Of course, we were all FNG’s at one time. l’m thinking of the 5 F_cking New Guys that came in during the Cambode incursion. They would not have been at Bu Gia Map. They are:
Michael B. Jobe
Ronald R. Toombs Henry Mason Jerry Trumm & “Red”
Of the five, Jobe & Mason were the only ones not wounded. Of course, Jerry, “The Degree” was badly wounded but survived & was active at the reunions. Jobe was last seen by me in 1978 in Indianapolis. He lived in a home on English Ave if I recall correctly. We talked late into the night…he remembered quite a lot, but I have not seen him since.
The rest are “whereabouts unknown”. Anybody heard from them?
Bird-out
Thank you, Bert for taking the time to share your memories of Jerry at Fort Riley! God Bless You!!
I’ll always remember the moment that Jerry’s parents and I walked into his hospital ward and I looked at the faces of all those young men, trying to find Jerry! Jerry had sprouted a mustache and had lost so much weight that I didn’t recognize him until I saw him smile at me! I closed the curtains around his bed and we shared a wonderful reunion. I don’t remember how much time we gave his parents to visit with him…it was a short weekend!
I do hope that you will be attending the Echo Reunion at Myrtle Beach this May! These men and their spouses/families truly are now my family too, as a spouse of one of your comrades in Echo Recon!
Thank you to Dave as well for your reply to Bert!!
Bert,
Thanks for your post. Jerry Trumm was a very unique individual and we are all better for having shared his space. He and his wife Donna were the backbone of enthusiasm for our Reunions. Donna and her family still attend in his memory and we are better for their presence. When Jerry was Medivaced it was common knowledge that he had been “gut shot” and when the Bird lifted off the crew chief shook his head after seeing Jerry’s wounds. So, for many years we were under the assumption that he didn’t make it. Donna a Nurse Practitioner left her job and moved into the VA Hospital to help care for Jerry. No one knew at that time that it would be a year before he would be released. You can imagine our surprise when they showed up at the first Reunion in 2000. From that point forward they were instrumental in the implementation of every Reunion. When he passed we had just returned from a meeting to plan the Springfield reunion. He was Echo Recon down to his core and I miss him every day.
A good man lost too early.
Mother-Out
Just thinking about being a FNG, when I was first assigned to Alpha Co, I was paired up with Mark Hummel from Keokuk Iowa. He would always talk about going back home to work at the Peterbilt Truck factory. Our platoon Sgt was Nate Barnes. We were sent on sweeps off FSB Vivian. I was only IN Country a few weeks when Vivian was “hit” during the Christmas Cease Fire. Gooks in the wire, no casualties. Welcome to the NAM.
Hope those guys made it!
Mother – Out
Jerry T passed in 2013, I was on my third tour when I went into Cambodia, I was with the 199th Infantry Brigade and we were attached to the 1st Cav. I was in Cambodia about 4 days when I was shot while in a helicopter heading back to 2nd brigade. I was shot just above the wallet and went to Japan then Fort Riley, KS where I met Jerry. I got to know Jerry well. I did most of the transferring him from bed to gurney for xrays and anywhere else he needed to go. The head nurse put me to work as an orderly/medic. my gunshot wound healed up to the size of a quarter and I reeenlised to go back for a fourth tour and ended up in the Recon Platoon that Jerry had been in. We stood down in March 1971 and I found homes for about 12 of the guys in the Aviation battalion, where I ended up as Battalion Maintenance NCO for a couple weeks then an E-8 came in and he and the Warrant tried to use me for taxy driver after some negotiations, I ended up as the HHC motor pool sergeant until I went home in November. I am glad I had a chance to meet Jerry and that he made it out of the hospital and on to a great career
Hey, good to hear from you Bert. Jerry was a outstanding individual. Thanks for sharing your memories and welcome home!