RVN Dec67-Oct69

4thMarReg3rdMarDiv

Comm Section

Radio Relay

Radio

I was with the 5th Comm. Bn in 1967. My MOS was mechanic in the motor pool and together with a great team, we kept the radio trucks in operation and off the "Dead Line". <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I went through Motor Transport training at Camp LeJune, then Infantry training at Pendelton, then to Vietnam.<o:p></o:p>

While in country, I served for six months at 5th Comm. then later at FLC (Force Logistics Command) on the other side of DaNang.<o:p></o:p>

After Nam, I served at the Marine Corp Air Station in Santa Ana, California.<o:p></o:p>

Three short years in the Corp., but a whole lot of memories. Here are a few of my photos of 5^th Comm.

  

53 Area (CommCo(Rein), 1stMarDivFMF Mar65 depart Braodway Pier SDIEGO aboard LSD-3 Carter Hall.  Couple of months at Hague, then to Da Nangon the LST-1168 Wexford County.  Moved from airstrip (swamp side/tent city) near "Dogpatch" across the river (Marble Mountain).  Remember Restad, Denny Sargeant, Wise, Wuergler, Prendergast, Crutchlow, Foster, Giles, Santos, Dycus, Schiffers.........Harvest Moon, Prairie, Hastings, Starlight and R&R in Hong Kong.  Never left comm, been at it since the day I left the Corps, continued using hooks for 16 years (gets to be hard on the knees)

5th Comm - 21 Dec 66 to 4 Apr 68

 

Arrived a 6 months cherry-san and left a casualty at the end of Tet '68. Geat mix of old salts and new guys. I had a lot of great driving runs with the Bn and the best were the convoys up north for FLC. Of the Motor T bunch I remember Monzie, Ballard, Carter, Harris, Reno, Yslava, Meracle, Schlosser and Gunny Garrett. I am still looking for that hi-compression grease and sky hook. My last three years of a 2nd enlistment was as an Marine Security Guard with the USNATO/Embassy Detachment, Brussels, Belgium. Now it has come full circle, we have a Corpsman-son with 1/7 in Iraq. Semper Fi.               

6/68-3/69?-7th Comm-Hill 34.

3/69-1/70- 5thComm-Beach for a couple of months and then to Camp Horn.

arrived danang 27jun70 by bummpy airlines [with phantoms shadowing.found out later!!] arrived 5th comm.bn. worked with rr&c.plt assigned to line crew. i think cpl deal was driver ?got to climb poles found out quick that you get shot at [not in training!!!] in the mix of things got to meet herman[mascot]wonder what happend to him?e-club beach comber was great so was the movies till the screen took a hit.movies was on hold a bit.later transfer to comm supt.short time later sent on s&d with inf don't rember who as radio operator.that did'nt go well radio took hits but i did'nt thanks to radio &my turtle shell. thenback to rr&c to finish tour.went to okie in05oct70to mcas futima comm.supt only one that that comes to mind Gy.sgt blair.try to add more later.

Arrived in country abord the General Gordon in March 67 with 1500 Marines and they took us to some large grinder in Danang. So we're all sittingon our sea bags and they start calling out lists of names. Each list went to an awaiting cattle-car and off they went. Hours later they finished calling out names and 7of us were still sitting there like abandoned children in this enormous field. The NCO in charge yells out, "Who the hell are you? You're not suppose to be here!". That was fine with me but how was I going to get back to San Diego? Five days later they located our orders and I was on my way to the 5th Comm Bn at the beach paradise Camp Hoi Long, The Flower Garden.

Arrived in country Sept 1967....left Oct 1968.  Remember some of the things that we missed....throwing beer cans at the out door movie screen (4x8 sheets of plywood painted white)...walking guard....patrols....and the great food at the mess hall....I stuck to pound cake and peaches.....And the missions that the Top sent me on........

Arrived in March of '66 and was assigned to Comm Support Co and worked over by Dogpatch.  Stayed with 5th Comm until late December '67.  Went to Iwakuni and then came back to MWSG-17 from February '69 til January '70 when I rotated and was discharged.

August '67 - Sept '68

Called a friend of mine up who was stationed at Camp horn one night.  His C.O. wanted to know how come I could call in on the red phone.  Just told him I had axcess and not to worry about it.  When my friend Ray got on the phone I told him "Get your Head Down, your gonna get hit any minute now!"  He laughed, in the background you could hear the mortars start walking in.  He said OK and gotta go.  His C.O. kept asking him "Who da hell was that guy and how did he know that stuff?"

 

Sat down at a PTSD group in Wisconsin and told the boys "Did you know that every shot fired in Viet Nam was accounted for?"  They didn't believe me.  We had a daily round expenditure in 68 along with the daily body count.

 

I will get the photos to you folks as soon as i can find them all and it will take time to re-do and transfere my movie of the drive around DaNang, and the ride to 5th comm. The movie is in super 8 color and i will have to transfere it to video tape then to the computer.   I also have a reel to reel tape i left running during the day at III MAF. (very noisy place) and one I left running at night during one of our famos rocket attacks.  It may also take me some time to dig that one up.

 

One of funniest things i'd ever seen was on the 5th com. compound.  An all night rain and when I looked ouside the hooch in the morning someone in the hooch next door did a high dive into a foxhole next to the hooch full of water.

At the time it just looked outrageous.  Also remember having to swim to get to the E-club at 5th com. because of the rain.

 

Did I tell you I"m glad you folks are here.

Departed 29 Palms with Capt Wilhelm.Boarded the USS Thomaston in San Diego for transport to RVN.

In country from January 66 to February 67.

Slept in our pup tents the first night in camp.

 

 

Enlisted for Three.

Entered the Corps in 6/63 going to MCRD Parris Island, Plt 238. From there went to Camp Lejuene for 27 months with 2nd Shore Pty Bn. Went on several cruise in the Caribbean and ending up in Santo Domingo 4/28/65 making a wet landing on Red Beach. This ended up being a joke because we landed on a hot beach with blank ammunition. We finally got ammunition about 0200 and shortly after got hit. After returning to Lejuene went on a couple more cruises I thought I was short but got orders to RVN with only 13 months left.  Got to RVN in June 66 assign to 5th Comm.  The first few months I was assigned to I Corp HQ working on the switchboard and finally getting promoted to Cpl. Trf to RR & Cons and went on the construction changing field wire to cable. After a while got a crew that was responsible to repair and replace telescopic poles that the ARVNs shot up.  We had a SSgt promote 2nd Lt who became our CO but I can't remember his name.  If anyone knows his name send an email with his name. Please !! Does anyone remember Dunn or Ashby.  They where bunked in my home.  Left RVN 5/28/67 and left active duty 6/10/67.

GOT IN COUNTY AUG 66 LEFT NOV 68. WAS HOUSED AT

III MAF HQ, WORK IN THE COMM CENTER. LONG TIME AGO.

WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FMSOME OF THE GUYS

THNAKS

EO

hello to all of you guys and welcome back to the WORLD......SEMPER FI

How in the hell is everyone?  Man, it has been a long time.  Came in country Oct. 67, rotatated back to the world Dec 68.  TAD Radar school, 1stMARDIV ; TAD Task Force Hotel' Khe Sanh, TAD POL Dong Ha. Anyone who was there with me, say hello!!!!!