[Milsurplus] [MRCA] Fwd: SCR-274N at Guadalcanal

Sun May 4 17:58:30 EDT 2025

VRC12 and GRC106 in M151

I also have an M151A2 with hf and fm sets.  Mark what type of unit were you in?

divisional recon units and engineer units were in hf nets and the engineer battalion co and xo M151s had both.  there were 3 engineer recon jeeps that had the 106.  the aviation battalion had several jeeps with a PRC47 and rt524 

there was also brigade and division units that had a GRC106 mounted in various vehicles either 3/4 or 2-1/2 ton vehicles for command or warning nets. also ratt rigs in shelters of divisional units had the GRC122 and142

Jeff N2IA

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 4, 2025, at 5:06 PM, MARK DORNEY via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> One of the things I’ve learned in actually talking to WW2 vets ( I’ve bee doing these events for a LONG time ) and having served in the military myself is “Never say Never.”  In peacetime, in rear area, in some area ruled by the RAMF ( do your own research ), everything is “by the book.”  This is the land of the IG hero. In a forward area, things are done because they work. And not too much is cared about some hold down being the correct shape, or if an extra radio is added to some vehicle ( more than likely because there is a shortage of vehicles to move all the krap you’ve got to have. And this stuff never gets lighter).  You make do with what you got. And you acquire and modify equipment to make things work. When your film was made, the US Army had already been on Guadalcanal for quite some time, so a BC-654 would have certainly been availablenot be out of place. As far as a VRC-12 and GRC-106, our Det CO had EXACTLY that set up. While it is frowned upon to load too many assets on to any one 1/4 ton ( such as radios or crew served weapons ),it happened. And I can show you photos of USAAF Watch Stations ( think Control tower ) that had scrounged SRC-274 sets run by batteries in the station so base personnel could better communicate with aircrews during take off and landing operations. Totally violated the airfield’s TO&E, but was actually a relatively common sight in the watch stations. 
> 
> So smile and nod at the IG “Generals” and continue to March as before. 
> 
> Mark D. 
> WW2RDO
> 
> 
> “In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On May 4, 2025, at 4:20 PM, Mark K3MSB <mark.k3msb at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> There was a recent discussion of an SCR-274-N used in a ground installation.   Here's the post from Ray from several months ago.......
> 
> 73 Mark K3MSB
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Ray Fantini <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>
> Date: Thu, Oct 3, 2024 at 9:17 AM
> Subject: RE: [MRCA] BC-611 Operational Question
> To: Mark K3MSB <mark.k3msb at gmail.com>, List Milsurplus <milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>, mrca at mailman.qth.net <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
> 
> 
> What is considered “Authentic and Proper” and what is not. Many of you may know about my M151 that I run around with and do remote opps both voice and RTTY and have had no end to people coming up to me and wanting to enlighten me on how and what I am doing is wrong, how a VRC-12 set would never be installed along with a GRC-106 or the tie down rings are round instead of D shaped or any numb of incorrect things I am doing. I installed a coke bottle opener on one of the antenna brackets just for that reason and that’s always a big hit at the Military Vehicle Shows that I do.  The thing is I am out there in the field bringing this history back to life and having a lot of fun doing it. Think if you want to install a command set on some plywood and drag it out in the field and use it that would be great, and within the context of it not being what may have been appropriate or proper or whatever I would like to put forward this video “ With The 17th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron on Guadalcanal” Air Forces Film Report, 48-A The relevant scenes are about one minute in and at around nine minutes in is a wide shot of the communications center that also shows the maintenance bench on the side.
> 
> So, looking forward to hearing about your field opps with the command set in the future and have to say that’s what you’re doing to me sounds like a worthwhile project!
> 
> Link to video:
> 
>  
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGMdgk4uApk
> 
>  
> 
> Ray F/KA3EKH
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> MRCA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mrca
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:MRCA at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> MRCA mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/mrca
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:MRCA at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/milsurplus/attachments/20250504/e6be67b5/attachment-0001.html>