This M-38A1 press photo with a mine detector made it into a lot of newspapers. Here’s an example from the April 20, 1966, issue of the Crowley Post-Signal out of Crowley, Louisiana:
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“1966 Press Photo U.S. Army jeep mounted mine detector shown in St. Louis. This is an original press photo. St. Louis: New mobile mine detector perfected for Vietnam will allow the jeep mounted detector to clear 6 foot path at speeds from 10 to 1 mph depending on terrain. The transistorized probe is counterbalanced by large spring in front of jeep to prevent the wheels of the device from exerting enough pressure to set off a mine. On detection of mine the device automatically brakes and declutches the jeep. The mine detector was demonstrated at United States Army Mobility Equipment Center in St. Louis 4/19.Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 04-19-1966.”
Beats the heck out of probing with a bayonet as this sorta old Combat Engineer was trained in ’72. By the Grace of God, I was not sent over. Did it get used in ‘Nam?
Boomer: Bayonets? yikes! I HOPE they used this alternative successfully in Vietnam!