Logistics
Section V
Significant Events
This Battalion plus attached/supporting units averages a monthly strength of 1100. Battalion has two rifle companies positioned on islands forward of the MLR. Water, including that used for showers, furnished to these units on daily basis, one hot meal a day furnished to theses units and two hot meals a day to the units on the MLR.
During the month of November, Encampment/garrison equipment continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Lister bags, tentage, and cots are now at the critical stage. Some individual equipment had been received during the month but not enough to replace unserviceable/not issued items to all personnel.
Received first ‘CRITIPAK’ issue on 23 November. Items received will help.
During November, 19 strongbacks were received and constructed. Of 125 proposed, 47 have been completed.
- Supply
- Supply Requirements
- Class I – 8000 gallons water/day and 1100 rations/day
- Class II – consumables are still in short supply. Office supplies, rifle oil, forms, soap, 782 gear, and individual clothing is needed.
- Class III – 150 gallons MOGAS, 100 gallons diesel, 15 gallons kerosene and unlimited quantities of all types oil required daily.
- Class IV – requirement for 30,000 sandbags, 1000 rolls of barbed wire, and sufficient stakes (24”, 32”, 5’, 8’) to complete positions.
- Class V – basic allowance in hands of troops and additional basic allowance for outpost units. Received initial issue of 66mm Light Anti-tank Weapons (LAAW).
- Procurement Problems
- Imprest Fund. The main problem in this area is a lack of transportation from the Da Nang area to the Chu Lai area. However, since last report, some improvement has been noted but the requisitioning unit still has no idea of the time lapse between the requisition date and the date of receipt.
- Returned Requisitions. Several requisitions have been returned to this unit due to incorrect data on the slit document (incorrect stock number, nomenclature, or price). In some cases these have been priority 02 requisitions and the time lapse between the document draft date and the date returned to this unit has exceeded 50 days and in one case 90 days. These requisitions should be returned immediately for resubmission.
- Storage
- Adequate containers for field warehousing and/or displacing are not available. Of two outstanding requisitions for 4.3 cu ft boxes, one was passed to 3rd Force Service Regiment on Okinawa and the other was returned for resubmission by components. At present, old number ten boxes and some standard 4.3 cu ft boxes are being used. Approximately 200-300 standard 4.3 cu ft boxes would be needed in the event of displacement.
- Need exists for more tentage. Battalion has only 46 serviceable general purpose tents. Most of the tents are rapidly becoming unserviceable due to prolonged use in adverse weather conditions.
- Transportation
- Transportation is not available on a dependable day to day basis.
- Cargo vehicles are not sufficiently available to support this unit. The limited support received has been very good considering the conditions under which the truck units are operating.
- Helicopter support is erratic, untimely and cannot be depended on for logistic purposes.
- Sanitation
- Soap is still scarce. Locally procured soap is too weak for use in the mess hall.
- Some DDT had been borrowed; it has been used to control the fly and insect population to a limited degree.
- Maintenance
- Second echelon maintenance is hampered by a lack of repair parts, such as brake shoes, starter cables, leaf springs.
- Third echelon maintenance has been excellent considering FLSU is also hampered by the lack of repair parts.
- Dealined Combat Essential Equipment By Type. Items deadlined for the month of November are listed in Section VIII – supporting documents.
- Employment of Local Civilians
- Local civilians are employed to work in the mess hall, barber shops, and laundries.
- Local contractors are building an Enlisted Club, a Staff NCO Club, and an Officers Club using local materials.