Box Full of Grenades

[peteblight]

Whilst researching RCA use in S/E Asia i found this unusual item and information.
During the Vietnam war the 4th Infantry Division developed an improvised air dropped weapon to supplement the short supply of canister submunitions.
It was known as the Box Full of Grenades (BFOG).
It consisted of a plywood box filled with 25 M7A3 grenades with the pins removed. The box was sealed and wrapped in det cord with a short delay fuse ignited just before it was dropped from a helicopter.
As the box fell the det cord functioned scattering the grenades.

 

[Eodtek]

That's friggin' awesome!

 

[ordman]

It's friggin crazy
Yankee Ingenuity

 

[Gspragge]

The guy who packed that box deserves a medal -

 

[weberoed]

I just found the same info (you have a better photo then I) also found data on the use of a 55 gal drum with CS that was wrapped with det cord and dropped.. The command histories or lesson learned are full of info a about this technique, but they lack good photos (all B&W and poorly copied)

 

[peteblight]

Here's one showing more improvisation, 55 gallon drums filled with CS and wrapped with det cord, just about to be heaved out the back of a "Chinook"...the det cord, triggered by a reefing line cutter, was wrapped not only around the barrel, but also around the sacks of CS powder inside the barrel so as to burst the barrel and sacks just above the ground.

 

[peteblight]

I know we're going a bit off the grenade thread here, but it's still Vietnam so there's a tenuous link somewhere.
Here's an interesting pic of a UH-1 Huey set up for a defoliation mission. The rig consisted of two 55-gallon drums welded together, two air scoops to add pressure, and a spray boom slung under the chopper.

 

[RogueAdventurer]

Very interesting info, thanks for the post.

Anything similar from AFG/IRQ? Thinking smoke particularly.

 

[SpudGun]

In WW1 the RFC used to do the same trick with the grenades.

 

[Edwardc]

wow sod pulling the pins on 25 grens and stuffing them in a wooden box!!!

 

[V40]

Their were also other items that were dropped out of a Huey in Vietnam. One outfit used Mason Jars sent from back home and the crew would load these jars with grenades inside of the jars along with something hard such as BBs sent from back home or gravel in them along with the pins pulled and the spoons were held back by the walls of the mason jar. Once the jar cracked or broke, the grenade(s) spoon was released and the countdown. These worked well in the open on an enemy concentration, a village under complete control by the VC/NVA, or for support for US troops who are pinned down in the open.