Beltring 2008 show

was once more a success for the Rolling Thunder team as we achieved "Runner Up" for best group display and Stuart got the Best Artillery award for his 155 MIA1 Howitzer.

As in previous years our Vietnam display was, once more, designed for the public's maximum enjoyment and education.

They walked into our encampment through a giant stone look- like
Vietnamese temple entrance.

Photographic report below courtesy of Belinda Cornwell

The central display incorporated our 3 gun trucks positioned around an elevated gangway to allow the public to see the inside and fighting area of these road giants.

Four display tents were positioned around the gun trucks.

In the first platoon tent on your right was a Saigon street scene which was recreated by a few members
of the American Infantry Preservation Society. This included a display of small equipment used by US infantry soldiers.

The next platoon tent hosted a USMC mortar pit, a couple of Australian Army mannequins, a SOG HALO mannequin and a diorama of
the "Leghorn" SOG radio relay site in Laos, in January 1967.

Out of our second display tent you run straight into a US Marine Corps
recruiting post, complete with our recruiting Gunnery Sgt Paul Turner.
During the show, Gunnery Sgt gave the first insight
to US Military life to many young kids to the delight of many parents.

Next to the USMC recruiting post was our own R&R place, the famous "Juicy Luicy's bar" strictly off limits for the public
but a good recruiting place for our Gunnery Sgt Turner, about 50% of the Rolling Thunder males have now
joined the Rolling Thunder USMC display team.

Last but not least was our last platoon tent for a truly Vietnam Experience in semi darkness.

As you enter this dark hot and humid tent, you found yourself in a US base with a Radio communication room .
Next to it was a perimeter fence small bunker, a few yards further took you through the no mans land into
a small Vietnamese village a good hiding place for the Vietcong.


Vietnam Experience

	Perimeter machine gun bunker

Now those who paid attention would have noted a small tunnel complex build under the no mans land. This was pretty low
and well camouflaged.

Out of the tent you run straight into one of our big gun, the 155 M1A1 Howitzer.

This year's Show Artillery piece winner.

Also dotted around the display were many vehicles, for example a USMC M37 truck and Mighty Might jeep, a USSF M37B1 Dodge truck,
a M715 Kaizer truck, a M151 MUTTs, a REO wrecker and various other Reo's.

The whole experience was brought to the public by authentically dressed Rolling Thunder members, from Marines to truckers and from Vietnamese civilians to VC. This year we even had our own Anti war Movement protester, Peter, in full 1960 civilian uniform with parading placards and 60's music blaring from a tape recorder.
Needless to say, he was evicted from our camp many times! It was quite funny to see the public reaction to the brawls!

When we say we will bring you the "Vietnam Experience", this include all aspects of the war.

When I was on gate duty, I was asked by a family,
"What Vietnam was about?"
This was a pretty heavy question to be asked, so after a deep breath, I went back in time to 1946 and gave a short history lesson
starting with the First Indochina war by the French leading into the Vietnam war right up to the fall of Saigon in April 1975.
Mission accomplish. This family went home with a better understanding of the Vietnam war given through the interactive
media of Living History.

The Rolling Thunder Arena dynamic display was the usual high explosive action packed scenario always awaited
by the War & Peace public.

A situation often encountered by truckers in Vietnam, Rolling Thunder convoy despite its gun trucks was ambushed by the local VC.
Not a good move on the part of the VC, as US superior firepower was only minutes away in the form of a Napalm air raid.

For more fantastic photos, visit the WAR & PEACE SHOW website: http://www.warandpeace.uk.com/

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