50 Years ago today

Self | today | Self

[Chainmail]

"Has got to be one of the best lines in the war."

I thought it was funny at the time too -

Earlier in the day, before we got into it with the VC company we ran out of water. We stopped along the river which a had nice clear section in the middle and wasn't too deep. Because I was the junior man in the FO team, I was handed everyone's canteens and was selected to walk out into the river and fill them.

I gave Lt. Graves my rifle (an automatic M-14 with a bipod), took off my flak jacket and helmet and waded out into the water.

Now, there are few thing more intimidating than wading out into the open in the middle of water that comes up to your chest in a war zone. You are entirely without cover, easily seen from any direction and if someone shoots, you see the impact of the rounds in the water if you're lucky enough not to be hit immediately. Escaping is nearly impossible because nobody, no matter how strong, can run quickly out of the water.

I edged out to the middle and cautiously started filling the canteens, one by one - then a rapid and very loud burst of fire cut through the water just yards in front of me. I threw the canteens and struggled and thrashed to get out of the water and make it to shore as fast as I could.

When I got to the shore, everyone was laughing and Lt. Graves said "Geez, Rick - you sure have a light trigger!"

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

That, of course, was meant to say:” Semper Fi”, our citation to all fellow Marines, no matter which war we fought in. Damned auto-correct.
TC

[tjd1454]

Thank you.

[theirjustdue]

Me too, mos 2549, Naval Shore Party, (forward observer for naval guns (artillery)) but in 69 not 66. Oh I was a Lance Corporal too. lol

Shore party was very busy with 2/1 when we made 6 "Dagger Thrust" landings off the Iwo Jima and the old Valley Forge LPH's in late 65. On one, I had to pack one of shore party's Largest dozer's with C-4 and blow it in place, when we couldn't get it out of a mud pit tank trap in an old rubber plantation. We were in and out in a day and couldn't leave it behind. A TD?? Hate to think what that was worth in dollars.

[jpsb]

Shame you had to blow it up. Oh well

[Big Red Badger]

Here I am at part One...

Thanks

[foreverfree]

Gob bless you for your service and I praise Him that He has given you 50 years beyond this incident.

ff

[dsc]

“My brother served there. My uncle, a very brave man, gave his life there. The Vietnam War was a huge waste of lives.”

I heard, from people who should know, that the war hastened the fall of the Soviet Union by ten years.

Then, too, all other things being equal, opposing evil is the right thing to do.

I don’t see it as a waste, but a valiant effort that saved uncounted lives. Who knows what country would have been been next if the communists had gained quick victory in Viet Nam?

[huldah1776]

Welcome Home! YYYUUUUUGE hug.

[Chainmail]

Thank You - and Blessings back to you..

[Chainmail]

Hi DJ -

This was the article I posted on May 13th to describe my last day in country in '67..

Semper Fi,

Chainmail

[Chainmail]

FYI

[Chainmail]

For you..

Semper Fi,
Chainmail

[Chainmail]

That was me, voochie, 50 years ago.

[vooch]

a powerful and moving story.

[LibWhacker]

Wow, I had totally forgotten about this! Old age, I guess. The old grey matter doesn’t quite work as well as it did. May God bless you again and again, every remaining day of your life.

[21twelve]

An old thread, and it is late (for me), but does this story dove-tail with you escaping the confines of your hosptial ward, and working your way on your rolling bed down the hallways? And at some point saying something to a visiting General - that remembers you from years past and gets you off the hook?

The very well-written story telling seems familiar. Of course I’m 100% certain that you weren’t the only one wounded in Vietnam. BUT - you are a very gifted story teller. Thank you for sharing your life, and the history of that war, with us.

It is hard to believe that it was “only” 25 years since WWII that I would sit in our den and read all about it in the encyclipedia, and it seemed like ancient history. But it is now over 50 years since the end of Vietnam.

Of course my kids just barely remember the 9-11 attacks.

[Chainmail]

I’m that guy, alright... I wrote my hospital stories about a year ago to celebrate 50 lucky years gone by.

You are absolutely right, there were thousands of us flowing through the hospital systems. I’m a bit surprised that there aren’t more stories around from fellow veterans - there certainly were tens of thousands of more stories out there besides mine.

If you don’t mind, I will write some more. For some odd reason, I remember almost everything and I think that all of us should preserve those memories.