"I Got One!" Republic of Vietnam 1967

[James O'Leary]

Hello All!

Life has been pretty hectic ever since we received our extremely short notice for our upcoming deployment so the time available for me to work on this project has been quite minimal. Because of this, I opted to forego completing the dead NVA/VC that I had started to sculpt for this project and went with creating a wedge-like part of a dead VC to give the viewer the impression of a dead enemy Soldier while keeping within the limits of the base. Finally it is done! I wish it could have been completed by the time of the Lone Star Figure Show so I could have had my wife enter it by proxy since I had to be at Camp Shelby at the time of the show, but at least it is finished. Unfortunately, this will be the last project I complete until I return from deployment.

Below are pictures of the vignette from various angles and sizes. The American Infantryman is wearing the 2d pattern jungle fatigues and standard M1956 web gear along with jungle boots and a locally purchased ERDL camouflage boonie hat. The ejection port cover is still open and the bolt is forward after having fired some rounds at the VC that his unit came across while on patrol. It took a little while for the exchange of gunfire between forces ended allowing a pool of blood to start forming under the dead VC. He is giving the "thumbs up" sign to one of his fellow Soldiers to indicate that he made it through the firefight OK.

In the pictures you can see the exact pattern of the ERDL camouflage that I had copied directly from a boonie hat that my father brought back from Vietnam, the markings on the smoke grenade, dirt on the uniform, dirty scuffed up boots, exit wounds coming out the back of the VC, and the pool of blood forming under him.
The groundwork is terra cota miliput textured with an old toothbrush, paper jungle jungle plants from J's Work, and various dried flower and plant products from craft stores.
Here are the pictures.





























Take care and have a great day.
Cheers,
James