[Milsurplus] TBX in KW

[Hue Miller]

>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/CT-PHOTO-adn-021-WWII-Korean-War-Communications-/260930042988?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item3cc0a47c6c

>> Photo of marines using TBX in some city, Korean War.
I did NOT buy the photo because if you buy it, you have no rights except to
look at the photo.
>> Hue Miller

Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:42:30 -0500
From: Ray Fantini <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>

>That picture presents several problems, not the least being that I thought 
>the TBX was only used early to mid war in the pacific and later versions 
>like the TBX-8 were never fielded in combat.

I would agree that -8 were most likely never used altho maybe issued and 
part of some ships equipment, landing party radio.
However,
the TBX was used by Navy in China in 1944-1945 in coast watcher stations. I 
think I previously posted some excerpts of a book on the SACO joint 
anti-Japan behind-the-lines
operation, which revealed the ordinary radio used was the TBX, not as you'd 
maybe expect the SCR-694 or even some exotic thing such as PRC-1 or MBM.
A militaria dealer on Epay also was selling a photo of a couple SACO guys 
with a TBX.
I didn't buy that photo but I should have. Tony Grogan alerted me to that 
photo.

>>  I have owned and operated a couple TBX sets, think a 4 and 6 and know 
>> from first hand use and from reading about there use at Tarawa that they 
>> are underpowered, require a crew to operate and were way outdated by 
>> 42/43 so have to wonder why the Marines would use one in Korea?

I think their power was entirely sufficient for the job. I haven't read any 
period commentary with complaint about lack of power.  As for outdated, I 
have commented.
Also recall the Pacific War wasn't as well supplied as Europe.
Also, I have a large picture book on Marine Corps equipment, book published 
in France, where there seems to be a very devoted following for the history 
of the US Marine
Corps, this photo shows a Marine on some Pacific Island operating an SCR-694 
( BC-1306 ), which was about as state of the art portable radio as existed, 
up until the
GRC-9 postwar.

>>Then again we are talking about the Marines and they have never been known 
>>for technology.

-Hue Miller