The two Iconic Statues at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial As a tribute to the nurses, girls have thrown their "scrunchies" on the base of the statue. Recon members search for names and pay their respects at the The Wall. Volunteers are there to help. The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial is the most visited memorial in the National Mall. There are the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and women who lost their lives, listed here. The beautiful ladies of Echo Company … [Read more...]
O Raing Revisited
I can only imagine that quite a few of the vets from 1970 and the Cambodian campaign would have read John M. Shaw's book, The Cambodian Campaign. I will occasionally will pick this up and just look at a random page. Did you know the North Viets had logistic units in Cambodia disguised as commercial companies? This was to bring supplies from ships in the port of Sihanoukville. By 1969, it was estimated that the communist forces in the III and IV Corps areas were receiving up to 100 … [Read more...]
2023 Reunion
Another great location for a reunion, Melbourne, FL. Many thanks to Mother and Toni for all their time and effort in putting this together. Front: Leon "Roxy" Anderson, Jeff Yerger Back: Jim "Ski" Twardowski, Charlie Beagle, Jim Lesch, Wayne Roe, Paul "Siouxie" Connolly, Mark "Doc" Schramm, Tom Harris, David Meeks, George Heim, Terry "Mother" Fauquher The beautiful ladies of Echo Company Three Amigos Doc Shramm - Siouxie Connolly- Bob … [Read more...]
FSB David – Cambodia (2023)
Wow! Look at that! TO: Echo Co. 1/5 Cavalry, Delta Co. 1/5, HHC 1/5, and anyone else who served on FSB David. RE: Current events Several of us have been contacted by Richard Magner, a Warrant Officer who flew aircraft with the 229th Aviation Battalion as part of the 1st Air Cavalry. He has for- warded several images of the fire base. This is obviously in 1970. He also has some more current images and those are interesting as well. He is in contact with some of the … [Read more...]
Blue Max ARA
I don't really know much about the units and their operations during the Vietnam War. They saved my ass a few times, so I know that for sure! I started looking up some of the literature written by the those pilots flying overhead in support of the grunts. I found the following comment interesting. It was written by a reviewer of H. G. Brown's memoir. Blue Max Missions and Memories "Although during my 1967 tour I thought all the heavy action was up in I Corps, Mr. Brown reports … [Read more...]
Hammonds with Cambodian Flag
Bruce Hammonds of Bessemer, Alabama Posted this one before of course, but that was several years ago and this being one of my favorite photos of all time, I'm posting it again. Early in May, 1970, Recon was visiting O Rang, Cambodia, looking to see what was up. A quiet little town, it was completely deserted and our time there now seems idyllic. I had been in country since Dec, 1969 and had yet to fire a shot in anger. It wouldn't be long before I would see the NVA soldiers 4 or 5 at a time … [Read more...]
Coming home 1970
Talked with an old friend yesterday who had been drafted after graduating high school in 1968. When he was discharged and passing through an airport on his way home, a young gal called him "baby killer" as he passed by. Even though he was trying to catch another flight, he stopped and talked to her. I think he felt the need to straighten her out; mentioning that she had no reason to insult a service member under any circumstances and the fact that he was returning from Panama, for crying out … [Read more...]
Memorial Day 2022
This Memorial Day weekend I stopped by the Boone County Courthouse to photograph the memorials there. Thirty names are etched into the Vietnam Memorial. Most if not all of them graduates of David H. Hickman High School. Three names of soldiers and marines are etched into the Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom memorial. The WWII and Korean War Memorial. WWI-The war to end all wars. The Great Civil … [Read more...]
May 11, 1970
Cambodia- Just over the border from Vietnam in the area known as "The Fish hook". Conditions: extremely hot and dry. Mission- Check and clear enemy bunker complex. Unit- Echo Recon 1/5 Cavalry. After Action Report- Complex included medical facilities where wounded NVA could be attended to. Unit of enemy soldiers was cleaning weapons and 105 howitzers were called in, scoring some hits on the enemy. In addition enemy soldiers hiding in complex were killed. Lone NVA soldier approaching … [Read more...]
FSB Eagle – 1969
Echo platoon members in Charleston, S.C. -2021- I was never at Eagle, but now have heard a few stories about the place and thought it worth posting. Hopefully this will generate some comments. From what I've heard this must have been a miserable place, with heavy rains during the time Echo Company was there, in August and September of 1969. They were under constant attack, the NVA were using their big 120mm mortars and 122mm rockets. The rockets were a simple but effective weapon. They … [Read more...]