Vietnam--1st Tour-Updated

In January 1967 I submitted an Administrative Action form requesting to be transfered from Headquarters & Service Battalion, Fleet Marine Force Altantic (FMFLant), Norfolk, Virginia to Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPac)-Western Pacific (WesPac) ground forces. The request was approved and I received orders to the Western Pacific in February, 1967. I then proceeded to Camp Pendleton, California's 3rd Replacement Company, Staging Battalion and was assigned to Unit # 3056 for the months of March and April, 1967.

As a corporal I was given squad leader duties and in charge of 12 marines. For most of our field training we were stationed at Camp Los Pogas and lived in old quonset huts. Our training included a lot of hill climbing, learning survival skills, escape & evasion, familiarization with booby traps, land mines, weapons and vietnamese culture course.

This was the first time I had been so far from home and I remember being very lonely and missing Carol. There was very little recreation or free time. I did go to Disney World in Aneheim, California and another time to Tijuana.

After arriving in Okinawa in April, 1967 I was assigned to Supply Company, Provisional Service Battalion at Camp Hansen and was responsible for miscellaneous duties e.g. prison chaser, clean up details, supervised recreational rooms etc.

From April through August, 1967 I moved between Camp Hansen and Camp Schwab working in primarily supply positions. During this time period I also became SCUBA qualified and was able to do some spear fishing off the coast. The reefs were beautiful and contained many varieties of fish.

Also while I was on Okinawa, I went to Kadena Air Force base (visited the Enlisted Club), to Moon Beach across the island and to several small towns e.g. Ishikawa, Henoko, Nago right outside the bases where I was stationed. I saw several razor fights between black & white marines and provided assistance to a marine who had attempted suicide by slashing his wrists in the head (restroom). I remained on "Oki" until my request for transfer to Vietnam was approved.

Finally in August, 1967 I was reassigned to the 1st Force Service Regiment (FSR), Force Logistics Command (FLC) which was located at a place called Red Beach several miles west of Danang,Vietnam.

As a member of the Supply Company, Supply Battalion I worked as a warehouse man from 6:00pm to 9:00am seven days a week. Our primary purpose was providing support/equipment to in-country Marine units. I was involved in perimeter guard duty but for the most part the job was fairly routine warehouse job.. There were a number of times our base was rocketed with 122 millimeter rockets which on a several occasions destroyed portions of my work area. One night the rockets destroyed a hootch about 50 meters from where I slept (the rocket critically wounded everyone in the hootch many of whom I had came overseas with and knew well). Another time when I was on on perimeter duty 4 vc sappers (saboteurs) dressed as U.S. Marines destroyed a marine outpost with a satchel charge. We saw the vc walking down the road about 100 meters away never realizing who they were. The charge leveled the outpost and killed all 4 marines. Medevac choppers quickly arrived and picked up the bodies and Puff (gunship) was called on station to saturate the area with fire. I never knew if we killed the sappers.

In November, 1967 I was reassigned to D Company, 1st Military Police Battalion right next to the Danang airbase. My military specialty was changed from 3041 (supply) to 0331 (infantry) and as a corporal I was a squad leader in charge of 12 men and we were responsible for base security, traffic issues and patrolling areas around the base. Our duties were on a 3 day rotation, one day patrolling and setting ambushes, the next day guarding the airbase perimeter and the 3rd day was set aside for repairing bunkers and training. During this time period we transitioned from the M-14 rifle to the M-16 which, at the time was not considered very reliable. As a squad leader I was able to carry a 12 gauge shotgun for patrolling and lead a number of patrols during my time with the 1st MP's. I can remember setting up L shaped ambushes on the edge of rice paddies and remaining immersed in water for a number of hours trying not to move while leeches attached themselves to me. Other than attract leeches we failed to ambush any vc.

Our area was continually dusty/dirty, the occasional shower was cold and the beer was warm. The noise was perpetual with fighter planes from the airbase running missions 24/7 and frequent artillery bombardments supporting marines in the field. When off duty we would hitch a ride to Freedom Hill (Hill 327) to visit the PX.

I went on R&R to Hawaii to meet Carol from December 20 through the 26th, 1967. Carol and I processed through the Fort DeRussey R&R center and then stayed at a local hotel. The visit was wonderful but always had the dark specter of my eventual return to Vietnam. We separated again on Christmas day when I left for Vietnam. It was particularly difficult seeing Carol after being separated for 10 months and then having to return.

My tour of duty in Vietnam ended January, 1968 and I returned to Marine Barracks, Naval Station, Treasure Island in San Francisco and remained there until March awaiting my next assignment.