Post by denniscieslak on May 4, 2003 12:12:19 GMT -5
I arrived in vietnam in 68 as a weapon repair specialist, at least thats what my mos. was on my orders but all i really hade ever done was take care of the weapons in the basic training unit I was permanent party to after basic . C-18-5 Fort knox Kentucky.
Yep looks like another OJT. I immediately was assigned to the 101st ABN (nearly wet myself).
I explained to the sarge on the stage that I was not airborne and had no real AIT in infantry. He just laughed and said the 101st isnt just airborne now they are airmobile. I swallowed hard as they formed everyone into little groups for our specific units. I thought at least I will be in a rear area, working maybe someplace like bien hoa, weapons repair couldnt be too bad anyway.
After processing I was told I was now a postal clerk(oh great more OJT) but since they had plenty here in bien hoa I would be moving north to camp eagle.
(nuts, not north ) I could feel my stomach churning. Left the next day convoyed some, choppered some never knew my butt cheeks could grab metal. But then everyone put the FNG's at the door, amazing how quick you forget about centrifigul force when your half hanging out of a chopper and its banking to YOUR side. Or at least it felt that way.
Finally arrived at camp eagle that was sept of 68, I guess it was a camp because it had so many tents and a perimeter. even a stream for bathin, leeches were free, decided to use the 55gal drum showers instead.
(crap did it have to be built on top of a graveyard, anything but a graveyard) I dont think I ever got my real stomach back till I left country.
Here I was a LEG with an airborne unit, tough enough to get anyone to buddy up with but who the hell wanted to talk to a leg except to tell him he was a leg. Vietnam was not what I thought but then it was not what anyone thought. I have lots of memories not the same as most cause I never had to beat the bush I did eventually make freinds even though I was a LEG. Yeh I had crap burning detail, and pulled perimeter,(I remember the quad fifties, loved having one near my bunker), made a few mail runs to other firebases. I remember some of the new ones barely had a field of fire and those were the ones we usually had to stay over once we got in cause no one would fly out later.
I did my year had some fire fights, still remember my
first incoming round, stayed alive got some medals and got home. Never did figure out what I did to deserve the medals, I just stayed alive.
God bless all of you who had it so much worse than I and god bless everyone whether a grunt in the bush or a file clerk in the rear and especially those LEGS who really never fit in anywhere.
Yep looks like another OJT. I immediately was assigned to the 101st ABN (nearly wet myself).
I explained to the sarge on the stage that I was not airborne and had no real AIT in infantry. He just laughed and said the 101st isnt just airborne now they are airmobile. I swallowed hard as they formed everyone into little groups for our specific units. I thought at least I will be in a rear area, working maybe someplace like bien hoa, weapons repair couldnt be too bad anyway.
After processing I was told I was now a postal clerk(oh great more OJT) but since they had plenty here in bien hoa I would be moving north to camp eagle.
(nuts, not north ) I could feel my stomach churning. Left the next day convoyed some, choppered some never knew my butt cheeks could grab metal. But then everyone put the FNG's at the door, amazing how quick you forget about centrifigul force when your half hanging out of a chopper and its banking to YOUR side. Or at least it felt that way.
Finally arrived at camp eagle that was sept of 68, I guess it was a camp because it had so many tents and a perimeter. even a stream for bathin, leeches were free, decided to use the 55gal drum showers instead.
(crap did it have to be built on top of a graveyard, anything but a graveyard) I dont think I ever got my real stomach back till I left country.
Here I was a LEG with an airborne unit, tough enough to get anyone to buddy up with but who the hell wanted to talk to a leg except to tell him he was a leg. Vietnam was not what I thought but then it was not what anyone thought. I have lots of memories not the same as most cause I never had to beat the bush I did eventually make freinds even though I was a LEG. Yeh I had crap burning detail, and pulled perimeter,(I remember the quad fifties, loved having one near my bunker), made a few mail runs to other firebases. I remember some of the new ones barely had a field of fire and those were the ones we usually had to stay over once we got in cause no one would fly out later.
I did my year had some fire fights, still remember my
first incoming round, stayed alive got some medals and got home. Never did figure out what I did to deserve the medals, I just stayed alive.
God bless all of you who had it so much worse than I and god bless everyone whether a grunt in the bush or a file clerk in the rear and especially those LEGS who really never fit in anywhere.