Logistics
Section V
Significant Events
Presently supporting the Battalion with two companies positioned on islands forward of the MLR. Quantities of water furnished to these units to include water for showering on a daily basis. One hot meal/day furnished to island units and two hot meals/day to units on MLR.
During the month of October, a significant trend was noted in the deterioration of E/G equipment. All lister bags were placed in service in May and consequently, all are becoming unserviceable at the same time. Tentage is rotten and needs replacing. Cots are rotten, many were rotten when drawn through the supply system.
Individual equipment in the hands of the troops is unserviceable but cannot be replaced until present requisitions outstanding are filled. Replacements for the month of October received an incomplete issue of equipment due to a lack of operating stocks.
During October, an increase in the cantonment program was noted. To date, 28 out of 125 propose strongbacks have been completed.
A. Supply
1. Supply Requirements
- Class I – 8000 gallons water/day.
1050 rations/day.
b. Class II – Consumables such as line and soap still critically short. Shortages of toilet paper, rifle oil, and insecticides, mimeograph paper.
c. Class III – 150 gallons Mogas, 100 gallons diesel, 15 gallons kerosene daily. Limited quantities of G090, SAE-30, SAE-10, GAA required daily.
d. Class IV – Requirement exists for approximately 100,000 sandbags, 150 miles of barbed wire, and sufficient metal stakes to complete or rebuild defensive positions.
e. Class V – Basic allowance in hands of troops and additional basic allowance for the outpost units.
2. Procurement Problems
a. Imprest funds – Problems in this area lie in the time delay in transporting supplies from Da Nang to the Chu Lai enclave.
1. Solution: That a priority be established in transporting items purchased through the imprest funds.
b. Requisition Downgrading – Some priority 02 requisitions have been downgraded to priority 12 without notification of this unit. Items such as water cans, priority 02, were downgraded to priority 12 and the first advice card wasn’t received until seventy days after the requisition was submitted. A priority 02 requisition for M34A2 sight units for the 81mm mortar was also downgraded to a priority 12.
1. Solution: Persons downgrading the requisitions should consult with the command to seek out justification for a priority. If sufficient justification cannot be established, then and only then should the requisition be downgraded.
c. Supply system is so slow, a lead time cannot be established. Usage date is invalid. Advice cards have been received from FLSG for gear shipped 70 days before hand and yet the gear has not arrived.
- Storage
a. Adequate containers such as 4.3 cuft boxes are still in short supply.
b. In-kind issues system requires additional storage space for short periods of time. This space is not available because of a shortage of tentage.
B. Transportation
1. No means of transportation is available on a dependable day to day basis.
2. Cargo vehicles such as M-35 trucks are not sufficiently available support the units.
3. Helicopter support is untimely and not dependable for logistic purposes.
C. Maintenance
1. 2nd echelon maintenance has been hampered by a shortage of repair parts such as brake shoes, spark plugs, and leaf springs.
2. 3rd echelon maintenance has been outstanding. They too, are hampered by a lack of repair parts.
D. Sanitation
1. Soap is still scarce. The soap that occasionally comes from the imprest funds is too weak for mess hall purposes.
2. *** is still scarce. Scrounging from Wing units has been our answer to control the flies.
E. Deadline Combat Essential Equipment by Type
Items deadline for the month or October are listed in section with Supporting Documents.
F. Employment of Local Civilians
1. Local civilians are employed to work in the mess hall, in the barbershops and to run laundries.
2. Local contractors are building a chapel and a recreation room out of local materials.