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Long story, but a year ago I met a family who lost a brother in Vietnam. For 54 years they have lived with bad information on how he died. I've spent the last year trying to paint a more accurate picture of his career and untimely death.

Along the way, I found a flag and a business card on Hank's grave. It was left by a Navy Corpsman who he was good friends with, named Jay.

Jay needed an ambulance. Hank "tactically aquired" him an M-37 for the Corpsmen to use, then they modified it as needed to fit their needs.

Hank told Jay this vehicle had served in Korea. Any way to confirm or deny this, based on this photo?

Welcome Dave and thanks for sharing your story!
That picture would NOT be during Korea as that M37 is a B1 model based on the side-mounted spare. B1s were built post-Korea with that conflict ending in 1953.
Gary

Weren't some of these converted to door mounts in the field?

Yes, but not during Korea-the door mount spare didn't exist.
Gary

Correction here to John Mc and All: the spare tire mount DID exist on the M43 Ambulance, so it IS possible that the pictured truck could have been converted to the door-mounted spare. Unfortunately, no way to tell from the photo.
Thanks,
Gary

You also need to consider logistics. Korea ended in 53. The m37 was started in 51. Nam, although started in 54 the US didn't get on scene (officially ) until 65. SO, A probably ragged out military vehicle would have to be transported approx 6500 miles back to the US from Korea. Then, 11-ish years later, be transported to Nam which is 8000-ish miles. These expendable trucks were usually left in-country for friendly use or destroyed. This is why you see stories of vendors here buying shipping containers of parts from the jungles. I know the military is well-known for not-very-logical practices but to get a simple m37 through Korea and into Nam is reeeeaaaally stretching it. But who knows?

Murf wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:37 am Korea ended in 53. The m37 was started in 52.

The M37 production started in '51

John Mc wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:10 am

Murf wrote: ↑Mon Jan 22, 2024 8:37 am Korea ended in 53. The m37 was started in 52.

The M37 production started in '51

Correct. Fixed

A little more info that might help...

Met a local family last year after the daughter's water lines froze up. I went out to get them up and running again. The daughter noticed my military jacket, and told me of her Uncle Hank, who had been killed in Vietnam.

Have spent the past year trying to paint a better picture of Hank's military career other than that he was killed. The story grows every day, a year later.

Hank was a vehicle mechanic on Hill 65. A friend of his, a Navy Corpsman, came to him in need of an ambulance. I kinda get the feeling he "found" the truck, slapped some numbers on it, then went to work turning it into an ambulance. It wasn't manufactured as an ambulance.

This Corpsman left a business card on Hank's grave, trying to reach the family. I have the Wall Street Journal doing an article on the story for Memorial Day

Okay guys, I think we're missing the big picture here. The M37 in question "served" in Korea, that doesn't necessarily mean that it was during the war. There were plenty of troops and vehicles serving in S. Korea after the war and prior to Vietnam. Chances are the vehicle in question saw service in Okinawa first, then rotated to Korea with a Marine unit to serve a stint there, then found it's way to Vietnam - depending on the unit it belonged to.

Also, as for the door mounted spare. There have been plenty of M37s upgraded at unit level with the door mounted spare tire mounts, it would be hard to tell them from the B1 trucks without better pictures. And to add, everyone knows how Marines are about modifying things in the field to make them "work better" (from a Marines point of view), just look at how that front bumper has been modified - looks and functions a lot better now!

Kevin

Thank you all for the feedback. This isn't one someone I know owns and wants to restore. It's one of Jay's memories that he always wanted clarification on. Will post if he remembers the spare being moved or has more photos