WINTER 2007 Hoping and Wishing Each and Every One of You a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful and Happy New Year from the Officers and Board Members of the MRFA
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A PUBLICATION OF VOLUME 16, NUMBER 4 THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE ASSOCIATION WINTER 2007 Hoping and wishing each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful and happy New Year from the Officers and Board Members of the MRFA. FROM THE GALLEY In Retrospect The Christmas Tree By Russell Vibberts The Christmas Tree originated in Germa- The Way It Was ny in the 16th century. It was common for It was May 9, 1968, when the 2nd Mech- the Germanic people to decorate fir trees, anized Battalion 47th Infantry moved both inside and out, with roses, apples, and through Saigon with a column of Armored colored paper. It is believed that Martin Lu- Personnel Carriers. The streets were littered ther, the Protestant reformer, was the first to and crowded with rickshaws, motor bikes, light a Christmas tree with candles. While and people babbling in their native tongue buildings were engulfed in the intense in- coming home one dark winter’s night near as the unit moved toward the Y-Bridge. The ferno at 5,000 that left nothing in its wake. Christmas, he was struck with the beauty of Battle of the Y-Bridge in Cholon (Chinese The bombing mission completed, we the starlight shining through the branches District of Saigon) or as some called it, the continued moving and emerged on the of a small fir tree outside his home. He du- revisit of the TeT Offense or TeT II will for- west side of the canal in Cholon. S-3 Major plicated the starlight by using candles at- ever impact my feelings on the Vietnam William Jones “Panther 3” (tactical opera- tached to the branches of his indoor Christ- War. I reflect on the politically unpopular tions) made contact by ground-to-air radio mas tree. The Christmas tree was not widely war, the corporate greed, and a war used with “Panther 6” Col. John Tower. An obvi- used in Britain until the 19th century. It was for the advancement of military careers at ous disagreement ensued. Jones was told to brought to America by the Pennsylvania the expense of good young men. hold his position. In total dismay, he threw Germans in the 1820s. On the bridge, my Carrier was halted at the radio hand set against the inside of the the summit as we waited in anticipation Armored Personnel Carrier and walked off Christmas Packages Sent of battle. F-100s bombed the shoreline of into the village. Upset and concerned, Spe- the canal and buildings with Napalm and cialist Fourth Class Robert Dorshimer, with to RivRon-Two in Iraq strafed with 20-mm cannons. I can still see M-16 in hand, started toward the village to A month after the reunion, Board Mem- the writing on the Napalm Bombs as they retrieve Jones. Sgt. Holt gave him an order ber Rich Corrick brought it to my attention flipped over my head. The shock of explo- to stop. Dorshimer, defiant tears welling in that it would be nice if we could send some sion that followed was horrifying as the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Christmas gifts to the new Riverine Group in Iraq from the Army and Navy members River Assault Squadrons 13 and 15 were of the MRFA. We know the guys in Iraq are Remembering Barry Barber called upon to make a large push down into more up-to-date on news and have Internet The Vietnam jargon for the U.S. Navy Kien Giang and Chuong Thien Provinces access and was “chopped.” If one or more riverine as- near Rach Gia and Vi Thanh where River can stay in sault craft were placed at a remote location, Assault Squadron 9 had penetrated in July- touch with they were considered chopped away from August of 1968 with heavy resistance. The their fami- the main River Assault Squadrons 9, 11, 13 battles were fierce, but the squadrons tal- lies and or 15. This happened on many occasions lied high numbers of enemy casualties. RAS loved ones during the approximate 4-year tenure of 13 and 15 sailors were awarded the Navy more so the Mobile Riverine Force–Task Force 117 Unit Commendation-Rach Gia Interdiction now than and Task Force 194. Group (Task Group 194.7) for their heroic we were Vice Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., was efforts from November 7 to December 17, able to in Vietnam. But everyone loves a gift appointed Commander Naval Forces Viet- 1968. The units remained in the region until of some kind on Christmas and the young nam (COMNAVFORV) in September 1968. early January 1969. men and women who are now serving in He launched Operation SEALORDS in Oc- In mid-November 1968, T-152-1 and Iraq need our support. We contacted the tober 1968. The primary thrust was “to cut T-152-10 were chopped to the small Viet- Command Master Chief Norman J. Giroux enemy supply lines from Cambodia and namese Naval Base at Rach Soi 5 km south to make sure it could be done and if so what disrupt operations at his base areas deep CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 1 would be appropriate to send. After we in the Delta .” The campaign included des- were given the okay and other info needed ignated operations from the tip of the Ca Inside... from Command Master Chief Giroux, we Mau Peninsula in the south to Tay Ninh city Medal of Honor Recipient ........................3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 in the north. Vet’s Day in DC ..........................................6 2 River Currents, Volume 16, Number 4 • Winter 2007 RivRon Two MRFA Christmas Fund CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Medal of Honor Recipient Donations. A Big Thanks to All. hashed it over and said why not. We sent Thomas G. Kelley out notices to our different e-mail lists ask- Robert Barnhill Mr. Erol Tuzcu John & Catherine Rubin Larry & Judy Hare Rank and organiza- ing for donations. Our newsletter was at the Jeffie & Hazel Hanks Adeline Longshaw & printers being printed so we were unable to Williams Diggins Patricia Weitz tion: Lieutenant Com- post requests for donation’s in the fall issue John & Grace Svandrlik Billie Sanders mander, U.S. Navy, of River Currents. Within a 3-week period, James & Carol Patin Richard Scott & Paula River Assault Division we had over $7,000 in donations; more than Jimmy & Terry Toney Wright 152 Edward & Virginia Rafferty Paul & Joy DeNicola Place and date: Ong enough to purchase gifts for the group. Richard Turner Gerald & Donna Bailey Once the donations came in, Rich and his Micheal & Patricia Burns Ernest Valdez Muong Canal, Kien wife Patty took charge and Rich went shop- Joseph & Patricia Ashworth LT Tommy Wright, Jr. Hoa Province, Repub- ping. We had a total of 22 boxes and each Gene & Barbara Cooper Tom C. Hardy lic of Vietnam, 15 June Joseph & Bonita Rosner Robert Dyson 1969 box weighed between 42 and 50 lbs. for a Stephen Clark Albert Montillo, Jr. total of 1,001 lbs. with a whole lot of good- Mario Vargas George & Dawn McGee Entered service at: Boston, Massachusetts ies. Everything from specialty coffees (re- David Brown Kip Engel Born: 13 May 1939, Boston, Massachusetts quested), hot chocolate, beef jerky, cheese Ron & Nancy Baker Gary & Ellen Van De Loo Citation: Stephen & Lynne Sager Charles & Dolores Heindel For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity crackers, hard candies, of course fruit cake, Larry Wiley Dave & Ella Schoenian board games, puzzles, books, calendars, Edward Brennan Bob & Nancy Vandruff at the risk of his life above and beyond the phone cards, and a few disposable cameras Ken Langham Micheal & Sherry McGuire call of duty in the afternoon while serving (with return envelopes to send photos so Frank & Linda Jones Kwang Hyun as Commander of River Assault Division 152 we could enjoy their pleasure). Santa even Victor & Terry Unruh Hyuns’s Hapkido School during combat operations against enemy David & Doris Elcess James & Meehan aggressor forces. Lieutenant Commander sent a couple of wreaths with lights. Keith & Susan Phillips Paul Eastham This could not have been done without Howard Turner Kevin & Mary McPartland (then Lieutenant) Kelley was in charge of a you the members and your donations. Last, Mark T. & Virginia Harry Hahn column of eight river assault craft that were but not least, we thank Rich and Patty Cor- Boatwright Everett & Teruko Jones extracting one company of U.S. Army in- Orville & Joan Daley Robert & Jane Patterson fantry troops on the east bank of the Ong rick for putting this all together, doing the Roger & Ann Marnell Alan & Barbara Breininger shopping, boxing up all the gifts and taking Walter Meyer Victor Cambell III Muong Canal in Kien Hoa Province, when everything to the post office for shipping. Sam Liming Robert & Verna Layton one of the armored troop carriers reported We were told the boxes will be there before Stan & Paula Willingham Welton Dillard a mechanical failure of Christmas; it takes about 45 days or less to William & Peggy Patterson Patrick Benson a loading ramp. At ap- William & Barb Metzler Randall Peat proximately the same get mail Jay & Clayre Quick Chriss Olsen into Iraq David Alderman Forestry Edward & Reginia Gooden time, Viet Cong forces and up David Justin Thomas & Jayne Wynne opened fire from the the river Paul & Donna Erasmus Jack & Barbara Rauscher opposite bank of the Lewis & Margi Clark John & Cathy Alphin canal. After issuing orders for the crippled to where Robert & Virginia Zimmer Mir & Am Brown RivRon- Rodney & Susan Walker A.M. Jaeger troop carrier to raise its ramp manually and Two Ernest Lindberg Harley & Sue Timmerman for the remaining boats to form a protective is sta- Terrence & Lorraine Fetters Don Mc Grogan cordon around the disabled craft, Lieuten- Lucien & Elaine Hinkle Don Morin ant Commander Kelley, realizing the ex- tioned.