Category: Vietnam

DaNang 2012

Happy Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day.

It was a perfect, warm day with a cloudless blue sky in Da Nang,
Vietnam. The Marine Vietnam Vets now living in Da Nang celebrated the 237th birthday of the Corps today on China Beach.
We had a good turnout of Marines, Navy and Army as well as
a number of civilian friends. read more

Radio men

Reminds me of when I was the ALO for 1/5, Feb. or Mar. of 1968. We were out west of Phu Bai on a company sized motorized sweep. Being road bound we got ambushed; during the first flurry of in and out going rounds, I and most of my TAC Party are laying in the mud and I can't find my radioman. I noticed that my troops are laughing their butts off. Being a really swift, steely eyed Marine Aviator I look back at the 6by we had just bailed off of. There, lo and behold is my radioman, his packboard w/big ass radio is hung up and he is balance on the edge of the truck bed, swinging in the breeze and flying rounds. So, after a good laugh I jump up on the truck bed and lift him enough to let him smash and sprawl in to the ditch. Once again Marine Corps policy dictates that the feathermerchant gets the biggest Load! O.E. "Sonny" James ALO 1/5 '68 P.S. I had the Best TAC Party in Nam!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Blt 1/5

Was with 1/5 from 6/65-11/66.Blt from 3/66-5/66 aboard the USS Princeton LPH-5,which was dismantled in my home of Portland, Or. Our Battalion outpost upon landing was hill 35 about halfway? between Chu Lai & Danang. Participated in Operations Jackstay,Osage,Colorado but cannot remember the others, if someone could help me out. Veterans day tomorrow & the 3/4 size traveling replica of the Vietnam war memorial is here in Portland, Or. Was here also in 5/2006. Happy birthday USMC today, Semper Fi Cpl Allen 6/64 read more

Marine Corps Birthday Celebrated in Da Nang

Happy Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day.

It was a perfect, warm day with a cloudless blue sky in Da Nang, Vietnam   The Marine Vietnam Vets now living in Da Nang celebrated the 237th birthday of the Corps today on China Beach. We had a good turnout of Marines, Navy and Army as well as  a number of civilian friends.     On this occasion, our friend Mr. Hoa from Tam Hoa, Dai Loc, Quang Nam, home of CAG C-2-2-4 was meritoriously promoted to Corporal.  Hoa has maintained the memory of those Marines who protected his village and continuously expresses loyalty, honor and devotion for all Marines in what could be described as extremely hostile territory for the past 45 years.    If you were not in the Marines, this message was not sent to you by error. Although this was the MCB, we are honored to be joined by members of our allied brothers in arms for this Veterans Day, Nov 11 2012.    Semper Fi Dick "Charlie" Brown VMFA-115 Ordnance RVN Service 69-70

Signs Remained Up

Thank You for great products and a newsletter that I look forward to receiving weekly.

The attached photos were taken in March or April of '65 in downtown DaNang. The first photo of me was taken by Sgt Paul Nicklin my driver. I took the second shot with the USO building just visible on the right. The 8 March '65 landing was made up of BLT 1/3 by air and Blt 3/9 by sea. At the time of the landing I was the FDO of A-1-12 and later the XO. To the best of my knowledge the signs remained up for at least two months, maybe more. Once again thanks for a great newsletter. read more

Con Thien “Hill of the Angels”

Con Thien was a hill, 158 meters high! It was actually a cluster of three small hills. It was an ugly bare patch of mud! Local missionaries called it “The Hill of the Angels” due to the massive amount of casualties attributed to the hill. The hill was only large enough to accommodate a reinforced battalion. It was the northwest anchor of what we Marines called the “MacNamarra Line.” The “MacNamarra Line” was actually a 600-meter clearing constructed by the 11th Engineers as a buffer zone from the Laotian border to the South China Sea. The “Strip” was originally constructed for the placement of sensors to detect enemy troop movements, but the project was called off in favor of fortifying Khe Sahn.  read more