With the advent of the Burn's documentary this evening I feel it's only proper for you SEA friends to give up some of your experiences [ stretching the truth a little is acceptable ] whether before a mentioned or not... I've been around for several years now and have been fortunate to call many of you my friends but there are also those of you I don't know well.. So if you'd be so kind to share your timeline,locations A/O locations combat related or not it would be most appreciated..No branch of service was exempt nor were invisible lines on a map separating adjoining countries not involved, therefore this evening as I watch I'll be thinking about ET and our joint adventure on and above Hill 474 in the An Lao valley...,Many thanks to all of you for your service under the most undesirable circumstances imaginable !

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",Many thanks to all of you for your service under the most undesirable circumstances imaginable !"

No kidding. You generation taught mine well. Thanks for your sacrifices and I am so sorry that idiots have unsettled the country and wrecked your homecoming.

Lest We Forget.

Jan '67-Feb '68 9th Div air-mobile 105 howitzers out of Rach Kien, about 20 miles SSE of Saigon. Extending my tour for 39 days (to get early out) placed me there for the big TET offensive.

Ever since I was a child I've had a very special place in my heart for Vietnam war veterans. I was born in 1971 so it's not a vivid memory but I remember my mom, dad and grandparents telling me how poorly our vets were treated. My dad was army post Korea and my grandpa was army during WWII and they'd have tears when telling me stories about our boys coming home and being spit on. I think that those stories are what fundamentally formed my opinions on leftists and veterans. I've bought more drinks for vets than I've bought for "friends" and I still want to kick every leftist in the throat so my early opinions haven't changed, they've merely been reinforced over the decades.

To all of you that served in that unpopular war I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I never fail to tear up when our friends here offer remembrances to their friends that made the ultimate sacrifice and as long as I draw a breath they won't be forgotten.

9/65-5/66 Bravo 229th AHB Bien Hoa, RSVN, door gunner ass & trash hauler. 4 trips in and out of LZ X-Ray on that first fateful day.

Spent a night in the bush with a few grunts on another hill so the chopper could haul the last wounded guy out. Burned up a bunch of belted 7.62 than night!

Set off a good sized mine with a commo jeep , it broke a bunch of my bones and gave me the gift of gas gangrene in the back of my left hand, ended up spending 6 months in the hospital, 5 surgeries on my hand then honorably discharged COG for medical reasons.

Well said. My sentiments exactly.

Thank you gentleman. Thank you very much.

As for me my timeline was early '69-'70 ..PhuCat AB RSVN. One of the newer AFB's constructed with heavily defended perimeters afforded by a complement of ROK grunts and a very noisy 105 battery ..Although heavily defended we still managed to be a 10 ring for Russian 122mm rockets and of course the biggest threat from coordinated motar attacks...I was a 21 year old junior NCO with only a few months time in grade,Spooky gunner/loader sometime flare kicker fresh from gunship training at Eglin AFB Florida,specifically Hurlburt Field West of Mary Ester home of the 4th SOS. Many stories come to mind of our CAS missions but as I previously mentioned the battle with ET { Jim } was one of the most memorable since we ran into each other here on the Fire after 41 years.

Most sobering for me was to learn just prior to my arrival we had two AC-47's bagged on the same day by NVA and VC forces during what was sometimes called the 'Little Tet" which changed our rules of engagement and overall combat flight OPS.. What I'm most proud of is the reference to our AC-47 experience.."No outpost or village under gunship protection was ever lost to the enemy." .We shared and owned the CAS skies in those days with Army "Snakes",Huey's and the small but highly maneuverable LOACH. and of course the Navy A1-E "Spad" and USAF "Sandy's"
Our aircrews really had it made after combat,back home good chow ,a warm dry bunk and cold beer at the club..I always felt bad for you grunts after returning from a mission to these luxuries..maybe not

Hey there Woody. Nice to see your smiling face here. Always enjoy your tales. At the time, I regretted not being allowed to visit over there, but now, I'm just as glad I did not.

Didn't know this about you Terry. Your stock just went up in my book...if thats possible.

Kudos.

Thanks Sam looking forward to finally shaking your hand in a few weeks.Remind me to show you a special 7.62 case I wear around my neck at all hunting trips.

I never did resent the protesters in any way. I came to the realization before I left the states that my friends were being killed for nothing. I knew that Viet Nam posed no threat to me nor anything important to me. Did the protesters get their fondest wish and the war was ended yesterday, nothing bad was going to happen and a whole lot of good would. Being in a very critical MOS I was held until the last minute and consequently flew into an AFB in Davis, Ca. I knew better than to leave for San Francisco in uniform so I had my fiance pick me up and drove there in civvies. I came back to Minnesota, put it all behind me and got on with my life.

When I first enlisted my PSG was a vietnam vet. That was back in 1989, because of you the public has been very much changed and great to us WOT vets. Your generation of Combat Vets have my greatest respect and admiration.

Thank you and God be will you.

May '71 to April 72', USRVICCV Long Bien. Was inspector general for computer supply systems from DMZ to Siagon. Sounded like a fun job when it was offered to me. Then I found out where all these computer systems were and realized why no officer wanted the job. Ha! Even knowing what I would go through, I would proudly do it again. ( At that age, of course.)

And yes, I was on the first flight out of Nam to land in Seattle.We landed at two in the morning and were met by angry people blaming us for killing women and children and in general being terrible people. Two weeks later I was in college, summer session, listening to my professors talk about how horrible our being in VN was. Interesting learning experience.

Thanks to everyone that honorably served from any branch and at any time.

I was a Loadmaster on C-130E's in RVN. Volunteered for two tours.

I loved the C-130's

My car..



This happened to one of the crews in our squadron...

They ALL lived in this one, but many others didn't... I vividly remember seeing the flash that killed 13 guys in the 50th at CCK when one of our planes augered in, 600 feet short in a bad fog.

Kaboom at Katum


God rest the souls that didn't get to come home

My FIL got plucked from flying bush planes to Kodiak and found himself in SE Asia from 1970-75. He flew for Air America and then spent his career flying for the US government in one form or fashion. He's been shot down a number of times in fixed and rotary wing aircraft. His Alzheimer's is such that we spend a lot of time talking about the old days since those are most deeply imbedded in his memory. If he'd have never gone I'd have never met my wife.

Ho Li......me and Terry were in the same unit, just different times.

B/2/17th Air Cav - May '69 thru Apr '70 Aero Scouts/Guns. I Corps
HHT/2/17th Air Cav - May '71 thru Feb '72 Slicks; I Corps
F/9th Air Cav - Mar '72 thru Apr '72; Aero Scouts; 3 Corps
B/229th AHC - Apr '72 thru Sep '72; Slicks/Night Hawk; 1 & 3 Corps
F/7/17th Air Cav - Sep '72- Dec '72; Aero Scouts/Slicks; 2 Corps
USA - Dec '72 - Present; REMF

DigitalDan, First thanks for your service! What are slicks versus aero?

They were all lucky that day.

You should read Dan's story. It's posted here on the fire, maybe Dan will share a link to it.

Slicks are Hueys. We used to say Slicks are for kids. After a ride to the Evac Hospital a fellow wouldn't say that. Slick crews had big balls.

Maybe someone has a thread link on the story, I can't find it and am limited to a cell phone at present because of Irma.

Gotcha....thanks.

My father was a physician at Cam Ranh Bay from January of 1968 to January of 1969. He put a lot of people back together, unfortunately there were a lot that he couldn't. He arrived right at the height of the Tet offensive and they were so busy that they couldn't process him for nearly a week. He slept on the ground outside the Officers Club when he could and decided to make himself useful by assisting a group of nurses that were triaging incoming wounded that were arriving from all over. Viet Nam was actually a blessing in disguise for him since when he returned and reported to the Mayo Clinic for his residency his superiors were so impressed with his skills and knowledge level, they waived his final year of requirements and allowed him to take all electives.

Link to Dan's story, a GREAT read...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...r/6585900/A_roll_of_the_dice#Post6585900

I was there all of '71. Spent the first three months or so being a regular FAC for the 173rd Airborne Brigade at LZ English up at the Bong Son Pass. Ran a bunch of airstrikes, saved a bunch of grunts, and had a few other adventures. Then was "invited" to "volunteer" for something else. What? They couldn't say. Just that I'd be picked up and taken there. "There" turned out to be a tiny compound outside the civilian airport at Ban Me Thuot, 25 miles from Cambodia. After I got the real, no kidding Mission Impossible speech, I flew the next nine months doing what was essentially spy work. Got shot at. A lot. Did things I could not talk about for the next couple of decades. And came home with no new holes in me.

Woody, have you ever figured out why you save the casings from your run at Hill 474?

Lots of miles from Danang up Hiway 1 and over Hai Van Pass. Phu Bai, Hue, Dong Ha. Khe Sanh ( 71 ), Lam Song 719. Chu Lai ,
An Hoa, Arizona Territory.

Semper Fi

Rocky, sounds like you and i could tell each other our stories then spend the next 6 months talking to the febs,and mil intel about what we said.
"at this point what does it matter?" still does to them i guess.

Wonderful places where I have participated in air shows for locals and visiting guests.

DMZ
Khe Sahn
A Shau
Laos
Bach Ma
DaNang
Chu Lai
Ben Het
Dak To
Kontum
Mang Yang Pass
An Loc

And numerous other places of small note.

Watching as I type....I think it was a combination of several reasons...First we weren't supposed to be there that evening but as it turned out were the only game in town since all other air assets were already heavily engaged. .. Hill 474 was an extremely hazardous" danger close" environment..After the call for help we had little or no time to set up our gun runs much less identify friendlies by their muzzle flashes vs the bad guys since the light show seemed to merge into one...The inbound approach wasn't more than a few hundred feet from the trees and was more than risky since we were well within small arms and RPG territory,strictly not SOP for a slow lumbering gunship out of its comfort zone.but our aircraft commander an old Korean War vet was determined to bring our guns to bear on a lopsided fire fight { ET's boys }.. I grabbed a big handful of spent cases when we landed because in reality we should have never made it back that night..we did however against all odds never taking one hit thanks to those guys on the ground that poured their last rounds on the enemy providing our cover fire..Without a doubt they saved an aircrew and should have all been decorated for their bravery under extreme duress.

edit to add..

We lucked out that night a little shaken but made it back in one piece without a friendly fire incident which would have haunted us the rest of our days..

Thanks for starting-and contributing to this thread Woody.

I read all 18 chapters of your first tour this evening. Truly amazing. First person narrative through the eyes of one who's lived the Vietnam War is invaluable and should be required reading. I hope you decide to write about your second tour and get it published. You honor those who can no longer give voice to those experiences.

Banshee 12, Iceman 3, and the rest of the men on this thread who fought in Vietnam;
Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

had my orders with everyone else.. and then was one of a couple that ended up getting sent elsewhere...

very last draft call, Oct 72....

my dad served 49 months over there, flying C 130s... Black Birds..guess he did the share for both of us...

To the campfire members who did go over there...

the war over there has been over for 42 years now....

and to this day, I just don't have the words to describe my respect and appreciation of what you
boys went thru.... and all of you so damned young....

and lets not forget the 58.000 young men who never returned home alive...many who couldn't even
buy a beer legally in their home state...

God Bless each one of you gentlemen...

Myself and a bunch of fellow 815th Eng. crew of the replica Wild Thing Guntruck just spent 4 days in Kokomo In. with about 10,000+/- Viet Vets for the 35th Howard County Reunion. They tell us it's the largest Vietnam Vet reunion in the country. 900+ camp sites ---- different bands on stage into the night. --- Web

My Dad was killed on March 15, 1968 near a place called Thu Duc.

B CO, 1ST BN, 18TH INFANTRY, 1ST INF DIV, USARV

Thanks for finding and posting this link. I read it several years ago and have been wanting to do so again, but didn't know where to find it.

That's a tough act to follow. My condolences Larry. Your father is a true American hero.

I was never in Viet Nam. I enlisted in June, 1973 and pretty much the entire war had been turned over to the South by then. I was at a nuclear missile base in March and April 1975 in Alaska. Typically every 3 weeks we went on "hot" status that required us to be the Battery to be ready to fire missiles at the Presidents call. We also usually went on "hot" status when ever anyone burped or farted anywhere in the middle east especially if it involved Israel. Not just our Battery but all 3 Battery's would go "hot" is there was any issues in the middle east.

However, it was obvious that the South was in trouble when President Ford did nothing once the North started South. Our first thoughts were we would be on "hot" status until either America went back in to rescue the South or the South fell to the North. We did nothing out of the normal. Other than going on our normal rotation of "hot", we did nothing. Needless to say, the former VN vets at the Battery were greatly disappointed. Those of us who were never there, were also greatly disappointed, especially for those who had been there and had know good men who fell while serving America. It was a tough time all the way around. Many hearts were broken.

kwg

I served two tours, from March of '69 to March of '71, with VMF214, the Black Sheep Squadron;

Served the first year at LZ Siberia. What was a Marine air winger doing in an Army firebase you ask? I asked the same thing. The answer; I was following orders.

Once they figured out that they could better use their highly trained asset actually doing what they trained me to do, they sent me to Chu Lai where I spent five months and then seven months at DaNang.

Chu Lai and DaNang was pretty good duty. I would rather forget about LZ Siberia.

KC

So sorry for your loss must have been tough growing up without your dad...

And he watches over you from Valhalla.

Sorry for your loss. Somewhere down the road I'll hope to meet him at Fiddler's Green.

If we ever get power and cable back I'll post the second tour "stunt shooting" chronicles.

If you ever publish those shorts I want an autographed copy and no I ain't payin ya !

http://museum.vhpa.org/17thcav/2ndsquad/2ndsquadbtroop.shtml

If you do post the second tour, please PM me because I don't want to miss them...

Will post it here on this thread. Just informed we have power, will return home tomorrow.

If any of you look into the VHPA link above and pursue to link to the B Troop web page you will see a story link and casualty link for the troop during the Nam years. The former contains writings from a number of my sabre rattling peers and an edited rendering of a diary I kept that year. The latter is a list much longer than I care to contemplate, repleat with irony I cannot describe adequately.

Dan

I'm looking forward to the post of your second tour, DD. The one you posted of your first tour was OUTSTANDING! I still think you should write a book based on your experience. I for one would be one of the first to buy a copy. And thanks for your Service Sir!!!

first off, Your Dad is my Brother. He is in great company. Grunts.
Next off, 474 and my "night with Woody" was intense. Spent a whole lot of my tour crawling on the ground trying not to get shot(didn't work, I was hit). Learned how to really fight. A couple of the guys here got to read some of my battalions after action reports before they disappeared from the 'Net. They have a very good idea of what "intensity" and "frequency" mean in regards to being in action. I lost my 2 best friends 8 days apart. I learned how to pick men I could depend on. I knew real Heroes.

Gentlemen,

The link below will provide access to the story in PDF format. The site is my own, mostly quiet as there is not a vast number of gun cranks pursuing esoteric arts in the shooting community. Ironically, the technology disconnect between the site and subject provides for document downloads and will expedite putting this on the table.

The first segment of the story is referenced in one of the links above and ends O/A page 68. The rest was published in fits and starts in the .223 AI thread down in the cellar a couple years back, and done so in context of "stunt shooting". It is a hodgepodge back and forth between tours that eventually segways into elements of the Spring '72 offensive and ultimately my departure from Nam. The format allowed my to divest myself of some of the baggage in bits and drabs. Frame tour 2 in context of a rolling draw down of US troop presence, much higher risks to our troops and a battle against enhanced presence and capabilities of the NVA. It took me two years over there to appreciate why the French named one of their roads "The Street Without Joy".

http://wyomingschuetzenunion.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2256#Post2256

When you open the link you will see another document link at the bottom that will present the document in whole. Between page 68 and the beginning of the Stunt Shooting Chronicles there are miscellaneous discussions related to the broader issues in Vietnam, LBJ etc. The Chronicles begin at the bottom of page 71 (electronic, not annotated) with a brief introduction and is labeled "Chapter One". Discussion specific to the second tour begins on document/electronic page 113.

Dan

Dan, two thank you's. Thank you for you and all veterans for your service, and thank you, perhaps as much, for writing this down and allowing us to read it. It has led me to a better understanding and appreciation of your (our honored veterans) courage and sacrifice. Thank you, thank you.

I feel exactly as Dutch.