Army Reporter information
for 2 BDE 25 INF
For date 690113
2 BDE 25 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
South Vietnam
Location, Cu Chi
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Need plus idea equals bingo! Combat aids developed" dated 13 Jan 1969.
When the need and a feasible idea come together, things really start to happen. In Vietnam, the result is production of field expedients. Several recent projects in the 2d Bde 25 Inf Div indicate significant advances for the fighting man. LTC Vincent Oddi, new commanding officer of the 2/27th Inf Wolfhounds, proposed an idea while serving as 2d Bde XO, that could make illumination of the battlefield an easy task. The device is a simple 24 volt battery-powered headlamp that gives surprising illumination. The refinement problems fell into the hands of MAJ Paul Sposito and his staff at the Bde Commo Office. Their initial efforts produced a couple of workable but unsatisfactory prototypes before the success. "This system is capable of giving immediate light especially suited for perimeter defense," said Sposito, "and it can be moved over 50 meters away from the man who controls it by means of a cable and a switch. Because battalion commanders, who make use of the bde's LOH, have asked for greater communications capabilities with both ground troops and higher headquarters, the commo staff has also developed a new antenna system for the LOH. The artillery liaison and the commander have two additional nets now available through the addition of three PRC 77 sectional antennas along the skids of the aircraft. The commander now has the ARC 54 AM and FM unit in the front of the aircraft plus the two in the rear a new high in communications. Four aircraft capable of a half dozen distinct mission mark the new capability 2nd Bde Avn. Those mission: rocket ship, minigun ship, people sniffer, Psyops speaker ship and leaflet drop, command and control ship and emergency resupply and passenger ship. MAJ Charles Addicott, brigade aviation officer, has, with the assistance of his three pilots and enlisted personnel, formed the unit to provide the maximum effectiveness for a large number of operational control battalions. LT Curt Pardelt, brigade officer, and NCOIC SFC Antonio Rucias, have produced in the past three months two systems to reach the Vietnamese civilians with the allied story. One is a small, compact backpack with a 500 meter minimum range. The system, weighing approximately 30 pounds is the first of its kind to be contained in a single unit. Battery life is anticipated to be over 100 hours. Pradelt has also put together a speaker unit to be carried by the LOH which provides mass coverage from the air in combination with leaflet drops.
Photo Caption 1 - CONNECTION IS MADE of two of the three PRC 77 antennas recently devised for battalion C&C ships LOH.
Photo Caption 2 - FOUR SHIPS capable of performing a half dozen missions constitute the 2d Brigade aviation crew. The ships perform reconnaissance, 2.75-inch rocket, loud speaker and minigun missions. They are also capable of command, control, resupply and passenger missions. The Tropic Lightning fleet is the first in Vietnam with such a wide range of capabilities.
Comments: LTC Oddi, Vincent; Bn Co; ;
MAJ Sposito, Paul; Bde Comm Sec; ;
The source for this information was 6901AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023