Thank you for sharing them. My wife's great-uncle doesn't talk about his experiences and neither does my great- uncle. Too hard after this many years and with someone who wasn't there, it is hard for them to be open.

@MadMardigan

John Bobo MoH Article

That is one of the most fucked up stories I've come across. Not the part where Clyde let those boys in and back out again, but the rest. That shit is so completely fucked, it's almost hard to believe.

"Where do we find such men?..."

54 years ago today:

February 16, 1968, U.S. Marines fighting at the Citadel in Hue, South Vietnam.

"Holding a bandage to a neck wound, a Marine stood guard at the window, his rifle at the ready. As North Vietnamese soldiers surrounded the villa, another wounded Marine recited the Lord's Prayer."

Is there a web site where one can track down a soldier's station/location when he was kia? I lost an uncle in nam when I was about ten. I was told he enlisted in the Army, wanted to be in engineer division like his father, age 17, turned 18 within days of arriving in bootcamp. I remember my grandfather being upset even though he served in ww2, Army.  If I remember right bootcamp time was expedited then. I was told he died just 3 days into his first mission but no-one seems to know where that was. Apparently they would put new arrivals on point as seasoned soldiers were more valuable to the mission, he tripped a landmine, it was almost a closed casket service. He received a PH for saving those behind him on that path. I understand there were many many young men who had very little idea what awaited them in that jungle. I have always wondered where he was stationed, what mission or perhaps what hill or area he lost his life on.
Ive always been intrigued by that war, much respect to those and their families that paid the ultimate price. Thank you, sincerely, to those who made it back.
   Is there any place that info can be traced?

https://www.virtualwall.org

May have some info.

It was helpful, def filled in some blanks. Thank you kindly. I knew of the wall but had no idea it would have these stats.


Jack Howard Smith
ON THE WALL:Panel 16E Line 71
This page Copyright© 1997-2018 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd.
PERSONAL DATA:
 Home of Record:Salisbury, MD
 Date of birth:03/01/1948
MILITARY DATA:
 Service Branch:Army of the United States
 Grade at loss:E3
 Rank:Private First Class
Promotion Note:None
 ID No:11568741
 MOS:36K20: Tactical Wire Operations Specialist
 Length Service:00
 Unit:HHC, 1ST BN, 2ND INFANTRY, 1ST INF DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
 Start Tour:02/21/1967
 Incident Date:03/13/1967
 Casualty Date:03/13/1967
 Status Date:Not Applicable
 Status Change:Not Applicable
 Age at Loss:19
 Location:Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam
 Remains:Body recovered
 Repatriated:Not Applicable
 Identified:Not Applicable
 Casualty Type:Hostile, died outright
 Casualty Reason:Ground casualty
 Casualty Detail:Multiple fragmentation wounds
 URL: https:/www.VirtualWall.org/ds/SmithJH02a.htm
 Data accessed:2/16/2022

Poor guy didn't make it a month.  

Piggyback 81mm mortar and .50 cal

death dealing duo

@SeanC

Can I look up a living relative somewhere and see his service record?

None that I know of online, but you can request them from the gov't online.  I think you have to have the vet's permission to get much though.

Last summer we did our 50th year reunion of my old infantry company.  It was actually 51 years but the reunion was not held last year due to some pandemic.  Anyway, I am guessing it will be my last.  It was great to see these grunts for one last time.  Our squad's tunnel rat, Pee Wee, asked us to call him on Facetime as he was quite sick, and we did so, but we reached his sister who told us he had passed away a day before.  That was a kick in the guts.

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I am kneeling first row, our captain is the old guy in shorts on the first row.  Great group of men, proud we could get together these past few years for sure.  Our reunion is of the men in the company who served in 69-70 in both Vietnam and Cambodia.

Edited repeatedly due to OP's inability to spell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Junction_City?fbclid=IwAR3QFsaenGAMhA2omm1sSCXEl-fSza0pGL90-a4bYw47FVNFmovQsNndvvk

55 years ago today.

I dunno about the safety pin holding the watch, but her other pocket has a no-shit shower curtain rod hanger holding some of her other gear. She also appears to be wearing a Montagnard bracelet.

I also see that white boards with magic marker lines drawn with yardsticks were a thing even back in the day.

What a neat photo.

There were a lot of counterfeit Seiko watches around back then...every kid selling dumb GIs anything had an arm full of them...
I bought one for fih dollah and first time I got it wet it filled up with water and quit working...
Fooled me once...nevah again.

I know of a couple that quit nursing after VN too...
One married an E-5 friend but they ended up divorced two people with PTSD under the same roof...an all that...it was pretty sad for all concerned.
Took her a while but she is still with us and doing ok...dropped the nurse thing and picked up a horse gig...

Today's remembrance is for Captain Mike Getlin, awarded the Navy Cross. Mike was the bravest Marine My dad personally, witnessed in battle, and have always felt his award should be the Medal of Honor. What Mike's citation falls to mention, is he refused to leave, his seriously, wounded radio operators, and move to a more protected position. He stayed with them, protecting them while throwing back the many Chicom grenades landing, all around him.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

Michael Peter Getlin
DATE OF BIRTH: 26-Oct-39
HOME OF RECORD:
La Grange, Illinois
AWARDS BY DATE OF ACTION:1 of 1


Navy Cross
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Captain
Battalion: 3d Battalion
Division: 3d Marine Division (Rein.) FMF
GENERAL ORDERS:
Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals


CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Michael Peter Getlin (MCSN: 0-86661), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer, Company I, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 30 March 1967. The company was engaged in establishing platoon night ambush sites against communist insurgent forces in Quang Tri Province when all elements became engaged simultaneously, and the company's command group and a small security element were attacked by a North Vietnamese reinforced company utilizing heavy automatic weapons fire and mortar barrages. Captain Getlin, despite multiple shrapnel and gunshot wounds, while under constant mortar and small-arms fire, remained on the exposed forward slope of the hill where he calmly called in artillery fire and directed helicopter strikes on the advancing enemy. When the attack built to the point of overrunning the Marine position, Captain Getlin moved to the most critical position and delivered devastating shotgun fire into the assaulting enemy. The barrel of his weapon split due to the rate of fire. With complete disregard for the danger involved, he reloaded and continued to fire, personally killing at least six enemy soldiers. Realizing that the position was not tenable, Captain Getlin directed his men to move to a better position while he covered their move. At this time three grenades fell within his immediate position. He threw one grenade back at the enemy and was mortally wounded attempting to retrieve the others. As a result of his professional ability, extraordinary courage, and stirring example, the Marines gained the new position and repulsed the enemy attack of over sixty North Vietnamese. Captain Getlin's great personal valor reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

More from Jack:

Today's India Company, 3/9 hero is John (Jack) Loweranitis. Jack was a fighter in every sense, of the word, choosing to go, to the field, with his brother Marines, rather than accepting, the offer to stay back, at Camp Carroll, due to his impending rotation. Sadly, Jack was killed in action, on the very day, he was originally, due to be discharged, from active duty. Jack was awarded two Valor medals, both posthumously, the Silver Star for September 5, 1966, and the Navy Cross for March 30, 1967. He was a friend who volunteered to help my squad, when we needed it most! That was Jack! He didn't even wait for me to ask, he just knew what we were up against, and didn't hesitate. General Butch Neal and I were honored to be invited, by the Marine Corps, to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony, of a new barracks, at Camp Geiger, NC, honoring Jack's devotion to duty. Now, every new infantryman will know, and appreciate the sacrifice of this American Marine hero.

John Leon Loweranitis
DATE OF BIRTH: 28-Dec-44
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Du Bois, Pennsylvania
HOME OF RECORD:
Du Bois, Pennsylvania
AWARDS BY DATE OF ACTION:1 of 2


Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Corporal
Battalion: 3d Battalion
Division: 3d Marine Division (Rein.), FMF
GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Corporal John Leon Loweranitis (MCSN: 2052170), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company I, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on September 3, 1966. Company I, reinforced with two Ontos (tracked vehicles bearing six mounted recoilless rifles), was conducting a search and destroy mission against the Viet Cong guerilla forces, at an estimated strength of two companies, in the vicinity of An Hoa. After the sixty-millimeter mortar team of which Corporal Loweranitis was an ammunition man had expended all of its ammunition, he boarded an Ontos that was under heavy enemy fire with its commander and machine gun out of action. He took charge and personally backed the vehicle out of the only landing zone that could be used for a medical evacuation helicopter. He then crossed open ground, boarded the remaining vehicle, taking over as its commander and machine gunner. He directed the vehicle forward of the position where the first vehicle was hit and delivered suppressive fire into the enemy-held wood line that was holding up his platoon and preventing evacuation of five casualties. Through his heroic actions, the medical evacuation was completed and the platoon was able to advance and inflict many enemy casualties. He stayed on as Ontos commander and gunner for the remaining three hours of the fire fight, maneuvering the Ontos and delivering effective fire into the Viet Cong positions and anchoring the platoon's exposed left flank throughout the action. Corporal Loweranitis' initiative and courageous actions reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
****************************
John Leon Loweranitis
DATE OF BIRTH: 28-Dec-44
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Du Bois, Pennsylvania
HOME OF RECORD:
Du Bois, Pennsylvania
AWARDS BY DATE OF ACTION:2 of 2


Navy Cross
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Corporal
Battalion: 3d Battalion
Division: 3d Marine Division (Rein.) FMF
GENERAL ORDERS:
Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal John Leon Loweranitis (MCSN: 2052170), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Company Messenger of Company I, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 30 March 1967. The company was engaged in establishing platoon night ambush sites against communist insurgent forces in the Quang Tri Province when the company command group and a small security element were attacked by a North Vietnamese reinforced company utilizing heavy automatic weapons and mortar fire. At the initiation of the action Corporal Loweranitis moved through intense fire to the 60-mm. mortar position, reorganized the crew and delivered effective fire on the machine gun positions that were raking the Marine positions. When the mortar ammunition was expended he again exposed himself to small-arms fire and grenades as he moved from position to position evacuating wounded to the reverse slope of the hill. When the North Vietnamese Army attempted to overrun the Marine positions, he moved to the most threatened point and personally accounted for five enemy kills. Although wounded by small-arms fire and grenade fragments on two separate occasions, he refused to leave his position and resolutely covered the withdrawal of the command group to a more tenable position until he fell, mortally wounded. His heroic action, with complete disregard for his own life, allowed the Marines to gain the new position and account for numerous enemy casualties. By his outstanding courage, exceptional fortitude and valiant fighting spirit, Corporal Loweranitis served to inspire all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

While the Navy Cross is no joke, This should be a MOH, IMHO. That sort of unyielding bravery fighting the enemy close up while covering other’s escape/repositioning is pure dedication to duty and his fellow troops. It goes far beyond what almost anyone could imagine.

I agree. The bottom line is his selfless acts, resulting in the willing sacrifice of his own life, saved men and turned the tide of the battle. Am I missing something? What is lacking?

Who writes it up, how they write it and circumstances matter.  A lot of guys never got anything but a grave.  Even if the officer was an excellent writer of good credibility, if he is killed, then the soldier whom was to be written up goes unrecognized.  This happens all the time.

There's a bronze statue honoring the women who served in D.C.  It faces the wall.

A woman's contribution especially in nursing should not be dismissed lightly.  During the American Civil War, it was found that men survived oor recovered faster when women were present.  It helps their morale and that's a big factor.

Then again, there's an incident involving a German nurse and an one arm landser who is returning from the front:

We're reading the write up. It reads like a MOH citation to me.

It does.

That's where circumstances comes into play.  To buoy national morale & after a national disaster, 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders of Rorke's Drift and MacArthur got his when he had his azz handed to him in the Philippines (and then denied one to Johnathan Wainwright).

General Wainwright received the MOH on 10 September 1945.

My mom was trained at a local non military hospital as a RN . This was towards the end of WWII in some gov program . As it turned out the gov had too many nurses by that time so she just went into regular (non military) nurse type work. By the time I was old enough to see what was going on she only worked part time , mostly Red Cross blood banks. Part of her routine in getting into her uniform was safety pinning a watch to her uniform. When I asked her about it she said that was the way she was taught. Had something to do with washing her hands and wrists without having to mess with a wrist watch . She has been gone for many years but I wonder if the whole watch as a pin thing is true for most nurses many years ago?

Shocking news from Jack Riley today.  General Richard (Butch) Neal, Retired Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and member of our India 3/9 family passed away today.  General Neal earned his first Silver Star as an Artillery Observer assigned to India Company on March 30, 1967 at the Battle of Getlin's Corner.  He would go on to earn a Second Silver Star  a couple of years later while serving as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Marines.  Whenever we needed anything from the Marine Corps for our reunions and ran into roadblocks, one call to "Butch" and the roadblocks vanished.  You are now "inside the wire" sir..Semper Fi..Carry On.

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I got to meet Butch a few years ago at Paris Island, he was a very good man, and very well respected.

And when he died he went to Heaven, because he had spent his time in hell.  May he rest in peace.

So Jack whose stories I share, has finally accepted his recommendation for the Silver Star.

From Jack:

To all who have sent messages responding to our son, Sam's post; no military decoration is possible without the men with whom we served. I just happen to be the beneficiary of their combined actions of valor. I never felt worthy of any decoration, after losing six Marines with my squad at Getlin's Corner, and my feelings have not changed. It was only through the encouragement of my sons, that I agreed to let any recommendation move forward by some dear Marine Corps brothers. I truly appreciate their efforts on my behalf, and regret some of those brothers are now guarding the gates of Glory, before I could express my deepest appreciation for their recommendations. God bless them all! To my Marine Corps brothers who were at Getlin's Corner; thank you because your actions allowed me to live a life so richly blessed by God Almighty, and return home to my wonderful wife, Jennie Lou. I love you all!
Thank you all for your many kind words!

From Jack:

The worst day of my life was March 30, 1967. I was pleading with God to guide me over and over. I know he heard me the first time, but it just kept popping into my mind in between everything else happening on Hill 70.

God was faithful to my prayers, but it took me many years to forgive myself for the lives lost that night. Why my life was spared when so many of my friends perished is difficult for all combat veterans to live with. It is now called survivor's guilt! This was something we just kept hidden away hoping with time it would disappear. I kept asking myself, what could I have done different? My answer was always the same, nothing! An artillery round, a mortar round, or a bullet, once fired has a trajectory to complete. If there is life in the impact target, it ceases to be in this realm! If our presence is proximate, we are wounded in various degrees of severity.

It was the survivor's guilt, after leaving the war, that became so difficult to heal. Even now, there are 22 veterans each day choosing to end their lives, because they cannot deal with effects of combat, or Police service. I chose many years ago to compartmentalize those portions of my military service, where friends' lives were lost. I love those brothers, and I have finally reached a point in my life, where I can talk about them without becoming too emotional. You must understand that we could not allow ourselves a time to grieve in Vietnam, because each day required our utmost attention to our orders, and survival. We could not grieve for brothers, we in some cases, had lived and suffered with for many months.

Sadly, that grief wasn't dealt with for decades, in some cases. For too many, that grief played out in the everyday lives of veterans, and their families. Family members recognized something was wrong, but did not know how to even begin to help. The Vets felt they couldn't talk to family because they couldn't understand. They opened up only to those who had been there, done that!

Back in the 1980s, I met a man at a function for Marines only. It was a reception for the newly appointed Commandant of the Marine Corps. We were all in business suits, with name tags. I had a short man walk up to me, and ask where I was when I received my Purple Heart. He was pointing to the small pin I always wore in my lapel. This pin served as a constant reminder of all the Marines who died in my company. I told him I was in Vietnam.
Get any more?
Two more and that was enough. I look at his name tag which read "Gene Sledge." I quickly asked, are you Sledgehammer?
He answered yes.
Sir, I read your book and it was outstanding. I loaned it to other Marines to read and the last one, whose name I can't even remember, never returned it.
"Too bad," he said!
Three days later I received a personalized and signed autograph copy of his book. I do not loan this one out!


For those who do not know who Dr. Eugene B. Sledge is, well as the young son of a medical doctor during the 1940s, he joined the Marine Corps, and was assigned as a 60mm mortarman in Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He was simply a walking legend after penning his autobiography of World War Two, "With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa." Gene and I became good friends after that, and he was always asking questions about how we operated in the jungles? When I tried asking him a question, he would quickly turn the subject back to me.

He was a professor of biology at The University of Montevallo, and we tried to have lunch together whenever possible. He was deeply concerned that I had not dealt with the issues of seeing so much of the horrors of combat, and of seeing your best friends cut to pieces in battle. Having read Gene's book, I was fully aware of the struggles he had endured after the war. He, being a Marine, and now a good friend, did not want me suffering the same mistakes he had made. I don't ever think I fully convinced him I had dealt with it.

He asked, "have you discussed what happened to you with your wife and sons?" My answer was no, and he said, "then you haven't dealt with it!" How could I talk about something so violent as war and death to my wife? It is terrible seeing loved ones in a casket, much less talking about mangled bodies from artillery, rockets, mortars, and grenades. Even some large caliber bullets explode a body on impact.


The many conversations I had with Gene, helped me learn to cope at a time most meaningful for me. I would soon thereafter be reconnecting with brother Marines for the first time since Vietnam. Gene cared so much that I not suffer, and now it was time that I start paying that forward for other combat veterans.


Since Gene's passing, I have talked to many friends who were students of his in college. They all loved him, and his love of nature. They had no idea what he had endured during World War Two.


HBO decided to do a movie honoring the service of men who fought in the Pacific Theater during WW2. They choose two books for their authenticity, to base the movie on; "With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa," and "Helmet for my Pillow" by Marine Robert Leckie. The title of the HBO series was "The Pacific" and I would recommend it to everyone. The series dealt with Gene's then unnamed condition of Post-Traumatic Stress.


We Vietnam combat veterans have kept a promise we made to each other. We will never allow America's future warriors to be disgraced as were Vietnam veterans. Our country's foreign policy, along with the desires of political leaders, and the President, decide where our military will be used. The Grunt has no say, but it is the Grunt who kicks in the doors, and shoots the bad guys! It is the Grunts who fight the ground wars in foreign lands. It is the Grunt who dies for his country! We owe our utmost respect to ALL who put their lives on the line for America! Then when they leave honorable military service, provide them all of the benefits promised when they first joined.


I know Marines who have just given up on trying to get benefits from the VA. The VA refuses to admit that many clerical errors were made during our wars. Men were wounded yet kept fighting just so they and their friends could live. They were never tagged by a Corpsman, and since the wound received no medical treatment except by another Marine, then the VA says it never happened!


I had a very good Marine buddy named John (Jack) Madden. Jack was the Squad Leader of 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, and it was Jack's squad who first reached our hilltop's last-stand position on Hill 70, better know as Getlin's Corner. Jack had been wounded by a Chi-Com grenade during their rush to get to our position. There were 15 dead and 46 Marines wounded that day and night. Given that many casualties, Jack saw his wound as minor in the scheme of things. Still, he was wounded in battle, and should have been awarded a Purple Heart Medal. Jack's later years found him suffering several problems associated to our company's ongoing exposure to Agent Orange, a cancer-causing defoliant heavily used in our area of operations. Jack finally received a terminal diagnosis, cancer of his kidneys that had metastasized. Devastating news to his wife and we Marines. Jack's desire was to receive the one earned medal he had been refused by the machinery at the Department of the Navy. It took the intervention of a former 4 Star General and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, who just happened to have taken over Jack's platoon that night, to attest to the fact he had indeed been wounded! The Marine Corps then made a formal presentation to him as only they can do. Jack passed away shortly after that presentation. Sadly, not every Marine has a 4 Star General fighting fights for them.
Semper Fidelis still means something very special to us!

I've really enjoyed everyone sharing their stories.

My father and some of my uncles and older cousins were over there.
My wife and I have been watching Bob Hope's Christmas Shows from VN on Youtube
and they really bring us back to when we were kids and all that was going on.

Both our fathers were in the USAF back then.

Does anyone have personal photos of M38A1 or M38 jeeps in Vietnam they can share?

Branch doesn't matter, Army, USMC, USAF & Navy all welcome. Even ARVN too.

This is an epic thread guys please keep posting your stuff !!!!

A friend who passed away last year.

Jerry Duvall

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Served as a Game Warden here in GA. Here is a song he wrote for the new cadets to hear while attending GPSTC  DNR training in the early years.

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Bumping this thread with some history



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Saigon

Hard to believe this thread is over 11 years old already.

Yesterday's Thread


https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/April-30-1975-Saigon-falls-and-South-Vietnam-surrenders-to-the-communists-/5-2641656/

From Jack:

My First Ambush

Ambush: To attack by surprise from a hidden place.

Conducting nightly ambushes was part of a Grunt's daily routine at Platoon/Company/Battalion Bases in Vietnam for all Marine Corps line companies. Line companies involved in ongoing operations, typically, would only conduct ambushes utilizing at least a squad or more in size. But two-man Listening Post situated away from the company were the norm.

When I joined India Company 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, my platoon's mission was the protection of the An Hoa Combat Base located about fourteen miles southwest of DaNang. Our battalion was under the operational control of the 5th Marine Regiment at that time. My squad would patrol sectors surrounding the base during daily hours and man defensive positions each night.

We were not at An Hoa, our battalion's rear area, for long before replacing another 3/9 line company at an outpost named Phu Lac 6, six miles North of An Hoa and along the Eastern bank of the Song Thu Bon River where a new supply road from DaNang to An Hoa, named Liberty Road, was under construction by our engineers. Phu Lac 6 was the location of a planned new bridge, but crossing the wide river was now by way of a large ferry barge while we were there.

At daybreak each morning, some Marines were dispatched as road security for the engineers using metal detection equipment, sweeping the road before any traffic was allowed to travel in either direction. My squad often found and marked mines ahead of the engineers to remove and detonate. If it did not rain the night before, my squad found these mines more easily. If it had rained, all signs of enemy presence had been destroyed by the rain.

Resupply convoys from DaNang could then use the road so long as Marine security protection was attached. Still, local VC would shoot at the convoys with rifles and machine guns. Fortunately, during our time on Liberty Road security, the VC had not started using their RPG rockets to destroy the first and last vehicles in a convoy.

The nightly mining of Liberty Road by the VC continued to escalate with more powerful mines capable of destroying trucks rather than merely blowing off a wheel. They were then using command-detonated mines instead of the more numerous pressure plate box mines. Mines planted over metal culverts utilized command-detonated 105 and 155mm artillery shells. The metal detectors used by our engineers could not distinguish between the two metals, so it took us grunts to find the buried wires to prevent a catastrophic explosion and loss of life. Then again, the Marines tracing the source of the wires were always subject to themselves' being ambushed by the VC team seeking to detonate their mine.

There was no way we had enough men to cover miles of exposed dirt road every night from would-be saboteurs. The VC did like to use certain avenues of approach to the road, which gave them the most concealment, so it just made sense that we set ambushes at those locations. But our movement after dark was just as exposed as they were! They had the advantage because they knew exactly where we were, and our routes away from the patrol base were limited, unlike themselves. We understood they knew we had limited departure routes available from Phu Lac 6.

Each of our three squads had specific daily requirements on a rotating basis. Two squads performed day-long patrols with anywhere from 8 to 12 checkpoints each. The remaining squad provided patrol base security and working parties to reinforce the defensive positions. The same squad provided night security each night while the other two squads provided fire team ambushes, two each night with a rest in between. The next night, it was perimeter security, with each team rotating watch. Meaning we were on ambushes two out of every three nights.

My fire team leader for my first night ambush was Mongoose Mizner. He, Curtis Jones, and I made up the first fire team of the second squad, second platoon. I was also acting as the squad's radioman at that time. During our daytime security sweep of Liberty Road, I found footprints of several VC leading to and away from the road. I discussed it with Mongoose, and we thought the approach would be a good ambush site for that night. Upon our return to Phu Lac 6, we discussed it with Sergeant Bob Hickey, our Squad Leader, S/Sgt Guy Hodgkins, our Platoon Sergeant, and Lt. John Bobo, our Platoon Leader. They concurred, and after selecting our site map coordinates, we met with our mortar section, who would supply supporting fire if needed.

It was a moonless, cloud-covered night as we three left our perimeter en route to our ambush site. We moved as stealthy as possible, but the blackness of night made our movement much slower. As we approach our chosen site, the clouds roll away, and we regain more of our much-needed night vision. We hear the sounds of our Foxtrot 2/12 Artillery Battalion's H&I (Harassment and Interdiction) fire far off in the distance, impacting what could be avenues of approach the enemy might use to our various line company positions.

We have reached the outskirts of one of the many My Loc hamlets. This one is deserted after our earlier July 4th battle. Mongoose is on my right, Curtis is on my left, and I have the radio in the middle. We each have our M14 rifles, all with the full automatic selector.

Sitting, mostly laying, in a good position, providing adequate cover for hours, doing nothing but watching, waiting, and sending squelch handset signals on my radio every 15 minutes back to our command post indicating no activity yet was always monotonous. I must get a better watch with illuminated hands! Never staring at one thing but constantly scanning our firing sector for anything that moves. All the while, the mosquitos are eating us alive! The ones that get into your ear canals drive you crazy no slapping the bloodthirsty critters while in an ambush!

Just the three of us on this ambush, which I was never taught during my infantry training. In Vietnam, we were called Hunter-Killer-Teams and had found success against larger forces. We were also conducting three-man daytime patrols since our manpower was so low. Three rifles could not match the suppression fire of a more significant enemy force. Therefore, we always had an escape route identified as part of our ambush order should the leader decide to execute it.

We are concentrating our eyes and ears on the trail from the vacant village less than 50 meters to our front. Suddenly, the village explodes with machine guns and rifle fire directed at a site 50 meters to our left. The amount of firepower tells us they have at least one platoon in place firing at a perceived threat.

Mongoose immediately signals us to move to our rally point before communicating with our CO, Captain Navadel, who can clearly hear the VC firing even that far away. Our rally point is well beyond the effective blast radius of our mortars, and they commence firing. Meanwhile, my fire team moved back to Phu Lac 6 by an alternative route.

We three didn't fire a single round on that mission; the VC would have moved their fire to us if we had.

We finally reach Phu Lac 6 and go to the CP to be debriefed about the mission. We, obviously, interrupted the VC's planned mission for that night. We didn't know what that mission might be: planting many mines in Liberty Road or even an attack on our Phu Lac 6 outpost. We never found out.

The Skipper, recognizing the significance of the VC firepower the previous night, coordinated a company sweep of the My Loc area the next day. The VC had moved out of the area, but it had been reported that many bloody bandages were found.

My questions were about what triggered their firing at a space. Was it a young conscript who, thinking he saw something, just started firing, and everyone else joined in with him? It wouldn't be the first time that had happened on both sides of the war.

During my tour, I participated in so many night ambushes that it is difficult to count, but it is in the hundreds.

My first ambush was unforgettable! I thank God Almighty they did not spot us three that night!

https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/education/week_of_march_15/

I know a guy that is 99 years old he will be 100 in 3 months. He has a skull from a Japanese soldier from WW2 one from a North Korean soldier and  a North Vietnamese soldier He said he boxed them up and mailed them home. He fought in all 3 wars.

He said that the Japanese fought harder than the other two.

He told me Vietnam was the worst for him because he was just about physically worn out after his tour was up and you didn't know who was going to kill you in Vietnam. He knew who the enemy was in WW2 and Korea. I will try and get some pictures of him from all 3 wars to post.

And not a cowboy in the bunch.

I had 2 cousins that served in Vietnam, and another cousins husband served. Years later she found a box of pictures he'd brought home. She said some were of him holding VC heads like hunting trophy's.

James Baker




Jimmy Mike Risner