12-26-2010, 02:53
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#1
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 777
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Christmas at Duc Lap: a photo
Came across this photo last week and the image has stuck with me, mainly because of the incongruity of a completely decked out Christmas tree in a mortar pit, but also because of the ingenuity of the soldiers. How did they manage to scrounge up a 6' Christmas tree? I hope they were able to enjoy the tree in relative peace.
Caption for photo reads: 07 Dec 1969, Duc Lap, South Vietnam, Sgt. Buddy Bruek (left) of Vicksburg, MS, and SFC Ernesto Flores of California (no city given), set up a Christmas tree in a spare mortar pit at the Duc Lap Special Forces camp.
v/r
-Susan
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Heroes are often the most ordinary of men. - Henry David Thoreau.
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Requiem is offline
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12-26-2010, 07:30
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#2
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Georgetown, SC
Posts: 4,204
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Somewhere in RVN on or about 7 Dec 1969, some USAF types were wondering: "Where the hell is that 6' Christmas tree we ordered?"
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"I took a different route from most and came into Special Forces..." - Col. Nick Rowe
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ZonieDiver is offline
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12-26-2010, 08:15
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#3
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NorCal
Posts: 15,370
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There were pine trees in RVN - still are - also had pines above 2000' in northern Thailand.
'Buddy' Brueck was the 05B on A-239 at Duc Lap - his real name is Alan. Duc Lap was in ll Corps about 2 miles from Cambodia and frequently under siege - it was converted to an ARVN BDQ camp 31 Dec 70.
Never underestimate the resourcefulness of an SF soldier when he gets the urge to get something done.
Richard
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“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who – who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” - To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus Finch)
“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Richard is offline
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12-26-2010, 11:54
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#4
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Guest
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Requiem
ow did they manage to scrounge up a 6' Christmas tree? -Susan
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These guys stole it from Westmoreland's office, the decorations.
We had a wreath made from M60 links and empty shell casings on our little tree. Even hung an entire box of new P38 can openers using dental floss.
Last edited by wet dog; 12-26-2010 at 11:57.
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12-26-2010, 13:18
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#5
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Area Commander
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Harmony Church
Posts: 2,633
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That's the Christmas spirit - but what did they do with the mortar?
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mojaveman is offline
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12-27-2010, 01:47
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#6
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wet dog
We had a wreath made from M60 links and empty shell casings on our little tree. Even hung an entire box of new P38 can openers using dental floss.
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Unconventional Christmas decorations for unconventional men. I'm sure it was very festive (and useful, if you needed to open a can of chow or floss your teeth).
Susan
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Heroes are often the most ordinary of men. - Henry David Thoreau.
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Requiem is offline
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12-27-2010, 01:58
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#7
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Never underestimate the resourcefulness of an SF soldier when he gets the urge to get something done.
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Never Sir. I've read about the "resourcefulness" of the SF men in VN and I admire the talent for scrounging that a lot of them had. (And I imagine the resourcefulness gene is still strong today.)
v/r
Susan
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Heroes are often the most ordinary of men. - Henry David Thoreau.
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Requiem is offline
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12-27-2010, 06:26
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#8
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Quiet Professional (RIP)
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Carriere,Ms.
Posts: 6,922
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Requiem
Came across this photo last week and the image has stuck with me, mainly because of the incongruity of a completely decked out Christmas tree in a mortar pit, but also because of the ingenuity of the soldiers. How did they manage to scrounge up a 6' Christmas tree? I hope they were able to enjoy the tree in relative peace.
Caption for photo reads: 07 Dec 1969, Duc Lap, South Vietnam, Sgt. Buddy Bruek (left) of Vicksburg, MS, and SFC Ernesto Flores of California (no city given), set up a Christmas tree in a spare mortar pit at the Duc Lap Special Forces camp.
v/r
-Susan
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Susan,
In addition to Richard's reply to you,don't forget Wolfie's would have far more detail to give you on his tale doing the firefight where he earned several heroic medals.............
Big Teddy
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I believe that SF is a 'calling' - not too different from the calling missionaries I know received. I knew instantly that it was for me, and that I would do all I could to achieve it. Most others I know in SF experienced something similar. If, as you say, you HAVE searched and read, and you do not KNOW if this is the path for you --- it is not....
Zonie Diver
SF is a calling and it requires commitment and dedication that the uninitiated will never understand......
Jack Moroney
SFA M-2527, Chapter XXXVII
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greenberetTFS is offline
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12-27-2010, 16:10
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#9
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Alaska
Posts: 777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenberetTFS
Susan,
In addition to Richard's reply to you,don't forget Wolfie's would have far more detail to give you on his tale doing the firefight where he earned several heroic medals.............
Big Teddy
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Ha! Big Teddy, the only "black ops" mission Wolfie has ever been on was the one where he snuck up on his own book of "fiction" and shot it full of holes...
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Heroes are often the most ordinary of men. - Henry David Thoreau.
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Requiem is offline
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12-27-2010, 17:39
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#10
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Area Commander
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: USA-Germany
Posts: 1,572
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Fat Tails...
Quote:
In addition to Richard's reply to you,don't forget Wolfie's would have far more detail to give you on his tale doing the firefight where he earned several heroic medals.............
Big Teddy
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Big Teddy,
IMHO the only value Wolfie could adds is if the world runs out of hot air balloons.
His next gig might be renting himself out for tourists in Kenya who want to see the Wildebeast migration...
I'd gladly prefer to buy you or any vet here a beer, and if they had tales to share even better.
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"Men Wanted: for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.” -Sir Ernest Shackleton
“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” –Greek proverb
Last edited by akv; 12-27-2010 at 17:41.
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akv is offline
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12-27-2010, 18:11
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#11
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DFW Texas Area
Posts: 4,741
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mojaveman
That's the Christmas spirit - but what did they do with the mortar?
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That's where the Tree is stuck!!!
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Martin sends.
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Ambush Master is offline
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12-27-2010, 20:36
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#12
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Area Commander
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Harmony Church
Posts: 2,633
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ambush Master
That's where the Tree is stuck!!!
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Thanks. Duh!
Last edited by mojaveman; 05-08-2014 at 19:45.
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mojaveman is offline
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