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Post by Alan Al Dingman on Dec 12, 2004 10:09:54 GMT -5
One day riding machine gunner
on the back of a jeep leading
a convoy out of Plei Dejereng
I mistakenly started a fire
fight with a unit from the 4th
division.
I am sorry.
Alan "Al" Dingman
6/14th Arty 1st Field Forces
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Post by John Kolsun on Dec 12, 2004 10:12:09 GMT -5
One day riding machine gunner on the back of a jeep leading a convoy out of Plei Dejereng I mistakenly started a fire fight with a unit from the 4th division. I am sorry. Alan "Al" Dingman 6/14th Arty 1st Field Forces In Vietnam things were always confused. Units were here and there, sometimes a unit was actually there when they thought they were here. Everyone had a job to do, some jobs were to keep track of were a unit was, some jobs were to keep track of every unit, some jobs were to keep EVERYONE informed of who was here and there. Some jobs were to lead convoys and some jobs were to drive jeeps. Some jobs were to man machine guns that were mounted on the back of jeeps and not hesitate to PROTECT convoys. Now who is at fault if a platoon leader makes a mistake of where his location actually was. Or if a guy just forgot to pass along a location of a friendly unit. Maybe an RTO got a location mixed up with a previous location. Is a convoy leader REALLY at fault for going too fast or too slow. What if a jeep driver takes his eyes off the road, jerks the wheel to get back on the road and DISTRACTS a machine gunner for just a split second. I remember firefights as noisey, confusing and quick starting. There wasn't any allowable delay in reaction time. Things go wrong. John Kolsun |
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Post by Ron Baker on Dec 12, 2004 10:13:43 GMT -5
Speaking of snafu's, I went down a trail to sit on LP for the chance to do long overdue letter writing while the Platoon set up for the night. I heard a noise and was just getting a rush of pucker factor ready to rock and roll when I saw a GI down the trail still unaware of me. two more steps and I called out friendlys here and he dropped. I ask who are you and he answered but I dont recall the unit, anyway they where nearly a click of course.
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Post by Lou on May 13, 2005 19:06:19 GMT -5
Okay here's just ONE of my snafu's. I'd only been in country a couple of week's and we were lifted out into some little fire base miles away from our own.
We were given time to perform the three S's, chowed down, got piss-ass drunk and went to sleed in a tent.
Around mid-night I was woken by the sounds of someone "sneeking" into the tent. I looked over in my now half-drunk state only to see an honest to God VC coming through the flap.
Being a true-life combat vet (remember, I'd been in country several WEEKS by this time), I attacked the little *$%^& with an entrenching tool. Was getting the better of him too until I realized he was screaming at me in Spanish. Poor little Puerto Rican fella took a thumpin' for nuthun', and I was labled John F'n Wayne for a month.
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