From the Galley MRFA and 9Th Infantry Meeting Hope This Finds Each and Every One of You Who Want to Show Their CD Or Dvds

A PUBLICATION OF VOLUME 17, NUMBER 1 THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE ASSOCIATION SPRING 2008 From the Galley MRFA and 9th Infantry Meeting Hope this finds each and every one of you who want to show their CD or DVDs. There doing okay and feeling well and ready for he MRFA and 9th Infantry Meeting will is no registration fee. some nice spring weather after such a long be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, June The hotel has shuttle service available for and hard winter. Here in North Carolina we T12-14, 2008. Our check-out date is Sun- anyone who wants to go to downtown In- are still in the midst of a very long and large day, June 15, 2008. dianapolis and visit some of the local sites. draught but hopefully spring will bring us Your officers and board members will be Times vary on when the shuttles leave and some rain. meeting with the Adam’s Mark and the Local return to the hotel so you may want to check I want to update you on a couple of things. Convention Bureau staff in June to finalize with the main desk on their schedules. The Association is running smooth and well. the plans for our 2009 reunion. We thought The dates are Thursday, June 12 to Satur- After so many years with the great Officers that some of you who have never been to a day, June 14. Check-out is on Sunday, June and Board Members we have in place, it pretty gathering of the troops or a reunion, or who 15. Cost per room per night is $79. To make well runs by itself. Mike Harris continues to do would rather have a smaller group environ- reservations, call 317-248-2481 and be sure to an excellent job with the web site (www.mrfa. ment, may be interested in attending to do mention you’re making reservations under org). A note to those of you who have sent some socializing with some of your fellow the Mobile Riverine Force Association. Give me information, pictures, and articles to be Army and Navy members. the dates you plan on staying—remember, posted on the web site: please also send cop- We have asked the hotel to set aside a you are not required to stay all three nights. ies to Mike Harris at [email protected]. number of rooms for those of you that may If you live in the area and just want to drop You can find lots of interesting information— be interested in visiting with the officers in, you’re more than welcome. For more check it out, you won’t be disappointed! and board members and anyone else who information, contact Albert at mrfa@bell- Brenda, Joe, Georgie, and I are still at it with may show. There will be no meals or events south.net (my new e-mail address); Cyn- the newsletter (River Currents) which we are scheduled, although we will have a hospi- thia Busboom at 317-381-6160, cbusboom@ very proud of. A number of you have decided tality room where everyone can congregate adamsmark.com; or Reggie Vaughn at to have your issues of River Currents sent to and snacks and beverages will be available. We will set up a CD-DVD player for those 317-381-6127. you via e-mail. So far, we have only had a few CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 mishaps/complaints. Our printer is unable to do a full color newsletter but those who receive their newsletter by e-mail receive a full- Shake ‘n Bake Sergeants of Vietnam color copy. To do a full-color paper copy, there by Jerry S. Horton, Ph.D. war—as had thousands of officers—but, I had would be a cost increase and we would have excellent training. I had not thought about my to change printers. We have had the printer n a vacation flight to Florida, I bought a book called The Teams: The Story of the tour in Vietnam for 30 years. since 1994, and they have always done an ex- This statement initiated my journey back in cellent job, the price is right, so we have no OArmy Special Forces in Vietnam. time to recover my past as a Shake ‘n Bake. plans to change. About three-quarters of the way through the book, I came upon a startling passage: “A There was quite a story to be told as I found Bob and Nancy VanDruff keep the products out. updated and their turnover on orders is excel- Shake ‘n Bake sergeant was one of the lesser- lent. Charlie “Boats” Ardinger continues to do known evils to come out of the Vietnam War The NCO Problem and Solution a great job with the Membership and Treasur- and infect the Army. These twerps would at- As early as 1956, the Army officially knew er duties. Don Blankenship has the MRFA e- tend some NCO school for 6 to 8 weeks and it would not have enough NCOs for a sus- mail list running smoothly. Whenever some- come out of it an E-5, buck sergeant—No ex- tained war. A staff study asserted that in the one tries to go political, religious, etc., (against perience, little skills, but a great big attitude.” future the need for enlisted leaders would far the rules of the e-mail list), Don handles this Damn. Someone exceed the number available and that at the well and puts a stop to the action or one of had actually written commencement of, and during hostilities, the the other members on the list will remind this for publication— need for leaders might be so pressing as to whoever refuses to abide by the rules that no and maybe for mil- make it necessary to appoint leaders before politics or religious matters are allowed on lions to read. their ability could actually be proved on the the list. There is a site run by member Stan I had been one of battlefield. Lambert where you can air it all out (Brown those Shake ‘n Bakes. It was also recognized in Vietnam that it Water Navy and Delta Army Vietnam Veter- Was my experience in was not a senior commander’s war, it was a ju- ans). You may contact Stan at stanlambert@ Vietnam a sham, an nior leader’s war. There were over 200 combat prodigy.net. We found out that talking politics illusion? True, I had sergeants turning over each week and many been a greenhorn to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 2 River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 From the Galley Medal of Honor Recipient Thomas Kinsman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and religion on the MRFA e-mail list was a no- Rank and organization: Hampered by exceedingly dense no. Some members were getting mad at other Specialist Fourth Class, undergrowth which limited vis- members about their political or religious be- U.S. Army, Company B, ibility to 10 meters, a group of 8 liefs and a few words were being exchanged 3rd Battalion, 60th Infan- men became cut off from the main not suitable for the list, so we stopped these try, 9th Infantry Div. body of the company. As they were types of postings. We are just too old to be get- Place and date: Near Vinh moving through heavy enemy fire ting our blood pressure up and hurting other Long, Republic of Vietnam, 6 Febru- to effect a link-up, an enemy sol- people’s feelings. We have all been through ary 1968 dier in a concealed position hurled too much to be fighting amongst ourselves Entered service at: Seattle, Wash- a grenade into their midst. Sp4c. at this stage of our lives. If you would like to ington Kinsman immediately alerted his know more about the Association’s e-mail list, Born: 4 March 1945, Renton, Washington comrades of the danger, then unhesitatingly you may contact Don Gunner Blankenship at Citation: threw himself on the grenade and blocked [email protected]. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity the explosion with his body. As a result of his I cannot say enough how proud I am of our in action at the risk of his life above and be- courageous action, he received severe head Officers and Board Members—these are the yond the call of duty Sp4c. Kinsman (then and chest wounds. Through his indomi- best folks anyone could ask to work with or Pfc) distinguished himself in action in the table courage, complete disregard for his for. And for you, the members, I cannot say afternoon while serving as a rifleman with personal safety and profound concern for enough about you. We have a great group of Company B, on a reconnaissance-in-force his fellow soldiers, Sp4c. Kinsman averted men and women within the MRFA—we are mission. As his company was proceeding loss of life and injury to the other 7 men of an Army and Navy Team that’s unbeatable. up a narrow canal in armored troops car- his element. Sp4c. Kinsman’s extraordinary For example, on our e-mail list if someone asks riers, it came under sudden and intense heroism at the risk of his life, above and be- for assistance, within minutes—and I do mean rocket, automatic weapons and small-arms yond the call of duty, are in keeping with minutes—someone steps forward and offers fire from a well entrenched Viet Cong force. the highest traditions of the military service assistance. We have a few members who do The company immediately beached and be- and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit historical searches for others seeking help gan assaulting the enemy bunker complex. unit, and the U.S. Army. on their unit and ships histories, and we have a few members who are very knowledgeable and from the Indianapolis International Air- in Veterans Affairs. So, we as an Association MRFA Meeting in June CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 port, accessed by courtesy phones located in have been able to help many members with both baggage claim areas. their VA claims and have a very high rate of Additional Hotel Info Guest amenities: Free parking, outdoor success. We have also been able to help some The speedway and downtown bring all the pool, health club, gift shop, same day dry of our widows who have run into road blocks excitement of the city right to your doorstep. cleaning and laundry, express check-out, with the VA. Here you’ll find the warmth and charm of the safe deposit and security storage, shoe shine, I am now, as I have always been, very proud grand hotels combined with the comfort and room service, wireless high-speed Internet in and honored to be the President of the MRFA. efficiency of the most modern accommoda- lobby area. Accommodations: Our 407 deluxe I have been very fortunate and blessed over tions. Our staff will provide unrivaled service guest rooms and suites feature Large work the years to be associated with some of the best and attention to detail, taking care of all your desk, Herman Miller Ergonomic Desk Chair, folks out there and without them we would needs. Experience Indianapolis’ finest hotel complimentary high-speed Internet access, not be where we are today. I see no reason we and have a truly remarkable stay! speed dial phone with message alert and mo- cannot continue on this road or path we have Location: Just one half mile from the In- dem access, remote control color TV, in-room made for one another. You all deserve and rate dianapolis, International Airport and only 8 movies, iron/ironing board, hair dryer, wake a Big BRAVO ZULU for a job well done. minutes to downtown, the Convention Cen- up and turn-down service, non-smoking and Albert ter, RCA Dome, and Circle Centre Mall. Easy accessible rooms available. Dining and enter- access to interstate highways makes the Ad- tainment: The Marker Restaurant—Award- am’s Mark a convenient destination from any winning American and continental cuisine part of the city, state, or country. Address and and the Marker Lounge—For quiet moments, phone: 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis, IN featuring a large screen TV. 46241, 317-248-2481. Airport: Free shuttle to

Dear Albert, I wanted to take a moment to pass on a heartfelt thank you for the outstanding Veterans Day 2008, Washington, D.C. generosity extended to Riverine Squadron TWO (RIVRON) by you and all the members The MRFA and 9th Infantry Division will be house.gardeninn.com. Be sure to enter the of the Mobile Riverine Force Association placing wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Me- online reservation code “MRF” in the booking (MRFA). The donation of $7,600 worth of morial in Washington, D.C., on Veterans Day, box labeled Group/Convention code. Reserva- items that your organization forwarded to Tuesday, November 11, 2008. We will be gath- tions under these group codes must be made RIVRON TWO Sailors as Christmas “Care” ering at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at before the cutoff date of October 18, 2008, so packages will certainly raise morale, and more importantly, will reinforce to our fight- 8:30 a.m. and proceed to the Wall at 9:00 a.m. make your reservations soon. ing Riverine Sailors that even though they We have blocked 40 rooms at the Hilton The MRFA will have a hospitality room are thousands of miles away from home in a Garden Inn Arlington/Courthouse Plaza at available on Nov. 9 and 10. Come join us as hostile environment, they are never far from 1333 North Courthouse Road in Arlington, we honor our fallen Brothers on Veterans Day the thoughts and prayers of outstanding Americans such as you and the members of Virginia 22201, for November 8 to 11. Room 2008. We look forward to seeing you in D.C. the MRFA. On behalf of the Navy Riverine rates are $119 (plus tax) per night. For reserva- For more information, you may contact Force, thank you all very much. tions, call 703-528-4444 and refer to our group Board Member Bob Pries at 9702 Friar Tuck Sincerely reservation code “MRF.” Reservations may Drive, West Chester, OH 45069. Phone: M. L. Jordan, Captain, U.S. Navy also be made online at www.arlingtoncourt- 513-755-1223 or email: [email protected]. River Currents, Volume 16, Number 4 • Winter 2007 3 Shake ‘n Bake Sergeants School Beginnings Experience in Vietnam CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The first class began around the first of Au- History shows that the Shake ‘n Bake sergeants men were one-tour enlistees or inductees. The gust 1967. The Infantry Noncommissioned performed well in combat. They served with dis- Army faced the problem of sending career Officer Candidate Class Number One gradu- tinction as leaders in our infantry units. They suf- men back or filling NCO positions with un- ated on November 25, 1967. Sergeant Major fered high casualty rates in combat because they qualified men. The demand for experienced Wooldridge, the Sergeant Major of the Army, were assigned to units that experienced heavy NCOs in Vietnam exceeded the supply. In addressed the newly appointed noncommis- fighting. There were 1,003 Shake ‘n Bakes killed in Vietnam, the Army was trying to meet these sioned officers. combat out of 20,068 men trained. This casualty shortages by making a two-grade substitution To quote Sergeant Major Wooldridge, “At rate, at 5%, was considered to be extremely high. I of personnel. This means the platoon leader first, there was opposition far and wide. The had no idea that I was pursuing one of the Army’s in combat is forced to pick the brightest PFC mail and phone calls were hot and heavy. In most dangerous careers but we were invented for he can find, declare him the sergeant, and en- late August, I had to prepare a message in the only one purpose—to lead men in combat. And that trust the lives of a dozen men to his care. Army Digest giving my view on the course we did. There were three Medal of Honor recipients The Army had to do something different. and responding to the major concern of NCOs graduated as NCOCs. in the field regarding promotion.” Wooldridge Once I returned from Vietnam, I never heard How it was Started went on to say, “Army leaders have great re- The Noncommissioned Officer Candidate the words Shake ’n Bake for 30 years until the day gard for the promise of the course and they I read the book The Teams with Jesse Ventura’s Course came about as a result of a conversa- were never disappointed with their results.” tion between Lt. General Jonathan O. Sea- words. Forty years ago it seemed the world had the Monday, 1 April 1968 Becoming a Shake ‘n same negative opinion of us Shake ‘n Bakes. man, Commanding General, II Field Force, Bake (excerpt from the book Shake ‘n Bake and SGM William Wooldridge, the SGM of the It turned out that the last Shake ’N Bake Ser- Sergeant) geant graduated from Fort Benning on March 18, Army at that time, this was December 1966. My training took place at the NCO Academy SGM Wooldridge relayed the conversation to 1972. The Army concluded that the program was a at Fort Benning, Georgia. When I graduated this success. Because of it, the Army implemented two the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Harold time, I would have earned the rank of E-5, known K. Johnson. As a result, a memo was drafted new, similar programs. These programs gave new to everyone in the military as an instant NCO. An opportunities for advancement to career soldiers re- for approval that resulted in the development instant sergeant. A Shake ‘n Bake sergeant. of the course. turning from Vietnam. The new schools established Most noncommissioned officers rise through the at Fort Benning were BNCOC (Basic NCOC) and The Concept ranks in the Army after years of service. When I— ANCOC (Advanced NCOC). The Shake ‘n Bake Under the NCO Candidate Course concept, and others like me—will go from an E-1 to an E-5 program was the basis for all training of NCOs in this same bright young PFC will be the man in only 6 months, I will become a Shake ‘n Bake. today’s Army. selected for intensive leadership training. This nickname was taken from the Betty Crocker Some Shake ‘n Bakes’ are still in the service to- Now, he will be given the opportunity to un- quick-mix product for baking chicken and had day, but many have since retired as Senior NCOs dergo 21 weeks of additional seasoning prior become very popular during the ‘60s. In 3 short and Officers. A number of NCOCs completed their to assuming responsible leadership positions. months, the Army produced instant sergeants . . career in the Army and at least two of them at- The purpose of the Infantry Noncommis- . Shake ‘n Bakes. tained the rank of Sergeant Major. sioned Officer Candidate Course was to fill My initial pride in being chosen for NCO train- As part of the quest to recover my past, I the Army’s critical shortage of junior NCOs ing was soon blunted because I couldn’t find any- wrote a book entitled The Shake ‘n Bake Ser- with the best qualified and best trained men one on the post who liked us NCOCs. The name geant. It was published in 2007 and is available available. Upon completion of 21 weeks of simply meant a noncommissioned officer candidate for purchase at www.shakenbakesergeant. training, the individual would not only be . . . a sergeant in training. We would not be pro- com. I have had several notable military au- technically proficient but would have devel- moted to the position of a noncommissioned officer thors and experienced military veterans re- oped those intangible qualities that combine until we had completed a 12-week training period view this work and all have agreed with me to make him a leader of men. plus our on-the-job training. that the Army was damned lucky to have the The older NCOs resented us because we would School Design Shake ‘n Bakes in the Vietnam War and that receive our stripes in school and not in long-term my book tells it like it really was. Its design and implementation was shep- service or combat. The enlisted men, whom we herded by Hank Emerson and Colonel David would command, resented us because we were in- Comments by William Wooldridge, Hackworth. experienced and we might have taken their oppor- Sergeant Major of the Army They modeled their new program on the tunity for field promotion from them or get them 1966-1968 Officer Candidate School (OCS) program killed while we matured on the job in combat. We What the title doesn’t say, but what the and used much of the OCS support system, were often treated with the same disdain by com- reader will find, is that this book is a worth- including the same instructors and the same missioned officers, although their training had been while history. It not only gives a personal ac- curriculum. The first candidates in this new very similar to ours. count but also gives the history of the United school were volunteers, who had completed The essence of the problem was based on gut States Army’s Noncommissioned Officer Can- both basic and AIT training, and whose lead- feelings. No one believed the Army could train a didate Course. It offers an understanding of ership potential was considered to be exem- sergeant through schooling alone. A squad leader the American soldier in the 1960s and shows plary. in Vietnam had to have real combat experience. Pe- the important role of the Army’s noncommis- The NCOC course gave these handpicked riod. Shake ‘n Bake sergeants would have rank and sioned officers then and now. soldiers an additional 12 weeks of training, responsibility, but they would be absolutely useless After reading so many exaggerated and mis- one-third of which took place in the evening . . . or so it was believed. informed books about Vietnam, it is indeed hours, followed by 9 weeks of on-the-job train- In the last 2 months, my training was identical refreshing to read the factual, nonassuming ing, called OJT. OJT involved the actual run- to that given officer candidates. Our classes took words of this sergeant. He has done an ex- ning of functioning squads, at various train- place in the same classrooms of the Infantry School. cellent job of saying it like it was in his time. ing centers throughout the country. These During this period, harassment and discipline con- His first person accounts will bring you face- “instant” sergeants were then ready to be tinued, but the Army’s goal was not to attempt to to-face with the realities of an infantry squad assigned their tour in Vietnam. This training break us (to weed out those who were unable to be- leader in Vietnam. You may contact Jerry at program for sergeants was virtually identical come leaders) but to have us finish the program. 1335 Hidden Harbor Way, Sarasota, FL 34242; to that given to officers, except that it was ab- They needed us in Vietnam. Cell: 1-941-735-8830; breviated to 5 intensive months, rather than 6. E-mail: [email protected] 4 River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008

From the Family of Pat G. Stauber, First Combined Army/Navy Operations For the history buffs, I have found what I Powell skirmished with the Seminoles sev- BM1 U.S. Navy (Ret.) believe was the first combined Army/Navy eral times, but the biggest fight was on Janu- I just wanted to let everyone know operation against hostile forces. The operation ary 15, 1838, when it attacked a village lead what a pleasure it was for me and my occurred during the Seminole War in Florida by a chief believed to be Tuskegee. In a fierce husband to be invited to and to have the more than a quarter of a century before the fire fight, the Americans were forced to with- honor of meeting all the wonderful men Civil War (when combined operations were draw with five KIAs and 15 WIAs. Showing and women that served with my Dad, Pat much larger). The purpose of war was to forc- the inter-service nature of the operation, the Stauber, at the Reunion this past year. It ibly remove Seminole Indians from Florida to KIAs included Naval Surgeon Dr. Frederick is a memory that I will hold dear for the Oklahoma. Leitner, two enlisted sailors, and two enlisted rest of my life. Everyone I talked with In late October 1837, Lt. Levi N. Powell, Army soldiers. was so wonderful and seemed very sin- USN, was ordered to lead a force of 85 sailors, A number of similar combined operations cere in helping me get answers to some two companies of artillery (serving as infan- occurred during the remainder of the war, hard questions. My dad didn’t talk much try) and one company of militia to penetrate which ended officially in 1842 when the Unit- about Vietnam or maybe we just didn’t the Everglades as part of a multi-prong attack ed States permitted the Seminoles not already know enough about that time in his life on the Seminoles. Lt. Powell’s force used a va- removed to stay in Florida. to ask the right questions. Either way, we riety of boats (whatever the Navy could buy, —Bob Dyson missed that opportunity to talk about it rent, build, or steal), including (apparently) Co. B, 2/47 Inf. with him but thanks to you all, we now dugout canoes. have a much better understanding. Al- As a side note: In a series of wars against the Seminoles in Florida, about 1,500 U.S. soldiers bert, you have been a wonderful friend died. The Seminoles never surrendered to the United States Government; hence, the Seminoles of these last couple of years as I have strug- Florida call themselves the “Unconquered People.” The Florida Seminoles are the only American gled to deal with the loss of my dad, and Indian tribe never to have signed a formal peace treaty with the United States. Check out the book by Buker, George E. 1975. Swamp Sailors: Riverine Warfare in the Everglades 1835-1842. Gaines- I cannot thank you enough. You were my ville, Florida: The University Presses of Florida. —Joe Rosner guiding force in helping to get this all set up for me and I will never forget it. Thanks again to everyone that talked with me and gave me such valuable infor- 40 Years Ago - Romeo Platoon 2nd/39th Infantry mation about my dad and his life. I love Romeo Platoon, 2nd/39th, was doing what When I finally got out of the canal, I raced you all! it did every day. We were in the field, look- up the line to the Second squad. The first per- Sincerely, ing for signs of the VC. This particular day we son I reached was Doc Biles. He was holding Charlotte Gladden were doing Eagle Flights–get on a chopper, fly Bob Ochoa’s head in his lap. It was clear that 586 Jones Circle to an LZ, get out and sweep the area, and back Bob was already dead–he was already gray. I Anna, TX 75409 on the chopper to go to a new LZ. could see just a drop of blood, right over his As I remember it, we were on the last sweep heart, where he had taken a piece of shrapnel. of the day. The chopper dropped the Platoon As I got to the front of the line, I came to a off in the middle of a rice paddy. We swept wall of foliage that hung down over the trail, Hi “Pony” Albert, forward toward a treeline, about 500 meters blocking off what was ahead. I went through, I just want to say how much I enjoy away. When we got into the treeline, we set to where Lt. Peck was, and discovered a scene your MRFA site and River Currents, up a platoon CP, and sent the three squads out right out of hell. There was blood and flesh all the articles, comments, and photos of to sweep in a cloverleaf pattern. It was the day over, and little else. the Vietnam era , from the guys that before Thanksgiving, and I think that many of As we pieced it out later, Fred Dode was served in Country, keep up the good us were already thinking of the stand-down, walking point. He saw something up ahead, work ...... and turkey dinner that awaited us, back at stopped the squad, and called Sgt. Rivera up. Your Aussie Mate from IUWG-1 Bear Cat. Jerry McDonald was carrying the radio, and VC Hill Vung Tau The CP set up in what I remember as an old he went forward with Rivera. As they got Mike Ey, CDT-3 1969 cemetery, but I could be wrong on that. I was close to what we later determined to be a large the RTO to LT Dan Peck. Also with the CP was command detonated Chi-Com claymore, it our medic–Wayne Biles. I’m not sure if SSG exploded, killing Sgt. Rivera, Jerry McDonald, Anderson, the Platoon Sergeant, was with us. Fred Dode, and Bob Ochoa. Have you seen the web- Our other RTO (sorry, I can’t remember his We searched for who set off the explosion site lately? Check it out name) was with us, and probably a 4.2 FO and and couldn’t find anything. We even called in RTO, but I don’t remember which ones. the tracker dogs, and still were unable to find at www.mrfa.org! After checking communications with the who set it off. squads, I was just taking off the PRC-25, when In speaking to Dan Peck recently about this, we felt a tremendous explosion, Dan Peck took he said that we were actually patrolling an off like a deer, and the rest of the CP followed. area called the “VC Trail.” Many units from I struggled to get the radio back on, and tried the Battalion had been hit in this area in the Do you have a story or to re-establish communications with the three past, and we were sent in to see what we a comment you’d like to squads. First and Third squads checked in, could find. This was something that I didn’t but I couldn’t raise the Second squad–my old know or didn’t remember. share? squad (I had been RTO for the Squad Leader, Three days later, on Saturday the 24, while Sgt Rivera). Romeo and Juliet were under the operational Get in touch! Share a funny Between our CP position and the explo- control of Charlie (I think) Company, we suf- story or a touching memory. sion, there was a narrow canal, with my radio fered an air strike that practically wiped out You can send via email to Al still only half way back on, I tried to jump the Juliet and killed James O’Neal, William Smith, canal, and ended up stuck in the mud for a and Ramon Torres. Moore: [email protected]. minute or two. A very bad week! River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 5 History of The 9th Infantry Division (1966-1969) troop withdrawal from South Vietnam. The Division. The 3/60 Infantry had been given the 1st and 2nd Brigades, along with Division honor of spearheading the Division’s with- headquarters, departed Vietnam in July and drawal by departing on July 8, 1969—the first August 1969 leaving the 3rd Brigade at Tan An 9th Infantry Division battalion to go home. to operate as an autonomous combat unit un- The lone 3rd Brigade withdrew a year later der administrative control of the 25th Infantry during October 1970 as part of Increment IV.

1 September 1968 Dear Family and Friends of River Assault Flotilla One: Several significant events have occurred since my last newsletter in June. Many of the boats and most of the men from River Assault Squadrons 13 and 15 have now arrived in-country. And by the time you receive this letter, we expect that the last of our 11 ships will have The 9th Infantry Division had the dual joined the Flotilla. honor of being the first division since World Due to the size of our expanded force, we have divided our ships and boats into two separate task War II reactivated for direct deployment into groups that will normally operate independently of each other. combat and the last division sent to Vietnam. Mobile Riverine Group Alfa consists of River Assault Squadrons 9 and 11 and seven ships—USS The Division had received its colors at Fort Ri- Benewah, USS Colleton, USS Nueces, USS Mercer, USS Askari, USS Sphinx, and an LST supplied ley, Kansas, on February 1, 1966. Division en- by the Commander Seventh Fleet on a two to three rotational basis. Three battalions of infantrymen gineering elements began arriving in Vietnam from the 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, will be embarked in the ships and comprise the Army during October 1966. The first 5,000 troop con- ground force elements of this task group. Captain R. W. Allen presently commands Task Group Alfa; tingent landed on the beaches of Vinh Long however, he completes his year of duty in Vietnam in September and will be relieved by Captain on December 19, 1966. Division headquarters Thomas F. Booker early in the month. was at Camp Bearcat (formerly Camp Martin Mobile Riverine Group Bravo includes River Assault Squadrons 13 and 15 and four ships—USS Cox) some 20 miles northeast of Saigon. Con- Satyr, APL-26, APL-30, and another LST provided on a rotational basis by the Commander Seventh struction of a permanent base, Camp Dong Fleet. Task Group Bravo will support Army elements of the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, which Tam, in the VC-infested Mekong Delta started will live ashore at Dong Tam Base, about 5 miles west of the city of My Tho, Captain John G. Now in January 1967. Initially, it housed the Divi- commands Task Group Bravo. sion’s 3rd Brigade Headquarters and the 3/60 The formation of the two separate task groups permits us more flexibility than we have had before. Infantry Battalion. For a 10-day period in late July and early August, the two groups were operating on opposite extremi- The Division’s first significant contact with ties of the Delta, more than 100 miles apart. Task Group Bravo was conducting missions against Viet the enemy occurred on January 20, 1967, when Cong elements in the area around Nha Be only a few miles south of Saigon. Meanwhile Task Group Alfa was making the southernmost penetration of the war into the Delta when it launched ops in and units of the 1st and 2nd Brigades and the 3/5 around the U Minh Forrest that has been a Communist base area for at least a decade and perhaps Cavalry—participating in Operation COL- for as long as 25 years. BY—defeated Main Force VC in the Phuoc More than 250 Viet Cong soldiers were killed and huge weapons caches were captured in this Chi Secret Zone (25 miles east of Saigon). On operation south of Can Tho, making it a most successful endeavor. The boats, with their arsenal of March 10, 1967, the 2nd Brigade moved into heavy weapons, played a significant role as did the Vietnamese 5th Marine Battalion that was operat- Camp Dong Tam and the 3rd Brigade relocat- ing with the Mobile Riverine Force for this 9-day period. I understand these operations received good ed northward to Tan An. To improve Division play in the stateside press, so you may have read about them. mobility in the inundated Mekong Delta and In response to several requests that I have received, I will now describe how a typical operation Rung Sat Special Zone, two battalions from is planned and executed. 2nd Brigade—the 3/47 and 4/47—joined U.S. We select the area for each of our many operations on the basis of the latest intelligence informa- Navy Task Force 117 afloat in June to establish tion regarding current locations of enemy forces, in coordination with appropriate Army commands the Mobile Riverine Force. To bolster armored and Vietnamese authorities. fire power in I Corps Tactical Zone, the com- Our planners then go to work to draw the details of the operation. Some of the things that they mander of Allied Forces in Vietnam ordered must consider are the number of friendly troops and assault craft required to do the job, how many the Division’s armor reconnaissance squad- boats of each type will be required, what waterways can and cannot be used due to depth, with other ron—A, B, and C Troops, 3/5 Black Knights factors such as vegetation growing in the water, and what the tidal situation is the target area. The Cavalry—to Wunder Beach (15 miles south tides are very severe in this part of the world and have great bearings on our operations. Frequently, of the Demilitarized Zone) in February 1968. we must plan our transits so that we cross shallow areas at high tide or pass beneath low bridges This reassignment distinguished the 9th In- at low tide. Once, down south of Can Tho, we even jacked up a bridge a few feet so that the boats fantry Division as the most widespread divi- could pass beneath. It is imperative that all such matters be carefully planned in advance, but we sion in Vietnam. In August 1968, the Division must be careful to ensure that the planners do not compromise the security of an operation by too much coordination or identifiable reconnaissance. relocated its headquarters and colors to Dong The Army and Navy staffs then go over the operation in complete detail to see if we can find any Tam (now a division-size base camp). weaknesses or fault in our plans. At the conclusion of this meeting, the plans are typed on stencils, The 9th Inf. duplicated, and distributed to the various Army and Navy commanders who will participate in the Division was operation. The operational area is also cleared with local Vietnamese military authority to avoid part of Incre- conflicting with any ops they may have planned in the same vicinity. Perhaps 12 hours prior to the ment I of the beginning of the mission, we hold what we call a “back brief” for all of our own commanders. They United States then go back to their respective units and brief their personnel of the operation. Many of our operations feature dawn or predawn landings. Thus, the troops often board the boats for transit to the operational area between midnight and four in the morning. Regardless of the early Captain Wil- hour, we always have a hot breakfast ready for both the boat crewman and the infantrymen before liam B. Fulton 363rd Infan- they go. try Regiment Three assault boats at a time come along side the platoons beside each barracks ship to embark awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Lt/Gen the Army troops. Although we operate at darken ship conditions in the Delta, we do use relights of Mark Clark, Commanding Fifth Army Italy, low candle power, covered on the sides and focused downward on the pontoons, to provide the November 16, 1944. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 6 River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 That “Whup, Whup” Sound My son and I were out in the yard yesterday station on the flight deck in case of a crash and tail. In the following photo, I am the one to when I stopped dead in my tracks. I cocked a fire. the right of the man with the yellow vest, be- my head to one side to listen. Patrick asked, Hueys, Hillers, and the later Hughes scout hind the rank of four enlisted men in white. If “What is it?” I said, “Can’t you hear it?” “No, helos were easy to guide onto the deck. It was you look closely, I am holding that darned I don’t hear anything.” he replied. “There is a that huge mail telescope. Huey coming this way,” I said. I then held up carrying H34 When the ship was underway in the my hand indicating that he should be silent that caused Mekong River, we were always at gen- and listen. In a minute or so the whine of a jet us the most eral quarters (battle stations). All officers engine came to us. Shortly after that a UH1 problems. It changed from khakis to green battle dress Huey helicopter came into sight. would barely uniforms. That was so we wouldn’t stand “How could you hear the engine that far fit on that helo out against the dark green of the ship’s off,” my son said. I told him that it wasn’t the pad. In fact, if paint scheme. We were painted dark green engine that I heard. It was the noise the rotor you stood di- so we wouldn’t show up against the dark blades made. They make a peculiar “whup, rectly in front river bank at night and draw enemy fire. whup” sound that is unique to Hueys. For of that helo Often, when we steamed up or down the some reason, I could hear that sound long be- while it was river, we were under fire from hidden, forti- fore other people could. There are no military landing you would wind up going over the fied positions. They were set back away from bases close by and we don’t see many helos, side. That is 40 feet above the water. There is or planes for that matter, around here. My be- a safety net to keep you from falling. You had ing able to to stand identify the off to one sound of a side and Huey goes let the pi- back many, lot know many when his years. wheels In 1968, were over you found the flight me many deck. miles up the Mekong River in Vietnam. I was Only then could he set down. Worse yet, his assigned to a barracks ship that was the flag- wheels had to be chocked by the safety crew ship of a Mobile Riverine Base. I was a new to keep it from rolling over the side. We’re the river banks. naval officer and it was my first ship. talking about three foot six or so clearance Once in a while, we would have VIPs arrive The ship had a helo pad in the middle of here. I was glad that only one of these showed by helo while we were steaming up or down the ship, way up on the top deck. As the flag- up each day. They never showed up at night, the river. Many of these times we had been ship, we were used to getting a lot of helicop- thank goodness. fired upon from the river banks. We would ter traffic. There was one large H34 Sikorsky Helo landings at night were interesting be- change from our dark green uniforms into the helicopter that came once a day with the mail. cause we could only show red lights at night dress whites for the sideboy detail. We would It had a huge on deck. Any type of white light was li- be standing out on the flight deck as perfect piston engine able to cause us to draw enemy fire from targets waiting for the VIP to arrive; this was whose roar the riverbank. It was also hazardous. One while the entire crew on deck, most of them blotted out all night I was officer of the deck on the manning the guns. They would be dressed in other sounds. bridge, and a Huey called in for a landing. their greens. They would also be wearing hel- Then there I called out the duty flight quarters crew. mets and body armor. What we called “flack was a two- We waited and waited, but the helo didn’t jackets.” What was the VIP wearing when he seat Hiller he- show. About half hour later we were in- stepped off the helo....why combat greens, of licopter with formed that the pilot had flown his helo course. So much for those dress whites we a smaller pis- into the river. He must have become dis- wore. ton engine. orientated because it didn’t even happen Junior officers ate at the first of two seat- The most fre- near us. ings in the wardroom for lunch because of quently used Whenever we had Very Important Per- the limited size of the wardroom. One day helicopter sons (VIPs) show up, they always came was different from all the rest. There was an was the Army’s UH1 Huey. It had a jet engine by helo. When that happened, we turned out hour and a half allocated for lunch. Most of that had a whine to it. It also had a distinctive “sideboys.” That us in our stateroom were lying down “whup, whup” rotor noise. is two rows of taking a short nap... a “nooner.” We There were four of us junior officers who sailors in dress heard a loud bang. Someone said, had to take turns being “LSO,” (landing sig- white uniforms. “Sounds like they dropped that new nal officer). Whenever a helo wanted to land, The visitor walks diesel generator we loaded aboard this we had to guide it down to that small flight between the two morning.” I said, “Either that or else...” deck with hand signals. A public address sys- rows while a bo- I never got a chance to say, “... or we tem announcement of “Flight quarters, flight sun “pipes” him are under attack.” All of a sudden the quarters. All hands man your flight quarters aboard with a general quarters alarm sounded. It is station,” meant me, along with two enlisted whistle. As a ju- a loud klaxon horn followed by, “Gen- men with wheel chocks for those helos with nior officer, I often had to stand there in short eral quarters, general quarters. All hands man wheels. There was also a man dressed in a sil- sleeved dress whites. I had a telescope under your battle stations.” vered fire fighting suit. He manned the foam my left arm. I would be in charge of the de- Since we went to general quarters almost River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 7 every night, for real, we wasted no time in get- ship. Before I could reach the pilot’s window, Beer and Soda Available During the ting to our battle stations. My station was in he lifted off. He headed towards the side of the Combat Information Center (CIC). It has the ship where I just knew he would be blast- Vietnam War very little to do in this type of ship. Reports ed out of the air. A Welcome Break from the came in that we had been hit about five times As the Huey went past the edge of the on the starboard flight deck, 40 feet Hardships side and that we above the water, he Jim Stone Echo 2/39 Romeo Recon had casualties. no longer had the March 15, 2003 I could hear ground effect of the Here is my 2 cents worth, from the perspec- every gun on deck. He swooped tive of a grunt (11-H) who served with the First deck firing. The down towards the BDE—2d/39th INF, from 2/68 to 2/69. Most of noise was deaf- water and made a my time was spent in the field at FSBs or work- ening. Then, tight left in front ing out of the base camp at Rach Kien... with to my surprise of our guns. There occasional trips to Bearcat and Dong Tam, but came the an- were 50-caliber very little exposure to the Navy and the MRF. nouncement for machines guns fir- I remember a number of American beer flight quarters. ing from two decks brands being available in-country that year... I was the LSO and the four 40-mm Pabst Blue Ribbon, Carling Black Label, Bud- that day. The cannons that were weiser... I even had some Ballantine’s once! Commander of going, “ka-boom, One thing that I found interesting was that the 2nd Brigade, ka-boom, ka-boom- all of the cans of beer that we got over there 9th Infantry Division was returning to the boom-boom,” in rapid succession. were the old style (pre-”pop top”) cans that ship. I couldn’t believe his helo would try to In all the excitement, it is a miracle that the required a can-opener (a/k/a “church key”), land while we were under fire. I also couldn’t colonel’s Huey didn’t get shot down by our even though pop tops had been in wide- believe they would want me standing out guns. Imagine the gunner’s surprise to see the spread use in the United States for several there on that flight deck. Huey swoop around the side and in front of years. I guess that there must have been some The door to the flight deck was right next the ship about 80 feet in front of them and 20 kind of problem in transporting pop-top cans to CIC. I put on a helmet and yellow vest and feet above the water. They could have prob- across the Pacific by ship. Maybe some of you stepped out onto the flight deck. The first ably read the pilot’s name on his helmet from swabbies might know why that was. thing I saw when I went on deck was signal- that distance. I know I raced to the edge of As for the local Vietnamese stuff, there was man McGuire. He picked up a 50-caliber ma- the flight deck and looked down expecting to “Ba Moui Ba”-Biere “33,” which came in a bot- chine gun from the port side rail and carried see the Huey explode in flames. It never hap- tle about the size of a U.S. 12 oz., and tasted it to the other rail where all the action was. pened. OK, most of the time. The other local beer was There wasn’t a place to mount the machine It was after this incident that Major Sun called “Tiger Beer,” but was actually named gun so he laid it on the rail. He then began fir- tried to convince me again to transfer to the Biere Larue and usually came in a 1-liter bot- ing it from his hip, sort of John Wayne style. Army. This had been an ongoing discussion tle. This stuff was very inconsistent in quality. The next thing I saw was smoke and a fire. for months. This time the major pointed out Some bottles tasted bitter, some like formal- There was a landing craft loaded with a fuel that had I been an Army officer I would have dehyde, and even vinegar! But occasionally bladder in the cargo area tied up to the LST gotten a Bronze Star for walking out on that (about once out of 3 or 4), you hit one bottle (Landing Ship Tank) that was acting as our flight deck and exposing myself to enemy fire. that was about as good tasting as you could ammunition ship. It had been hit and the en- I still wasn’t going give up my Navy commis- ever find. tire landing craft was blazing. I saw a crewman sion. It was the only time in my year aboard I did a Google search on those two “Bieres,” jump aboard the craft and get it underway ship when we were attacked during the day and found that both labels are still available away from the ammo ship. He then jumped while at anchor. In the photo above, taken by in Vietnam, but are now owned by a subsid- into the river to get away from the blaze. A me in a Huey taking off, Major Sun is standing iary of Foster’s Group of Australia. I think that gunboat picked him up. on the flight deck to the right, in green army Biere “33” Export is even available here in the With all that firing going on, I walked to the fatigues. United States. I have been told that this beer side of the ship where we were being fired There is a web site today for the Mobile Riv- is sold locally in Vietnam and has been rela- upon, turned around with my back to that riverine Force. In it, there is an article about the beled as Biere “333” (or “ba-ba-ba”) for some erbank. I then began signaling to the colonel’s ship celebrating its ten thousandth helo land- reason. Huey, indicating for it to land. Every second ing. I had to laugh. The last week I was on- Speaking of Foster’s... do any of you guys I was expecting to be hit in the back. I wasn’t board the ship, while I was standing one of my who were in-country just after Tet of ‘68 re- hit, but I had other problems. last watches as officer of the deck, I got out the member a period of time when American As soon as the colonel’s helo landed on helo log. I went through it, page by page, and beers were unavailable? Some time in Febru- the deck, he jumped out and headed for the counted the times I had been Landing Signal ary or March, all we could get out in the field bridge. That’s where the ship’s captain was. I Officer. I had been LSO for just over 800 helo was Foster’s Lager and another walked towards the pilot’s side of the helo to landings. Approximately 95% of those had Aussie beer called Reschs. Fos- tell him he had better swing around. I wanted been Hueys. In that time, I got exactly two ter’s was OK, but that Reschs him to leave the way he came even if it meant rides in a Huey. Here it is 34 years later and was crap... real bitter, as I recall. taking off with the wind instead of into the I can still identify that “whup, whup” sound I just looked up Reschs and wind. It was too dangerous to attempt to fly of a Huey long before most people even hear found it on Foster’s web site... off in the direction he was headed. Every gun anything at all. their only export brands nowa- we had was blazing away on that side of the Tom Sparkman, September 1, 2002 days are Reschs Real Bitter and Reschs Pilsner... we must have gotten some of that bitter beer, YOUR MEMBERSHIP EXPIRATION DATE is although I have remembered PLEASE NOTE: it for the last 35 years as Reschs printed on the front of your issue of River Currents. LAGER. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 8 River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 A Welcome Break tled Coke (it seemed much sweeter than the OLD RELIABLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 U.S. stuff and costed as much as $1 per bottle) They were called “Old Reliable” and they Around that same time, we could not get or some other soda. They had some pretty garnered lots of fame. American Coke or other sodas... instead we strange flavors of soda pop in Vietnam... sar- Those familiar with their story know they got F&N Soda from Malaysia. This stuff came saparilla (tasted like a weak root beer), mint, lived up to the name. in two flavors, Lemonade (which tasted kinda and orange, among others. The best local soda From the forests of the Ardennes to the land like a dry ginger ale-think Canada Dry) and (non-cola) that I remember was Bireley’s Or- of Charlie’s birth Ginger Beer-which tasted like *$^@! ange Soda. “Old Reliable” set the standard; to a man Bireleys, it seems, must have been a West- they proved their worth. The reason, we were told, why our hard- Riverine Infantry was a concept that was earned cash was being wasted on these in- ern brand, but it looks like it is now owned by tested once before ferior foreign products, instead of good old Asahi of Japan. Speaking of Japan, while on With a group of Union soldiers fighting in the American beer and soda pop, was that a R&R there, I had Asahi Lager, Sapporo, and Civil War. freighter full of American beer and soda had Kirin Beer... all pretty good, as I recall.Yah, I But the 2nd Brigade went for perfection in been blown up in Saigon harbor during Tet, know... I do have a tendency to ramble on and the war in Vietnam and the Army had to procure supplies from on...Keep it cool, bro’s. By invading Charlie’s hideouts from its home Dewey Pollock-T-131-3 1968-69 (3/15/03) base in Dong Tam. closer sources in the western Pacific. Hell, I Those who sit and count their blessings in think I even saw some San Miguel from the this land of liberty Philippines at an EM club, once! Aren’t aware of hardships suffered in the We used to take up a collection from all of quest to keep it free. the guys (and I think it may have been sup- From the rivers of the Delta to the jungles plemented by “company funds”) and one of filled with death our NCOs would take a jeep with a trailer into Fighting hand-to-hand with Charlie, “Old Re- liable” passed the test. Dong Tam on a beer run (and also to pick up The “Brownwater Navy” and “Old Reliable” other supplies). He would come back with a formed a solid plan trailer loaded with whatever had been avail- That would bring the war to Charlie and drive able at the PX (or was it the “Class-6” store?). him from the land Once out at our base in the field, we had The Navy had the boats that would take to get the local kids to bring us ice to chill them to the places down our beer and sodas... and we also Above: a shot of the “Pontoon Beer Party” in Where the soldiers went ashore and de- the making. Notice who’s guarding the beer. stroyed the VC bases. needed something to use as a cooler. At one Riding Tangos up the rivers proved at times time, we were at a place we called Fort Dent, Note: On a trip back to Vietnam in the 1990s, a deadly chore. a little compound with an ARVN fort and an Mike Harris, our Webmaster, asked a former Taking mortar rounds and rockets from the abandoned schoolhouse on Hwy 4. We “req- South Vietnamese Navy bushes on the shore. uisitioned” a large water crock from a native man why the “33” was Delta canals were so narrow that they hooch. This was a red clay pot about 2-3’ tall changed to “333.” He was couldn’t turn around and about as round. We used to load up this So they slugged it out with Charlie as they told the Russians made raced for safer ground. crock with beer and soda cans in the bottom the change when they In his strongholds in the Delta, Charlie and fill it with ice cracked from the big blocks moved into Vietnam after thought he was secure that the kids would deliver by Lambretta, cov- 1975. But he failed to comprehend the things that ered in rice husks for insulation. Mike Harris T-152-1 soldiers will endure. It was great to come back after a hard day Waist deep in delta mud as they struggled of slogging through the paddies and wood- 1968-69 (3/15/03) through the mire “Old Reliable” kept on pushing, laying down lines along Hwy 4, to come “home” to our Some time in ‘69 a deadly fire. schoolhouse and find a chilled-down crock we came out of the There were many fearsome battles for the of beer and soda. I used to reach way down rivers/canals and men of this brigade to the bottom of that crock and grab a couple stood BID patrol And accolades were common for the roles of nice cold cans of beer and crack them both around the ships. the soldiers played. Dinh Thuong, Long An, Song Rach Gai, open with my church key... one hole to vent One afternoon I and a double wide for pouring. I would then where so many brave men fell cranked the sweep Strange sounding names from long ago with “shoot” the first one to slake my thirst, then gear up so we could stories yet to tell. sip the second one while relaxing and clean- change watches. It The soldiers of “Old Reliable,” who played ing my machine gun and getting ready for was heavy so I tried the stakes so high chow. Man, it was about as close to heaven to be cautious in Rousted Charlie from the Delta, by water, as a low down dirty grunt could experience, case it was a mine. land and sky The records of their bravery are now etched without sex or drugs! Finally, a green- At chow time, we switched to soda, as we in history mesh sack appeared For the 2nd of the 9th was known as Riverine always went out on roving patrols or set up A hootch wall made out about the size of a of “Falstaff” beer cans. Infantry. ambushes at night, or else manned the bun- sandbag. In it was a So as you sit and count your blessings in kers at our little fort. Of one-half case of un- this land of Liberty course, while out on opened Foster’s beer Our monkey friend Think of all the brave, young soldiers who patrol, we generally did cans. Now how’s that who used to drink have died to keep it free. And rest assured, if ever needed, “Old Reli- not drink beer, local, or for a snag? Of course, with us at Rach Soi. otherwise. On occasion, able” will heed the call. we iced them down To fight your wars and shoot your guns and we did manage to buy a and enjoyed. defend you one and all. bottle of the locally bot- Here’s a couple of photos For the members of the 2nd Brigade of the that include the “Schlitz” 9th Infantry Division, 3/47th, 4/47th, 3/60th, Mike Harris cooking some and “Falstaff” beer that Jim and all other members of the U.S. Army who steaks that we traded for. Stone left out above. fought so valiantly on the rivers and canals of Note the “Falstaff” beer. Vietnam. Thanks, Larry Dunn River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 9 MRFA GET WELL WISHES... Albert, eville, IN 47601, 812-897-1893, or rmenner@ Just to keep you updated. I have been sick worldnet.att.net. and not on my computer. My throat cancer Captain Burt Watham U.S. Navy (Ret.) is is back. On November 23, I was put in the in bad health. Captain Watham was the first hospital; the ENT went down to look for any Commodore for Task Force 116 (Gamewar- more cancer, like my lungs and other places. dens) You may contact Captain Watham at He did a biopsy of the old spot and my cancer 7538 Ebro Road, Englewood, FL 34224, bur- is back. So he has sent me to a large group at [email protected]. There is a phone number, the University of Cincinnati. I have had one but it would be best to e-mail the Captain or exam. And I might lose my voice box. My skin send a card. (Information furnished by mem- has damage from the radiation. That can be a bers of the Gamewardens Association). Cap- problem. Take care, tain Wartham was one of the founding mem- CS2 Larry Hunter bers of the Gamewardens Association. Larry served on the USS White River Member Ken Locke has been very ill. His LSMR-536 (66-67). You may contact Larry at daugher Karen said that Ken had been in the 6363 Winding Way, Maineville, OH 45039, hospital and came home yesterday. Today his 513-677-2581 or [email protected]. Larry is blood pressure dropped and he passed out. also a MRFA board member. She called 911 and they took Ken to the hos- Maj. Ron Menner had emergency bypass pital. Right now Ken is intensive care. Karen surgery, December 7. Ron says ‘I had been said that she would keep me updated on having some problems since the middle of Ken’s condition. the summer and wrote it off to heartburn. Ken Locke served on the USS White Riv- My family doctor and I were chasing the gall er LSMR-536 (6/66-01/68). You may contact bladder as the possible cause. I was scheduled Ken at 888 N 67th Pl, Springfield, OR 97478, for routine heart tests (stress, echo-gram, etc.) 541-747-8270. on December 3 and I flunked the stress test. Member Wesley Lanham has been very ill. My heart doctor scheduled me for a follow- His daughter Monica writes “My dad is do- up cauterization on December 6 and I flunked ing well. He had a stroke in October and it that. I was admitted and the surgery took left him paralyzed on the right side and un- place on December 7. I had 90% blockage in able to speak. But he is getting better fast. He one of the two main heart arteries. I would is home with my mom and she asked me to not have survived a heart attack. I came home get in touch with you. Thanks for checking on yesterday, December 13 and continue to im- him. He is good. God Bless. “ prove every day. My appetite and strength Anyone wishing to contact Wesley, please are coming back. I should be back to normal contact his daughter Monica Thomas or wife in about 3 months.’ Lerma at 2630 NW 1st St. Boynton Beach, Fl Ron served in C Co 3rd/47th 8/66-8/67. You 33435, 317-381-6130. Wesley served on the may contact Ron at 3425 Hwy 62 E., Boon- USS White River LSMR-536 (1967-68). The MRFA Board of Directors and Members wish a speedy recovery to all our brothers and sisters.

Letter to Friends of River will be manned and ready for action should the col- The troops will normally stay ashore for 2 to umn be attacked. 3 days, although we may move them by boat Assault Flotilla One As the boats near their objective area and turn to many different locations during that period CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 into one of the hundreds of small streams, ev- of time. By the end of 3 days, every sailor and small amount of visibility required for the infan- eryone becomes more alert. Most areas of the soldier is ready to return to the ships for a warm trymen to assemble their packs and safely climb Delta are heavily populated, and therefore, we do shower, hot meal, and clean bed. aboard the ATCs (Armored Troop Carriers). not open fire unless first fired upon. In some un- As I have said numerous times before, I have Once the ATCs are loaded, the boats form into populated, VC-dominated regions where we have never worked with a more dedicated, resourceful a column and begin the trip to the op area. Load- every reason to expect enemy ambushes, we may and professional group of men than we have in ing the formation are two and two to four ASPB “recon by fire” while going through. By firing at our force. They are doing the job they came here (Assault Support Patrol Boat) minesweepers fol- suspicious spots and bunkers with cannons and to do. lowed by a Monitor, a group of ATCs, and other grenades, we can sometimes surprise the enemy I am sorry that I don’t have the time to send Monitors convoy. The Squadron Commander into opening fire prematurely. At the least, it tends personal letters of appreciation to the many of controls the actions of his boats from aboard a to spoil his aim. you who have written to express their support CCB (Command and Communications Boat) that Finally, we reach the area where the landing is of the task we are trying to achieve. In a country is usually near the middle of the column. The to be made. We may have “softened” the beach such as ours, no war should ever be described Army artillery barges, escorted by other Navy for the ground assault with jet air strikes, with he- as a “popular” one, but I cannot understand or assault craft, will have left earlier so that they will licopter gunship ordinance, artillery fire, or by fire excuse those Americans who are lending moral be in place and ready to fire prior to the time the from boats. We always stand ready to provide sup- support and encouragement to the Viet Cong to troop convoy begins moving into the dangerously porting fire to the troops prior to, during, and after continue their terrorist acts against their own narrow waterways near the operational area. the landing. The Monitors, CCBs, and ASPBs con- countrymen and their ambushes of our forces. Enroute to the landing site many of the sol- tinue to cruise in mid-stream with every weapon at It is good to be reminded that this noisy group is diers will be catching a few final hours of sleep. the ready as the ATCs are beached to debark the definitely in the minority. The first part of the journey will be a long one, of troops. After the Army has gone ashore, the boats Sincerely, the larger rivers where the boat crewmen will be will frequently take up blocking stations to prevent R.S. SALZER, Captain, U.S. Navy able to relax somewhat, although all gun mounts escape of the Viet Cong by sampan. Commander, River Assault Flotilla One 10 River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 TAPS Those gone, but not forgotten... In Memory Of This section is for the members who wish Member Alan War- Houma, LA 70360-7974. to sponsor the MRFA by placing a notice in gel passed away in June William F. Crain passed away October 6, 2007. He memory of one their fallen comrades. In some 2007. Alan had been sick was a World War II veteran (1944-45). You may con- cases, the name of the sponsor will precede for a number of years from tact his wife, Charlotte, at 1001 Chestnut St, Ashland, the name of the person who was KIA, or has Agent Orange that had at- OH 44805-3906, 419-289-0118. passed on since Vietnam. It’s $25 for 4 issues. tacked his central nervous Robert “Bob” Baker Shirley, 66, passed away Jack Benedick for C Co 4th/47th 66-68, C Co and vascular systems, January 5, 2008, because of surgical complications. 3rd/60th 69, and E Co 3rd/60th Inf KIA 4/7/68 which resulted in uncountable mini strokes over the While in Vietnam, Bob served as a U.S. Naval Officer Jerry Bogart for Jack Bogart USS Tom Green Cty past years. Alan also suffered from PTSD. Alan’s in Charge of a Swift Boat. He was commended by his LST 1159 12/22/06 daughter, Paula Gualtiere, says her dad received a commander for having performed above and beyond Maj/General Lucien Bolduc, Jr. USA (Ret) for Guy burial with full military honors and it was a funeral his duties. This commander described his perfor- Tutwiler that greatly honored him for his service to his coun- mance as both exceptional and exemplary. He was Bill Brennan for Tom Swanick GMG3 USS White try. Alan served on Tango-91-1 (1966/68). You may actively involved in Swift Boat veterans groups until River LSMR-536 contact Paula Gualtiere at 33 W Georgia Ave, Phoenix, the time of his death. Bob later earned two Masters Brothers of the 2nd/47th Inf for all Army and Navy AZ 85013, e-mail [email protected]. Degrees and pursued a career in telecommunications, KIAs Linda Wargel, widow of Alan Wargel, passed retiring from DSC Communications (now Alcatel) in Frank T. Buck, FN USN for son, ENFN Frank H. Buck away December 7, 2007. Linda had been suffering 1998 as a Director. Bob’s favorite hobbies included T-92-10 KIA 12/28/67 James J. Byrnes for members of the Junk Force, from severe COPD (lung disease) and she had a few woodworking and radio-controlled model airplanes. Dung Island other medical conditions that were not in her favor. He is survived by his spouse, Kim Anh Shirley, and Lee Connell for David Wilson 2nd/60th KIA Daughter, Paula Gualtiere, says she knows that Alan his three children, Thomas Shirley, Jennifer Dang, and 08/05/69, Timothy Shelton 4th/39th KIA and Linda are together again and enjoying themselves. Michael Shirley as well as many nephews, nieces, 06/25/69, Steven Murray 4th/39th KIA You may contact Paula Gualtiere at 33 W Georgia Ave, and grandchildren. You may send your condolences 05/26/69, Harvey Crabtree 2nd/4th Arty KIA Phoenix, AZ 85013, e-mail [email protected]. to Thomas Shirley at [email protected] 06/19/69, Dennis Mattox 1st/501st 101st Abn Retired Army Col. William “Bill” Jones passed or 214-334-3299 (California). Kim Anh Shirley and KIA 08/23/69 away, Thursday, November 29, 2007. Col. Jones was Family, 7 Darr Road, Heath, TX 75032, Children: Mi- Gene Cooper for Steve Brichford FT2-68/69 and a 1959 graduate of Officers Candidate School and chael, Thomas and Jennifer. Jerry Roleofs 67-68 USS White River LSMR-536 was inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame in 1984. Col. This letter is to inform you of the passing of my Janice Dahlke for son Randy Mueller D Co. Jones held a variety of command and leadership po- husband, CWO4 Robert Allen Ellis USN “Bosun” (Re- 2nd/47th KIA 03/03/69 sitions. He served as a platoon leader and a weapons tired), on March 16, 2007. Bob was sick for 11 years. Ted Fetting B Co 2nd/60th Inf. 10/67-2/68 for all from B Co. 2nd/60th and KIA 2/2/68 Fred platoon leader in Bravo Company 12 Infantry, Fort Ri- He had respiratory failure and congestive heart failure. Jansonivs (ND), Elroy “Stevie” Le Blanc (CA), ley, Kansas. He also served as an executive officer in He fought a long and hard fight! Bosun Ellis served on and Roy Phillips (IL) Korea. As a field grade officer, he served as division YFUs 55-66-76 from 7/67 to 10/68. You may contact Nan Fulton for Lt/Gen Bill Fulton Cdr 2nd/Bde/Ast/ G-2 9th Inf. Division Vietnam. Col. Jones’ commands the family at Faye M. Ellis, 747 Woodmere Dr., Pen- Div Cdr 9thInfDiv (1966-68) included C Co. 31st/7th Inf Division, Korea; Detach- sacola, FL 32503, 850-478-2296, [email protected]. John W. Gerbing for Noel T. West A/CO/4th/47th ment A 541 D Co, Special Forces Group, Vietnam; May Boson Ellis rest in peace after a long and hard KIA 6/19/67 C Co. 1st Battalion 31st Inf 9th Division, Vietnam; fight. Thank you, Faye Ellis Regina Gooden for Sgt Lloyd Earl Valentine B/ A Co. 1st Special Forces Group, Okinawa; HHC 2nd Hott, James “Jimmy” Allen 60, of Seminole died CO/3rd/47th (9/5/68) Battalion, 47th Inf 9th Division, Vietnam; and 54th Sunday, January 13, 2008 at his home with family. Fred Gottwald for Sgt. Walter J. Garstkiewicz C Co Inf (mech), Fort Knox, Kentucky. Col. retired after 32 Jimmy is survived by his wife of 28 years, Cheryl 3rd/60th and C Co 6th/31st KIA 01/09/70 years of service. Col. Jones retired as the SOCLANT “Cheri.” Jimmy was a US Navy veteran who served Dave Hammond for Lt Willie Kitchen C/CO 3rd/47th commander in 1989 and resided in Fayetteville, North proudly as a River Rat with the Brown Water Navy; Riv 67/69, killed in an automobile accident 1992 Carolina. He was with his family when he passed Div 573 during the Vietnam War between 1965 and Gerald Johnston USS Nye Cty for James “Willie” Willeford Nye Cty LST-1067 11/28/66, friend, away. Col Jones was laid to rest with the rendering of 1969. We want to thank our families and the wonder- and sailor 19-year-old (RIP Buddy) full military honors in Sandhills Sate Veterans Cem- ful friends who helped us through this very difficult James Long Sr. ComRivFlot-One Staff 11/67-11/68 etery in Spring Lake. time, but most especially the brotherhood of veterans for Carol Ann, beloved wife I could write many things about retired Col. Wil- and their wives who helped to welcome him home. David Lynn for Howard Burns (QM2), Robert liam Jones but it would be mostly personal as I was Jimmy you are missed. May God’s peace embrace Bouchet (SM2), and Herman Miller (GM3) his track commander and driver for 6 months in you as you join Him in His Heavenly Kingdom. We 08/11/68 IUWG-1-3 Qui Nhon ‘Nam. He did go to our 2003 reunion and it was like love you. Adam Metts for Donald L. Bruckart T-111-2 KIA old times. It was a great reunion. Col. Jones and I CPO Arthur G. Carter USN (Ret.) passed away 03/31/69 were the lead track on 31 Jan ‘68 in the Tet Offensive Tuesday, February 5, 2008. He was a true patriot and James A. Morse for Mark W. Weachter CTO-3 in defense of 2nd Field Force in Long Binh, Binh Hoa will be missed. Chief Carter served on YRBM-17 NSA VP Roy Moseman for Oscar Santiago C-2 4th/47th Province. The fighting was fierce. Again in May ‘68 at Dong Tam 1967. You may contact the family at 416 (10/67-10/68) the Battle of the Y-Bridge in Cholon, we lead the way. Holiday Hills Dr., Martinez, CA 94553. Jasper Northcutt for SSGT Henry T. Aragon B-2 Bill Jones always led from the front on any contact. passed away Saturday 9, February 2nd/47th KIA 08/23/67, SGT James E. Boorman Larry Enderud B-2 2nd/47th KIA 08/27/67, SP4 James D. Books have been written on both battles by Keith W. 2008. Larry served on A-153-3 1969-70. Bronakoski B-2 2nd/47th KIA 04/27/67, SP4 Nolan. When you read his obituary, you will under- Member Thomas Paquette passed away Febru- Michael G. Hartnett B-2 2nd/47th KIA 04/27/67, stand Bill Jones was a “Great American” and one Hell ary 9, 2008 from brain cancer. While in Vietnam he and SGT William D. Mize B-2 2nd/47th 5th/60th of a Warrior! Should you want more info, please do served on T-111-8 (RivDiv-111 /RivRon-11) from KIA 10/28/67 not hesitate to let me know. His call sign was “Pan- 4/67-4/68. Tom was a sailor’s sailor and will be John Philp for LTC William B. Cronin 2nd/47th KIA ther 3.” I remain always “Panther 33.” missed by all his shipmates and friends. He was so 04/27/67 and for Colonel Arthur D. Moreland Panther 33, Russ Vibberts honored to have helped lay the Mobile Riverine Force USA (Ret.) 2nd/47th (4/67-12/67) EN3 Darcey E. Swank, River Division 572 (Feb- Associations wreath at the Vietnam Veterans Memo- USS Guide MSO-447 for Shipmate and Brother ruary 1969–February 1970) passed on November 1, rial in DC this past Veterans Day. The family would like Harold Foster 2007, due to cancer. Condolences may be forwarded to thank all the members who made this possible and Tom Sanborn 4th/47thInf. for Spec4 David Thorton to [email protected]. such a special occasion for Tom. He leaves behind a KIA 10/68 on Toi Son (VC) and 1st Lt James L. GMG3 Edwin C. Cross, River Division 531 (Feb- loving family and many friends. Tom’s wife says that Tarte KIA 8/24/68 near Kai Lay Robert Thacker for Earl T. Pelhan Jr. SSG KIA 15th ruary 1969–February 1970) passed on December 4, Tom fought the cancer hard, Combat Engineers 2007, due to cancer. Condolences may be forwarded but in the end the cancer won. Steven Totcoff for brother CPL Dennis S. Totcoff B to his wife Connie Cross at 42018 County Road 37, To contact the family of Tom Co 3rd/47th KIA 5/2/68 Ault, CO 80610-9652. Paquette please do so C/O Robert Vargas for Gene Dirita 2nd/60th Inf KIA Everett “Yogi” Hebert, River Section 533 (Sep- Irene M. Paquette 2807 Vil- 12/10/67 tember 1966–June 1967) passed on December 8, lage Dr. Fairbault, MN 55021 Gary Williams for Dale Winkel C Co 3rd/60th Inf 2007, due to a heart attack. Condolences may be for- - (507) 334-6340 - itpaque@ (01/68-01/69) warded to his wife Evelyn Hebert at 205 Bubby Drive, hickorytech.net. River Currents, Volume 17, Number 1 • Spring 2008 11 SAVE 20% ON MRFA AND MRFA Catalog Products 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION T-SHIRTS

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MRFA Sponsors Our expressed thanks to those who have become MRFA sponsors! It’s never too late to get on-board as a sponsor, so we continue to seek and welcome those who wish to sponsor the MRFA! Sponsorship in the MRFA helps to defray the cost of producing River Currents, which in the past had to be absorbed by the printers. Sponsorships last for a period of one year, with your name and information appearing in four issues. Send your $25.00 payment to: Charlie Ardinger, 1857 County Rd. A14, Decorah IA 52101.

VISIT WWW.MRFA.ORG

Bruce Dunlap USS Mark AKL-12 (07/70-07/71) AKL-12 Mark USS Dunlap Bruce

Everett Jones BMCS Ret, RivRon-15 (04/69-04/70) RivRon-15 Ret, BMCS Jones Everett Grey (Doc) Rather HMCM (DV/PF) (USN(Ret) RivDivs RivDivs (USN(Ret) (DV/PF) HMCM Rather (Doc) Grey Robert Zimmer XO USS Mercer APB-39 (1968-69) APB-39 Mercer USS XO Zimmer Robert

Ken Dudek for Erol Tuzcu 3rd/60th Inf 3rd/60th Tuzcu Erol for Dudek Ken

(01/66-01/67) Robert Proper B Co. 4th/47th Inf (02/67-02/68) Inf 4th/47th Co. B Proper Robert Hugh Young 9th MID (11/68-10/69) MID 9th Young Hugh

Dan Dodd PHC (Ret) ComRivFlot-One (Ret) PHC Dodd Dan

Gerald Johnston USS Nye County LST-1067 LST-1067 County Nye USS Johnston Gerald LTC Nathan Plotkin (US Army Ret) HQ 2nd Bde 2nd HQ Ret) Army (US Plotkin Nathan LTC Bob Witmer USS Krishna ARL-38 (10/66-09/67) ARL-38 Krishna USS Witmer Bob

ARL-30/YRBM-17

Ron Jett T-92-8 (1/67-1/68) T-92-8 Jett Ron Col Pete Peterson (US Army Ret) Cdr 3rd/60th Inf 3rd/60th Cdr Ret) Army (US Peterson Pete Col George Wilfong (USA Ret) A Co. 4th/39th Inf 4th/39th Co. A Ret) (USA Wilfong George

Captain Robert Dockendorf (USNR Ret) USS Askari Askari USS Ret) (USNR Dockendorf Robert Captain

David V. Jarczewski C Co 4th/47th Inf (5/66-5/68) Inf 4th/47th Co C Jarczewski V. David (11/67-10/69) (11/66-2/68)

(6/69-1/71)

(3/71-11/71) Terry R. Peters USS White River LSMR-536 LSMR-536 River White USS Peters R. Terry Stephen G. Wieting USS Benewah APB-35 APB-35 Benewah USS Wieting G. Stephen

CDR David Desiderio USCG Pontchartrain WHEC-70 WHEC-70 Pontchartrain USCG Desiderio David CDR

Alexander Janisieski USS Krishna ARL-38 ARL-38 Krishna USS Janisieski Alexander John Perry T-132-11 (6/68 6/69) (6/68 T-132-11 Perry John Everett Wiedersberg Monitor-112-1 (2/68-1/69) Monitor-112-1 Wiedersberg Everett

QMC Frank De La Oliva (USN Ret) HCU-1 (9/68-6/71) HCU-1 Ret) (USN Oliva La De Frank QMC

Truman Irving USS Mark AKL-12 (08/68-08/69) AKL-12 Mark USS Irving Truman (01/68-12/68) Jack Watson C Co 3rd/60th Inf (12/68-9/69) Inf 3rd/60th Co C Watson Jack

Ralph Dean USS Nueces APB-40 (1968-69) APB-40 Nueces USS Dean Ralph

Alan G. Hyde 9th Signal (1966-68) Signal 9th Hyde G. Alan Capt Jerry L. Pape USN (Ret) ComRivFlot I I ComRivFlot (Ret) USN Pape L. Jerry Capt Bob & Nancy VanDruff T-91-5 and T-92-4 and T-91-5 VanDruff Nancy & Bob

(11/66-12-68)

Maj/Gen Ira A. Hunt Jr. HHQ 9th Inf Div Inf 9th HHQ Jr. Hunt A. Ira Maj/Gen Joseph G. Opatovsky PCF-103 (9/67-4/69) PCF-103 Opatovsky G. Joseph Peter W. Van der Naillen USS Clarion River (1968-69) River Clarion USS Naillen der Van W. Peter

CSM Troy Davis USA Ret. Hq2nd/bde 9th/Sig 9th/Sig Hq2nd/bde Ret. USA Davis Troy CSM

Robert Hotz Jr. IUWG-1-4-Nha Tran (69/70) Tran IUWG-1-4-Nha Jr. Hotz Robert George R. O’Connell USS Terrell Cty LST-1157 Cty Terrell USS O’Connell R. George USS Terrell Cty LST-1157 Cty Terrell USS

Frank Day T-151-4 (11/67-06/69) T-151-4 Day Frank

Joe Hilliard T-44-48 (1969-70) T-44-48 Hilliard Joe (11/66-5/67) David Tyler RivDiv 132 M-6/T-24 (1969-70) M-6/T-24 132 RivDiv Tyler David

Vern Curtis HSAS Saigon/Chu Lai Saigon/Chu HSAS Curtis Vern

Michael Hays C Co. 3rd/34th Inf (05/68-09/68) Inf 3rd/34th Co. C Hays Michael Jasper Northcutt B Co 2nd/47th Mech Inf Inf Mech 2nd/47th Co B Northcutt Jasper Erol Tuzco A Co. 3rd/60th Inf (1968-69) Inf 3rd/60th Co. A Tuzco Erol

(12/67-2/68)

(4/69-2/70) Co Van My TF-115.3.7 Cat Lo Cat TF-115.3.7 My Van Co LCDR Lewis Turner CO USS Nueces (06/68-06/69) Nueces USS CO Turner Lewis LCDR

Dale G. Coppins, A-1 2nd/47th (Mech) Inf. Inf. (Mech) 2nd/47th A-1 Coppins, G. Dale

Leo H. Haynes (USN Ret) PBR-8120 RivDiv 594 594 RivDiv PBR-8120 Ret) (USN Haynes H. Leo Roy & Lynn Moseman 4th/47th Inf 4th/47th Moseman Lynn & Roy Hai Tran South Vietnames Navy (2007) Navy Vietnames South Tran Hai

(1970)

Kent Hawley YRBM-20 (10/60-10/70) YRBM-20 Hawley Kent (11/68-06/69) John P. Sturgil USS Colleton APB-36 Colleton USS Sturgil P. John

Randall G. Cook USS Monmouth Cty LST-1032 LST-1032 Cty Monmouth USS Cook G. Randall

John Harrison C Co. 3rd/47th Inf 3rd/47th Co. C Harrison John J. Russell & Alice Moore RivRon-9 A-91-5 A-91-5 RivRon-9 Moore Alice & Russell J. Alan Strickland A Co. 2nd/47th Mech Inf Mech 2nd/47th Co. A Strickland Alan

Rick Chapman Zippo-111 (7/68-1969) Zippo-111 Chapman Rick

Mike Harris IUWG-1-3 Qui Nhon/Cam Rahn Bay Rahn Nhon/Cam Qui IUWG-1-3 Harris Mike Albert & Sara Moore USS Benewah APB-35 Benewah USS Moore Sara & Albert (08/68-05/70)

(3/68-11/68)

William A. Harman T-132-2 Harman A. William Bobby G/ Moore USS St. Clair Cty 8/65-7/66 Cty Clair St. USS Moore G/ Bobby John F. Stone USS Harnett Cty LST-821 LST-821 Cty Harnett USS Stone F. John

Craig (Doc) Champion E and D Cos 3rd/47th Inf Inf 3rd/47th Cos D and E Champion (Doc) Craig

(02/65-02/67) Paul Moody USS Pivot MSO-463 (66/67) MSO-463 Pivot USS Moody Paul Chet “Gunner” Stanley C-111-1 (1966-68) C-111-1 Stanley “Gunner” Chet

Darrell Cartmill M-131-2 (6/69-2/71) M-131-2 Cartmill Darrell

Wilbert Hannah USS White River LSMR-536 LSMR-536 River White USS Hannah Wilbert Nichols Miller COS RAS Div 152 (7/68-6/69) 152 Div RAS COS Miller Nichols Marc Silberg 4th/47th (68-69) 4th/47th Silberg Marc

George Carlstrom Jr. 3rd/34th Arty (1967-68) Arty 3rd/34th Jr. Carlstrom George

Hazel Hanks Associate Member Associate Hanks Hazel (11/67-12-68) Timothy R. Smith D-5 3rd/39th Inf. 01/69-06/69 Inf. 3rd/39th D-5 Smith R. Timothy

LSMR-536 (A most enthusiastic sponsor) enthusiastic most (A LSMR-536

Roger Hamilton Jr. USS Mark AKL-12 (08/68-08/69) AKL-12 Mark USS Jr. Hamilton Roger Cdr David Miller (USN Ret.) CO RivDiv 112 112 RivDiv CO Ret.) (USN Miller David Cdr (Mech) Inf (Mech)

RADM W. Carlson (US Navy Ret.) CO USS White River River White USS CO Ret.) Navy (US Carlson W. RADM

(02/67-06/67) Bruce McIver T-131-7 RAID-72 (3/69-3/70) RAID-72 T-131-7 McIver Bruce Br/Gen Douglas Smith US Army (Ret.) Cdr 2nd/47th 2nd/47th Cdr (Ret.) Army US Smith Douglas Br/Gen

John & Pamela Carlin in honor of Erol Tuzcu Erol of honor in Carlin Pamela & John

1stSgt Paul T. Hall U.S. Army (Ret) USS Kemper Cty Cty Kemper USS (Ret) Army U.S. Hall T. Paul 1stSgt Alan Metzer LCUs NSA Danang NSA LCUs Metzer Alan Terry Sloat RivAstSqd-11 (12/68-4/69) RivAstSqd-11 Sloat Terry

David W. Cargill HHC 9th Inf Div CCSS Div Inf 9th HHC Cargill W. David

Gerald G. Hahn 3rd/60th Infantry (01/68/-01/69) Infantry 3rd/60th Hahn G. Gerald Terry Metzen C Co 3rd/60th Inf (12/66-11/67) Inf 3rd/60th Co C Metzen Terry Tom Slater USS Hampshire Cty LST-819 Cty Hampshire USS Slater Tom

CPT Kenneth Brown A Co. 3rd/47th Inf 3rd/47th Co. A Brown Kenneth CPT

Daniel Guy IUWG-Unit 2 (11/66-1/68) 2 IUWG-Unit Guy Daniel Adam Metts T-111-2 (8/69-10/69) T-111-2 Metts Adam (4/65-2/68)

David W. Brown A-91-7 RivRon-9 Staff (1/68-1/69) Staff RivRon-9 A-91-7 Brown W. David

LSMR-536 Big Jim Meehan IUWG-1 Nha Trang Nha IUWG-1 Meehan Jim Big William (Bill) Sinclair XO USS White River LSMR-536 LSMR-536 River White USS XO Sinclair (Bill) William

Brothers of the 2nd/47th (Mech) Inf (Mech) 2nd/47th the of Brothers

Charles Gurley CWO3 (USN Ret) USS White River River White USS Ret) (USN CWO3 Gurley Charles Thomas L. “Mac” McLemore T-112-7 (12/66-12/67) T-112-7 McLemore “Mac” L. Thomas Richard M. Simpson C Co 3rd/47th Inf (5/67-5/68) Inf 3rd/47th Co C Simpson M. Richard

Ed Brennan E Co. 3rd/60th (12/68-12/69) 3rd/60th Co. E Brennan Ed

Max F. Gruenberg Jr. USS Whitfield Cty- 8/65-5/67 Cty- Whitfield USS Jr. Gruenberg F. Max (08/67-09/69) (05/68-12/69)

Anthony Brand Jr. MSB-Det Alpha (1966-67) Alpha MSB-Det Jr. Brand Anthony

James (Jim) Grooms NSA Danang (1966-68) Danang NSA Grooms (Jim) James Phil McLaughlin Landing Ship Squadron 3 3 Squadron Ship Landing McLaughlin Phil Rollin W. Sieveke USS Hickman County County Hickman USS Sieveke W. Rollin

Inf

(04/68-04/69) (10/67-1/70) Donald Shelton USS White River LSMR-536 River White USS Shelton Donald

Maj/Gen Blackie Bolduc (US Army Ret.) Cdr 3rd/47th 3rd/47th Cdr Ret.) Army (US Bolduc Blackie Maj/Gen

Edward J. Graff A Co. 2nd/47th Infantry Infantry 2nd/47th Co. A Graff J. Edward Patrick N. Marshall USS Jerome Cty LST-848 LST-848 Cty Jerome USS Marshall N. Patrick Jerry J. Shearer C Co 2ndPlt 3rd/60th Inf 3rd/60th 2ndPlt Co C Shearer J. Jerry

(1968-69)

Regina Gooden Associate Member Associate Gooden Regina Bob Marburger C Co 2nd/60th Inf (11/68-11/69) Inf 2nd/60th Co C Marburger Bob Joseph Shedlock A-152-4 (10-68-07/69) A-152-4 Shedlock Joseph

Capt Peveril Blundell (USN Ret) ComRivRon-13 ComRivRon-13 Ret) (USN Blundell Peveril Capt

John W. Gerbing A and E Cos 4th/47th (1966-68) 4th/47th Cos E and A Gerbing W. John (07/68-07/69) (04/66-12/67)

(04/67-01/69)

Gamewardens of Vietnam Mid-Atlantic Chapter Mid-Atlantic Vietnam of Gamewardens Michael Marquez A Co 3 Platoon 3rd/60th Inf Inf 3rd/60th Platoon 3 Co A Marquez Michael Lawrence J. Shallue HHC 2nd/47th (Mech) Inf Inf (Mech) 2nd/47th HHC Shallue J. Lawrence

Robert B. Blair USS Clarion River LSMR-409 LSMR-409 River Clarion USS Blair B. Robert

Ronald Garcia USS Windham Cty LST-1170 (66-68) LST-1170 Cty Windham USS Garcia Ronald Corrado R. Lutz PCF-23 (3/68-3/69) PCF-23 Lutz R. Corrado Mark Seymour YW-118 NSA Danang (1/70-9/70) Danang NSA YW-118 Seymour Mark

Tom Bityk IUWG-1-Vung Tau/Ha Tein (05/69-05/70) Tein Tau/Ha IUWG-1-Vung Bityk Tom

Ray Funderburk (PIO) 9thInfDiv (6/67-7/68) 9thInfDiv (PIO) Funderburk Ray James and Debby Lowe APL-26 (05/68-05/69) APL-26 Lowe Debby and James Col Sam L. Schutte (USA Ret) B Co 4th/47th Inf (VN) Inf 4th/47th Co B Ret) (USA Schutte L. Sam Col

Jack Benedick C Co. 4th/47th Inf 4th/47th Co. C Benedick Jack

Nan Fulton Associate Member Associate Fulton Nan Richard Lorman T-152-6 (6/68-6/69) T-152-6 Lorman Richard Jerry (Doc) Schuebel B Co. 3rd/60th Inf 3rd/60th Co. B Schuebel (Doc) Jerry

Christian Bachofer Jr. ComRivDiv-92 (7/68-6/69) ComRivDiv-92 Jr. Bachofer Christian

Dean Fritz & Carol Campbell Carol & Fritz Dean BMCM Ray Longaker RivDiv 131 T-14 (1969-70) T-14 131 RivDiv Longaker Ray BMCM Harry David Schoenian C Co 4th/47th Inf (7/68-7/69) Inf 4th/47th Co C Schoenian David Harry

(4/66-1/68)

Marion G. Follin III APL 30 (06/68-06/69) 30 APL III Follin G. Marion James Long Sr. ComRivFlot-One Staff (11/67-11/68) Staff ComRivFlot-One Sr. Long James Joseph Shedlock A-152-4 (10-68-07/69) A-152-4 Shedlock Joseph

1st Sgt John J. Armstrong HQ 3rd/47th Inf Inf 3rd/47th HQ Armstrong J. John Sgt 1st

Terrance Fetters HHQ 3rd/47th Inf (4/69-7/69) Inf 3rd/47th HHQ Fetters Terrance Ken Locke USS White River LSMR-536 River White USS Locke Ken Norman Saunders B Co 3rd/39th Inf (1/69-8/69) Inf 3rd/39th Co B Saunders Norman

Charlie & Georginia Ardinger T-151-11 Ardinger Georginia & Charlie

Joseph P. Ferrara Jr. CO RivDiv 151 (4/68-7/69) 151 RivDiv CO Jr. Ferrara P. Joseph Walter F. Lineberger III XO RivDiv-91 (1968-69) RivDiv-91 XO III Lineberger F. Walter LT David Sanders (USN Ret.) YTB-785 (4/69-7/70) YTB-785 Ret.) (USN Sanders David LT

David Anderson HQ 4th/47th Inf (6/67-2/68) Inf 4th/47th HQ Anderson David

(11/69-11/70) Bob Lennon USS White River (1966-68) River White USS Lennon Bob Bonni Rosner Associate Member Associate Rosner Bonni

6/69)

Cdr Kirk Ferguson (USN. Ret) ComStabRon-20 ComStabRon-20 Ret) (USN. Ferguson Kirk Cdr Dennis Kotila T-131-2 Kotila Dennis Joseph K. Rosner RivRon 15 M-6 15 RivRon Rosner K. Joseph

LT. H. M. “Murk” Alexander ComRivDiv-132 (6/68 (6/68 ComRivDiv-132 Alexander “Murk” M. H. LT.

Larry Gunner Ethridge USS Askari ARL-30 Askari USS Ethridge Gunner Larry (1/68-6/68) Donald & Marijo Robbins USS Benewah APB-35 Benewah USS Robbins Marijo & Donald

Marshall Adams D Co. 4th/47th Inf 4th/47th Co. D Adams Marshall

Edith Ethridge Associate Member Associate Ethridge Edith General William A Knowlton ADC 9th Inf Div Div Inf 9th ADC Knowlton A William General 10/68-9/69

Dallas Abbott A/CO/3rd/60th Inf (6/67-6/68) Inf A/CO/3rd/60th Abbott Dallas

Richard Ehrler E Co 50th ABN (04/68-01/69) ABN 50th Co E Ehrler Richard Jay Morgan Kellers T-111-4 (01/68-12/68) T-111-4 Kellers Morgan Jay CAPT William J. Renton USNR Ret. USS Askari Askari USS Ret. USNR Renton J. William CAPT

Admiral Elmo Zumwalt ComNavForV Zumwalt Elmo Admiral

Scott Edwards C Co 3rd/47th Inf (5/68-5/69) Inf 3rd/47th Co C Edwards Scott Dane K. Keller RivDiv-532 PBR-121 (5/69-5/70) PBR-121 RivDiv-532 Keller K. Dane Paul A. Ray M-151-5 (6/69-7/70) M-151-5 Ray A. Paul