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Rocket fragments

Slick

Slick

Well-Known Member
I wanted to say "shrapnel", but I knew better.

Anyway, in digging around, looking for something else, I ran across these pieces of fragments. They were collected from the ramp at DaNang AFB RVN on the morning of Feb. 13, 1967. My Dad picked them up. He said they were all over the ramp. Ended up using magnets for all the FOD. The 122mm rockets -M21OF(9M22U0) were launched from the DKZ-B tripod single shot system. Other reports note a total of over seventy rockets; my Dad recalls there were 63 that hit the base. Minor damage to his airplanes (HU-16s) although a C-121 down the ramp took a close hit and required major repairs. These pieces, along with a larger chunk I hope to possess real soon, are part of the small batch of spent metal pieces on a shelf. They are the only fragments with provenance in that branch of the collection.

Without further ado, here's the lot. These are the size pieces one would have to wait years to work their way out, if they didn't hit any vitals.

IMG_2630 (800x466).jpg

Here's an artist's rendering of what it looks like whole:

Rocket 122mm Viet Nam (300x187).jpg

And a USAF pic:
Rocket 122mm VN.jpg
 
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Hi Slick,look at the ragged jagged edges to those bits of metal,anything they hit would not be easily repaired like after a small projectile penetration to an aircraft or vehicle,the effect of the impact on a person does not bear thinking about,a nice collection,
Thanks for posting,
Don,
 
It isn`t 9M21OF. You have good pictures and nice photo, what talks about sistem Grad-P and rocket 9M22M
 
Thanks for the clarification, Ivashkin. My father's details of the "system" included a description of the tripod launchers that were located after the attack. A little more digging on this end and I found this article: http://splav.org/en/arms/grad/m22u.asp.

Note the title:

M-21OF (9M22U) 122 mm Unguided Rocket Projectile
fitted with HE-Fragmentation Warhead


Also found some info on the fact that BM21 was the "MLRS" version of the launcher, so that original detail in my description is incorrect and is deleted. DKZ-B appears to be the launcher designation for the tripod mounted tube. M21OF(9M22U) the rocket designation.

 
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During my time in VN, the 122 9M22U was fired a lot of times at my, all from the single launcher you pictured and also from crossed bamboo sticks. Normally we'd get singles or 3or 5 at a time in my area.

I also have a smaller piece of frag like you show, that got pulled out of my back, have it in my VN box
 
I'll take a pic of it, has a North VN ink pen, VN money, US money, odds and ends. Everynow and then I open it just to look back
 
Yea, I've got a footlocker full of "stuff" from my Navy days. May have to dig thru it today.
 
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