This is another vignette that is part of my “Shopping in Long Thanh” diorama series. This scene depicts one of the tracks from 1LT Barnes’ 3d Platoon, B Company, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry (Mechanized), 9th Infantry Division halted at Long Thanh while some of the guys in the platoon are out buying souvenirs and the LT is buying some bread. A few guys had to remain at the tracks for security which resulted in them being approached by young entrepreneurs and in this case a girl selling pineapple on a stick. 1LT Barnes’ driver is negotiating on a price for the pineapple treat with the young lady.
The figure of the American Soldier is a conversion of a Bravo 6 figure and the Vietnamese girl is a figure from Paracel Miniatures. They are painted with acrylics.
The wedgie of the M113 is a left over piece from a hull that I had already made some wedgies from. I added a bundle of sandbags made from Magic Sculpt and textured with a file. The tracks are from Model Kasten.
The groundwork is Magic Sculpt covered with a texture paste and painted with acrylics and pigments.
These are the topics we discussed back in our early talks. There were so many memories of things like this that Vets still relate to. Glad you’re back. Wayne
I remember a science fiction story titled “The Coke Boy”, about a man in a war zone where he approached by a local boy who tries several times to sell him a bottle of Coca-Cola, and each time the man ends up killing the boy, only for the battle to turn badly. Finally, when the boy comes one more time, the man buys the Coca-Cola and drinks it.
At the end of the story, the man describes working in his office, with the empty Coke bottle now polished and on display. The final line of the story reads, “Who was that Coke boy? And what was that war?”
I do remember those talks and some of that along with similar talks with other Vets was a driving force behind me remaking my “Shopping in Long Thanh” diorama, only this time it is a series of sub-stories. I try to focus on the things that would bring about pleasant memories rather than focus solely on battle scenes. It is my way of honor yours and every other Vietnam Veterans’ service.
