Welcome to Vietnam dropout!

[NefariousKoel]

I managed to get my paws on a few decades old photos that were sent to my father by his ammo man. I thought I'd share a couple.

Back of photo: "Matt & Pope LZ Colt"
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4997/scan0001oq5.jpg

That's my old man on the right in that one.


Back of photo: "Hill 441 West of LZ Center. John, you remember this one we struggled up it in Jan '68."
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3888/scan0010mt0.jpg

From what I've heard, the NVA were dug in pretty good on that hill. Lost a few people. The old man caught some mortar shrapnel and 3 bars there. Notice the photo was taken from a Huey.

[NefariousKoel]

Back of Photo:
"Machine Gun Squad
Mendoza.. Pope.. Mathis..Tony.. Martin.. Har"

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1135/scan0012mn2.jpg

I don't think my old man was trying to channel Aleister Crowley. Probably just telling someone he didn't know who had a camera to **** off. That's one thing I'm certain of... he absolutely hated the media and I'm sure that lended itself to further camera despise by association.

[NefariousKoel]

Some of the experiences he had with his brigade were related in books such as Through The Valley: Vietnam 1967-1968 and another one that encompasses these next photos: The Magnificent Bastards.

This is a photo of the place these mostly Army draftees holed up for a few days leading up to - and including - the Tet Offensive in I Corp.

"You know you're in trouble when you're in the Army and Marine helicopters are picking you up as reinforcements." ;)

I won't go further into the details of the offensive in that area, but I can sum it up as Divisions of NVA heavily outnumbering Marines and the small amount of Army backup they got.

Anyway... here's their nice home for a couple days:
Back of Photo: "More of Nhi Ha Perimeter"
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/4815/scan0016xj5.jpg

[NefariousKoel]

The B-52s come in during daylight.

Back of Photo:
"From Gunny Steve Goddard

View North from Nhi Ha perimeter see Airstrike going in"

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3286/scan0013bk1.jpg



Back of Photo: "Arclight in the Distance"

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1943/scan0014uu2.jpg

[NefariousKoel]

Here's what that previous "village" looked like when they were leaving via helo.

Back of Photo: "Aerial view of Nhi Ha battlefield. Note the Armoured vehicles left of the road preparing to recover Alpha Co. KIA. 7 May 68."

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7590/scan0015qh0.jpg


I'm told that it took them 4 days to take two villages and that is the second one they took and dug in. The first was a cakewalk. For the next 14 days, they had 10 days of heavy combat against massed NVA units. That pic was taken after the whole ordeal.

They were given a presidential unit citation for this action and the Navy issued something similar to these army pukes, though the old man would have to claim it himself via phone or some **** since he was Army. He tells me that they lost at least 1/3rd of their Battalion in a defensive position of which this was a part.

"Always Outnumbered"

[NefariousKoel]

Here's a shot of some of the Marines nearby. Too nearby by the account I hear. May as well have a big bullseye on it. ;)

Back of Photo: " Gunny's Tank"

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6881/scan0017uv3.jpg


From what I understand, this tank came under heavy fire one night. It may have been another in the same tank platoon as this one so it's unsure. One thing that's sure... a nearby Marine tank took some B-40s and at least one RPG. A couple guys were sent to get them out of it after hearing a lot of yelling from it. At the same time, another RPG hit the position that this photo was taken from. The old man said the only thing above dirt was the end of the barrel of his M-60. Had to pull it out, shake it off, and start firing again.

Sorry for the poor quality scans. Though I think the book is out of print now, The Magnificent Bastards by Keith Nolan was the one covering this specific battle in Vietnam. Pops was even mentioned by last name a couple times, though he was pissed whichever officer they interviewed called him a Spec 4 when he was a Sgt.

http://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Bastards-Keith-W-Nolan/dp/0440221625
Nolan augments his reputation as a Vietnam combat chronicler with the story of the two weeks of intense fighting near Dong Ha in 1968. Involving a marine battalion, an army infantry battalion, and their supporting units, the fighting was the most basic and bloody sort of ground combat. For their deeds in it, two men won Medals of Honor, but scores of others won no more than body bags. Nolan has thoroughly researched the battle, largely through primary source documents and interviews with participants, and has produced a book that, though it requires some background knowledge of the Vietnam war in order to be fully appreciated, for serious readers will stand very high among accounts of the infantryman's war.

[NefariousKoel]

As an additional note:

He said he had 31 helo rides. The first ride was the only one they didn't get shot at. The rest.. firing out the side door the best they could.


Oh... the reason for the title of this thread "Welcome to Vietnam dropout" was because he dropped out of college and the c0cksuckers at college literally threatened him with the draft if he didn't stick with it. He told them to go fvck themselves and he got drafted in record time. http://www.madcowssteakhouse.com/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[elite_hunter_sh3]

did ur father surive the war???

[NefariousKoel]

did ur father surive the war???

Yes he did. I wouldn't be here if he didn't. ;)

He got a Purple Heart for taking some shrapnel - pretty sure it was a captured M-79 grenade launcher on one of the hills previous to the Tet offensive. He refused to take the PH as those "were for REMFs who fell off a truck and scratched themselves.":lol:

[Reaves]

Some nice pics there. My uncle was in vietnam but he doesn't talk about it much.

Did a search and I actually found a pic of him on an Australian war memorial site.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/Reaves_42/Robertdevers.jpg (http://cas.awm.gov.au/PROD/ump.retrieve_uma?surl=1960726093ZZFAYXTRNHWL&parm1=UMO_ID&parm2=483298&parm1=DISPLAY_TYPE&parm2=RAW&parm1=DISPLAY_WHAT&parm2=MASTER&parm1=LOGIN_TYPE&parm2=PROFILEG&parm1=AID&parm2=)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/Reaves_42/bobsignalman.jpg

Summary: Vietnam. 1967-05. Major Don Paterson of Greensborough, Vic (left), of 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), calls on his field telephone for a supply of high explosive to blow a Viet Cong trench system. The extensive trench system was discovered during the Battalion's shakedown operation east of the Australian Task Force's Headquarters in Nui Dat. Private Bob Devers of Maidstone, Vic, a signalman, stands by.


(http://cas.awm.gov.au/PROD/ump.retrieve_uma?surl=1960726093ZZFAYXTRNHWL&parm1=UMO_ID&parm2=483298&parm1=DISPLAY_TYPE&parm2=RAW&parm1=DISPLAY_WHAT&parm2=MASTER&parm1=LOGIN_TYPE&parm2=PROFILEG&parm1=AID&parm2=)

[NefariousKoel]

Cool. Thanks for the pics Reaves.

I don't get to see much 7RAR pics in Vietnam. Actually, it's a bit perturbing how many people don't know Australia has Vietnam vets too. I could bet money and win if you asked anyone on the street what were a couple other countries besides the US in Vietnam and they would almost universally fail the question. Grr.

[joea]

Fantastic photos NK, thanks for sharing. :up:

[robbo180265]

Brilliant photo's :up:

[Reaves]

Cool. Thanks for the pics Reaves.

I don't get to see much 7RAR pics in Vietnam. Actually, it's a bit perturbing how many people don't know Australia has Vietnam vets too. I could bet money and win if you asked anyone on the street what were a couple other countries besides the US in Vietnam and they would almost universally fail the question. Grr.

No worries. I understand the whole thing about people not knowing how often we join the USA in battle. But all I have to do is remember how the USA and the Dutch saved our donkey's in Pacific WW2. Trying to find pics of my Grandad in Korea.

[sunvalleyslim]

Nefarious,
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your Dad. And tell him from one Vet to Another, "Welcome Home"

[elite_hunter_sh3]

even tho me or my family'shistory isnt even related to vietnam.. ur dad must have had a lot of balls and smarts to survive there.. respect from me your father has recieved :up::up:

[dean_acheson]

He got a Purple Heart for taking some shrapnel - pretty sure it was a captured M-79 grenade launcher on one of the hills previous to the Tet offensive. He refused to take the PH as those "were for REMFs who fell off a truck and scratched themselves.":lol:

Or tried to blow themselves up with a grenade (http://www.swiftvets.com/article.php?story=20040828074944939)and then decide to run for president?

LOL, sorry, I couldn't resist. ;) That's from one Missouri puke to another. :) Man, I love this state. :)

[Sailor Steve]

Great stuff, Koel. Thanks for the memories.:sunny:

[nikimcbee]

Great stuff, Koel. Thanks for the memories.:sunny:

Ditto, minus the memories.

[Heibges]

Thanks you guys for the fantastic pics!:up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

[NefariousKoel]

Thanks for the interest, guys. I might be able to scare up a few other pics.

I agree on all points Dean. ;)