That's the right date for a Vietnam used T53. Very cool to have the plaque. I bought one that is similar to yours but no plaque. Very likely a Vietnam bringback as well
Sewer bore and zero finish.
http://1-14th.com/Vietnam/Archives/MACV Reports/VietnamCombatOperations-1967 d8562.pdf26 Sep.-21 Oct.
Operation: AKRON III
Location: Base Area 303 (Hat Dich Secret Zone), Phuoc Tuy
and Bien Hoa Provinces.
Type: search and destroy, land clearing.
Controlling headquarters:1st Bde, 9th Inf Div. Task
organization: 4-39 Inf, B/2-47 Inf (M), 3-5 Cav, 1-11 Art, 2/48
ARVN Bn, 52nd ARVN Rgr Bn.
Intelligence: 274th PLAF Rgt.
Execution: AKRON III was a continuation of land clearing and
search and destroy operations in Base Area 303 (Hat Dich
Secret Zone). Contact with the enemy was light and sporadic
throughout the operation but the largest known weapons cache
in the III CTZ to date was discovered, contacting over 200,000
rounds of small arms, 1,022 small arms and 125 crew served
weapons.
Operation Akron
The wiki article says Operation Akron was conducted in June 1967. The plaque denotes Akron III in October 1967, so I guess they liked the first one so much the did it twice more.
I love the typo in the plaque on the rifle. <cough cough> something-something Army <cough cough> Gotta love Big Green!
ETA: I'm seeing references to Akron V in Jan 68, so I guess they really did like it.
ETA2:
http://1-14th.com/Vietnam/Archives/MACV Reports/VietnamCombatOperations-1967 d8562.pdf
... Also, forgive my ignorance but what is the typo? “Husky” instead of “Hotel”?
"ACKRON" vs "AKRON".
... “Husky” instead of “Hotel”?
. Husky Charlie, as the unit was known throughout the operationel area,was the first 155mm SP artillery battery committed to the conflict in the
Mekong Delta.
Nope, non matching. It seemed that the 60's productions went to Vietnam. They produced these in the early 50's and those didn't seem to make it to Vietnam and were brought into the US by a specific Importer. I haven't seen too many 1960 that were import marked.Yeah it seems most T53 bringback’s are 1960 date. Nice one you have there. Very cool pieces of history! Is yours all matching numbers? Mine is all matching besides the bolt.