The FReeper Foxhole Celebrates Veterans Day - November 11th, 2003

various

[SAMWolf]

The good old "Duster". I thank Grant for his service in the Marines.

[colorado tanker]

Oh, man, the last thing I need is trouble from the Gunny!

Actually, there were some Marines in my class at Ft. Knox. They were good people, although they did seem to think the Corps tended to underutilize armor.

BTW, what is that contraption they're riding in?

[colorado tanker]

"Oh, Gerhard, I love it when you talk German to me."

[Darksheare]

*dies laughing*

[Light Speed]

BTW, what is that contraption they're riding in?

M 42 Duster....Anything that would get ya down route 9 quickly.

3rd Marine spent alot of time around Khe Sahn..Rockpile to the Ashua complex..

Grunts would rather be on a firebase hill top..than on route 9....scarry road indeed.

[colorado tanker]

"The M-42 Duster was developed between WW II and Korea from the M-41 Walker Bulldog light tank chassis. It was to fill the gap in the U.S. arsenal for an armored self propelled AA gun. It had a crew of 6, (driver, T.C., and four operating the gun turret) and was armed with 2 40mm Bofors AA guns and one .30 or .50 cal MG for ground defense. The M-42 served in Korea, but was considered obsolete by the war's end due to the lack of radar guidance to track fast moving jets. It was delegated to the National Guard prior to Viet Nam, but due to calls for more firepower on the ground, was brought back into frontline service not as an AA gun, but as a fire support vehicle, where it's ability to " mow the grass" was greatly appreciated. After Viet Nam, M-42's served a short time in the National Guard before being scrapped."

Pix: http://www.mindspring.com/~bfalcon/M42.htm

Interesting.

From the stories I've heard, Route 9 was not the place to be.

[larryjohnson]

Just returned to Maine from Chicago.
My son called me on our cell as we drove by the Brunswick NAS exit on I 95.
The purpose of his call was to tell me he is proud and thanks me for my Military Service to our Country.
That was the first time any member of my family has expressed such.
You can see why I visit FRiends here.

[snippy_about_it]

...oh, Colonel, wake up! Soldier! Stand up and fight before they change our churches into mosques! Stand up and fight before they wipe the Christ out of our souls. Colonel Wolodyjowski! Why?! Why?! Why?! Who's gonna lift our fallen hearts now?!"

Matt, thank you so much for the report on his funeral. The prayer said over the coffin is heart wrenching.

[snippy_about_it]

What a wonderful report. I imagine the call must have made you proud of your son as well.

Thank you larry for your service to our country.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Good evening everyone.

Happy Veterans Day

[Light Speed]

Have you read this paperback?

INTO LAOS: Dewey Canyon II. A powerful, densely packed saga of the neglected 60-day non-stop armor & infantry battle near Khe Sahn which claimed over 1,700 US/ARVN KIA, 6,500 WIA & 650 MIA.

INTO LAOS: Dewey - Canyon II / Lam Son 719 by Keith William Nolan. Vietnam 1971: America’s last major campaign and the most ambitious Allied operation of the war with over 100 helicopters destroyed and over 600 damaged. Nolan puts you in the middle of the action as the NVA fight back to save the Ho Chi Minh Trail the borders of Laos and South Vietnam. A powerful, densely packed saga of the neglected 60-day non-stop armor and infantry battle near Route 9, Khe Sahn and Lang Vei which claimed over 1,700 US/ARVN KIA, 6,500 WIA & 650 US/ARVN MIA. 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (1/5th Mech) • 101st Airborne • RAKKASANS • 17th Air Cav • 2/94 Artillery • XXIV Corps Artillery • 223rd Combat Aviation Battalion • 158th Aviation • Americal Division • 8th Transportation Group • 45th Engineer Group • 7th Air Force • 504th Military Police Battalion. 383 pages. Maps. Original hardcover editions published 1986.

This book tells it raw...
Troop on R and R in the rear..fragging officers....racial problems.
yet on the line..all was put aside..except .. some officers still found *things happening to them until they eventually got wounded .

155mm Sheridans ..logger up for the night..waiting for Charlie and his RPG teams.
ARVN Generals ..sitting with a mechanized division..hundreds of yards from a fire base..which ARVN are on..and getting over-run..slaughtered..as some escape on helo skids.
Having a smoke..watching some other commander buy the farm.

The Bravery of the U.S. Helo crews...and yes..some ARVN units fought bravely..to the last man..and did not run.

One of the best reads on Vietnam ..from 1971..when things were beginning to fall apart.

[snippy_about_it]

Good evening Victoria.

[snippy_about_it]

Hey you guys!

I wanted to catch you before the day was over and wish you a Happy Veterans Day.

Thank you, each of you, for your service to our country.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you aomagrat for your service to our country. We hope you are having a great Veterans Day.

[snippy_about_it]

I'm looking for you. LOL.


Thank you for your service to our country.

[colorado tanker]

I haven't read this. Thanks for the tip.

[SAMWolf]

You're welcome Matt.

Colonel Wolodyjowski, they burn our churches, slaughter our people, and you stay silent... oh, Colonel, wake up! Soldier! Stand up and fight before they change our churches into mosques! Stand up and fight before they wipe the Christ out of our souls.

Looks like some things haven't changed since the 1600's.

It's good to hear that the Poles were out celebrating their Independence in such style, I hope they continue to do so and to remember how hard it was to obtain their freedom.

[SAMWolf]

Hi Larry. That was a very special thing your son did today. Thanks for sharing it with us.