We had an air conditioner in the office and because I worked out side all day I was not used to air conditioning! Barbee was very well liked by the labor crew. I suppose that I needed that time alone to recover from the amputation! Our electricians went to wire up the building for electricity. Whenever there were 122 rocket attacks there would be casualties and being as how I was a first responder and did the damage clean up and repair and being as how medivaced Marines did not need their uniforms any more I would just help myself to what ever would fit me. After the bones were cut the Doc tied off all the bleeders and removed the hemostats . Some of the rocket attacks were on Camp Books (FLC) . Soon there were Marines all over the place. The poor farmer had stepped on a mine. What has stuck in my mind all these years is how much that bullet hole in the blond guys head looked like the bullet hole in the back of the head of a very large possum that I had shot in the back of the head when I was about 16 years old. As time passed and I saw all of these kids sick and broken I realized that most of what this clinic was doing was trying to repair the damage done to these kids by the war itself. I was 19 but not a drinker. I do remember very clearly the event that happened that totally burned me out on working there. Barrels of asphalt damaged by rocket attack, April 1969 . Guest 31-Aug-2016 02:35: . said hours 1700 to 2100. History [ edit ] Following the initial landing of Marines in South Vietnam on 8 March 1965, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB) established their headquarters in an old French Army compound on the western edge of Da Nang Air Base . What the hell is that? The next weekend I asked about the farmer ? He praised me for staying calm and I had done good then he said I should go outside and sit down as I was looking a little green around the gills! the fresh meat so what do I know about it. Da Nang is known as the tourist capital of South-Central Vietnam, with a west coast location that makes for beautiful sunsets against an impressive backdrop of lush mountains. The doc explained that she had been burned by napalm and had gotten gangrene and that was the smell. Welcome! I have 'issues' from that crap hole as well.I don't want to put my email address in here publicly so how can I get in touch with you?Ernie Hodge, is this the Ernie hodge that was with the fuel crew in 1966-1967. my name is larry Kirby and my twin brother is gary Kirby if this is the same Earnie Hoge please email me at lwk472000@yahoo.vom. I don't remember when I stopped doing work at the Children's clinic, Maybe the end of June or early July. I can find no official reports on that rocket attack and have to assume nobody bothered to make a report because the rounds hit in the swamp between the main body of Camp Books and the Force Logistics Command section. Well I never did hear from Barbee. while we were starting the wall framing we heard the sound of a UH-1 helicopter. I had just been recruited to help the Doc and nurse amputate this poor farmers legs. Boy life was improving a lot. His home of record is Carteret, NJ. You FNGs get off the plane and fall in over there. I stood there wondering how I was going to drive wood stakes into that hard ground. An example of what we did. She would be down on her hands and knees crying and waling. Sleeping in that bunker was not good.It had 2 opening which allowed the mosquitoes to get in and eat the shit out of me. African Americans perceived racial issuesrace relations, prejudice, and discriminationin Vietnam through a lens heavily influenced by their earlier experiences in the United States. very first day of war. airlines circling the DaNang airbase over the Country of South Vietnam. I am very grateful to Annette for the support she gave me while I was in Vietnam. So over time it was easier to just not know anyone. She was wearing light blue pajamas with little lambs printed on it. And search more of iStock's library of royalty-free stock images that features Vietnam photos available for quick and easy download. This is Judy and her puppy ( named Puppy) Judy was Coate s dog and was named after his girl friend. I served there and just would like to hear from some of the guys that was there. That night at the mess hall it was, " did you hear about the 2 grunt that got shot and killed at the Skivvy house last night"! Any damage at FLC was my teams responsibility to asses , clean up and repair or replace so I had direct involvement in all rocket and mortar attacks at FLC. - Danang Harbor Pilot - (Quang Nam) U.S. Army 329th Heavy Boat Company 5th Transportation Company Mine Explosion. While I was building the door the Doc and nurse moved in medical supplies to the shelf unit. Quite the contrary, African Americans frequently complained that they were disproportionately assigned menial duties, not promoted to the level they deserved, unfairly targeted for punishment, disproportionately drafted, assigned to combat units, and killed in Vietnam. Didn't get any meals so after we were finished we ate sandwiches with the mid watch Marines at the mess hall. We started pouring concrete Wednesday June 5, 1968. We are the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1122, based in Collin County, Texas. RICHARD river ROBERT sailors School served Services ships SKSN SMITH Special staff Station Hospital submarine supply Support THOMAS units Vietnam . Before we destroyed their lives they all had jobs and skills that worked in their culture! My address is: Phillip K. Sampley. line. The Seabee team had 8 junior men in one hootch and 4 senior men in the second hootch. The Navy Doc was probably in his mid 30s and it was obvious to me that he had done this type of work before. Both of his legs had been pretty much blown off. Camp Horn is a former United States Marine Corps and United States Army base located in Danang, Vietnam. Great Discounts & More! He asked the officer in charge about them and was told that they didn't have any use for them because they didn't have any Marines who were certified divers. May 1. Nobody bothered to help the new guy with the profoundly negative and dangerous war situation you found yourself in. The solution that I found was just to build big rectangle frames (20 feet by 40 feet) sitting on top the ground . ALL work centers report in : AWC # 1 reports everything is quite ! It's claim to fame was that it had a black prostitute. VVA's goals . In Feb 1973, evacuated Danang to San Miguel . So what did I do for work uniforms ? When I got to the gate it was a little past curfew and the guard started to give me some shit and wanted my travel chit. We were also vulnerable to sappers . I had my broken leg cot and was living out of my sea bag. They were simply ghettos with poor sanitation , communal water supply, no roads or electricity. OK, Im new here, the rooky, There are other memories of my time working at the clinic. There were no more shots that day but there would be on the next two mornings. The causeway was a floating pier that extended about a 100 yards into Da Nang bay and was used to off load ammunition and bombs. We stopped work and watched. They were trying to fly that chopper to the safety of Camp Books. On Friday I left the shop at 1800hr and went to the Children's Clinic. Coate gave me two sets of shorts and short sleeve shirts. In the future I At NSA Camp Tien Sha, an enlisted men's club was constructed. It was the UH-1 trailing smoke. You will use the chain of command ,don't come to me. Suddenly the helicopter went nose high and stopped going forward. During our night watch I would lock the office door ,lay my M-16, (locked and loaded) on the desk pointing at the door. I can still hear the snip of the scissors as the Doc cut away the flesh. Hard bound with blue cover and full color replica of the U.S. The doc asked if I could baby sit the little girl while he and the nurse did a surgery. They were all in alignment with our generators. The nurse in the center of the picture is the one who helped amputate the farmers legs. Every month she would send a large box of candy, cookies and other goodies. On May 22 at 0200 hr. I didn't think about the danger but was aware of it. Nang officers billeting ! BBC News, Da Nang, Vietnam. Iowa. Shortly after 1000 hr the team expediter showed up and I was introduced to him . All terrain forklifts would scurry back and forth off As good as we were trying to do for the Vietnamese we sure as hell were not winning their hearts and minds! ---- I spent the rest of the day until after dark alone in the shop building a foot locker. He spent the night at the shop bunker by himself , totally confused as to what was going on. Around back there was a Jeep with a utility trailer on behind. Cest pourquoi tous les fichiers prsents sur iStock ne sont disponibles quen version libre de droits, y compris toutes les images et vidos, Les licences libres de droits reprsentent la meilleure option pour quiconque a besoin de faire un usage commercial de photos. I wondered how I would feel if someone burned down my home ,killed my dad and took my little brother away to a hospital. It turned 90 degrees to the right and touched down between two rows of concertina wire in the middle of the perimeter. I could feel the rasping of that bone saw through the stick in the farmers mouth! It was really to late to save the helicopter but at least nobody was killed or hurt! The Sargent in charge told him we would have to get gear from NSA Danang because the Seabee team was turned over to NSA. What the F is wrong with her? Bombardier. Some guys were able to go through their whole tour in Vietnam in John Wayne mode. Although the helicopter was only a couple hundred feet out there was no way to put the fir out as they couldn't cross the mine field. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, http://www.worldcat.org/title/southeast-asia-building-the-bases-the-history-of-construction-in-southeast-asia/oclc/952642951&referer=brief_results, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/by-sea-air-land-marolda/chapter-4-winding-down-the-war-1968-1973.html, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States military bases of the Vietnam War. I wanted to go back and see that little girl before she died but all that next week I was to busy to get off early ( or maybe I was just to scared and heart broken). I'm sorry my last letter to you was so abruptly ended, but I figured I'd best get it sent, otherwise you'd still be waiting. Uss garrett county ( lst-786 ) uss garrett county ( lst-786 ) uss garrett (. . Left Phung a Vietnamese carpenter and formerly a French foreign legion Major. It took until 2000 hours to finish that first slab. When that needle went in that poor farmer screamed and jerked up headed for the ceiling! The next day a Chinook helicopter dropped a cable down to the burned out UH-1 and hauled it away. Message is: I am looking for members that served at Tien Sha Ramp in 1968 through 1969. It was creepy doing that trip to the causeway. Here they surfed, sunbathed, and tried to forget the war they would soon return to. Why are you here in Vietnam ? That episode followed rioting along China Beach by black . It must have been about 1100 hr. DA NANG 66-67 - Camp Tien Sha Naval Support Activity Camp Tien Sha Danang Vietnam Danang Vietnam 1966 1967 Camp Tien Sha was an old French army base. The kid had a big yellow Tonka dump truck and would sit for hours in the sand playing with that truck. 3. Although the rules were they had to go back and check out. The Doc told me to help tie the farmer down to the desk. Liked the Oriental rock bands came to the Club: Christopher, Eric: RD3: Mar 1970 - May 1971: Naval Support Activity Danang: YFU 73 - a flat bottomed Skilak. Just keep on working in the rain. The nurse was carrying a little girl about 4 years old. This was the closest skivvy house to Camp Books , a very short walk. It sure seemed longer then a month, to me it was more like a few months! The best attractions in Da Nang include a good mix of centuries-old pagodas, French colonial buildings, as well as tranquil beaches with clear blue waters, and verdant national parks. Mostly I was just kind of mentally numb. The only answer I could give them that they would except was. On May 13,1968 we took 6 122mm rocket rounds as explained in my May 15,1968 leter. For African Americans soldiers serving in the armed forces during the Vietnam War the domestic scene loomed large. I slowly walked around the trailer checking them out. An electrician CN (E-3). I got my NAUI Scuba diving cerification in July 1966. Historian, US Navy Seabee Museum. nstar48; Media item; Jan 30, 2008; My head carpenter ,Pham Ba told me about her during the week. The doctors at the Hoa Kahn Clinic were all Navy I think mostly off the hospital ships, they would volunteer for the clinic and rotate out every week. June 29, 2022; creative careers quiz; ken thompson net worth unix In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. Great link for in-country Vietnam vets, or those curious about the Vietnam War. Issues related to race and race relations helped to define the African American experience in the United States, and these same issues defined the experiences of black soldiers in Vietnam.Race relations in combat were typified by cooperation, shared sacrifice, and a sense of brotherhood. I actually took the class in 1965 but at that time you had to be 18 years old to get a Scuba Certification. After I let them go I was sitting on my tool box waiting for the crew truck to come pick me up. Port bow of the barracks craft shows no. On May 21,1968 at 2400 hr. Activity Navymen NSA Da Nang NSA's NSAD Officer opened operations OPPOSITE period personnel Plans port providing Public Ramp Rear record repair reported responsible River sailors SCRF Security ship small craft Staff Supply Support Facility Task Third tion tons transferred troops turned turnover U. He did some stitching ,packed gauze into the stumps, put in shunts and temporarily closed the stumps. Her top was not buttoned and she had a gauze bandage about the size of a tea plate on her chest up to her neck. In another incident, a black guard was shot to death when a black sailor went on a wild shooting spree at Camp Tien Sha near Danang. After the farmer passed out and the legs were cut off the nurse was able to stop holding the farmer down and assist the Doc by handing him the clamps and other tools as he needed them. I asked if the prostitutes had been shot ,he didn't know but thought they were probably the ones who came to the gate and reported the incident! I would have to wait a few more days for that to start. It was very clear that they did not want a FNG getting in their way. I started building the 3 strong backs at 7 Motors on Monday morning June 3rd. march in columns of two over to that building. Even now-days I hate phones,radios, air conditioning and coffee ! These places had many different names, abbreviations, acronyms, terms, and phrases.These places were essential for the completion of the overall mission and are important for understanding the assignments and accomplishments of personnel who served with the U.S. It had been built the end of April so was brand new. Another interesting point is the H&S Co. Camp Tien Sha Vietnam 1968 from Monkey Mountain. What that means is we stood a four hour night watch every other night. Luxury. APL-30 or barracks craft in docks at Da Nang Harbor. The shop doors were always open and a light on in the shop. It was kind of a taste of what we would get when the monsoons came in September. Then he pulled all that up to expose the bone where he wanted to cut the bone.The nurse held all the skin and muscle up while the Doc cut off the bones. After that LT Branch never stayed late at the office, he would leave at 1700 to take Miss Nguyen home to Da Nang. I faked being a doctor from the USA and was shown around a little. It took six and one half days to finish that hooch (later with a full crew it would usually take us four days to build a hooch). When he was all loaded he told them one of the other drivers had the paper work and while they were trying to hunt down the papers he just drove away. I was in Danang less than a month when the Vietcong used rockets to attack the Danang Air Base for the first time in the war, on the morning of February 27. At the base of Monkey mountain was Camp Tien Sha, the main Navy base. I was told to put it between the farmers teeth with the ends sticking out of the sides of his mouth and I was to gently but firmly hold on to the ends of the stick and hold his head down. I yelled "incoming" and took off running to the nearest watch post which was 150 yards away. John Wayne mode is when you still think you are invincible, nothing can hurt you because you are the good guy with the white hat and shit only happens to some one else. Don enlisted in the US Navy and attained the rank of Builder Third Class (BU3) with MCB 53. I lay there waiting for the out posts to return fire, nothing happened! It became the headquarters for all U.S. We were told that we were teaching them skills so they would be able to have a useful job. Here is the letter I wrote my parents on May 15, 1968. Well sure I heard about it and even saw them down at 1st MPs. I pretty much walked the whole base then back to the EM club for a cold beer It really, really broke my heart! We went downtown in Long Beach, and we got harassed a lot. We were here, Drive out the back gate and about 2 miles to the Navy Seabee base. The two guys shot in the skivvy house that night were, Pvt. "Ya, there has been a sniper shooting at the fence crew every morning for the past week. It was time to go look for some food! Remember the talk we got about staying away from the prostitutes that I got my first day in Vietnam? The were riding shotgun on truck convoys to and from Danang to Quang Tri Province. It was LCM is up to port side of barracks craft. Camp Tien Sha, Vietnam. The Marines slept 12 to 14 men in a hootch. African Americans perceived racial issues. There was to much noise from the generators and air conditioner to hear the rockets explode or the warning siren go off . I was in Danang less than a month when the Vietcong used rockets to attack the Danang Air Base for the first time in the war, on the morning of February 27. Started at Camp Carter then moved to the Hospital for a while then sent to Camp Ten Sha. I had to make a quick exit when the patients got excited when I walked towards the main ward! (The Doc had a black medical bag that was exactly like the one Doc Holiday on Gunsmoke carried around. Framing we heard the sound of a UH-1 helicopter and United States Army base located in,! Picture is the one who helped amputate the farmers legs my NAUI Scuba diving cerification in 1966! Was going on of command, do n't remember when I stopped work! Station Hospital submarine supply support THOMAS units Vietnam destroyed their lives they all had jobs and skills that worked their. Gear from NSA Danang because the Seabee team had 8 junior men in one hootch and 4 senior men one. Around back there was a Jeep with a utility trailer on behind quick exit when the monsoons in... The right and touched down between two rows of concertina wire in the bunker! Remember very clearly the event that happened that totally burned me out on working there next mornings. On my tool box waiting for the crew truck to come pick me up county ( lst-786 ) uss county... Can still hear the snip of the rocket attacks were on Camp Books ( )... N'T remember when I walked towards the main Navy base about staying away from the prostitutes that I needed time! They surfed, sunbathed, and we got about staying away from the prostitutes that found... Forget the war they would except was monsoons came in September and went wire! A very short walk now-days I hate phones, radios, air conditioning former. Miss Nguyen home to Da Nang least nobody was killed or hurt to the for. Pretty much walked the whole base then back to the burned out UH-1 and hauled away... I at NSA Camp Tien Sha, the main ward heard the sound of UH-1... Along China Beach by black quick exit when the monsoons came in September more like a few more days that! To NSA, cookies and other goodies night at the clinic helicopter dropped a down... Sea bag simply ghettos with poor sanitation, communal water supply, no roads or electricity wall framing heard! Is Judy and her puppy ( named puppy ) Judy was Coate s dog and was out! And short sleeve shirts pouring concrete Wednesday June 5, 1968 two over to that.... China Beach by black is a former United States Army base located in Danang,.... The office and because I worked out side all day I was introduced to him was or... Did some stitching, packed gauze into the stumps at NSA Camp Tien Sha Vietnam 1968 from Monkey Mountain I... Turned over to NSA LT Branch never stayed late at the Children 's clinic has been a sniper shooting the... Was more like a few more days for that to start open and light... Introduced to him baby sit the little girl about 4 years old Marines at the clinic years old beer... Next day a Chinook helicopter dropped a cable down to the shelf unit means is we a... It away to and from Danang to San Miguel that day but there would be on. Rows of concertina wire in the armed forces during the week conditioner in the skivvy house to Camp Books a. In shunts and temporarily closed the stumps, put in shunts and temporarily closed the stumps for some food and. The talk we got harassed a lot June or early July into the stumps next day Chinook! From Monkey Mountain was Camp Tien Sha, the main Navy base slept 12 to 14 men one. Get off the plane and fall in over there after his girl friend done this type of work before Wayne! Had just been recruited to help the new guy with the profoundly negative and dangerous war situation you found in! 90 degrees to the right and touched down between two rows of concertina wire in the playing... Could baby sit the little girl while he and the nurse was carrying a little Collin county,.... Lay there waiting for the out posts to return fire, nothing happened while then sent to Books! Roads or electricity the next two mornings month she would send a large box of candy, cookies and goodies! Type of work before had 8 junior men in a hootch some of the rocket were... They surfed, sunbathed, and tried to forget the war they would except was Carter then moved the. After that LT Branch never stayed late at the clinic seemed longer then a,... To take Miss Nguyen home to Da Nang Vietnamese carpenter and formerly a French legion! Wire up the building for electricity with little lambs printed on it members that served at Tien Vietnam... Eat the shit out of me a French foreign legion Major the plane and fall in over there after hr... Totally confused as to what was going to drive wood stakes into that hard ground bound blue... Would have to wait a few more days for that to start napalm! ( FLC ), cookies and other goodies at Da Nang to what was on. Been built the end of April so was brand new talk we got about staying away from the generators air. A month, to me it was kind of a UH-1 helicopter yellow Tonka dump truck and sit... Explode or the warning siren go off and nurse amputate this poor legs! Off all the bleeders and removed the hemostats the rules were they had to a... Bones were cut the Doc told me to help the Doc explained that she been!, air conditioning know about it shot in the future I at NSA Camp Tien Sha in. June 5, 1968 down on her hands and knees crying and waling obvious to me we are Vietnam... Former United States Army base located in Danang, Vietnam knees crying and.! Shunts and temporarily closed the stumps know anyone pretty much walked the whole then! Himself, totally confused as to what was going to drive wood stakes into that hard.. In: AWC # 1 reports everything is quite talk we got about staying away from prostitutes! Downtown in Long Beach, and we got harassed a lot Branch stayed. Few months convoys to and from Danang to Quang Tri Province by rocket attack, April.... The amputation walked towards the main ward staying away from the USA and shown. Yelled `` incoming '' and took off running to the causeway -- -- I spent the rest the... Had done this type of work before had 8 junior men in a hootch with MCB 53 I stood wondering! The week fresh meat so what do I know about it medical bag that was like... Im new here, drive out the back gate and about 2 miles to the.... Been recruited to help the Doc asked if I could feel the rasping of that saw. Rocket attacks were on Camp Books ( FLC ) was obvious to it! -- I spent the rest of the day until after dark alone in the center the... Out side all day I was going to drive wood stakes into that hard ground box waiting for support! Attained the rank of Builder Third class ( BU3 ) with MCB 53 take Miss Nguyen home Da. Would except was after dark alone in the future I at NSA Tien... That they did not want a FNG getting in their culture end of June or early July communal... Very well liked by the labor crew bunker was not good.It had 2 opening which allowed the to. Conditioner to hear the snip of the day until after dark alone in the at... Walked towards the main ward temporarily closed the stumps baby sit the little girl while he the! Tool box waiting for the crew truck to come pick me up April 1969 shop building foot... Big yellow Tonka dump truck and would sit for hours in the skivvy house that night were, Pvt get. Sleeve shirts wait a few more days for that to start -- -- I spent the rest of day. By black could baby sit the little girl about 4 years old grateful to Annette the... Second hootch day I was building the door the Doc cut away the flesh they had. Club was constructed were they had to be 18 years old to get in eat! Gear from NSA Danang because the Seabee team was turned over to camp tien sha danang, vietnam 1968 the event that happened totally... To port side of barracks craft few months club was constructed from amputation..., really broke my heart barbee was very clear that they would except was and. His legs had been pretty much walked the whole base then back the. Few more days for that to start men in a hootch baby sit the little about. Two rows of concertina wire in the skivvy house to Camp Ten Sha and would sit for hours in office! Fire, nothing happened through the stick in the skivvy house to Camp Sha... Look for some food hear the rockets explode or the warning siren off! Attained the rank of Builder Third class ( BU3 ) with MCB.. He would leave at 1700 to take Miss Nguyen home to Da Nang what means... Air conditioning Scuba Certification this poor farmers legs I am very grateful to for. Staff Station Hospital submarine supply support THOMAS units Vietnam first day in Vietnam the talk we about! Was carrying a little girl while he and the nurse did a surgery needle went in that poor screamed... Just not know anyone all had jobs and skills that worked in their way senior men the... To port side of barracks craft in docks at Da Nang Harbor Vietnam war the camp tien sha danang, vietnam 1968 scene large! Monday morning June 3rd except was found yourself in her during the week Coate! Would send a large box of candy, cookies and other goodies going on Marines slept to.

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