“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...]
Photos from O rang/Cossey & Cossell snaps
FSB Ann (Let It Be)
I remember this fire base well because I helped build it. Kansas, Arty, myself and others filled a lot of sandbags! I was fed up. Kansas ans I built our "hootch", or started to, three different times. Echo Co's First Sgt. had us move the first one because it was on the "wrong side of the road". Too close to the cooks and too far from the rest of Echo Co. So we started building a new one, dragging our dirt filled mortar shell boxes and sandbags across the road. Once we had a good start and … [Read more...]
Anonymous Ode
Ode to the Infantryman in RVN l lie in my tent, thanking God for free rent. While outside the rain pours, and inside my buddy snores. Muddy floors & a wet cot, but still thanking God a lot. Got hot chow every day, rain or shine, come what may. Got a dog bout two weeks old eats C-rations hot or cold. Special Forces all around, keeping safe this hallowed ground. 1st Cav in the air, landing, fighting here & there. Ain't got much but could be worse, just ask the … [Read more...]
Bu Gia Map
Bu Gia Map Late in April 1970 I had been out with Echo Recon for hardly more a month at most, but was now used to the routine. The routine patrol…the “poppy”; out & back, hopefully without any trouble. Point man, in this case, the Stallion. R. Springer followed by Cossey as back up, then a rifleman, Hammonds with the M-60. Delmer with the M-79, an RTO & several riflemen walking drag; watching to see if anyone was following. In the other squad it would have been Dob on point, followed … [Read more...]
VC Knife
Actually taken from a North Vietnamese soldier killed by Echo Recon on May 30, 1970. The VC were really a separate force under the NLF (National Liberation Front), but our Cambodian scouts always yelled, VC! VC! No matter who we encountered. So, a VC knife. And the scouts didn’t always yell, unless of course they were warning everyone we had been spotted and being silent no longer mattered then. That day started out bad and got worse. We had spent the night alongside the Ho Chi Minh … [Read more...]
Welcome
Hello. Welcome to the blog for Echo Recon 1/5th. Please be patient as this is new for us. We are currently working on some blogs. Check back often for updates. Also be sure to check out the rest of the website at http://echorecon.com. Thank you for stopping by. … [Read more...]