b1/13 , flew in on c 130 oct 1966 was special forces base on mars matting. they went to lang ve and the sea bees put in aluminum runway. we stayed through monsoon season. A 1/3 provided security. along with 6 105 howitsers they gave us 2 155 howitsers and 2 4.2 morters for illumination. The hill battles started after we left to go to con tien for the dmz sweep. in the 13 month tour we fired over 40,ooo rounds. one of the guns had a stamp of 1945. cpl. rich bottari radio operator.
Hey Rich – Wasn’t part 0f 13th Marines attached to the Special Landing Force? I know that they often split firing batteries to wherever they were needed. Wasn’t unusual to find WWII equipment all over with Marines in RVN. Those old tubes lasted a long time and were often reconditioned. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
was in K 3/5 , 70, 60mm, and my tube was dated 1945! we used to put 6 of those increments on the round, and it’d go 2 clicks! didn’t do it often, cause we were told old tunes,may not be able to take it ! Did the same with illum to start fires in the foot hills off hill 52.
I was with Alpha 1/3 when they were on the USS Okinawa as a Special Landing Force. The hills around Khesan were a bitch.
Hi Ken, my name is Ray Maguinness. Iwas at Khe Sahn with 1/3. We left there and regrouped on Okinawa chinging from m-14 to the m-16, picked up new personell and loading on the USS Okinawa. My platoon was 1st platoon alfa company. Spent about 2 months on the Okinawa before my company was transfred to LPD USS Dulth. From that ship we did one amphibous landing among our many operations. If you want contact me and can talk.
Hi Ray, I’m also a 1/3 alum. January/September 67. Know Ken, good guy. I’m on New York he is in Rhode Island. Where are you located.
I was with A-1-13 attach to 1-26 from Feb. 1968 to June 1969. From Khe Sanh to Happy Valley
and everything in between. The last few mos. we went on a B.L.T. and was assign to 9th Amph.
Brig. What a tour!!!
JOINED NAVY///64////WENT TO NAVY BOOT,,CAME OUT AN 8404,,NEXT STOP,,PARRIS ISLAND,CORPSMAN,,LANDED BEAUTIFUL SVN,,,65,,,STARTED IN DANANG,,THEN CHU LAI,,,,SENT TO HUE FOR TET,,,AFTER HUE,,GOT ASSIGNED TO PBR’SON THE PERFUME,,,AFTER THE CITADEL WAS SECURED,,ENDED UP IN DOG PATCH,,DONG HA,,,AFTER SWIFT,,, HOME SEE YAS,,,,,,,,68,,,,SEMPER FI MY BROS,,,,,,,,