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.

Maryland

RVN 4-68~11-69  Danang-Dong Ha-LZ Stud-Dong Ha-Danang

I spent most of my time on TRC-97s.  I was also out on several 1st Div 97 shots but don't recall the locations.

I was lucky enough to get out on mail runs and the like to Cua Viet, Phu Bai, Quang Tri, Con Thien, Camp Carroll.

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.

 

 

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.

M

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.

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.

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.

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.