Although not officially recorded that I know of, 2nd Platoon, Mike 3/9 (my platoon) in 1966 did a bayonet charge when we were pinned down in the middle of a dry rice paddy behind a short dike and were running low on ammo. We had no attachments, so just had rifles and grenades.
Category: Vietnam
2 of a Kind
While serving in Vietnam with 3/1/1 in 1968, I acquired a little friend. My last name being Mongar, I was given the nickname, “Mongoose”. Seems that the kids in a local ville that we tromped through occasionally, heard me being called, “Mongoose”, and next time through, they presented my with this very young mongoose. After my first day of carrying this little critter around, it never left my side. The little thing met it’s Waterloo during a mortar and rocket attack in Elephant Valley, in June or July of 1968. It was an experience I will never forget, one of those things that happened in Vietnam that can never be repeated.
The Long Goodbye
In the closing hours of the fight to hold the Khe Sanh Combat Base, after the longest and bloodiest battle of the Vietnam War, Tom Mahoney inexplicably walked away from his platoon, unarmed, and was shot to death by enemy soldiers hiding nearby. His fellow Marines made several desperate attempts to recover their well-liked comrade, but were finally forced to leave him behind, though never forgotten.
Chow Hound
All the talk about C-rations made me drag out this old photo from my first tour–a L/Cpl sitting on an ammo can in some ville enjoying my C’s. Except for maybe the Ham and Slimers, I never complained about the C-Rats.
Semper Fidelis,
Gary Harlan
Sergeant of Marines/Chow Hound
Moved To Heaven’s Gates
I am sorry for the lateness of this obit for WW2 Marine Robert Dowdy. I only found out about his passing recently myself when I had attempted to call him for New Years Day.
Cpl. Dowdy and I had met each other during a Veterans Day Parade back in 2012. The parade was hosted by American Legion Post 238 of Teague, Texas of which I was a member. I say that I was a member as now the post has disbanded recently.
Taps For 1stSgt Dick Petterson
Taps were held on Saturday, Dec. 19th for 1stSgt Dick Petterson, USMC Retired. Attached picture: (L-R) Maj Rich Risner, SSgt P.T. Cong, 1stSgt Dick Petterson and me. We served together in Chu Lai in 1968 where he earned a Bronze Star with Combat "V" and a Purple Heart. You can read about him in my book, "Civic Action". His career spanned over 20 years beginning in 1955 as a machine gunner then retiring as a 1stSgt in 1978. He joins our former boss, Maj Rich Risner who passed in 2005 – "then there was one." Semper Fidelis Rich and Dick.
Marine Corps Vietnam Ring
I am the Store Manager of Walmart in Flowood, MS and one of cart pushers found this on the parking lot trying to find the owner of this ring! I am sure it is important to them!
Allen Patterson
Stranger In A Strange Land
OK, Sorry folks no photo.
In July 3, I graduated from Basic at MCRD San Diego. July 4th, my father, and Air Force MSgt (flying one at that) and a WWII, Korea vet, had just graduated USAF 1st Sgt School and came down for a visit. My Drill Instructors were in awe and recruits and newly minted Marines did not know what to kae of him.
Brand New M-14s
Picture of me in front of a banyan tree across the street from my barracks at Kaneohe Bay around the end of 1962 or early '63. I had just returned from the first PRT that was required by the Commandant for all Marines. My squadron, VMA 212 were issued the brand new M-14s to run the course. You can see that it still had a plastic protector over the bore. I recall a rumor going around at the time that the new 7.62 ammo for the M-14 was not powerful enough to even make a hole in the targets at 200 yards. I had a problem with my 14 on qualification day when the flash suppressor set screws came loose. My rounds were all over the target before the armorer figured it out by pointing to the brass streaks the rounds made as they left the barrel. Never had that problem with my M-1. With a clip and two rounds, watch your target, TARGET! BAM,BAM, clink; re-load with a full eight rounds and put all ten in the black at 500 yards. Nothing to worry about coming loose and the .30 caliber always made a hole.
Christmas 1970
Viet Nam, 1970
I was assigned to MASS-3 towards the end of 1970, specifically at FSB Birmingham. We were a small detachment (13 men) operating a radar system in support of the US Army 101st Airborne. On Dec 22, we received a radio message that I was to pack my seabag and prepare for transport to our squadron headquarters in DaNang. A CH-46 was already enroute to pick me up. I reported to the 1st Sgt when I got back, and asked what I was there for. He told me not to get too comfortable, as I was scheduled on the next C-130 departing for Okinawa.