ichiban1.org

I had no idea there was a site for GSR! I was doing a search for AN/PPS5 and look what I found, You Guys! I was the NCOIC, of the GSR unit that belonged to E Company 1st BN 46th INF, 23rd INF DIV (AMERICAL) July 1968/July 1969. We were a straight leg unit assigned to I Corps. Our Division rear was based in Chu Lai on the coast south of Da Nang. Most of our time was spent in the mountains out near the border with Laos. I came in country as an 11B and was in the rear area when the previous GSR team was getting short and needed replacements. I guess I was in the right place at the right time. The whole previous team had come over as a school trained team and were all leaving at the same time. I got 1 week OJT on the old PPS4 and the new PPS5. I was later sent to Camp Enari, Pleiku, where I was trained by a NET team from Ft Monmouth, NJ. The training lasted for 1 week. We had a good section and did some good work. The biggest problem we had with the radar was we would burn out the magnetron now and then. We had the PPS4 for back-up tho. Being a leg unit in the mountains with the PPS5 was not an easy chore, MAN PORTABLE my ass!!! We couldn't get distilled water for the Nic/Cad batteries so they didn't last and we couldn't get replacements. You can imagine how pissed we were, when that happened. We had to run on the generator which meant staying on an LZ. I liked that RADAR set. We once chased an elephant the NVA was using for a pack animal up and down a trail on the side of a mountain with it. We were using 4.2 mortar fire and that elephant and NVA were out running the mortar adjustments until they got tired. Well thanks for letting me reminisce for a while. It's good to know there are other old GSR guys out there. I've never run into any except for my guys.


Norm Ellis

Norm,
I was a GSR operator with the 4th Bn (Mech) 23rd Inf 25th Div. Jan 67-Jan 68. We used the AN/PPS-4. I left before the AN/PPS-5 got to our unit (and a week before TET!). I was also OJT but had only three days of training by fellow operators back at Cu Chi base camp perimeter. Funny story, just after I finished my training, my partner and I (my trainer) called in arty and ARA on a battalion of VC palm trees one night. The evening breeze blowing through the palm fronds made us think we were about to be overrun by Charlie. Blew the shit out of them (the trees). CO wasn't pleased. Thought he had a Silver Star and/or promotion to brigade coming. As usual, we paid for our screwup.
I have a question: (Bear with me, it's been over 40 years and I'm getting on in age), while listening all night for something to move out in front (waiting for the 'brup's of moving feet) did we listen to static in the headset or was it quiet. I think we listened to staic all night long, but I could be wrong. I need to know cause I'm writing about the night mentioned above.
Thanks for any help you can offer. If there's anybody else I can contact about the PPS-4, let me know.
(Man-portable. Yeah, right!)
Mike Mulvey
SP/4 (Retired)
P.S. If you get this, could you reply to michailmulvey@sbcglobal.net ?