Cambodia today: Over three decades of armed conflict has left Cambodia seriously affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance ( UXO), and kept poor communities impoverished by limiting their access to farmland. The Khmer Rouge, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), Vietnamese, and Thai militaries laid extensive minefields during the Indochina Wars, Vietnamese occupation, and factional fighting that ended in 1999. The 2019 Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor reports that clearance of … [Read more...]
Ace-The mortar man
(Photo: Fauquher) I heard a good story about Ace at the Charleston reunion. I think anyone who met Ace, a.k.a., Harold Davis, would remember him. A easygoing guy who liked to talk and play the guitar, he looked like a character actor from a crime movie. Not a thug, mind you, but a cab driver or bartender maybe. So I heard... one day Ace was headed into Quan Loi with a jeep to pick up supplies. I also heard Captain Joiner was particular about his appearance and had his uniforms … [Read more...]
Charleston Reunion – 2021
Greetings all! I must say the site for this year's reunion was an outstanding selection. The hospitality of Charleston and the great history of that location made it an ideal place to get together. And of course many thanks to Mother and Toni for doing the ground work and planning the agenda. While we didn't have the restaurant meals typical of past reunions, they "organized" carry out meals that were quite good. And thanks to all those who helped out with the work of putting the meals out … [Read more...]
May 1969 – The Battle for Ap Bia Mountain
Bob Turay emailed this and I wanted to post it here as well. Thanks for reminding me, Bob.11 May 1969 – U.S. and South Vietnamese forces battle North Vietnamese troops for Ap Bia Mountain (Hill 937), one mile east of the Laotian border. The battle was part of Operation Apache Snow, a 2,800-man Allied sweep of the A Shau Valley. The purpose of the operation was to cut off North Vietnamese infiltration from Laos and enemy threats to Hue and Da Nang. U.S. paratroopers pushing northeast found the … [Read more...]
Muskets of O rang
(Photo: Cossey) Obviously Martin is the winner here. He got a man sized one. We all look like we just came out the hills where we have our stills hid away, haha. Of the 14 troopers in this photo, 8 are now deceased. Farewell old friends! God speed Stallion! Bird-out … [Read more...]
O rang – copy
“Standin’ on a corner in…” O rang, Cambodia. This has got to be the ultimate war souvenir/photograph. Damn, I shoulda had Cossey take my photo with this! That honor goes to Bruce Hammonds of Bessemer, Alabama displaying the Cambodian National Flag in the traditional blue and red with the temple at Angor Wat. Recon walked into O rang early in May, 1970. There was a hospital, school, army base and an airstrip there. That would be a grass and dirt airstrip, of course. Not too … [Read more...]
Strategic Hamlet Program
Things are not going well in South Viet Nam By 1961, the Kennedy administration became alarmed that the 4 year insurgency by the National Liberation Front was taking control of many rural areas in South Viet Nam. The Diem administration had eliminated many of the civil positions and replaced them with officials loyal to Diem and his family. These officials and their military counter parts were frequently moved to different positions due to Diem's fear that they would organize and turn against … [Read more...]
General Maxwell Taylor
"The fighting is going on in four fronts: the government versus the generals, the Buddhists versus the government, the generals versus the ambassador, and, I hope, the generals versus the VC". General Maxwell Taylor speaking to American correspondents in Saigon, 1965 Taylor had retired from the army and was serving as Ambassador to South Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. Bird-out … [Read more...]
Vietnam Issue/Essential gear
What were the things that we couldn't have lived without? Besides your issue weapon. The small but oh so important can opener: the P-38. The cook stove, usually the empty cracker can from your C-rations. Of course, the canteen cup. In service since WWII. I wonder if they still issue these? Then, of course, a "church key", essential to opening the beers and sodas we would get. Everyone I believe had some kind of heavy duty knife, frequently a Ka Bar or an M-16 bayonet. Too many … [Read more...]
Kessler – copy
On my way out of Taipei following my R & R, I was walking through the customs free area in the airport and spotted a bottle of Kessler whiskey. Hell, that's Martin's preferred drink! I immediately purchased a bottle and stowed it in my bag. After arriving back at FSB Nancy, I unpacked and placed that bottle on a shelf in the bunker that Cossey and I shared with Dob and Mike Beldy. The next morning we were informed the Colonel would be inspecting the men's quarters. When the hell did the … [Read more...]