Were was the 175 gun first used in Vietnam?
Vietnam was divided by the US military into 4 Military Regions,
also called Corps: MR1, MR2, MR3, MR4, or I Corps, II Corps, III
Corps, IV Corps. 175's landed in country in '65. The only noted
ones were SPs (Self Propelled Guns). The most dangerous AOs (Areas
of Operation) in South Vietnam were the Highlands (II Corps) and I
Corps; that's where the NVA were. South of those two AOs were
mostly VC.
The 175's appeared to be concentrated in I and II corps.
Normally only one 175mm gun would be at a Firebase (also called
LZ's-Landing Zones). Firebase Blackhawk at the top of the Mang Yang
Pass in the Highlands had one such gun. The only good thing about
175's for non-artillerymen, was you could tell when they were going
to fire it...it would lower it's tube for loading...when it raised,
everyone could plug their ears; because they knew it was going to
fire. The worst thing about firebases in South Vietnam was that
they were very noisy. And you couldn't carry on a conversation with
a 175mm banging away. Batteries of 155mm SPs were also bad, the
vibrations from those guns, six to a battery (after Vietnam the
army went to 8 guns per battery) would knock the paper plate full
of YOUR FOOD out of your hands. And while holding your food, you
couldn't plug your ears. 105mm field guns were also bad, but they
were smallest batteries at a firebase, still noisy. 105's &
155's were stationed at Firebases by the battery (six guns), but
the 175's seemed to be alone.
See website: Weapons of the Vietnam War-15th Artillery