I was the last NCOIC on the Gun Truck “THE MISFITS”. At about 10AM Feb 25TH 1972 halfway up the Mang Yang Pass we were ambushed hard. Much of it is still a blur in my mind. We had mixed it up before but nothing like this. I could hear bullets hitting the truck all over the left side, soon targets were available and all we had were twin 50’s, my single 50, and the drivers M79 plus his M60 were cleaning out the ditches an hillside. I do remember an ARVIN APC 50 yds away would not return fire. I remember being hit twice myself and the twin gunner had a bullet just under his collar bone through his chest. I don’t know his name he was a newbie that day but he kept with a hole in him. My driver was hit with some type of explosive but kept up the fight. Choppers came in and really cleaned up the hillside. All the tankers had made it through so we kept going to the top of the pass. At the top of the pass Dust off’s were coming and going, I managed to get my crew on them. For a moment I looked at the truck before the Dust off’s got me. The fuel tank was gone except for the bottom half which had a few gals of fuel, every stretcher we had between the cab and box were turned into tooth picks. The whole truck was shot to hell, just junk. I never saw my crew again. That night the mash unit in Plieku was in danger of being over run so everything was a blur. My drivers name was Esponoza, that I remember. After the Mash Unit I was taken back through Quin Nhon on the way out. I saw what was left of The Misfits, stripped and ready for transfer or junk yard. So to all who served on The Misfits maybe this will help. THE MISFIT’S FOUGHT TO THE END!!!

GEORGE ELLIS

5 Comments

  1. ed espinoza on May 7, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    I have bin trying to locate you till today I turn my computer to the 359 website glad I did. always thinking of you always

  2. ed espinoza on May 8, 2014 at 8:09 am

    hi there George read your comments on the ambush at the pass I’m still messed up my head and hearing. still fighting with V A. I would like to hear from you the crew and I always thought of you as a class act well George that’s it for now take care.

  3. ROBERT WALLACE on March 2, 2015 at 6:30 pm

    Hey George, I was driving one of the tankers that day and wanted to tell you that ya’ll did a hell of a job protecting us so we could get out of the kill zone. I left Vietnam three days after this ambush. The reason the APC with the ARVN’s in it didn’t return fire is that the VC had taken over all three APC’S on the pass that day.. Glad to hear you made it my friend. RIDE SAFE BROTHER…

  4. george ellis on March 8, 2018 at 9:34 pm

    thank you, I drove tanker for a month before signing on as ncoic on the misfits you drivers were th touch ones\. I tell my trk driving friends—-you ever see fuel tankeers push each other up a steep grade!!!! feel free to call 715 617 4123

  5. george ellis on October 22, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    does anybdy have any pictures of the misfits after the it last days feb 25 1952 thanks ncoic george ellis email 359sugarbear@gmail. com

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