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........

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

RVN Dec67-Oct69

4thMarReg3rdMarDiv

Comm Section

Radio Relay

Radio

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)

USS Okanogan from Long Beach, CA JUN66 to CHU LAI,

JUL66, via Hawaii for a few days. And of course the Typhoon

we ran intonear the Phillipines. After a short while, some of

us went to DaNang (some nice pictures on this site). Lived

at the Beachfront property for a while and then moved to

III MAF HQ to work in the message center. All in all I have

some fond memories of the time spent in VN. I have a few

pictures of the 5th Comm camp and local areas. I drove a jeep

and made a lot of courier runs when the lines were down. Not

all of them were fun. Approx. tour dates Left Long Beach at end

of May 66, arrived Chu Lai about one month later. Left from

DaNang about mid July 67.I heard the day after I left, the DaNang

AirStrip was hit pretty bad. Would be glad to hear from anyone

I served with or any others.

Oct '65 to Dec '67.

Started out with Comm Spt.Co., HQ Bn., 3dMarDiv.Helped build Hoa Long. Served around Danang, then around Phu Bai and at Khe Sanh. Got to see so many of the scenic spots of sunny I Corps.

Was first in 7th Comm HQ Bn and the went to base on beach when changed to 5th Comm Bn.  Arrived Nam Oct. 65 and rotated to states in Nov. 66.

Stationed at camp Horno from Feb. 1963 till March 1965 went to Okinawa then on to Da Nang. Changed from to 7th to 5th on the way over. Built China Beach.Spent most of my time with TSC15s before arriving at the beach. Did my first 60 days in bunkers as we expanded the size of the base camp.

In Country Nov 65. Bunked in the old compound with the pyramid tents.Walked along the creek to the mess hall to eat the "RED DEATH". In Jan 66 Iflew to Subic Bay boarded ship and sailed back to Viet Nam to partiscipate in a landing. In April 66 I moved to Monkey Mountain and stayed until Jan 67. I moved to the main base in Da Nang and made courier runs until March 67.

 

I am looling for information on David Grubic. His name appears on the MAA list along with others that I knew. Stoney Broadstreet, Johnny Earl Mack, Ollie Oliveras, Prince Murray and Shimmerhorn.

 

   

 

May GOD continue to keep and bless each of vou. 

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

Orders out of ITR were to 8" guns 29 Palms Calif. Reported in Oct. 1965. In December 1965 I was transfered to 7th Comm, Radio Relay. The Platoonwas preparing to mount out to Nam to complete 5th Comm Bn. January 66 we boarded the USS THOMASTON (LSD) and shipped out to Nam. Landed at Tein Sha pier on a cold rainy day February 1966. Convoy to the 5th Comm base camp near  Marble Mnt. where the Salts commenced to scare the crap out of us with war stories.

About 2 months later I was reassigned to Service Co. Motor transport and remained there until I rotated in Sept..1967. Col. Kelly was the Bn. Co.

Some of the guys I remember ar Danny Milek (Missoula Montana), Carl Nutt ( Tenn. ) Mike Yslavia (Arizonia) Schollser ( louisana ).

The way I see it I was promoted 4 times,

..... sorta makes me a Sargeant ?

 

1/8 A Co. (Radio) Cypress, Med Cruise 1964

1/ 8  H&S Co. Comm. Plt. Dominican Rep. 1965

5th Comm. Bn. V N 1965 - 1966  (Comm. Supp. Co.)

 

Looking for PFC Bruce Brantz (2531 Comm.Supp.)

from South Philadelphia.

Landing at Red Beach, 7thComm, then 5thComm, DoubleEagle I and II, MK83's Radio Jeeps, TSC-15's..2531 MOS  RVN 65-66

Served July, 1968 to June, 1970 in Ground Radio Repair and Administration.

I was a regular on React Platoon when I wasn't at theE Club.

 

I'm interested in any documentation of 5th Comm. Bn. Awards and Citations,

and graphics, for any patches, logos, or memorabilia from 5th Comm.

 

I'd like to hear from anyone who served with me in Nam.

 

After 35 years i'm just now going through the old negatives that I have left

(many were lost) and will post some of the better ones of 5th Comm., DaNang, Marble Mtn., III MAF, Hoa Long, and whaterver I find.

 

Semper Fi

John Roach

MOS 2841

Ground Radio Repair