Army Memories

[SARGE..g-47]

Hey Sarge,

You kinda look familiar, ever remember getting into a punch out with a "civilian" looking guy in a bar just outside of Chu Lai early '69.

If that was you, I humbly apologize, and my jaw still hurts at times.

Bruce

If I had I would have remembered, Bruce.

Not me in this case as the only time I got farther south of the DMZ in I Corp is when I would have to escort "new-bies" down to Nha Trang on a C-130 and put them through the Special Forces Recondo School there. Otherwise they kept us in the area on the DMZ with common household names as.. Cam Lo (C-3).. A-1.. A-2.. Dong Ha.. the Rockpile.. Leather-neck Square which is a triangle between 3 of the points mentioned above.. Ashua Valley and Khe Son west to the border.

I did get to Huey down to Camp Eagle twice to grab some replacements from the 101st Airborne when we would come up short of replacements. Chu Lai was notorious Viet Cong area with that under-ground tunnel net-work under the Fire-base there. Our area just south of the river on the Z was NVA regular territory with no VC to speak of. Mainly the NVA 1st and 3rd Division operating there. There were a few NVA Sapper battalions from other Divisions but mainly we played with the same "boys" who seiged Khe Sahn in early 1968and they were a rough and well trained crowd. I had great respect for their ability to endure.

So... no apology necessary but I will accept it for whomever it was and respond with a reverse apology for that jaw. Just goes to show what a nice guy I really am! Regards from a comrade in arms who managed to survive long enough to get a return seat on the Silver Bird and was happy to park my *ss there when I did!

[Tom Slick]

This one's a little more recent.
Al Udeid AB, Qatar, 2003. In front of the tent I shared with 16 others.

Flak jacket and helmet in 120*f heat.

[Tom Slick]

Did someone mention C-130? It's very possible some of you could have flown on some of these. They are 1963 vintage and up.


A day at the office.

[Bruce Cohen]

Sarge,

Shucks, I was hoping it was you

Wish I could tell you where I was, but then I get to spend the rest of my social security years behind bars.

It all has to do with a very small and hard to read piece of paper I signed when I got "hired".

And as we all used to say "Kill 'em all and let God sort it out".

Bruce

[SARGE..g-47]

Sarge,

Shucks, I was hoping it was you

Wish I could tell you where I was, but then I get to spend the rest of my social security years behind bars.

It all has to do with a very small and hard to read piece of paper I signed when I got "hired".

And as we all used to say "Kill 'em all and let God sort it out".

Bruce

I understand... I also have a Top Secret Security Clearance which is still active I am told. At one time I was issued a M-16 with a Star-lite mounted on it and had to take an oath to not let it be captured as it was top secret at the time. And keep in mind that the string of fire-bases Mc Namara had built across the DMZ were basically 1000 meters from the border of N. Vietnam. Sometimes those little buggers with mortars and artillery pieces on the other side of the river had to be dealt with so....

But.. with that said, I am not so sure it really matters that much anymore in reality. About a year after I got home from Nam.. I saw the blue-prints of a Star-lite Scope printed in Time Magazine for the world to see. Go figure! And... if they decide to lock me up.. in this economy 3 hots and a cot with cable TV doesn't sound all that bad at someone else's expense.

Tom... those C-130's have been around a long while. Excellent aircraft for load and troop carry and can land on a dime on field improvised run-ways. When we did that.. you sat on the floor in rows with a long strap across everyone in your row's lap. You needed that seat-belt when they hit the ground and reversed the props to stop the air-craft it created some G's as I felt my stomach move to my throat on several occasions.

And once taking off I was in one that blew an engine on take-off and thought I was a goner. But.. the pilot killed the engine immediately in a climb (eek) and feathered the prop.. full power on the other engines.. leveled off and circled the field before setting it back down for a very smooth landing. Aircraft don't get any better than that. The old C-47 Gooney Bird was a work-horse also but could not carry as much.

Regards...