May 04, 2002 John Campbell <campbellj@benning.army.mil>
from Columbus GA, Ft. Benning
3/7th----A Co.----Wpns----6/66----11/67
Lt. Gary Wiedle and my self had a conversation via e-mail last week.
I know Garry and myself now understand each other, more that either of
us ever thought. As an "Old" 1SG, Gary understood how I felt at that time.
That time should have passed many years ago. Gary, I am personaly, on
this Great 199th Web, Stating, "I accept you apolegies, Please except
mine". I stated, I wanted to see you at the next "Redcatcher Reuinion"
and I still do. This time with a hand shake, and say "Welcome Home Redcatcher"
May 04, 2002 Clarence D. Rule <crooznby2@email.com>
from Coldwater, MI
4/12----D----2----Nov 67----Oct 68
I have not been into reunions or other things involving veterans since
I have been home. I attended a Vietnam Veterans reunion in Kokomo, Indiana
for the first time last September (2001) and met some people from the
199th that changed things. Then I got some email from Doc Ramirez which
really changed me. Now I am looking forward to meeting and hearing from
others. God bless us all and thanks Doc.
May 04, 2002 Terry Beckelic <beckelic@coslink.net>
from cadillac, michigan
4/12----C----1st----1/69----1/70
I salute Gary Wiedle!
I've just been catching up on my reading
here at the forum, errr, guestbook, and have read his posts both in the
message
board and the guestbook. He is a good man and officer and a fine human
being.
To the 199th and all of its attached units and personel,
men and women, high and low, I raise a glass of the finest
champagne.
May 03, 2002 Bob Fromme <rfromme@stic.net>
from Floresville, Texas http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme
4/12----Delta----Joannides/Elias----4/69----7/69
Here is a copy of another letter to Blake Andujar, one of the SSG's
sons. (See the June issue of Vietnam Magazine.) I am sure it will bring
a few more memories to mind, for those of you who spent time in the northern
part of the delta and up in the "Pinapples" before we were moved over
to the jungles around Xuan Loc.
To: Blake Andujar
From: Robert
Fromme
Subject: (Letters to the Redcatcher's Children) Remembering
Newbies
Date: 09:10 P.M. 7/14/00
Dear Blake,
This has to be hard for your family, right now. Most
human beings are never subjected to this kind of lingering grief and unanswered
questions when death brings great tragedy and loss to the family. From
your messages you seem to be a fine man and I am certain that your father
would have been pleased with you and your family. Come to think of it,
if he is there, silently looking out to us, watching you and your family
behind that reflective darkness, that tragic wall of names, I know he
is so very proud of all of you. Tears have come to me, again, Blake...
I took a break and spent some time in the yard and now
I will continue. You see, in the fall I will not have much time to write
to you about those days. The school year will begin and there I must
live again in the present. The time for this is now and I need to get
on with it. Also, I have mentioned to Bob Wagoner that I keep finding
myself sort of skirting out around the edges of life there. I have been
writing "little" memories. I am avoiding the big ones. It is as if I
have to build a bit of courage before I get back in the middle of some
of the events, those with great tragedy where men were wounded and where
lives were lost. Anyway, I thought today I would try to continue with
a couple accounts about the "newbies," the constant string of replacements
who filtered into the squads of in Delta 4/12.
After
a soldier had been in the unit for a while, you began to realize that,
early on, other men in the squad had shouldered responsibility for trying
to get on with the mission and they had been carrying you, the new guy,
along the way. Somewhere along there, you had become less of a drag on
the system and perhaps you were even making their lives a bit easier as
you discovered your own place in the scheme of things. The general attitude
was that a newbie was not very bright, he was careless, he was noisy,
and he may well be a coward. If you were new to the squad, you had to
prove things were otherwise. Certainly a new man was a liability and one's
life would be simpler and safer if he were not around.
I remember when things were going well, how quietly Third Platoon
would sort of float along in the dusty Vietnam countryside. We were like
a long olive drab serpent, snaking our silent way along into the evening
and the night missions out of Elvira and Claudette. Then we would get
stuck with some character who was always wearing gobs of reflective adornment,
jewelry, a flashy watch or he was knocking the butt of his M16 into his
canteen...stepping on every dry branch or kicking every darned rock in
the trail that he could find. Some of them would try to face their fear
and the loneliness by conversation, walking up too near to you when we
were supposed to remain apart.... talking out, raping the silence, when
the time was not right for any sound.
The unexpected
seemed to hover around the new guy like a stench. I remember one fellow
who began yelling out, talking in his sleep, while our little squad lay
prostrate in the quiet floor of a dry rice paddy, laying in ambush, through
the lonely fear of another night. Snoring was not that much of a problem.
Several of the men were regulars at that night noise. But when it developed,
they would soon feel a buddy tugging at them. Helping them move over
onto their stomachs so the deep waves would not compromise the position,
but the men who yelled out and talked sent chills up one's neck.
Smoking was another habit which required serious responsibility.
For those of us who were smokers, the ritual had you hunched over so
that your back, your helmet and shoulders concealed most of the light.
The cigarette was held backwards, cupped deep into the middle of both
hands. In other words, out in the field, in the evening and night, you
had to wrap yourself in layers over and round your smoke. If the unit
was set into the ambush site, one would arch their body around against
the paddy burn and sort of get the smoke up under your chest and shoulder
as your lay in the darkness. The idea was for no light to escape. Any
other way would get people killed.
I have a memory
to reinforce my point here, Blake. You will remember that in an earlier
message I explained that when we were sent out on "bush”, we would usually
begin the patrol in the late afternoon or early evening. We would walk
through the countryside until we were within about three or four kilometers,
"clicks," of the ambush site. Then, if there was some time, we had to
wait for darkness to set in before moving on out and over for the set
up. This was all complicated if the moon was bright and when the night
was extremely black. If the moonlight made secrecy difficult, we would
occasionally have to crawl along on our stomachs into position or we would
have to work our way out through any available cover until we could get
near the site. If there would be no moon, we would watch through the
dusk trying to memorize the lay of the land so that we could negotiate
the last few "clicks" to the place in total darkness. Anyway, on one
such evening assignment, we had a new fellow who was a smoker. We had
made the long hike into the staging area and we were waiting for darkness.
Corporal Routte had us on a raised path where there was a rice paddy
on the right and a sort of canal or shallow water way on the left. I
remember a lot of footprints in the dust along path and we were not too
concerned about it being mined. As we moved into position, in the distance
at least three kilometers to the south, we could see a little farm hamlet
and a raised burn which signaled a PF post. Around the countryside the
South Vietnam government had tried to organize local militia among the
population and they had these raised bunkers where the Popular Force hung
out...where they acted like they were guarding the local area. In reality,
we all figured that they were just local farmers, probably caught between
us, their government, and the VC. They probably had some sort of unwritten
standing agreement with the local VC so that if one group did not bother
the other, things would just stay " hunky-dory".
Anyway, Corporal
Root quietly stated that we were going to be moving out soon so "smoke
if you need to, before we get to humping again." Darkness had nearly replaced
the dusk. All the smokers, except the newbie, assumed the position. We
were like a row of sparrows on a phone line, but on a trail, down in the
squat. The new man stood straight up; struck a match across his belt
buckle; and like an Olympic torch it made its fiery way up toward the
"John Wayne" cigarette perched out to the side off his mouth. With the
light coming up from below his face, there was an unnatural "Alferd Hitchcock"
lighting to the man's face. In seconds there was the sickening thud and
then splatter of a round ripping into the paddy mud just below our trail.
A second round hissed right though the middle of us, followed by the
sound of one shot and then the other riding on the night air from the
direction of the PF Post. In the next instance the men of the squad were
all prostrate on the north side of the burn, feet and ankles in the paddy
water. Yet, the new man just stood up there, on the trail in a daze,
wondering what was up. I believe it was the muscular arm of Corporal Routte
which seemed to shoot up toward the young soldier's stomach. He caught
the newbie at his belt and yanked him, stomach first, to the mud on our
side of the burn.
We lay there in silence and watched,
waiting for more danger, but there the silence won out. Eventually our
squad moved back up into the darkness of the trial and headed on about
our mission. The chosen "bush" was set up and the silence of the black
was broken only by an occasional snoring man and the syncopation of the
"squelch" jerks, Sit-Rep signals to the command post back at Elvira.
The night was uneventful. Very little was said to the new man. He knew
that he had screwed up and he would probably never be quite so careless
with a smoke. Perhaps, later in the next day, back at the base camp,
Corporal Routte would have faced the man and said "You dumb sh_t!" Then
he would have said, "I'm glad you’re still alive." That would have been
the end of that.
Blake, on the same night, your father
was probably either back at Elvira listening for the clicks and static
on the radio, or he was out there somewhere else in the darkness of Delta's
quadrant of the countryside. I am sure he had a wonderful collection
of similar stories about newbies that would have enjoyed sharing with
you and your brothers and sister.
Perhaps tomorrow
I can share another related memory hat has come back with me from that
place.
THIS WIEDLE THING HAS GONE WAY TOO FAR. LET’S
GET OFF THIS MAN’S BACK. I AGREE WITH YOGI, JOHN, SKIP, ROBERT, AND SEVERAL
OTHERS THAT THERE SHOULDN”T BE ANY MORE MENTION OF SUCH DENIGATION TO
THIS MAN. I KNOW THAT HE HAS BEEN WRITTEN SEVERAL PERSONAL EMAILS, BUT
I DON’T THINK THEY EVER GOT REPLIES? WELL, LET’S QUIT THAT STUFF BECAUSE
WE SHOULD REALIZE HOW WRONG WE WERE IN QUESTIONING AN OFFICER IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
IT HAS ALL BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING FOR ME AND I’LL ADMIT
THAT
THE MAN HAS REASSURED ME THAT THERE ARE THOSE OFFICERS, STILL LIVING,
THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN A BULLET
FOR HIS MEN, SO MANY YEARS AGO. AND
THE AMAZING THING IS
THAT NONE OF HIS MEN TOOK A HIT OR EVEN A SCRATCH
WHILE THEY WERE UNDER HIS COMMAND. THAT THOUGHT FROM THE FIRST POST WILL
NEVER LEAVE ME. AND ANOTHER THING IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME HE SPENT TO ACCOMPLISH
SUCH A RECORD......ABOUT 3 MONTHS? THAT IS SO AWESOME, AND AT THE SAME
TIME, SO UNBELIEVABLE... BUT,THERE AGAIN, I WASN’T AN OFFICER. IT MUST
HAVE BEEN SO STRESSFUL! I JUST THOUGHT THAT THE PLATOON SERGEANTS HAD
IT BAD! I OPENLY ADMIT I WAS A REAL FOOL. THIS MAN, THIS WONDERFULLY
DECORATED OFFICER HAS POSTED HIS FEELINGS HERE; WHAT A TRIBUTE TO ALL
OF US REDCATCHERS! APRIL 25, 2002 WILL ALWAYS BE A FOND MEMORY OF WHAT
A REAL LEADER IS ALL ABOUT.
I GUESS I HAVE SAID ENOUGH NOW.
I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU
ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE FAILED IN JUDGING
THIS WONDERFUL MAN AND WILL ACCEPT MY MOST SINCERE APOLOGY IF I HAVE EVER
GOT OUT OF LINE IN MY INTERPRETATION OF HIS WORDS THAT I MUST HAVE TAKEN
IN THE NEGATIVE. I PRAY THAT I WILL BE FORGIVEN BY GARY WEASEL AND ALL
THAT MAY HAVE TAKEN OFFENSE AT MY EARLIER POSTS. LOVE TO ALL, RICK JONES
DISCLAIMER: SINCE I WAS JUST A PFC., I HOPE THAT ANY BAD
GRAMMAR,
SPELLING OR PUNCTUATION MIGHT BE IGNORED IN MY LAST STATEMENTS. I’VE
ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF YEARS OF COLLEGE SO THEREFORE, "I’M AT A LOSS FOR
ANY PRETTY
WORDS, OR WHATEVER?"
May 03, 2002 Michelle M. Johnson <jwjmmj@msn.com>
from Gig Harbor, WA
----------------
It has been awhile since I could post something to the site about my
grandfather's funeral. General Robert C. Forbes was buried at Arlington
on April 18th. The service was breathtaking, emotional, respectful...
I was so moved by the support shown by the 199th members in attendance.
I had the privelege to meet a few of you before the service. I am sorry
I could not meet more of you, I had to leave for the airport right after
the service. My family was honored to have you all in attendance.
The
graveside service was moving beyond my words. I could only sit back and
take it all in. On my flight that night I still could not put into words
what honor and respect I had seen displayed that day. My husband and I
could only say "Wow, what a service, what a day, what a man." Thinking
about it still brings a swell of pride in my heart and a tear to my eye.
I ask that you all keep General Forbes in your heart and continue
to remember him. Talk about him, tell your stories, smile when someting
reminds you of him. He is still here with us if we continue to do this.
Just the other day I smelled pipe tobacco...I smiled and remembered my
PopPop smoking his pipe and enjoying life.
Thank you all.....Michelle
Johnson
May 03, 2002 JAMES R. WALKER from OKLAHOMA
5/12----B----3RD----JAN70----MAY70
FOR LT. WIEDLE, I WAS WITH YOU ALL THOSE TIME AT FSB LIBBY AND FSB GLADYS,
THE TROOPS THAT WERE STATIONED AT THOSE FSB FAUGHT JUST AS HARD AS ANY
ONE ELSE. I WAS WOUNDED IN MAY OF 1970 IN CAMBODIA. SO I KNOW ALL ABOUT
THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED. WE ARE ALL ONE, WHEN THEY GET US TO BATTLE EACH
OTHER THEN THE DEMONS WILL WIN. UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL. LETS
NOT FORGET THAT OR OUR FALLEN COMRADES
May 03, 2002 Robert L. Cusick <RCusick102@aol.com>
from Wayne,New Jersey
2/40th Arty----B Battery--------69 Sept----70 Sept
Greetings to all,just a friendly note of hello to all my fellow 199th
LIB Vets.As mentioned before by our brothers, appology accepted from 2nd
LT Weidle.We all tend to say things that sometimes get out of hand.No
harm at this stage of our lives .Memorial day is rapidly approaching and
as always a time of inner thoughts and rememberances about our past histories.It's
been a hella of a long time (35 years) but welcome back to all my brothers
and my prayers for one and all.I will be making that trip to the "Wall"
this summer to try and close that open loop.Somehow I know it will hurt
but I think we all have to get it behind us.I look forward to my trip
.I know that not one of us soldiers will ever forget that time in our
young lives when we put it all on the line for each other.God Bless and
I pray for all of us Vets.Regards,Bob
May 03, 2002 Pasqual (Pancho) Ramirez <pachuco@usa.com>
from New Mexico now California http://www.pancho199th.freeservers.com/index.html
4th
/ 12th----HHC, CO. E. & CO. D.----4th----May 1967----May 1968
I am one hundred percent with Yogi, Gary has apoligized and
as Redcatchers
we should say apology accepted. Now I want
to see all redcatchers
who use these pages think of the last
time we made a mistake and count
back 10 times. It is hard
to believe others forgave us after we realize
what we did.
Thanks amigos
May 03, 2002 LOUIE YEOSTROS <YOGI1570@AOL.COM>
from SARASOTA FLORIDA
199TH 2/3----A & HHC----FIRST----10/68----1/70
Ok!!! It is time to cut 1st LT Gary Wiedle some slack. He already apologized
for that fatal night. We all put our foot in our mouth sometimes. He took
his beating like a man. Lets unite again and welcome Gary to our family.
I know I can't throw stones at a glass house. I think we all tip one to
many sometimes,then wish we could turn the clock back,when we wake the
next morning. I hope we can put this behind us,and welcome Gary to the
REDCATCHER FAMILY. Thank you for your time.
Yogi aka Louie Yeostros
May 03, 2002 Dave Murray <redhawk34@comcast.net>
from Joisey, ya gotta problem wit dat?
1099 Medium Boat----LCM 34/ 23--------68-69----
To 1LT Wiedle:
This website isn't about you (or me).
It's about
US.
Redhawk34
Rear Echelon Melon Farmer
(Hell, I was 30 feet
behind the Infantry!)
May 03, 2002 mike janway <wedge50@earthlink.net>
from oklahoma/florida now
856th RR Det------------8/68----8/70
just checkin to see if any old buddies were still kickin
May 02, 2002 Randy Brooks <RBrooks340aol.com>
from Chicago, Ill
5/12----HHC/D/C------------
It is with great sadness that have to report the loss of a fellow Redcatcher.William
T. Matson. Bill served with Co.B 7th Support from 1968 to 1969. Bill was
active with his church the VFW, American Legion and VVA. I have lost a
good friend. Say a prayer for our fellow Redcatcher. Bill Matson 1945
to 2002
May 02, 2002 Larry Hanner <lehanner@yahoo.com>
from Bloomfield, Mo.
2/3----delta----1 st----June 68 ----june 69
Had a great time at the Alatoona Reunion. Need to find these guys for
next reunion: Lt. William Leblanc, John T. Youngblood, Carl Young, Juble
Hampton, John Herzog, Jim Froelich, Mark Kreuger, Sgt. Furr and my buddy
from Alabama by the name of Scotty, (sorry Scotty cant remember your last
name but you were married to Jackie at Ft. Benning). Please contact me
any of you.
May 02, 2002 Tom Kennedy <tckenne@attglobal.net>
from Rockville, MD
5/12----B & HHC----1 & $----May '68----May '69
Second Annual Redcatcher Golf Outing!!!!!
Hello to all! Colonel
Malone and I are organizing our Second Annual Redcatcher Reconisance in
Force & Golf Outing --- Details are not firm at this time, but the plan
will be to tee-off on early Saturday AM (May 25). Format will be as last
year, two man teams/best ball dogfight. If you don't have a partner yet,
we'll team you up with someone. Prizes will be nominal and accompanied
by suitable abuse and recognition for the winners! ALL skill levels are
welcome and encouraged to join us. Feel free to sign up individually or
in teams. For those of you who are interested, please send me an e-mail(
tckenne@attglobal.net ) or give me a call at home (301-840-1409) .
We
are trying to lock in on a golf course as close as possible to the reunion
as possible. We will do our best to keep the expense to a minimum. As
soon as we have the golf course and cost inedtified, we will post it here
on the website. Thank you.
I look forward to seeing you all at the
reunion and on the golf course.
Best to all,
Tom
tckenne@attglobal.net
301-840-1409
May 01, 2002 Ram Chavez <ramchavez@sbcglobal.net>
from Corpus Christi,Texas http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2237/vetfive.html
4/12----Co.
D----Sr. Medic----Sept. 1967----Sept. 1968
Anybody know where Capt. James Dabney is today. He was the company
commander of Co. D, 4/12 from Jan. 1, 1968 till at least June 1968, that
I know off. He and I walked to Co. D 4/12 on Jan. 2. I was assigned
as the Senior Medic of Co. D 4/12. It would be nice if we could find
him. He was one of the finest officers and becasue of that, many of us
came back home. Pasqual Ramirez, Otis Wells, Lt. Arlan Wayne Smith, Gunterh
Bahjal, and many other good men served under Capt. Dabney. Let me know
if anybody know where we can contact Capt. Dabney.
May 01, 2002 Bill Tallman <billtallman45@yahoo.com>
from Carbondale, Illinois
2/3----Delta----3----Feb. 68----Mar. 68
Having just returned from Delta 2/3's first ever reunion I must say
that a finer group of men I have never been associated with. The laughter
was infectious with a sprinklering of tears and hugs mixed in. I am more
convinced than ever that by the time the good Lord takes the very last
Vietnam vet our country will have lost a national treasure and not even
know it. The history revisionists will have made the protesters out to
be the heroes and we will be relgated to a dark chapter in our county's
history. That's okay because we want nothing more than to be able to look
each other in the eye and see the mutual understanding that comes only
between those of us who were there. God bless each and every one of you
and please try to get together with your old buddies. It's tuely a salve
for the soul. A special thanks to an old Lt. named Wayne Williams without
whose help none of us would have found each other. His contsruction of
the Old Guard web site has been priceless. Men of Delta 2/3 you are the
greatest. Bill Tallman
May 01, 2002 John Campbell <campbellj@benning.army.mil>
from Col. Ga. Ft. Benning
3/7th ----A----Wpns----6/66----11/67
2nd LT (HA) Weidle, After reading your article in the 199th web site,
I now realize what officers like you meant to the US Army. ZIPPO. All
I saw was bragging about the quick kill at Benning. How about your relationship
with the troops, oops I forgot, you must have been far above them, especially
the REMF’S. You know the ones that did all the paperwork for your awards,
sent the Hot meals to the field with the new fatigues, the Sundry packs,
ammo, and new troops, yep, you must have been a good leader. I'm sure
you have told all your friends and co-workers of all the trials and tribulations
in Nam, with all the non-combatants saving your ass on a daily basis.
Especially the hospital. I hope I see you at the Reunion, along with the
rest of the 199th, by the way, there will be some REMF’S there also. And
ALLWAYS remember, "Rangers Lead The Way". (3/75th)
April 30, 2002 Bob Fromme <rfromme@stic.net>
from Floresville, Texas http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme
4/12----Delta----Joannides/Elias----April
69----July 69
Howdy, Redcatchers,
Several of you seem to enjoye reading the
"Rat Storm" letter to Blak, the son of SSG Andujar, so I will share another
earlier letter, It is one for those who want a to remember some of the
....."stand-down good times?"
To: Blake Andujar
From: Robert
Fromme
Subject: (Letters to the Redcatcher's Children) Newbie's Burning
Memory and a Football Game.
Date: 09:58 P.M. 7/13/00
Dear
Blake,
I am sure Bob Wagoner shares many of the same emotions
and frustrations that I have been having with wanting to remember glimpses
of those months with your father. I always enjoy Bob's messages. I was
pleased to learn recently that he has made contact with Marty Gushwa who
was also one of your Father's men. I did not know Marty and there is very
little that my memory holds concerning Wagoner. Last year, Bob attached
some images to email and after looking at several where I could see parts
of his face, he seemed familiar, but certainly our lives did not touch
in any direct way before his tour was over. I do have a bit of a memory
of a party given for a Sgt. in the unit, probably his, and I had not been
with Delta very long. Another squad in Third Platoon was lead by a fairly
tall man named VanAndel, a Sgt., who was also "short" (we called them
"short-timers" when they got close to the end of their tour over there).
Anyway, it was probably Van Andel or Corporal Routte, my squad leader
at the time, who went over for this party. Honestly, at that time, for
me, an F.N.G. or "Newbie", men like Bob Wagoner were a bit
frightening.
( Please don't ask what the F.N.G. stands for.) The "short-timers" were
hard, muscular, sun warn.... battle warn, men.... aged beyond their years.
Their speech was usually coarse, direct and if they talked to you, the
words would cut right through you. Yet, you had better listen to them.
They had their own circle of friends garnered from trust born of fire
fights and "down-time" fun and they had no reason to talk to an F. N.
G unless the fellow had "screwed up" or unless they had a bit of experience
that they were gracious enough to share with you in order to help you
stay alive. You listened and you kept your mouth shut. If they kidded
you, and in the jest, made you feel like an "ass," you took it as a compliment.
It usually signaled that they were starting to accept you as one of the
unit.
In an earlier message to me, from Wagoner, he made a humorous
reference to an "old-timer's" attitude toward replacements. You see, after
his recent letter to me, I realize that I should point out that your father,
with the responsibility of a Platoon, had an ongoing flow of men moving
in to his squads. He would have been sizing them up, looking for the ones
who were careless, looking for the ones who were not very right....watching
for those who were angry or untrustworthy. He would have quietly talked
to his squad leaders about the new fellows. Trying to head off problems.
Trying to save lives. I thought, in this particular message to you and
your family, I would talk a bit about "newbies," those in the constant
string of replacements who were moved into the unit, as other men left
via Med-Evac, "freedom bird," or "re-upping," to get out of the Infantry.
Here are two of my memories as a "newbie" in Delta Company.
One
of my early memories, as a new guy, was one repugnant task shared by thousands
of fellows who were in Vietnam. There was one duty that was hated above
all others. If you were a "newbie" you probably "burned sh_t." No....literally,
Blake, that was one of the duties. In base camps they had these long "out
houses." There were six hole sh_tters and twelve hole sh_tters. For sanitary
reasons, something had to be done with the accumulation. If you were a
new fellow, you were ordered to take care of it. You were given a five
gallon can of kerosene and some matches. You had to go over to the back
of the long shack, pull up the wooden door which flopped down over the
rows of fifty five gallon drums, cut in half, below the "thrones." These
were usually perched in there on a support of "two by fours" and the critical
part of the whole nasty experience was getting that vile, loaded can slid
out and eased down onto the ground without getting splattered as it dropped.
The thing was dragged out away from the shack, doused with the kerosene
and ignited. When one can looked as if it would stay burning, you had
to move on to the next one. It was back to the shack and the stench. Up
came the wooden door, etc. Down the line you would go. Soon a line of
billowing smoke trails would celebrate your mission. The cans would burn
and smolder for hours. Mondays were the worst day to catch the duty. There
were two kinds of Malaria pills that we had to take. The little one taken
on Mondays gave most of us the "runs".
Well, I realize that this
is a vile account but one may consider that this duty probably held value
as a way to see if a man would follow orders and accomplish his mission,
no matter how degrading and repugnant. No doubt, it also served as a source
of humor as the "old-timers" (like your Dad and Bob Wagoner) watched the
"newbie" stumbled along through the base camp dust, off and up toward
the "sh_tter with the can of kerosene and the matches. Unfortunately I
caught this duty several times in the first few weeks that I was with
the unit. I think, being a college graduate may have worked against some
of us, since they wanted to check us out to see if we could handle life
at the bottom. I must have finally passed their test because after a number
of similar missions successfully accomplished, that duty eventually fell
to another poor F. N. G..
I remember another "newbie's" impression
from some "down time" at Fire Support Base, Elvira. Blake, as grunts in
the 199th, what we owned was what we could carry. But there were other
units, other kinds of jobs, where men had the luxury of living a more
stationary life. The fellows in the artillery had a bit of this luxury,
and I remember that some of those gunners had an old, really pathetic
looking football. The thing had a slow air leak but it was good for about
ten or fifteen minutes at a go before the game would stop and one of the
men would get the job of running back over to the gunners' tire pump for
another resurrection. Sometimes, the darned thing was as flat as it could
be and yet, the game went on.
Now, Blake, you have to try to
picture this one. The area where they played was just outside one of the
entry gates at Fire Support Base, Claludette. One of the goal lines butted
up to a pile of concertina which was usually pulled back into a U-turn
by day and then at night the stuff was dragged back around and up over
to restrict part of the road. The men usually had their shirts off and
so you see these clowns out there with jungle boots and baggy pants. They
had no pads, no football helmets, and they threw themselves into the game
like there was no tomorrow. For a "newbie" like myself, the whole spectacle
was bizarre. I had played a bit of ball in high school but when they got
me over there I felt like this was not the same game I had known. The
fellows would hit and tackle each other with a furry. If the course of
their play yielded a bone cruncher, the participants would simply roll
onto their backs in the dust and laugh until the pain lessened. When the
game put some of the men down on the ground, trying to recover a real
slammer, the others all laughed and sort of danced around as their buddies
gyrated, rumbled and moaned in their pain. Along with the play, one of
the men was walking around the edge of the area with his hand up to his
mouth, acting as if he were a sports announcer on the radio, yelling out
the play by play at the top of his voice. They all were crazy!
I
certainly did not understand this ritual until much later. Anyway the
image sticks in my mind because a tall blond fellow, an R.T.O, I believe
his last name was Kenney, went out for a long pass and the high arching,
wobbling, pathetic excuse for a dead pig in the air, took him deeper and
deeper toward the razor sharp nest of concertina at the goal. We all expected
him to stop.... give up the pass, but he did not. Up he jumped, then in
a slow arch his reach caught the wobbling pig. He seemed to hover up there
in the air for the longest time and then down he floated, spread out over
the tangle of razor sharp concertina wire. Down, slowly down, he ascended,
deep into the lap of this tangle. Then his body just sort of hung there
slowly easing up and down with the springy wire, about two feet off the
ground. Things all got deadly quite. The men rushed over to the fellow.
His face reflected a glimmer of satisfaction, pride at his "All American"
moment and then, in an instant, he and the rest of us got real serious.
This man was stretched out there, deep in the hive of nasty wire, on his
back.... impaled. Every time one of us would try to ease into the tangle
to try to help him out, it would pull the razor nest along, tearing deeper
into his back.... into his neck and the back of his legs. He would give
a heavy "huff' of wind from down in his lungs each time we tried to move
in to get him, making the wire pull at him in his frozen, ritual sacrifice,
position.
Eventually, he had endured sufficient pain for several
of the men to get deep enough into the rolls of wire to lift him up. I
don't know whether we should attach significance to the fact that the
gunner's football was the first to be rescued from the nest. Next, they
brought the man almost straight up, with the springy wire trying to follow
his body as he was raised. I remember grimacing at the sight, empathizing
with his pain, as one and then another of the razor barbs popped back
from his skin. They brought him up and then out.... over his bed of suffering.
The man was eased over so that he was in a standing position. He slowly
started to smile. Then he sort of shook all over and he grabbed at the
fellow holding the football. Pig skin in hand, he broke out of the huddle
of men who had just rescued him. Down the make believe football field
he went, skipping and jumping while waving the ball high above his head
and yelling out at the top of his voice, over and again, "And the crowd
goes wild!" He continued his tirade for a while as men clapped, whooped
and laughed their way deep into the moment. Then, someone yelled out to
him, "get over here with that you crazy bast_rd!". "The thing still has
some air in it.... Lets play!" The game went on. Kenney was right there,
in the middle of it, as if nothing had happened. From the back, the man
looked kind of like Christ brought down from the cross.
Only
later into my tour of duty with these men would I understand all of this.
For the grunts, for us, these sorts of times represented a way to loose
the nasty reality which was our lot. That Claudette football afternoon
was just a pitiful few "All American" moments for some "All American Boys."
Some of America's finest! It was a way to make a fleeting bit of "Stateside"
come for a visit. Unfortunately, like the air in the gunner's pigskin,
it would not last long.
Blake, I will try to share some more
on the topic of "newbies" with you tomorrow.
Bob Fromme
(
Dave Kenney, the fellow in the wire in this day, was hit in a firefight
on May 27th 1969 and later died in the hospital on June 11th. Another
player, that afternoon was SGT Claude VanAnde, who was also KIA in the
May 27th fight. Charlie Fink, now a priest in Hewlett, New York, and
another fellow from Georgia, too new to the unit for me to remember his
name, were wounded in the same contact with the enemy.)
April 30, 2002 Pasqual (Pancho) Ramirez <pachuco@usa.com>
from New Mexico now California http://www.pancho199th.freeservers.com/index.html
4th
/ 12th----HHC, CO. E. & CO. D.----4th----May 1967----May 1968
Enough of the REMF crap guys we were there some of us still
don't
know why. So cut it right here or am I going to have to go to my first
reunion and slap some heads.
Love all of you. Welcome Home Amigos!
April 30, 2002 John McBride <mcskudler@msn.com>
from Seattle, Washington
2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry----Alpha and HHC----1st ----April, 1969----June,
1970
Gary Wiedle,
Louis Yeostros convinced me that it was late at
night when you made that entry and that you were melancholy.
I
hope you are okay, Gary.
As Dan Houchin noted, we all served
together. The war was a long time ago. Right now looking back at your
entry in the Guestbook, and those since, I'm having to laugh. Talk about
shaking a red ant colony! Man!
I'm printing all the entries
beginning with your's, and especially Skip's, and putting them in an album.
If I live long enough to be a really old man like Skip I want to make
sure I've got something to really laugh about, not least my own. Whoa!
Jump down off the highhorse, John, and don't kill yourself in the fall.
Take
care everyone. I'd say a lot more as I'm prone to do, but I've got to
run for cover right now. I'm expecting an e-mail from Skip momentarily.
John
p.s.
Anonymous (ya, right! three guesses who and the first two don't count):
Thanks for fixing that date in Skip's entry. Otherwise I was going to
go through life thinking Skip's dad (all due respect to your father, Skip)had
died in Bed 26 and I had not even a single clue what to do with that information.
April 30, 2002 Michael Yancy <mwyancy@bbtel.com>
from Radcliff,KY
5/12 Inf----HHC/RECON/D. CO----Medic----Mar68----Mar 69
When all is said and done,drive over to the wall and remember what it
was all about. Those in the field and those in the rear dying to protect
a brother.
April 29, 2002 Mike Swearingen from
----------------
Sorry about that! (permanent and Afganistan at the end of that last
post). I was laughing and typing, and I can't do two things at once any
more.
However, I do sit a very good REMF chair every chance that
I get.
April 29, 2002 Mike Swearingen <a-realty@mchsi.com>
from TX Then/NC Now http://www.albemarle-realty.com
40th
PIO----HHC, 199th--------NOV 67----NOV 68
My earlier comments regarding REMFs, as an REMF, were not aimed back
at Gary Wiedle in any way. They were just my comments in general, and
he only brought the subject to my mind. I highly respect any man that
ever sets foot in a combat zone, especially people like former ILT Wiedle,
who served as a 199th infantryman and was seriously wounded.
He has
earned a right, as all Redcatchers have, to say what he feels at the moment.
Whether we disagree or not. Brother! I'm not perfect either, and that
damned war didn't improve me. So just for the record, I am a permenant
REMF from Afganstan. How about you? LOL Mike
April 29, 2002 Anonymous <ROTTEN
RICK> from HERE
ONE OF THEM----SAME----SAME----60'S----70'S
THE DUMMY THAT POSTED THE LAST ONE MEANT FEB 26, 2002 BUT I THINK HE
WAS DRINKIN' OR SOMETHING.
April 29, 2002 Skip Brockner <CAX1946@aol.com>
from D Troop
----------------
FYI.....just for the record....during WW2, my Father was a Fighter Pilot
and OFFICER flying the P-47, P-52 & P-38 out of England escorting the
Bomber flying into Europe. HE passed away Bed 26, 2002 in Port Charlotte,
Fl at the age of 79. I WAS a Military Brat growing up.
April 29, 2002 Chris Wander <GMaWander@AOL.com>
from Las Vegas NV
7th Support----B----Co Clerk----Aug 66----Apr 68
I didn't even know I was a REMF until 15 years ago. I sure never heard
the expression while with the 199th. I am glad I stumbled upon your website
the other day.
April 29, 2002 Skip Brockner <CAX1946@aol.com>
from New Jersey http://www.skipbrockner.com
D
Troop------------June 67----Nov 67
Okaaaaaaayyyyyy now folks, we been having some comment regarding Butter
Bar LT Weidle and some silly stuff over 35 years ago. I've been holding
back my "comments" trying to sort out this stuff (and according to Rick
Jones, I'm supposed to be polite). Now I will admit up front I am no
RAMBO, I spent about 1/2 a tour in Nam, and to be hones, was scared 1/2
to death most the time. I was a repo-depot replacemnet incountry with
the 2/47th Mech inf, "Cookie Division" and later transfered to the 199th
(and to this day have little to no clue where i was, or what we did).
Excuse me if I BRAG just a little here, but I VOLUNTEERED for Vietnam
coming from Korea, went to Nam, and was transfered BACK to Korea just
in time for the Puebo Incident. I took Basic Training like we all did
as an 11B10, school trained as a wheel & track vehicle mechanic, 63B20.
I freely admit I was no Superman, but i will tell ALL of you that I was
trained in Nam to handle the 50 cal, M-60, M-16, 30 Cal Grease Gun and
i carried a tool box in the process, and I never got the CIB because of
my MOS. I went on AMBUSH PATROL, and gave as good as I got. I feel I
was cheated out of a CIB because of my MOS and the Legal Letter of the
Military Law. I did my bit. I lost friends in Nam, and Clyde Owenby
was a special incident in my life and I reverence him to this day.
I
have spent the majority of the last 35 years trying to figure out where
the heck i was on any given day. I remeber doing Road Patrols, sitting
by bridges, fixing tracks, getting heat sick, being scared stiff, sleeping
on the Swim Boards of Tracks, being at French Fort, in the Boonies, running
from Saigon to BearCat to Xuan Loc and back BEFORE most of you showed
up in the Nam. I remember guarding the 13th Engineer Btn pushing roads
through the jungle and i can't tell you exactly where, setting up Claymor
Mines, getting eatin alive by ants, bamboo jungles, and rubber plantations.
I still got no idea where i was. I remember meeting General Westmoreland
just once while digging a Foxhole near the Cambodian Border (Operation
Junction City?), third phase? I honestly have no clue.
I remember
Gary Heflin, very little of Base Camp, having the Army lossing my paperwork,
pay records, having to write my Mother because I had nothing and having
to get a Congressman involved to get some justice. I remember some jerk
Officer telling me that I didn't have to do that AFTERWARDS! I was a
PFC, he was a jerk!
I came out of Korea to Nam to do my bit.
Then my Dad was transfered into Nam from Ft Benning as a Chopper Ops
Sgt. Stationed at Bein Hoa. Before that he was in Germany. I was supposed
to be transfered Stateside when the military found out we were BOTH in
country. He stayed, i got transfered back to Korea, just in time for
the Pueblo Incident in Korea. 21 Chinese Divisions against about 2 American
Divisions, and a couple ROK Army Divisions....if Joe Chink had jumped,
we'd have been grease spots on the map. Out of a 36 month ENLISTMENT
I spent 27 months on HARDSHIP tours...so I really don't want to hear "certain
people" cry about stuff that happened to them.
I will say this
much about Nam, Officers, and all that goes with them, from President
Johnson down to the Grunt in the field, we ALL paid our dues....so quit
yur $%&#!in and get on with life. We are ALL old men now, and we ALL
lost buddies, and SOME PEOPLE still don't get it 35 years later. They
never will.
I am 55 years old now, fat, ugly, got 8 kids, pay
a lot of Child Support, had a fractured spine, brain hemmorage and am
supposed to be dead. Been through 3 divorces, married 4 times, got kids
from 30 years old down to 4 months old and adopting an 8 year old. Been
broke, bankrupt, lived on the street, ate out of Dumpsters, lived in an
82 Toyota and done it all, or been accused of it. i shoulda given up
and quit along time ago......so do me a favor.....
Quit yu $%&#!in,
crying about who struck John, and who is better than whom. You ALL need
to go THANK GOD you are still here to $%&#! about it! I'm tired of hearing
your crying! We got buddies dying from brain cancer, agent orange, you
name it and you let ONE little 2 LT get you upset? Go get a life and
remember 911...American was attacked and John McCain (AZ) "War Hero" is
trying to make hay on his rep, he needs a BIG slap down, and a wake up
call. And yur fighting about rear echelon people? When I was in the
Nam, WE ALL WERE TARGETS...when the hell were you? Get a life will ya
and quit yur $%&#!in!
April 29, 2002 Dan Houchin <dhooch@sptc.net>
from Plainview Tx
3/7----C----3rd----2/70----9/70
Gary Wiedle,
Apology accepted, please accept my apology for
any unkind remarks, especially about lizards. Vietnam affected us all
and continues to do so today. We all served together.
April 29, 2002 RICK JONES <ROTT357@AOL.COM>
from PITTSBURG, TEXAS http://www.geocities.com/LILRACOON_30/
4TH/12TH----DELTA----2ND----69----70
GARY,
SINCE I TOOK THE FIRST OFFENSE OF YOUR POST I'LL HOPEFULLY
BE THE FIRST TO ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY. WE ALL HAVE OUR WEAKER MOMENTS BUT,
AS YOU HAVE LEARNED, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR BELITTLING ANOTHER MAN
FOR WHATEVER HIS JOB HAPPENED TO BE IN THAT PLACE THAT WE ALL WISHED THINGS
HAD BEEN EASIER OR LESS DANGEROUS. FINDING THOSE PLACES WOULD HAVE BEEN
A REAL TRICK; WHERE WAS IT SAFE? NOWHERE! THANKS FOR BEING A MAN ABOUT
ALL THIS AND WELCOME BACK TO REALITY. RICK JONES
April 29, 2002 1LT. GARY WIEDLE <gewiedle@msn.com>
from
5/12----B----4th----12/69----5/70
Please accept my apology for the comments that I made about support
troops. When I posted that message it was late at night and I was feeling
melancholy, but that is no excuse. My sincerest apology to the men with
whom I served
Gary Wiedle
April 29, 2002 Robert L. Cusick <RCusick102@aol.com>
from Wayne,New Jersey
2/40th Arty----B Battery--------Sept.69----Sept.70
I will always be thankful to all those units who assisted/supported
us, without concern for their safety, while we were out in the field or
in a far away LZ outpost.I was with a 105 gun support unit that was constantly
being air lifted into some god forsaken remote area to pull support for
the grunts or who ever needed us to back them in a fire mission.We could
not make it without their help and support with ammo, food,beer and all
the rest of the stuff that we wanted but could not get.Anyone who spent
time in country is a brother no matter what their job or mission was.Thanks
from a brother Vet who served his country and returned to the world to
get on with life.My prayers to all the guys of the 199th.Regards,Bob
April 29, 2002 Ted Lackland <tlackland@e-lacklaw.com>
from Chicago, IL
4/12----B--------6/68 to 6/69----6/69
To the good times and the good men of B 4/12 199th
April 29, 2002 Jim from Maryland
2/3----Echo----Recon--------
THANKS BRUCE! Thats telling them
April 29, 2002 Bruce <pananie@msn.com>
from Pa.
5/12th----B----1st or 2nd ???----Mar 69----Mar 70
REMF stands for Reliable Everyday Military Friends....Why
Because
without the REMF I would not have....
Gotten my mail from my loved
ones at home
Had any Hot meals in the field
Had no resupply of
ammo or weapons
Had no place to get away from the hell and be protected
while I recooperated.
No clean Clothes or dry socks.
No intertainment
No
hospitals to recoop from my illness
and on and on.
I was a grunt
and an REMF during my tour.When I had became an REMF some of my fellow
grunts rejected me which really hurt. Maybe for the next war we can suggest
to our government to do away with REMF's. Think of all the money our country
would save. After all is it really neccessary to have all that stuff mentioned?
I know I surely appreciated it.I hope that before the next simple minded
moron comments on REMF's they at least take the time and think first.
Thank you and have a great life.
April 29, 2002 Dave Kwiatkowski <kwiatkda@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us>
from Milwaukee, WI
----152nd MP--------Sept. 1968----Sept. 1969
Looks like a missed some great discussion. Neat stuff about REMFs.
While on duty as an MP, I know that everyone who had the pleasure of
meeting me loved my butt and respected me.
April 28, 2002 Terry Beckelic <beckelic@coslink.net>
from Cadillac, Michigan
4/12----C----1st----1/69----1/70
1st and foremost:
Very glad to see the entry from Steve Riehl; I
know he's doing some tough duty right now and I'm happy to hear
that
things are starting to come around for him. We spent the better part
of 1969 together in 1st platoon, c/4/12,
and I remember the firefight
when he got the wound that won him a job in the rear for his last few
months in-country.
2nd, the REMF topic:
Generally words like
"REMF" and "wannabe" and the ilk, are negative terms used for denigration
and attack and
there's not much else to say about them. But you men
of the 199th have carried on (in my opinion) an enlightening
and positive
conversation and I would like to add another 2¢ worth (and only a little
tongue-in-cheek):
In the course of human affairs, being an MF is not
dependant upon being in the field or in the rear, nor anything
else
that I know of. Some people are never an MF, others are sometimes an
MF, a few are an MF most of the
time. I personally try to never be
an MF but occasionally fail. I am sorry for the times I've been an MF
and attempt
never to do that again. And I know that someday I will
succeed!
April 28, 2002 steve riehl <benreel@msn.c0m>
from portland, or
4/12----c----1st----12/68----12/69
First, I want to thank any and all of you for your prayers, thoughts,
e-mails, cards, phone calls and visits .I have felt well some days and
not so well others. mostly the path to control the pain has gone ok.
all the obvious problems are slowly being overcome. the appetite is returning,
weight gain is slow but happening.
I had to return to Houston from
Portland last Tuesday and returned on Wednesday evening but that overnight
trip was a real butt kicker. Honestly I have not had the energy to check
my e-mails and other messages.
I return to Houston on may 4th to begin
radiation treatmentsdaily for 5 weeks then stay an extra week before returning
home.
thanks again
steve and teresa
April 27, 2002 Gary Bjaaland <gbjaaland@yahoo.com>
from N. Idaho now Tulsa Oklahoma
----------------
I served with the 174th Avn. Sharks and Dolphins Americal. 1970 - 1971.
The reason I had to look you all up is I have a friend where I work that
was with your 199th. His name is Sid Ward and served 1969 - 1970. He was
with 199th Lt Inf. 5/12 Delta Co. I'm sure he would enjoy hearing from
you all.
April 27, 2002 LOUIS YEOSTROS <YOGI1570>
from SARASOTA FLORIDA
199TH 2/3----ALPHA----FIRST----10/68----1/70
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE COMMENTS ABOUT REMF'S WE ARE STILL A TIGHT FAMILY
THAT RESPECTS EVERYONE WHO SERVED. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN IN
THE REAR FOR MY WHOLE TOUR. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT,THIS CITY BOY WHO NEVER
SHOT A WEAPON IN HIS LIFE,ENDED UP BEING A GRUNT. I ALSO WAS SENT TO THE
REAR AS AN RTO FOR TOC,BEFORE JOHN MCBRIDE,AFTER SERVING OVER 10 MONTHS
IS THE FIELD. WHEN THE TROOPS CAME IN FOR STAND DOWN WE WERE STILL A FAMILY.
I THANKED THE LUCKY STARS FOR MAKING IT OUT OF THE FIELD IN ONE PIECE.
I REALLY THINK I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE 199TH LIB. WE
WERE AND STILL ARE A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
YOGI
April 27, 2002 Bob Fromme <rfromme@stic.net>
from Floresville, Texas http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme
4/12----Delta----Joannides/Elias----4/69----7/69
Howdy, Redcatchers,
Sorry to see all the sparks fly over Grunts
vs. RAMFs. At one time or another, I was both, and can remember to how
hard and dangerous life was as a grunt in the field …. and how much less
difficult, and less dangerous life was later in my tour while serving
in an engineer unit. I can also attest to the occasional presence of
danger for men serving in the rear. However, in the end, I know what
I did for this country in both capacities and I look back with a great
deal of respect for all the men who served over there, especially the
gallant grunts of the 199th who served in the field.
Now, to
lighten up the conversation, I thought some of you might enjoy one of
the letters I wrote to the son of a fellow soldier who lost his life in
the jungles northeast of FSB Blackhorse. (For an account of the SSGs death,
see the June 2002 issue of Vietnam Magazine.) The following letter was
an account of a relatively uneventful night ambush position in late April
of 69, before our unit was moved over to the area around Xuan Loc:
To:
Blake Andujar
From: Robert Fromme
Subject: (Letters to the Redcatcher's
Children - Ratstorm)
Date: 05:58 P.M. 7/15/00
Dear Blake,
I have a few additional
memories for you concerning the patrols and night ambush positions out
of Fire Support Base Elvira and Claudette. Then I will be able to move
on to some of the other missions that the men in your father's company
were doing in the months of March, April and early May, 1969. There is
one other memory that involves a newbie and I suppose we should stick
with the theme in order to keep some organization to our communication.
Anyway, yesterday the memory involved an experience for
our squad on the way out to an ambush site. This evening, I want to talk
about another similar mission. You pretty well have the picture now of
how a grunt would spend the afternoon and evening working out of
Elvira
and Claudette, so I can begin this letter as we move through the darkness
, after the wait for darkness, to set up the ambush. On that particular
overcast night we could hear thunder in the distant and we figured that
there would probably be rain sometime in the night. That was nothing
new and rain had little to do with whether we were assigned to do the
ambushes or not. Anyway, I remember us moving through the night and into
the bed of a small dry rice paddy. As usual, we distributed ourselves
out around the inside of the thing, looking out in all four directions.
Things were going as usual except there was a new man in the squad.
I do not remember his name. I do remember asking him if he had any trouble
getting his Claymore set up.
A Claymore mine is a
wide, thin curved anti-personnel device that was perched on some thick
wire pull-down legs. It had a layer of plastic explosive at the back
and then over that layer was a layer of metal, like a waffle, which would
blow apart and become a huge, shotgun like, blast toward the enemy if
they came in at us. The thing was slightly rounded to distribute the blast
out over a curve. It was always faced with its curve pushing out, away
from the unit. Each man had to carry one and when the bush was set up,
the area all around the position would have at least one layer, one wave
of protection against the enemy. The device had a little hole on the
top where a blasting cap was placed down into the layer of C4 and a thin
, double wire was rolled out along the ground. Then it was pulled up
over the burn or rice paddy dike where it was then connected to a hand
held switch where a squeeze would send a charge of electricity up to set
of the blasting cap and the explosive.
Anyway, I
had to watch the new guy that night. I asked him if his Claymore was set
up right, and his response to my question was "I think so." The answer
that was required was a confident, “yes”; Well, this was the stuff he
should have known from his basic training and
A.I.T. He must have
been sleeping in that particular class. Anyway, the poor fellow was already
a wreck and I didn't see any need to add to his fear. I could not send
him back out there to check his work, I knew that even if I did, I would
not sleep well having some question in my mind as to whether he would
get it right the second time even if he had goofed up on his first attempt.
All of us were newbies at one time or another. I asked him to show
me where he had the firing device and I disconnected it from his wire
and put it in my leg side pocket. I let the fellows on both side of us
know that I had to go back up over the embankment and check the mine.
I slid up over the mound and crawled along side the wires in the dark.
In the darkness above, clouds had been boiling and a few drops of rain
were starting to fall. By the time I had done the belly slide out close
to the mine at the end of the wire, an occasional flash of lightening
would cover everything with a quivering blueness. I was quite conspicuous
out there in the next paddy with the mine out ahead of me and the momentary
light catching everything. Then, all around, the world would go back
to dark. I made my way on out toward the Claymore. Soon it was only inches
in front of my nose, I struggled to see which way it was facing but it
was too dark. I reached up to feel it. There was another flash of lightening
followed by its crash of thunder. I could see very clearly in that instant
and, yip, the F. N. G. had the thing turned around. It could have wiped
out a good portion of the squad if we had needed to use it that night.
The mine was repositioned, the blasting cap was checked,
and I crawled back to the men as big raindrops were transforming our bed
of dust to one of mud. At the dike, I quietly let them know that I had
returned and would be coming up over the paddy burn which was our perimeter.
That night, I kept both firing devices in front of me.
I remember thinking that if the clown didn't know how to set the darned
thing up, he surely would have trouble trying to figure out how to use
it.
The rain continued.. From the distance, one
could hear an occasional low bellowing guttural sound that one often heard
near waterways or rivers. Later in the month, I heard the sound again
and asked if anyone knew what kind of animal made it. One fellow said
he thought it sounded like an alligator. Surely he was pulling my leg.
Years later, in the lazy boy comfort of our family room, those same sounds
gripped me. They were coming from the TV audio in a PBS special on the
reptiles. The man had been correct. I think perhaps, long ago, that was
one of those occasions where "ignorance was bliss." Had I known the true
origin of the sounds, surely sleep would have never come that evening.
With another man on duty at the radio, it came for a while. It did not
last.
The rain continued. Somewhere in
the night we decided to unhook the firing devices from the mines because
of the building storm and the electricity all around us. The moon must
have been out, somewhere up above the night haze. Its big yellow face
was probably looking down into the storm clouds above us, down toward
the little muddy, squashed "grand-daddy longlegs" position with the men
in its belly and the wires strung out into the surrounding paddies forming
its legs. Its feet were our Claymores. The tide came in, raising
the level of the river and its lower delta tributaries. Up river, the
rains also came. The season was in change and the yearly flooding had
begun. Later in the night, in the rain, the huge expanse of land which
stretched out around us gave in to the change, filling with water. The
patchwork quilt of dry, then muddy, paddies.... even the place where
we had claimed for our sleep, began to reflect the serpent tongues of
blue night lightening lapping across the steamy spaces above us.
In the flood, in the dark, the river moved on in, sneaking like an enemy,
over low places in the dike. We eased closer to the embankment. In slow
evolution we moved again, closer up the walls. Then within another hour,
the packs and weapons were moved up above us on the little causeway of
our concealment. Eventually all of us were laying in the water perpendicular
along the inside rectangle of high land with our heads out of the water.
By this time, we were shivering. Our body heat would
not stay long in the usual tightly wrapped warmth of our poncho liners.
If anyone found additional sleep, there in the water that night he would
have found it out of pure frustration and exhaustion. Things were certainly
not going well for our group. Then, in the night some of the men seemed
to be swearing out loud, twitching and squirming and slapping at the the
water. High pitches squawks and squeaks also filled the air. A man yelled
out from across the geometry of our plight, "There Rats!"
I peeked out of the soaked poncho liner wrapping that was my
bed. After some darkness, I saw in another flash of the storm what seemed
like flat black shadows, hundreds of the dancing, wet, skinny critters,
hopping in crazy rhythm above us on the paddy banks. Then thud, something
the size of a small house cat was on me. Then it was off again and there
was another thud and squeal. Another was on me. With the change of the
season, the water of the flood had evicted a multitude of these stinking,
vicious things and they couldn't tell our recumbent bodies from the paddy
dike. The rainy, rodent orgy seemed to go on for hours. We just had to
lay in the water, prostrate behind the protection of the bank until we
had a bit of morning light. Throughout the long night, the rats came
and went with no warning.
Blake, the poor fellow
who had been confused about the Claymore, that newbie who tried to sleep
in the water near me, would assure you that it is an understatement to
describe that night as "miserable." Indeed it was something else. Certainly
it was an initiation for the man.
When light came,
the order to move out was given and like corpses from a watery grave,
we struggled to position our water shriveled bodies upright. The water
made its way down our shirts and pants legs. It drained it's way down
our legs and then back up over the tops of our boots or out the vent holes
on the sides. I remember the strange low fog that seemed to cover everything
to our knees and the water in the rice paddies went on for miles around
us. This was not the same land into which we had come. Some of the Claymores
were nearly under water. Others seemed to pitch and bob as it they were
trying to float. One of the fellows was on the bank reeling his in by
its wire as if he were on a fishing trip with his buddies. He had the
thing nearly in before the wires to the blasting cap came loose and he
had to step down from his rise and wade in through the old rice straw
and water buffalo dung which rose and fell with the gentle paddy waves.
We began to move out. A man pointed to a serpent which was swimming along,
staking his claim on our former position.
We had
not been long into our diagonal path through the paddies, toward the
higher trail when a man, I think his name was Belmont, held up and waited
for the newbie ahead of me to move past him. I saw a twinkle in his eye
and as he gave a quick snicker and then the words, "Welcome to Vietnam."
We all cracked up.
Blake, humor got us though a great deal over
there. Robert Wagoner has remarked about that aspect of your Dad's personality.
At times a good laugh was critical.
Sleep well tonight,
Blake......if you can...
Robert Fromme
April 27, 2002 Skip Brockner <CAX1946@aol.com>
from New Joisey, LOL, exit 3 NJTP http://skipbrockner.com
D Troop------------67----67
Man, I just came to check in....WHAT did I miss???? Smokin! HEY, my
TWO CENTS.....ANYBODY that was in the Nam, front or rear (was there really
a rear?) is OK in my book. We were ALL subject to getting hit. But what
do I know, I was just a dumb ole track mechanic who lived in the boonies
with the tracks. Both with the 2/47th as well as D Troop. Tool box in
one hand, M-16 in the other and getting heat sick, LOL.
April 27, 2002 Marty Glasgow <glasgow@cse.psu.edu>
from PA http://www.cse.psu.edu/.~glasgow/
5/12----B----4th----1/69----12/69
OK, I'll admit it. I was jealous of the CAV guys. They got to ride
allot more than I did, they had bigger guns and a few inches of steel
instead of just a flack jacket. Just kidding guys. I will say that the
few weeks we spent at Fishnet was like a stay at the Hilton.
April 27, 2002 Rich "Slim " Mahnken <r.mahnken@comcast.net>
from Joisey
D-troop----17th CAV----1st----10/69----10/70
Incoming !!!!
I've been reading about this the past few
days and I knew there would be lots of feed back on REMF's , yes we in
the CAV could not do our job with out them either , I believe that for
every soldier in the field there were 7-10 in the rear as support ( not
sure ) they did their job well so that I could do mine . I really don't
care where you were , you were always under the gun since there was no
safe place in the Nam !!! Nuff Said !!! I might add that allot of REMF's
were in the rear because of wounds etc. I was for 8 days !! Guess i was
a Temp. REMF !! Don't Mean Nothing !!!
April 27, 2002 Larry McDougal <History@redcatcher.org>
from Eastpointe Mi.
2/3----A----4----May 67----May 68
Dick Arnold your E-mail address don't work.
April 26, 2002 Dan Houchin <dhooch@sptc.
net> from Plainview Tx
C----3/7----3rd----2/70----9/70
To those who serve: Definitions... REMF: Any one who was not humping
a pack. Respect: Something earned , not issued...My relationship with
Gen Bond. Balls: courage including Kammy and all other Donut Dollies...
why else would you be in Nam if you didn't have to be. Bronze StarW/V:
issued to 2nd Lt. or higher: Ticket punching... you might decide to stay
in the army. Bronze StarW/V issued to a draftee: a lot of paper work,
why bother? To 1st Lt. Gary Wiedle... what was the name of the lizard
that used to call out to us in the night in Vietnam? By the way it's spelled
Xuan Loc.
April 26, 2002 Steve McDonald <smcdo199@earthlink.net>
from South Carolina
5/12----A----3rd----Nov. '68----Sep. '69
More on the REMF discussion. As a member of a line company, I too was
envious of the guys assigned to the areas we considered "the rear". They
had shelter from the elements. They had a cot to sleep on. They had
a mosquito net. They had better food and water. They had access to the
PX. They could get cold drinks and ice cream. They had EM, NCO, and
Officers Clubs. And most importantly, it was unlikely anyone would shoot
bullets through their bodies. Now, these things (except the last) don't
sound so great after 30+ years have passed. But, at the time, it seemed
so much better than our daily lives that there was some natural resentment.
All we cared about, was the fact that we were eating from cans, collecting
water from bomb craters, sleeping in the rain, slapping mosquitoes, and
suffering from a lack of sleep. To us, anything was better than this.
But, as someone else mentioned, it’s all in your point of view. As bad
as our lives were, it would have been much worse without the presence
of those support troops. Consider this. SOMEONE did these things for
us: SOMEONE produced and delivered the water for our Fire Bases. SOMEONE
collected and delivered the C-rations we ate. SOMEONE cooked those hot
meals we received, provided the ammunition, delivered the mail, sent the
cokes and beer to the jungle LZ’s, provided the fire support, faced possible
death to rescue the wounded. SOMEONE had the medical skill to save the
lives of the wounded, cared for them during recovery. SOMEONE occasionally
came to the Firebases to entertain us. Well, you get the idea. From
that perspective, all those people we called REMF's looked pretty good
to me. My sincere thanks to ALL who served. Whether volunteer or draftee,
no cowards entered the Republic of Vietnam. Any person who said goodbye
to family and friends, faced their fears, and then boarded that plane
(or ship) has my respect. It took courage. Thank you.
April 26, 2002 robert civa <rciva@comcast.net>
from wenonah n.j.
3rd battalion----e----mortar----12/66----12/67
I never realized just how few of us were in the field.
April 26, 2002 John F McBride <mcskudler@msn.com>
from Seattle, Washington
2nd of the 3rd,----Alpha and HHC----1st and HHC TOC----April, 1969----June,
1970
A simple observation in life is that generalizations are usually dangerous
even if we are forced daily to employ them. In the case of the entry
on 'RAMFs', as I believe they were referred to, painting all individuals
in rear areas as obviously less worthy than grunts is uncalled for.
Running
an Army requires men and women doing all kinds of jobs. That was true
in the time of the Egyptians, Romans, and Normans and certainly in modern
times. It is increasingly true that many personnel are not in combat.
Are they less honorable?
My father spent three years of World
War II in Pearl Harbor running a kitchen as a Chief Commissary Officer
in a Navy hospital. Was he a lesser man for not having been with the
fleet in the Solomon Islands or Luzon or off Iwo Jima? I don't think
so. He suffered from working for three years with men returning from
war with terrible wounds. He also punished himself psychologically because
unlike friends of his he hadn't been in combat.
I love my father
and always will. I think what he did in World War II was incredible.
So did the Marines and Grunts and Sailors in the hospitals he worked
in I've been told by a few. They told my father they were glad he was
there. Was he a REMF? Ya. He was a REMF. And he was then and is now
a guy who cares about others and did his job absolutely well to the benefit
of those who were in action. His friends who fought in Europe and the
Pacific, and some who later fought in Korea think the world of him.
I
will always feel that way about the guys in Vietnam who were in the rear.
Sure, there were jokes about REMFs. I told them and have on occasion
since. But they were born of our own anxiety and fears of death and maiming
while we were in the field. And the truth is that most of the guys I
knew in the field wanted to be a REMF. Many eventually did. My third
company commander transferred me out of Alpha, my line company, in January,
1970, after 8 months as RTO with a squad, a platoon, and finally the CP.
I was put into the 2/3 battalion TOC in FSB Blackhorse. I became a REMF
as far as my friends in the field were concerned. They are all still
friends of mine. I see them at reunions and I'm not reluctant to say
I love them now as much as I did then. I worked as hard for them out
of the field as I did when I was with them. But I did different work.
When a fellow RTO I used to talk to in the 199th HHC was killed by a
mortar round at Xuan Loc in May 1970 shortly before I left country, and
a month before he was supposed to, I didn't think of him as a REMF even
though he was one. I mourned at the death of a fellow soldier and a friend.
I still do and always will.
The truth is that there were individuals
in every line company who did less than others or who screwed up. Some
did it regularly. Others did it because they were depressed, or fatigued,
or just plain ill tempered at the time. So it goes in life. That's what
patience and forgiveness and remorse are for. Prejudice against anyone
for any reason is typically dangerous.
We all are prone to
making decisions and judgements we shouldn't. I do it too frequently
to my regret. To all of you I have offended with comments that slighted
or denigrated you, regardless of who you are, my sincere apologies. Let
me know who you are and I'll apologize again. I hope that in regard to
those who feel inclined to discriminate against anyone just because he
wasn't in a line company the same will be true.
My thanks go
out to all the personnel who got off their cots in rear areas every morning
and went and did what they were supposed to do. I will forever appreciate
it.
My best wishes to all of you. You all served. Thanks
for doing so.
John F. McBride
Alpha, 2nd of the 3rd
April,
1969 to January, 1970
HHC, 2nd of the 3rd
January, 1970 to June,
7, 1970
April 26, 2002 Mike Swearingen <a-realty@mchsi.com>
from TX Then, Now NC http://www.albemarle-realty.com
40th
PIO----HHC, 199th--------NOV67----NOV68
2 cents on REMFs. A military fact: more than 85% of troops in all modern
wars are REMFs, including WWII, Nam and to date. Anyone who knows anything
about it, knows that the only guys who really got the shaft in Nam were
you grunts who spent their whole tour in the bush, and the arty, medics,
etc. who served out in the field with you. Period. Officers usually only
spent half their tour in the field, at most. Back in my younger and dumber
days, I enlisted in the airborne infantry in '65, completed Basic and
Infantry A.I.T., Infantry OCS, Jump School, Special Forces Officer's School,
etc. Since I had a degree in journalism/public relations and the political
side of Nam was heating up, I got diverted to the 199th as a PIO when
I hit the 90th repo/depo, along with another infantry LT, Mike Vaughan.
(He was killed in a chopper crash doing his REMF PIO thing in the field
in '68). We both spent the majority of our time out in the field with
various 199th line units. While I was there, we also had 10-14 combat
photographers and writers with the Brigade PIO, and they spent the majority
of their time out in the field with the various 199th infantry units.
With four rifle battalions, we were spread pretty thin. While I was there,
one PIO photographer received a BS/V for forcing (at gunpoint) an RVN
ragboat driver to go to the rescue of some 199th grunts under fire on
another sinking ragboat, and then helping pull them out. Another PIO
photographer was shot through the face, losing a good chunk of jaw, cheek
and teeth. As a 1LT PIO, I was an acting M60 machinegunner on a D/17 track
in my first firefight, tossed my first frag in Saigon during TET 68 with
the 3/7, and was in firefights along the way with elements of all 4 rifle
battalions just doing my job. We were all REMFs. In my opinion, the worst
REMFs were draft dodgers who never set foot in Nam, to include the past
and current presidents (one was a total Nam draft-dodger and the current
one's daddy got him into the Texas Air National Guard where only the rich
and politically powerful made it to avoid Nam). I find it funny that a
line infantry LT would think that someone in a FSB is a REMF. The guys
in the FSB probably thought that everybody at BMB were REMFs, etc. All
in one's perspective, I guess. I WAS a REMF by orders and duty assignment,
and I got an ARCOM for TET 68 and a BS/S from Gen. Davidson for being
one. Definitely no "war hero" here, but I went. I just did my assigned
duty to the best of my ability, and got out. But no one can blame any
grunt resenting REMFs. There was nothing fair about that war to begin
with. I still salute all grunts, especially Redcatchers. You were the
best.
Mike
April 26, 2002 RICK JONES <ROTT357@AOL.COM>
from PITTSBURG, TEXAS http://www.geocities.com/LILRACOON_30/
4TH/12TH----DELTA----2ND----69----70
GARY WIEDLE, AFTER 32 YEARS YOU ARE THE FIRST MAN I'VE HEARD REFER TO
A ''REAR ESCHELON M----- F----- AS A 'RAMF OR AN 'RAMPH'SO I HOPE SOMEONE
RECOGNIZES YOU AND MAKES ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOUR ENTRY. FOR A 1ST LT.
YOU HAD QUITE A RECORD AND I SALUTE YOU FOR IT. MY RECOLLECTION OF MOST
1ST LT'S WAS A ''REMF'' SINCE MOST PLATOON LEADERS WERE 2ND LTS AND THEY
WENT TO THE REAR UPON PROMOTION OR WERE PLACED AS FO'S OR SOME OTHER ''REAR''
POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY GALLANT MAN AND
I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF THOSE THAT WILL SURELY REMEMBER YOU AS ONE
WHO NEVER HAD A MAN EVEN SCRATCHED WHILE UNDER YOUR COMMAND FOR 2-3 MONTHS?
THAT'S REALLY A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT AND IT'S GOOD THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT
TO OUR ATTENTION VERY EARLY IN YOUR INTRO. I WAS JUST A 'LOWLY' PFC BUT
REALLY RESPECT SUCH GALLANT MEN AS YOU OBVIOUSLY WERE. RICK JONES D/4/12
April 25, 2002 Pasqual (Pancho) Ramirez <pachuco@usa.com>
from New Mexico & California http://www.pancho199th.freeservers.com/index.html
4th.
/ 12th.----HHC, CO E. & CO D----4th.----May 1967----May 1968
Hello Redcatchers Pancho here again to let you know to check out the
picture I put up in my Tools of the Trade
page. Walter K. Young from
Company C 4th. / 12th.
supplied the photo and I think it makes a statement
so
I decided to put it in the site Enjoy and see you in D.C.
April 25, 2002 Marty Glasgow <glasgow@cse.psu.edu>
from PA http://www.cse.psu.edu/~glasgow/
5/12----B----4th----1/69----12/69
Just checking in. I want to say that I appreciated every dry sock, c-rat,
warm meal, mail, fresh water, beer and soda and everything else that was
provided to me by the folks in the rear.
April 25, 2002 Tom Guion <tjguion@stthomas.edu>
from St. Paul, Minnesota
3/7----HHC--------6/68----6/69
This is Great. I didn't know it it existed. Talked to a comrad already!
April 25, 2002 John McBride <mcskudler@msn.com>
from Seattle, Washington
2nd of the 3rd----Alpha----1st----April, 1969----June, 1970
Dick, I saw your posting on the 199th Website. The following men from
Alpha Company, 2nd of the 3rd, 199th LIB were killed while I was in country:
Brown,
Gale L. 04/28/69
Dixon, Michael K. 05/21/69
Dwyer, Patrick W. 05/21/69
Kocanda
III, Jerry J. 05/21/69
Richard, John W. 05/21/69
Shugart, Lynn
D. 05/21/69
Butts, George L. 07/14/69 (Friendly fire; the Army made
it hostile)
Martin, John E. 12/05/69
Muehe, Mark R. 12/05/69
Lazicki,
Joseph C. 03/02/70
There was one other I believe, in April or
May, but I forget his name. He may have been one of the Platoon Leaders.
Someone else in Alpha at that time may remember.
Dick Arnold, 35th Infantry, RVN '67-'68. Been
working with two other veterans (one is Richard Coffelt who some may have
interacted with before)to identify company-level units for all 38,000
Army KIAs. When complete, our data will be made available for free to
whomever. To date, we are about 36,500 along the way!
Believe
we have most of the 199th accurately sorted-out but we do have a few where
the battalion is known but we need help with the company.
Please
advise if anyone can help and/or does anyone want to see what we have
so far.
Best Wishes
Dick
April 25, 2002 Wiedle, Gary, 1Lt. <gewiedle@msn.com>
from Indio California http://www.fortunewest.com
B/5/12
----B----4th Mortar Platoon----12/24/69----Sometime in April 1970
5/Feb/70 awarded Arcom with "V" for ambush operation; 20/Mar/70 awarded
Bronze Star with V" for reconnnaissance operation in Xuan Luc. Purple
Heart and pulled out of Xuan Luc under fire second time by Dust Off.
CO was Cpt. Lee and other friend Plt Ldr was Lt Birkhead who was with
me at OCS in 54th Company at Ft Benning. Had the highest score on the
"quick kill course". Managed to conceal my fears and lead the men with
some confidence. No man serving with me was ever hurt, wounded or killed.
I was hurt and almost killed, but the men with me were kept safe and
I like to think that this was on purpose. We on the other hand killed
a lot of enemy, both Viet Cong and NVA. Our AO was from FSB Libby and
the forward FSB was Gladys. Our Battalion Commander was Lt. Col. Bascom.
We had a pimply faced Cpt. in the Battalion CP who was in charge of Intelligence
and he was more often wrong than right. I was always in the field with
my men and hardly ever got back to FSB Libby and then only for a day
or two. When at Libby I used to marvel at the "rear area mother fucher"
"ramf" attitudes of the soldiers in deflade at Libby. They even had vietnamese
coming in to shine shoes, wash and starch uniforms, and cut hair. We
were supposed to be at war. These ramfs were just using American initiative
to make things nice, while us Infantry were out fcr days on end, 10 to
15 in the woods snooping and pooping and killing. When I was wounded
at a mountain area at Xuan Luc (where the radio relay was) and evacuated
to Camp Zama Japan I found one of these ramphs, a Arty Cpt. who had had
his ass literally shot off and he was in the Officers Ward with me he
had been over run some time after March 20, 1970 when I was wounded and
before the May movement into Cambodia. He could hardly talk and I bought
him an electric razor and helped him out. At FSB Libby he had been a
real asshole.
Gary Wiedle, 1Lt, Co. B, 5th Battalion, 12th,
Inf., 199th Light Infantry Brigade, "LIGHT, SWIFT & ACCURATE"
Gary
Wiedle can be found at www.fortunewest.com
April 24, 2002 Bob Fromme <rfromme@stic.net>
from Floresville, Texas http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme/
4/12----Delta----Joannnides/Elias----April
69----July 69
on 4/24/02 3:00 AM, ROTT357@aol.com at ROTT357@aol.com wrote:
Bob
Fromme from Floresville, Texas
http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme/
4/12----Delta----Joannides/Elias----April 1969----July 1969
Howdy,
Redcatchers,
I just wanted to say thanks for the kind remarks about
the Andujar article in Vietnam magazine. My heart is warmed when men I
respect, brave redcatchers like Pancho Ramirez, Rick Johns, Robert Williams,
and so many others seem to approve of the effort. Pancho, indeed, "a very
large family and we will always remember our friends who did not come
home..." I sure appreciate all the help from others from our unit who
wrote letters to the Andujar's, advised me on the manuscript and located
photos to share with the family of the SSG. God Bless all of you Redcatchers.
Bob Fromme
FROMMIE, I HOPE YOU KNOW A DUDE BY THE
NAME OF RICK JOHNS, BECAUSE I DON'T. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SPECKS OR IS
THERE SOMEONE I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF EVER HEARING OF IN THE PAST?
WELL, TELL OLE JOHNS I SAID HELLO. THANKS, BROTHER, YOU ILLITERATE REDCATCHER.
RICK JONES
Sorry, Rick
I noticed the screw-up as soon
as it was posted. Guuulllllpppp. Some of us grunts can't spell or
we could have shaken the boonie leeches, shuffled in to BMB for a stand
down and booted the company clerk out of his job for the rest of our tour
over there. Jeezzzz, give a fellow a break? I should have written "brave
and cantankerous."
Thanks for the correction, Rick, I will try
not to make that mistake again.
Bob Fromme
April 24, 2002 Gary LEVINE from
----------------
just correcting spelling- someday I will be able to spell my own name!
April 24, 2002 gary Levien <garyl237@aol.com>
from Plainview, NY
3/7----B----2nd----Jan 66----Jan67
Sorry I will not be able to attend this years reunion. First time since
the 80s that I missed 2 in a row. Hope everyone has a great time and hopefully
will see all next year!!!
April 24, 2002 Dave Murray <redhawk34@comcast.net>
from Joisey, ya gotta problem wit dat?
1099 Medium boat, att 2/3 and 5/12------------68-69----
I came across a small connection with regard to General Bond some years
ago.
Some of you may have noticed a model in the Ranger exhibit at
the Infantry Museum, of HMS Princess Beatrix. She was a Dutch cross-channel
ship, and when The Netherlands fell, she was taken into the Royal Navy
as a Commando transport, as she was small, fast, and of shallow draught.
she carried US Rangers as well as Commandos in the Med, and my records
show that she carried the Rangers into Anzio. I can't confirm it, but
then-CAPT William R. Bond probably went to Anzio in her.
My Dad, Sub
Lieut. William Murray, RNVR, was her Third Engineer, and the mahogany
model was made for him in 1946 by the ship's carpenter. Her first port
of call after Nagasaki was Saigon.
April 24, 2002 Kammy McCleery <namdd@insightbb.com>
from
----------------
Er, sorry 'bout that... wanted you to know that I have a new home email
address... Bill Paquette... can't wait to see you and your son at the
reunion... My son, also Christopher, is stationed at Kings Bay Naval
Submarine Base in St. Mary's, GA... He is now married and going to be
a father in August! Haven't had a chance to give you a DDWHH in a while...
Hope you're doing your rib-strengthening exercises... :-D)
April 24, 2002 RODERT L WILD <rwild@mayvl.com>
from mayville wisconsin
D 4 12----DELTA----4TH----APRIL 1----1969
LOOKING FOR OLD FRIENDS
April 23, 2002 Bill Paquette <wpaque3087@aol.com>
from Miller Place NY
3/7th----Bravo----1st----1966/1967----July 1967
Just checking in.I feel that we lost a great friend with the passing
of Gen Forbes. He will be missed dearly.Peter Augay, Jack Hermann,myself,
and Jack's and my sons,both named Christopher,will be attending the reunion.
See
you there and have safe trips.
April 23, 2002 Rip Saunders <Riplinon@aol.com>
from Austin Tx
2/40th----H Btry--------Nov67----Nov68
RTO FOR
A co 5/12
April 23, 2002 Bob Fromme <rfromme@stic.net>
from Floresville, Texas http://www.stic.net/users/rfromme/
4/12----Delta----Joannides/Elias----April
1969----July 1969
Howdy, Redcatchers,
I just wanted to say thanks for the kind remarks
about the Andujar article in Vietnam magazine. My heart is warmed when
men I respect, brave redcatchers like Pancho Ramirez, Rick Johns, Robert
Williams, and so many others seem to approve of the effort. Pancho,
indeed, "a very large family and we will always remember our friends who
did not come home..." I sure appreciate all the help from others from
our unit who wrote letters to the Andujar's, advised me on the manuscript
and located photos to share with the family of the SSG. God Bless all
of you Redcachers.
Bob Fromme
April 23, 2002 Bill Tallman <billtallman45@yahoo.com>
from Carbondale Illinois 62901
2/3----delta ----3rd----Feb. 68----Mar. 68
The first reunion of Delta co. 2/3 is about to happen. Those of who've
already attended one of these you know what we are going through, the
excitement is building to a crescendo. Some have already departed, some
of us will depart Wed. morning. We'll gather at Lake Allatoona Ga. Wed.
@ 1500 hrs. Wish us luck and safe passage as I am about to reunite with
some of the greatest men who have ever served this great country of ours.
Tears, hugs and laughter will be abundant. God Bless The Old Guard and
never ever will we forget our fallen brothers.
April 23, 2002 Louis Yeostros <Yogi1570>
from Sarasota Florida
2/3----Alpha & HQC----First----10/68----1/70
Larry Burton I tried to e/m you and AOL said you are not a registered
member. Do you have a different address?
Yogi
April 23, 2002 larry d burton <llburton@aol.com>
from nashville ind
5/12----lrrps----recon plt----1967----1969
i was in recon with a great bunch of men.from april 4/o1/68 to 4/01/69.i
sure would like to gettogether with them. but don't have any idea.how
to do it.some how some way i will find out.
April 22, 2002 Lisa Rowles <lrowles@msn.com>
from Tacoma,WA,McChord AFB
----------------
THe funeral of Maj.Gen. Robert C. Forbes(my grandfather) was on April
18, 2002. I would like to thank everyone for attending....I was fortunately
there...and proud to be there...I am honored to meet the men that I did
attend.Again Thank you for being there for grandpa..Lisa
April 22, 2002 Darryl Siegfried <dndvending@juno.com>
from Oceanside,Ca.
4th bat 12th inf----D----4th----Feb 1968----Feb 1969
It is going to be nice to be able to track down and talk with some of
my friends.
April 22, 2002 garrett testi <testi
@starfishnet.com> from newport n.c
d troop 17 cav----d troop----3 rd----nov 1966----nov 1967
no
April 22, 2002 Kammy McCleery <NEW!!
> from Lexington, KY by way of New England, etc.
All of them!----I Corps - 7/67>12/67----II Corps-10/67----1/68----8/68
New email address... thank you all for your messages... it's always
great to hear from you... see you in DC in May!
You will still be
able to get all the Donut Dollie Welcome Home Hugs that you need or want!!
Loving, healing hugs... Kammy
April 21, 2002 Pasqual (Pancho) Ramirez <pachuco@usa.com>
from New Mexico now California http://www.pancho199th.freeservers.com/index.html
4th.
/ 12th.----HHC. CO E. & CO D.----4th.----May 1967----May1968
Hello Redcatchers I want to let you know that I have added every Company
in the 4TH. / 12TH. 199th LIB.
to my website. check it out and if
you recognize anyone
please let me know. I have also added an Honor
for
Louis (Yogi) Yeostros for his work with Rick Jones
helping
Sgt. Steve Riehl and his wife Teresa through
their tough times during
his illness a fellow Redcatcher.
April 21, 2002 Ken de la Bastide <ken.delabastide@heraldbulletin.com>
from West Babylon, N.Y.
HHC----3/7-5/12-2/3--------Oct. 1968----Sept. 1969
Served as a medic with a number of units. Would like to hear from some
of the grunts I served with. Thought about those days many times
April 21, 2002 ron hill <rjchill@quiknet.com>
from sacramento
hhc mp's----hhc bde--------69-70----oct 70
i was new in xuan loc when general bond actually stopped for a moment
and spoke with me. though i have long since forgotten what he said, i
have never forgotten that he took the time to stop and talk, however briefly.
i was still in xuan loc when he died, and was saddened by his death. when
the brigade gathered at benning in 96, i learned things about him
from the museum memorial that i had not known.
here was a man who
was all officer and who cared about his troops and their well being. it
is a great loss to the army and the nation that he died so young.
April 21, 2002 Rob Wright (aka DOC Wright ) <rwandco@yahoo.com>
from 1322 Throeau Ln, Allen, tx. 75002
3bn7thinf----hhc, attch ALPHA----1st----Jan. 1970----
Just read the piece on Gen. Bond, it touched home. I can
remember
hearing the contact while on an opperation several
kliks away and
then latter that evening learning that the general had been killed. It
didn't mean much to me then but
after reading the letters in this
article Iregret not having known the man who ahd awarded me a bronzes
star only a fews weeks earlier. It all would have ment more then and
dose now. Thank you for including this artical
Doc
April 21, 2002 Skip Brockner <CAX1946@aol.com>
from http://skipbrockner.com
D Troop------------67----67
Just checking in.....we'll be moving to Mesa, AZ the end of June. Hope
to see a lot of you the end of May in DC.
April 20, 2002 RICK JONES <ROTT357@AOL.COM>
from PITTSBURG, TEXAS http://www.geocities.com/LILRACOON_30/
4TH/12TH----DELTA----2ND----69----70
HEY BROTHERS,
GARY HOSMER, FORMERLY OF THE 19TH TASS(TACTICAL
AIR SUPPORT SQUADRON) WAS NICE ENOUGH TO SHARE A CLIPPING FROM THE HUNTSVILLE
TIMES, ALABAMA, PRINTED 31MAY70 ABOUT GENERAL BOND. I WILL PASTE IT BELOW
IN TWO PARTS AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING ABOUT THAT GREAT LEADER AS MUCH
AS I DID. RICK JONES
************************************************************
Dead
General’s Letters Give Insight Into Vietnam War
Editors
note: Army Brig. Gen. William Ross Bond was killed by a sniper April
1, first U.S. general to
die in ground combat in Vietnam. The following
are excerpts from letters to his wife, Theodora, who made
them available
to Associated Press writer H. L. Schwartz III.
*****
WASHINGTON
(AP)---”I scarcely know where to start to give a insight into what this
here and our--the
brigade’s--role in it. I believe it best to rough
out the shape in totality and then you will have a feel for
countless
details I shall pour at you...”
“My troopers are in the jungle,
formidable jungle that clings to the sides of two main roads and surrounds
the
rubber plantation. The jungle is triple canopy. You can see perhaps
three to five yards on the ground
and in this fantastic growth the
enemy builds incredible bunkers in which he lives, operates from and
controls
his people. This jungle covers an area larger than from Baltimore to
Annapolis to Fredericksburg,
Va., and I search it constantly by sections
by means of particularly brave infantry...”
*****
In the
minutest detail, Bond describes deployment of major elements in his 3,000-man
brigade.
“The rifle companies go out from the bases and patrol
in the jungle and look for the enemy. They remain
out about 5 to
12 days. It’s tough. We supply them and visit them by chopper in tiny
little clearings.
Sometimes not at all. When they make contact they
shoot to eliminate. We kill about 30 to 1. The great
trick is to
find the enemy in the jungle silently and efficiently...”
“The
men, as I wrote, are magnificient--so brave and so uncomplaining and so
dedicated to their task. I
have no disciplinary troubles to speak
of. Fantastic.”
*****
“Today was a bit more quiet than yesterday
(when) we had to kill about 30. They are tough (underlined)
and mean
(underlined) and dedicated. So far this month I am proud to say we have
only had six men killed.
I try desperately to lose as few as one
can. They are so wonderful and alive and gallant.”
*****
“With the dry season here I hope to open up some roads which have been
closed since 1960. Highway 2
from the south... This will bring fish
and other seafoods north by truck overnight and cut the price of fish
in
my province 25 to 40 per cent perhaps. At least the Vietnamese
tell me this. Correspondingly, rice and
vegetable prices will drop.
But more important the crops will move freely in the area and provide
a market
for the local farmers and over a period of time greatly expand
the economy.”
*****
“I went to the hospital to see some 20
people I have there. They stay about a week and then are flown to
Japan
and thence to the United States...The morale of the men in the hospital
defies description. They just
grin and bear it, from ghastly wounds
to less serious ones.”
*****
“The weather in the province
stays cool and at night it is extremely pleasant. During the day it is
95 in
the sun. I assisted in opening a new, small firebase in toward
Dalat some 300 to 400 to the north of my area
and I am intrigued with
the beauty of the place. The jungle green-clad and the mountains stand
behind feet
high and rolling gentle coming down to a beautifully winding
river 400 feet wide. Absolutely wild. Elephant
herds can be seen
occasionally and great purple-winged jungle birds can rise when a helicopter
beats the air.
Wild pig and bore can be seen on occasion and the
monkeys and fish abound. We have implaced some
artillery in a safari
camp and from this base patrol outward as far as 10 miles hunting for
the enemy. It’s a
primeval place. Very beautiful.”
“Just
had the first trooper killed in the brigade this month. Damn. Hit in
the stomach with a bullet,
deep, deep in the jungle yesterday late.
We got him out with an ambulance helicopter and hook. We took
him
to a hospital and surgery. A magnificent effort but he died from shock
and surgery. Very sad. We did
kill two of them. But that is not
enough for me.”
*****
“Yesterday was a long day with much
action and agony in small packages. We had three killed and
killed
several of them. But I hate to lose a single man. Savage little actions
deep in the jungle with great
gallantry on the part of our troopers.
In one case, they were crossing a small jungle stream when the VC
fired
on them, killing two and wounding one. We summon artillery and aviation
rockets and eventually get
rid of them. The other was 30 miles away
and involved a platoon deep in the jungle with a young lieutenant
who
kept becoming more and more excited. I had to stay up in the air above
him until almost 8 p.m. to get
him quieted down with my voice and
gentle commands lest more get hurt. Eventually he came around,
thank
heavens. I felt I had earned my Scotch when I returned to my forward
base at 11:30 p.m.”
*****
“The interesting thing in longer
terms is what assignment they will give me when this is over. One does
not
ask. One simply hopes...”
“The other day, yesterday, i visited
a civilian hospital here in Xuan Loc. 180 beds. A terrible place,
simply
terrible... This province is large in size and small in population with
120,000 people. It has one
hospital with 180 beds and four doctors
only in Xuan Loc... The doctor rate is appalling. Somehow you
would
believe the government of the United States would do more in this field...
I believe we should start a
school-medical’-in some capital city and
really turn out a modest number each year. The medical school in
Saigon
simply cannot meet the demand. Above all one deplores the dit and the
appalling lack of facilities
and equipment. Their eyes follow you
around, mute, questioning, hoping for some assistance. We do what
we
can. It is most difficult.”
*****
“Today in the cool of
the evening I went to a tiny hamlet where five ‘soldiers’ malitiamen had
killed five
Viet Cong in a very gallant little fight. I presented
them with medals. They are terribly decent and honest
and courteous.
They assembled with their village elders... They are tired, very tired.
But resolute and
proud.
“’Oh,’ they seem to say, ‘how utterly
nice it would be to have it all over with.’”
*****
“A group
of our Montangard forces had discovered an enormous cache of arms to the
northwest in deep
jungle just on the border between my area and the
1st Division area. We shall go up there with a battalion
today for
seven or eight days to see if we can find and zap the enemy. The caches
included virtually new
material which means, of course, it was brought
in through Cambodia in large quantities by our enemy
friends who continue
to disclaim this...”
*****
“The budget shows cuts in the
defense spending and this is predicated on cutbacks here. More for
conservation,
education, medical attention. All this seems sound to me. One deplores
the Democrats
attacking the GOP for what they-the Democrats-created
in the last eight years.”
Bond was not a member of either political
party. In keeping with a tradition among many career U.S.
Army officers,
he never voted in a presidential election.
To a friend high
in the Pentagon-who made a March 31 letter available to The Associated
Press on
condition his name not be used-Bond spoke of deep concern
for the Army’s immediate image:
“The Army of the ‘70s will have
to be particularly and sharply professional, as we all know. It is the
Army
that your son and his contemporaries will inherit and run. In 1980, you
will be three years retired and
me, maybe before that.”
Bond
was killed the next day.
General Bond Was A Born Leader
WASHINGTON
(AP)--In a black-bordered brochure at his funeral, Brig. Gen. William
Ross Bond was
described as having been “high in that miniscule group
destined to lead the United States Army.”
In plane language,
he was known around the Pentagon as a comer.
The 51-year-old
general, who battled back from a massive heart attack in 1965 to win his
star and a field
command, was killed by a sniper April 1 some 70 miles
northeast of Saigon.
He was the only American general to die
in ground combat in the long war. Five others have been killed
in
plane or helicopter crashes.
At the time of his death, Bond
was directing elements of his 199th Light Infantry Brigade in a fight
against
two North Vietnamese companies.
Reared in Maryland and Virginia,
Bond graduated from the University of Maryland and spent a year at
its
law school before enlisting in the Army early in World War II.
A lieutenant by 1942, Bond fought in North Africa and Sicily. He
volunteered for the famed “Darby’s
Rangers” and participated in some
of the bitterest fighting of the Italian campaign.
He was with
the Rangers the night of Jan. 30, 1944 when--at Cisterna Di Littoria
near Anzio--the
900-man force was reduced to less than half its strength.
Pounded by tanks and artillery, the Rangers fought
for five hours,
surrendering when their ammunition was gone.
Bond, who won
the first of two Silver Stars for heroism, spent the next 11 months in
prisoner of war
camps in Italy, Germany and Poland before escaping.
Over the years after World War II, Bond’s assignments followed a pattern
that the Pentagon called
“reasonably typical of the mid-career pattern
of an o u t s t a n d i n g officer being groomed for high
responsibility.”
This included staff jobs, special courses, peacetime field commands
and a major role in fashioning the
Green Berets as they are known
today.
In 1959 and 1960 he was among the initial small band of
American advisers in Vietnam where he was
praised for “precise and
penetrating” combat reports.
Bond’s career seemed assured when
he took over command of a 101st Airborne Brigade in 1964. But in
January
1965 he suffered a massive heart attack and was ruled unfit for retention
on active duty.
“For the ordinary officers this would have been
the end of career and aspirations, “ said the brochure
given out at
his funeral. “But Bond was cast in a special mold.”
By a complex
series of persuasive appeals and waivers he secured probationary assignment
to Thailand in
1966. There, though he sometimes complained bitterly
in private that “the fates are against me, “ he began
to rebuild career
and health. He had returned to Vietnam just last November.
Bond
was married in 1960 to the former Theodora Sedgwick. They had no children.
"WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD, HE WAS A REDCATCHER." RJ
April 20, 2002 Thomas Roberts <ToB452288@EV1.net>
from Houston ,Texan
2nd.40th,"CBatry.------------!!/1/67----11/68/68
I would like to hear from anybody form my group, I know Frank Barbera
(F1Barb)will answer as he see this and get my new E-Mail address, come
on Frabnk.
April 20, 2002 W. craig norman <wcn846@earthlink.net>
from charlotte, nc
----na----na----na----na
I was not with the 199 Lt Inf Br; however. was with the 23rd Arty Gp.
155sp 1/27 arty c, hdqters bty. We operated in War zones C + D + shot
missions for 199th in 1968-69.
April 20, 2002 RICHARD F. WALZ (AKA SSG.TWIGGY) <JWSTARTIME@AOL.COM>
from 9 OAK ST. HAMPTON BAYS, NY 11946 (631) 728 3888
CHARLIE----3 BN 7 INF----3RD----11/69----10/70
SSG "TWIGGY"...I ENJOYED OUR BROTHERHOOD...WHILE HUMPING THE BOONIES!"
CALL OR WRITE TO ME AND I'LL RETURN THE THOUGHT.
April 20, 2002 Paul Skiff <PAUL-SUESKIFF@prodigy.net>
from michigan
D 17th Cav------------Jan 69----Feb 70
was first assigned to HHB 2/40 arty, then transfered to D troop in Mar.
I was a track mechanic, and after the Brigade went to Blachorse I rode
with 1st plt.
April 19, 2002 Dennis Looker <wega2@execpc.com>
from Weyauwega Wisconsin
4/12----Delta----4th----Mar.68----Mar.69
Hello fellow redcatchers; Does anyone remember Gary Howard who was kia
on may 6-7 68? He was a great guy and I will always remember sharing our
c-rations just before he was killed. Would like to see any photos of him
if any one out there has one. Take care guys!
April 19, 2002 Bill Carr <wjcj@erols.com>
from
Charlie, 2/3d----------------Apr 1967
Hard to belive its been 35 years since I left the 199th after being
wounded on patrol. It was either April the 18th (I belief) or the 19th
(as it says on my Purple Heart orders) around this time of day 11:58 EST.
I'll
never forget how surprised I was that I had been hit. I heard an explosion
I took to be a grenade someone had thrown into a bunker, but when I turned,
I feel on my butt. I didn't even know I had been hit. Edgar Recob, C/2/3,
also from Wisconsin and I, along with a PF soldier, got hit. I got hit
with at least 4 pieces of srapnel in the hand, foot, shoulder and lower
back. Scary not being able to run, shoot, or hide. I was totally dependent
on the guys in my unit and they came through. We got evacuated to Ton
Son Nhut Air Base near Siagon in about half and hour. In some respects
the best day of my life. Hey, I got out ot Nam, didn't I.
Thanks to
everyone who helped me.
April 18, 2002 John McBride <mcskudler@msn.com>
from Seattle, Washington
2nd of the 3rd,----Alpha----1st Platoon----April, 1969----June, 1970
I have a new e-mail address for those of you who have grown use to my
current listing. Unfortunately the new one is for my home system: mcskudler@msn.com
For that reason you'll get responses in 8 - 12 hour turn around instead
of on demand.
On an unrelated subject: the Alpha Company, 2nd of
the 3rd reunion is going to be in Seattle the summer of 2003. Those of
you interested please contact me. I have a mailing list of those whom
we will contact and will be happy to add your name to it if you aren't
already listed.
Take care everyone. Best wishes.
John
John
April 18, 2002 Paul Lange <langep@plk.af.mil>
from Albuquerque, NM
4/12, 2/40th----C&A--------Feb 68----Feb 69
General Forbes was buried at Arlington today. May he rest in peace.
I feel honored to have known him. I hope anyone who attended will make
an entry to say how it went for those of us who could not attend. I feel
sure the Brigade was well represented. Hopefully we can have a Memorial
service at his grave during the reunion. The reunion will not be the same
without him.
April 18, 2002 Abraham (Abe) Richardson <abrich3@aol.com>
from June 66 to May 68
7th Spt Bn----Hq/A--------RVN 10/66----5/68
Joined 199th @ Ft Benning Ga. in 6/66. Departed Lawson Army airfield
in 10/66 on advanved party. Helped set upbase camp there at Ho Nia(Big
Red One was our sponser)Was asst Bde Supply Sgt and on med evac of Bde
Supply Sgt Became Bde supply Sgt until my departure May 68. I have since
retired from active duty and amnow a civil servent GS-12 (Logistics Assistance
Representative) which is the closest thing to being in the army without
being in the army. Cutrrently I am deployed to Kandahar, AFG Operation
Enduring Freedom with TF:RAKKASAN, 101st Airborne Div(Air Assault)I am
employed at Ft. Bliss, Tx and live in El Paso, Tx.
April 17, 2002 Tom Kennedy <tckenne@attglobal.net>
from Rockville, MD
5/12----B & HHC----1 & 4----05/68----05/69
Second Annual Redcatcher Golf Outing!!!!!
Hello to all!
Colonel Malone and I are organizing our Second Annual Redcatcher Golf
Outing --- Details are not firm at this time, but the plan will be to
tee-off on early Saturday AM (May 25). Format will be as last year,
two man teams/best ball dogfight. Prizes will be nominal and accompanied
by suitable abuse and recognition for the winners! ALL skill levels are
welcome and encouraged to join us. Feel free to sign up individually
or in teams. For those of you who are interested, please send me an e-mail(
tckenne@attglobal.net ) or give me a call at home (301-840-1409) .
We
are trying to lock in on a golf course as close as possible to the reunion
as possible. We will do our best to keep the expense to a minimum. As
soon as we have the golf course and cost inedtified, we will post it here
on the website. Thank you.
I look forward to seeing you all at
the reunion and on the golf course. Best to all, T.
April 17, 2002 Pasqual (Pancho) Ramirez <pachuco@usa.com>
from New Mexico now California http://www.pancho199th.freeservers.com/index.html
4th
/ 12th----HHC, CO. E. & CO. D.----4th----May 1967----May 1968
Hello Redcatchers, I have read the story in VIETNAM Magazine
that
Bob Fromme wrote about SSGT. Andujar and I came away very impressed with
the piece. Bob you are a true Redcatcher and friend to his family. A hand
salute to you.
We are a very large family and will always remember
our
friends who did not come home but went to our real home.
April 17, 2002 Greg Nelson <nelsongl1@cvol.net>
from
2/3----D----3rd----12/68----03/70
Looking for Bob Fields, Glen Falso, Leland Hisle, Jim Young,
Pete
Whitehouse. First Delta reunion is happening. We want to find you for
the next one!
April 16, 2002 Richard Kidd <rekidd47@aol.com>
from West Salem Ohio
5 th and 12 th----B----3rd----04-68----05-69
Just checking in, its been awhile
April 16, 2002 Chris Sausser <rocketman51481@yahoo.com>
from San Francisco, CA
B-3-7----B----4th----March, 1968----March, 1969
The best part of the Vietnam experience was LEAVING there, alive & in
one piece. However, I did solve the
riddle of the "F. U" lizard, the
one that makes that strange call in the woods at night. It is the Tokay
Gecko
and it is common over much of Southeast Asia: kind of does sound
like someone saying "F. U". Those were
the days!
April 15, 2002 Ray Wagner <rwagner@defnet.com>
from Defiance,ohio
4th bat. 12th. inf----delta----3rd----7-69----7-70
where are you Brixy - Tritch - rick Sullivan
April 15, 2002 jerry bulzomi <bul1106@yahoo.com>
from new york
4/12----b----2----aug 67----aug 68
were is everybody out there
April 14, 2002 Richard M. Greenwood <rgreenwood47@cox.net>
from California
3/7----D----HQ----3/67----3/68
I am please to see the attention given to the site. I am regretful it
has taken me this long to find it.
Thanks to the people who
have given their time to this project.
April 13, 2002 Lawrence R. Dean Sr. <deano1190@msn.com>
from seaford delaware
2/3----b----3RD----3/69----3/70
i'm still looking for some of my bros to drop me a line
April 13, 2002 JAY VOORHEES <VOORHEESPPNY@WEBTV.NET>
from PAINTED POST,NY
2/3----A----4TH----APR68----APR69
Those of you that get VIETNAM MAGAZINE,check out the June 2001 issue.Lots
of good stuff about the 199th.
Also-Still trying to find anyone that
remembers William Mabrey C Co. 2/3. November 68 July 69 when wounded.Please
get in touch with me and I can pass it on to him.
April 13, 2002 Richard B. Free <rbfree53158@hotmail.com>
from Kenosha, Wisconsin
2/3----Delta----3rd Platoon ----3/69----3/70
Looking for Harold F. Upton, Edward Heier, Dennis Messineo, Richard
Seaman and Weeks.
April 13, 2002 Gary Hosmer <Sgltre@aol.com>
from vance alabama
19th TASS------------July 69----Apr 70
I have a newspaper article on the death of Gen. Bond. I will make copies
if anyone wants.
April 13, 2002 rod domenech(lewis) <lib199@aol.com>
from key west,fl
2/40----A/btry----fdc----vn/sept68----aug69
just to say hi
April 13, 2002 Jim Finnegan <Finnegan@SaigonWarrior.com>
from England http://www.saigonwarrior.com
CMAC----------------
199th was associated with the Capital Military Assistance Command in
1968-69. Lookin for related information. Visit www.saigonwarrior.com for
info on CMAC - check out the pictures and unit history - both reference
the 199th.
Regards, Jim Finnegan
April 12, 2002 Larry Spaulding <lrs@internet1.net>
from Bellevue, Michigan
4/12----C----1st----8/69----8/70
Just checking in again to say hi to everyone, would especially like
to hear from anyone I served with
April 12, 2002 Paul T. Monahan <JMONA17600@AOL.COM>
from Chelmsford, Mass.
4-12----Bravo----3rd----Sept. 1968----June 1969
None
April 12, 2002 Sterlin R. Mullins <srmullins@bright.net>
from Ohio
3/7/199 Th----A CO----2nd----June 1966----Nov. 1967
Just checking to see if I could find any one that served in my Co. Looking
for Billy Turner--Bill Johnson-Roger Ousley-Curtis Lester-Gary Brewer-Kathy
Olin that was married to Tommy Olin back in 1966 when he went to Viet
Nam.
April 12, 2002 Thomas J. Guion <tjguion@stthomas.edu>
from St. Paul, Minnesota
3/7----HQ--------6/68----6/69
Looking for Tom Babb, Bob Cheatham. Just found this web site.
April 12, 2002 "A Redcatcher's Letters from Nam" <penyedy@yahoo.com>
from PA
4/12----D------------KIA Mar 18, 1969
My book on my brother George Farawell is now available on 1stbooks.com.
It will be in stores shortly. Your fellow
redcatcher wrote home
25 letters home during those 8 weeks he was there. Follow in his own words
his thoughts and fears.
This book is dedicated to all Redcatchers.
Thank you for never forgetting your fallen commrades. I would love to
hear
from you.
Linden High School in NJ, where we both graduated,
is putting the book in their library and may make it mandatory reading
for HS students. I am very proud of that.
Patti Farawell Enyedy
April 11, 2002 George "Beau" Suchorowski <Blackhorse69@aol.com>
from Chicago/Santa Clarita,Ca http://hometown.aol.com/blackhorse69/myhomepage/personal.html
2nd/11thACR----H
Company----Quan Loi/Long Bihn-----RVN 69-70----n/a
Looking for Gerry Anselmini from 199th 69 tour. I was in 11th Cav but
Gerry and I went to High school in Chicago then I joined 11th to work
close to him ect. Also check out my site for 1st So. Calif Blackhorse
Reunion 199th are welcome guests Allons Beau
April 11, 2002 gary burgess. the general <generalgary2001@yahoo.com>
from Akron, Ohio
A-Battery 2nd BN 40th Artillery------------June 1969----August 1970
love to hear from anyone from the 40th. talked to helms by phone few
weeks ago and he is doing fine, I'm doing o.k.
write
April 11, 2002 Leo Reardon <khesahn71@aol.com>
from Boston, Mass.
2/40th Arty.----HHC--------Dec. 69----Sept. 70
I drove ammo convoys for the 2/40th and would like to reach any of my
brothers who remember those times and who served with me. Hope everyone
is well. Welcome home. Peace.
April