/4 and 3/4 ton trucks. Other than that it was stoves in the mess tent and the generators.
When I think Korea, I think cold! Every 48 that I saw had a search light. Some didn’t work, but most did. There were two styles.
gary
Yeah Gary, it got really cold. The night of the Pueblo “incident” https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/uss-pueblo-captured it was a -40 wind chill and gusty winds. We went out on a “cocked pistol” alert (if it’s within the south tape, shoot it). As I recall we were alerted at about 3 PM and moved out a little before 4 PM. I was lucky to be assigned a foot patrol. Most of the guys on observation/listening post got frostbitten that night. We came off of alert about 6 AM the next morning. I can remember not being able to feel my feet and legs and hugging my M-14e2 cause I couldn’t feel my hands. The mechanics had been up all night keeping the vehicles running cause everyone thought the balloon was going up. Sorry for mucking up the thread with this stuff.
Back in the middle of January 68, They came around and needed five or six guys to go to the nuclear weapons school in Korea. Being a genuine FNG; my name was one the list, but got bumped by a guy thinking it was just another R&R. It was raining about an hour and a half every morning south of Chu Lai with a temp climbing into the mid to high nineties. A whole lot better than twenty five degrees at Ft. Lewis!
Those guys all missed the start of Tet, but every one of them came down with a bad case of pneumonia!!
At my VFW Post there is a board with various photos of guys over seas. Lots of Vietnam stuff, and even a couple right out of the Sand Box. There is one picture that just gives me the creeps. Taken right near the DMZ in Korea one night. Two kids in their twenties huddled together in a minus forty degree temp!! Snow everywhere, and it’s dark outside. He told me when it was taken, and I told him it was close to a hundred degrees near the II-Corp border that time of the year! Guys on the DMZ got combat pay back then, and a minus forty degrees wasn’t worth it!
gary
I missed out on the combat pay. I arrived in country in April 1967 and the 10th Cav was mostly doing DMZ patrols out of McBryar Base Camp, just a touch south of the DMZ south tape. McBryar duty was shared monthly between all three line troops (A, B, and C). With the rise of North Korean aggression that spring (see The DMZ War), a political decision was made to close down McBryar and have each Troop work out of their own compound at Camp Kaiser (about 5 miles south of McBryar). With the closing of McBryar, there went the combat pay even though each Troop’s mission remained the same with increased frequency. Politically, the powers that be couldn’t be blamed for fighting on two fronts and Viet Nam was much bigger. Old men start wars, young men fight them.
I’ve been thinking about the DMZ diorama. Maybe a searchlight M-48a2 backed into a slight defilade with panchos spread over the engine compartment (lessen the IR signature) and thick brush with no trees (to much artillery fire during the Korean War). There just wasn’t any tall trees north of Seoul.
Hi Robin,
first and foremost. TO ALL!
Enjoy the Christmas days and a Happy New Year.
I have ordered these beauties one month ago!
Yes, I know! In real life M114/M114A1/M114A2 couldn’t meet the expections, underpowered. Our U.S. Army partnership battalion, 3rd-64th Armor, scout plt, at Schweinfurt used M114A2 till 1975. I was told by the platoon sergeant, the powerpack was a chevy bus motor. Don’t know if its true! 2nd-30th Infantry used the M114A2 till 1977.
I like the M114A1 and M114A2. Brings back nice memories!
Hank
Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year to you as well 
