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YOUR BALANCE
50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless
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50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 8:14 PM

On this day in 1970, our Battalion changed commanders and we moved into the lowlands near a mountain that probably had two trees total - just lots of boulders and elephant grass. Most of our company camped a few hundred meters from the base of the mountain and one platoon was ordered to move up the mountain during the day with the intention of reaching the top and spending the night. As it turned out, they only made it about 2/3 of the way before having to set up for the night due to darkness. Shortly after midnight , we were awakened by heavy fire and could see the mountainside light up with rifle fire, grenades, and rifle propelled grenades with prolonged engagement. We all had sick feelings because we could do nothing to help. We found out after it was over that only one guy was killed with a few guys wounded enough to be evacuated. The soldier we lost was a fellow with all four front teeth missing - I always had good conversations with him when the entire company was together and called him "Whitmore" - must've been a nickname because a different name appears on the list of KIA's.

Message was edited by: clover65®


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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 8:18 PM

Perspective for all of us. I appreciate your service.

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 9:11 PM

Thank you for service.
I always appreciate reading your experiences.

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Clover - thank you for sharing your stories with us, thank


Sep 11, 2020, 9:26 PM

you for your service.

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"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." - Jackie Robinson


Was the elephant grass as sharp as they say it was?***


Sep 11, 2020, 9:35 PM



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Slice you like a razor - bad for the man


Sep 11, 2020, 10:12 PM

walking point with a machete - not so bad for the guys following along

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 9:49 PM

Lots of things pale in comparison To what you went through. You are a treasure for your perspective.

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 10:13 PM

Tomorrow night a dear friend of mine is hosting a party for her husband, Tim, who survived and returned home to the USA exactly 50 years ago on Sept. 12, 1970. He spent two consecutive years in Nam from '68-'70 during and amid the worst of it. He retired as a high level supervisor for GM in Detroit and came to Spartanburg, SC and married my friend, Dorothy. Just great and beautiful people, and a great time will be had by all - neighbors, friends and everyone else lucky enough to "get the word"!!!

Thanks for your service, and thanks to all who fought, were wounded, and who died in that crazy conflict!

Go Tigers all!!!

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 11, 2020, 11:43 PM

I truly look forward to your posts and greatly appreciate your service.

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 12, 2020, 2:11 AM

I love your post. I look forward to them often each week. Thank you for giving that time of your life to fight for a noble cause freedom. Not everyone will see the Vietnam War that way. That you can blame on our politicians and our weak useless President LBJ who had so much blood on his hands. You cannot manage a war from Thousands of miles away. And he should have done much more to protect our troops.

You are a true hero! Keep the stories coming.

God Bless our past, present and future military personnel. May God keep you safe and keep peace in the world.

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 12, 2020, 9:47 AM

I lost one friend I know of in Viet Nam, that was David Davenport of Greenville. Hugs, kisses and a big God bless you for all of our heroes.

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Re: 50 years ago tonight -Vietnam - Helpless


Sep 12, 2020, 10:04 AM

Thanks Clover ..... your posts make me go back and see what I was doing on the days that you make your posts. Since I did not keep a diary (should have but mostly did not have time) I go to the Texas Tech website that has all of the unclassified Marine Narrative Summaries of my battalion (3rd Battalion 1st Marines. The following from the narrative in the middle of September is long, but it will sort of give an idea of what we were doing. My combat engineer platoon supported 3/1, and in September we were on an operation in Elephant Valley. We were on "Firebase Sam" overlooking the valley and were operation from the firebase. Here is what the narrative summary said:

• Enemy Strength and Situation Actually Found
(1.) Elephant Valley. Within this area no significant contacts took place. In one instance an enemy sighting occurred. On 13 September tOi::,t' Dh.5, 3d Battalion(-)" 1st Marines C~ established on Fire Base Sam .(AT811858), observed 03 enemy at AT809864 moving south towards Fire Base Sam. 8lmm mortars and 105mm Artillery fire missions were called on target. Results were unknown. In both Kilo Company 3/1 and Fox Company 2/1 2 of operation, numerous bunkers; punji pits, and trails were found showing recent use by small units of approximate1y 10-15 enemy. On 13 September 70, 3.t 1800, Kilo Company 3/1 found 01 AK-47 magazine, 01 AK-47 rifle with folding stock, 02 packs, 02 cartridge belts, 02 U.S.'poncho liners, 14 loaded 11-16 magazines, 01 claymoro, 04 M-26 grenades,; 07 canteens, and 02 chicoms • In Bravo Company 1/1 area of operation, trai1s or bunkers of recent origin were found. From what was found, it seems that tho area of operation in Elephant Valley serves as a transit area and does not contain any large enemy units posing an immediate throat. At most there may be a company size units broken down into 10-15 man groups.

Hoa Hiep Base Area.. After being inserted into tho Hoa Hiep Baso Camp Men, Kilo Company 3/1 found what is believed to be the Doc Lap Base Camp due to tho hootches found at AT888894. This base camp had been occupied up to 30 minutos 'prior to Kilo Company's arrival since a campfire was still burning. In this area., Kilo found 04 anti-tank mines, 03 B-40's and numerous cooking utensils. Two (2) hootches were also found at AT 8849 01 but no signs of recent use was present. This may have possibly been a section of the Ho Hiep Base Camp aroa. This feeling is justified by enemy initiated contact with Kilo Company at 2100 on the 17th, with an estimated 10-12 enemy at AT888895. The three bivouac areas were not checked out due to a time limitation, but solid evidence of enemy use, in at least one of these three areas, is suspected since e radio transmission was detected near 1~T878898 on the night of 18 September 70.

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