I remember the gal in the 3rd B-36 pic (2nd row left). Also , the hotel in Long Hai (hard times there ). I can still taste Water Buffalo steak and fried rice - good eats. Most of the faces are too grainy and the FOG memory is too foggy for much else. Funny, I can recall the smells and the feel of air almost as clearly as if I were there though.
I'll dig out some of my pics and post here later. I think I know where the pic of Kim Simon is too. I'll dig it out tonight.
They were an ARVN armored tank company. I believe they were only on our range for one day. I think the mine scared them off.
If you look you can see a string of fish Lt Cole (in the middle) is holding. We caught them with a hand grenade. While the bodes were collecting the fish they saw a boa constrictor in a cave just above the water line. They put their bayonets on their M16's and stabbed it to death. It took 5 bodes to hold the snake. I took a picture of it but apparently too dark in the triple canopy and didn't turn out. That night we ate snake, turtle and fish. Doesn't get any better than that!
I got my orders to return back to the world. An Air America chopper picked me up (you can see the 2 guys behind talking him in). We flew over to our sister battalion who had been fighting the previous day and they threw in 3 dead bodes. 4 days later I stepped off the pane in Oakland, CA. I thought then that the war was over for me. Only to find out that it's never over.
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I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like....victory!
Here are few pics for you guys. Dean the pic with Kim Simon wasn't where I thought it was. We are moving offices and labs and it may be in a file in storage. Once we are completely settled in I will check. Maybe next month though.
Those tanks came through once or twice while I was at B36 but I never knew where they came from.
You're right about snake being tasty. The Bodes would chase small lizards around for a quick snack and we had to share it with them. They'd eat almost anything. They made a soup with tiny squid and octopus in it which was pretty good. Their PIRs were good too. Damn, It must be time for lunch.
It has been a long time ago. I was the Jr. Medic on A-362. If you have the team photo, (posted in the link below) I'm the one wearing the sunglasses behind your right shoulder. We also flew home on the same plane.
I've also been in touch with Spitfire, I talked to him the other day to thank him for the gifts he brought back from his travels to Long Hai and Cambodia. He hasn't changed a bit in all these years. I also spent a couple of days with Trashcan seven or eight years ago.
Because of the shortage of medics, I was also the Jr. Medic on A-364. Lt. Bowra was the team XO. Reunited with him out at Ft Lewis when he was head of JFK Center.
Castro, I remember you as well. I seem to recall you drove the APC on one of our operations on the other side of Ba Ria by Nui Ba Den ( I think) and a rubber tree plantation.
You were a cool guy, but that big fuckin' machine made so much noise, I was afraid we were gonna get hit. I just wanted you to leave and take it back to camp.
I don't check this site very often, in fact this is my very first post. Last time I was on and checked the was nothing about FANK and I haven't been back until now. I hope the link to below works. If not contact me back channel and I'll send you the link. I would like to hear from any FANK guys.
It's so good to hear from you! I talked to both Spitfire and Trashcan by phone last month and you're correct in that John is the same ole John. He has certainly had an exciting life since Long Hai. He said that he is going back to Vietnam and Cambodia for the second time since our tour there this month.
Trashcan just went through a knee replacement recently and was suffering with that. I guess we're just getting old...lol! BTW, how and where are you?
I haven't heard from Castro since his last post here. Both Rey and Ben Morales went through training group with me at Bragg back 1971. Both were great guys.
Jeff, I've tried your email and it comes back as undeliverable.
Good to hear from you. I surprised that email came back. The other time was when Rick Howson and I reconnected with Danny Tizen, and my emails to Danny would always bounce.
I am fine and except for minor aches and pains, my health is great. I live in Olympia, WA.
I retired from the VA as a pipefitter. Married with 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren. Life is good.
I just got off the phone with John. He is at the airport heading back to Long Hai and will be there on the 22nd of May. He told me to say hi for him.
I received an Email from John just after he arrived in Vietnam. He was telling me he has learned not to eat Mexican before a long flight...lol. It only leaves you to wonder how that worked out! He went on to say he was having a breakfast fit for a king in Long Hai and was going to stay there for a while to suck up the beach. He joked about being drafted in to the Vietnamese army, but only as a general, to fight with China. A SF sergeant to Vietnamese general...that sounds about right!
I don't think I could go back. What would you do apologize to everyone you meet
Have you done a Google Earth search on Long Hai. Hell they have homes built right up the valley that use to be no-mans-land (except for the VC).
I was communicating with an agent of mine in HCMC and told her about my visit to her country. She said she got married and had her honeymoon in Long Hai.
I deal with agents in HCMC and Hanoi. That's some crazy shit.
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I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like....victory!
Reynaldo- My screen name is the same as my call sign when I was at B36/USARVITG in '71 (A362). I was a medic at the camp. Tom Rowe was also there and later so was George Miller Knew Ken Bowra when he was the Phouc Tuy camp commander. I posted Bowra's discussion of the FID mission we had in another thread. Great read.
Been looking for SGM Johnny Miller too. Heard he was a preacher in TN. Connected with another Brother there at the same time. He was SGM Hillmann's right hand guy. Were you there when Hillmann shot himself in the foot? I think I remember you, but not sure.
I have been corresponding with some of the higher command for the USARVITG and FANK support programs. Very interesting shit!
Send me a PM with your email address and I can send you some pics and we can discuss all of this.
Great to hear from you. Welcome!
May contact with SGT Benjamin Morales yesterday (Tuesday, August 12, 2014). He retired MSG from the 7th SFG. Also made contact with Vila Chau, he was a Cambodian Interpreter from Camp Phouc Tuy. Vila is now an American Citizen. Yesterday was a long and wild roller coaster ride.