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Candidate William Feleciano, Class 12-66

US Army Signal Corps OCS    -  A Short Update, As At March of 2014  -    US Army Signal Corps OCS

Received by eMail From Candidate Feleciano...

Candidate William Feleciano - OCS Class 12-66I served in South Vietnam from July 1968 to August 1969 with the 701st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Infantry Division as Communications Officer, Material Section. Primary duties were responsibility of the Maintenance/Repair Oversight of all communication devices, including electronic devices in the 1st Infantry Division. 

One time General Smith, ADC for Tactics, met with me and asked me to help design and build a device that could detonate Claymore mines simultaneously. The reason stated was that in ambushes there were numerous premature bursts being caused by soldiers, which resulted in deadly night and day firefights.

General Smith gave me a deadline of 30 days to complete the device. I was given the project at about 12:00 PM  that particular day and was able to have the device completed by 6:00 PM the same day.

I instructed our "Sheet Metal Shop" to construct a cover with fasteners that would fit on the AN/PRC-25 Battery Box and to operate the device as a unit. On the top of the cover, ten (10) M-57 firing devices (cannibalized) were installed and wired to one connector that would be inserted in the AN/ PRC-25 Battery. Two toggle switches were installed on the cover (operated in parallel in the event one malfunctioned) to control the firing of the device. Also, a rubber hose (provided as an accessory) with a small incandescent bulb positioned on one end of the tube was used to check the firing device at night under the cover of darkness. The tube prevented the enemy from seeing the light.

The device was camouflaged-painted and the name of “Animal” was painted on one side of the device.

I presented the device to Colonel Earnest Deadwiler, Battalion Commander, 701st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, at the 7:30 PM during the evening briefing, and was asked why the name “Animal”.

1st Infantry Division - VietnamI responded that “It kills without a conscience!”

I tested the device two days later at a Base Camp, Oran. All of the 1st Infantry Division Brigade Commanders, subordinate Commanders, and many others were sitting in the bleachers as I made my presentation.

I was instruction by Brigadier General Smith to set the device off as I made my presentation. Be mindful that 10 clay-mores were primed and I was thrilled to see the effect it produced when it was fired. Many Officers jumped off their seats. The device was eventually called a "multiple Claymore detonator".

General Smith was pleased to say the least! Eventually, 400 devices were made for the 1st Infantry Division. I can only guess that the outcome was in our favor.

William K. Feleciano
Major USA Retired

Claymore Mine - Vietnam

This page originally posted 1 March, 2014 


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