VIETNAM DIARY SEPTEMBER 1966
COMMEMORATING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE IN VIETNAM
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FIFTY YEARS AGO, THIS ICONIC MOMENT TOOK PLACE
DATE: MID-MAY, 1966
The 3/12th Infantry Battalion spent the night of the 1st Brigade of the 4th ID was sent to the 2/12th barracks to spend the night. They were destined to be sent to Vietnam by plane on the next night and each company took in their company counterparts from the 3/12th. I recall the day that happened and wrote home about it. I didn't mention who they were but thanks to this photo that Jim Deluco shot which identified the unit on the back we now know who they were, half a century later. Here is Jim's photo of some of those men taken on the Company street from our barracks:
DATE: THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1966
I was not aware of this until Bob Babcock, the Historian for the 4th ID Association alerted me to the fact the 2nd Brigade had also used the Nelson M Walker troopship to travel to Vietnam. They left on July 21, 1966. He reminded me that it was in his book that I read a few years back, "What Now Lieutenant", an excellent comparison narrative to our tours in Vietnam. Here is a picture that was taken at the docks of Tacoma (probably the same dock that we used) on the day that his unit left.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1966 (posted September 21, 2016)
The Third Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division left Fort Lewis, where we trained since January, in preparation for this day. We arrived at a dock in Tacoma Washington where the troop ship, the Nelson M. Walker, is anchored waiting to take us to Vietnam.
Ironically, 6 months to the day after this day, (March 21, 1967) the Brigade is engaged in a life and death struggle with key elements of the 9th VC Division at Fire Support Base GOLD. The victory against the VC attackers resulted in a loss of more than 647 VC soldiers, the largest loss of life for any enemy engagement of the war. For that victory, the units receive the Presidential Unit Citation, our nation's highest unit award and equivalent to every soldier in the unit receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, our nation's second highest award for valor.
We spent the day moored to the dock as our equipment was loaded onto the ship. The next morning we lift anchor on the next morning.
Below photos courtesy of Gary Barney (first), Henry Osowiecki (second, third) were shot in front of A/2/12 barracks while we were awaiting to the bus to arrive and take us to the dock in Tacoma. Jim Deluco provided the fourth and fifth pictures and were shot as we waited to move to Tacoma pier on this day and the next shows the A/2/12 convoy heading to the dock. The final picture was provided by 1/12th website.
Jim Deluco has contributed these fantastic photos that he had forgotten that he took on the day that we left. He found them as I was organizing this webpage and sent them to me to share. The first notation is what was written on the back of the photo
“In the background part of the convoy we drove to Tacoma from Ft.
Lewis”,. I can make out Matt for sure, but also I believe it was Ron, Steve,
Clint and one more…, JD
“Leaving Ft Lewis with convoy for Tacoma harbor.” I believe I was driving a deuce and a half…JD
“Tacoma harbor where we brought trucks to be shipped to Vietnam”
It's worth noting that some of the men who would be sent to A/2/12 in March/April 1967 in the Infusion Program were already at Fort Lewis as we left and trained until November when they were sent to Vietnam. Peter Cullen told me he was set up in the old barracks across the parade field which the 3/22nd vacated when they left for Vietnam with us.
DATE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1966 (posted September 22, 2016)
We lifted anchor AT 2pm and left Tacoma with a band playing on the dock and a few civilians in attendance. Before long, we had lifeboat drills while we were still in Puget Sound (see picture 2). It was 6PM when we finally made it out of the sound and on to the high seas. It would take us the better part of three weeks to travel to Vietnam, with the weather turning much warmer the nearer we got to the South China Sea.
On this day I stood in line for one and a half hours before making it to the front of the dinner line. This became less of a problem as seasickness took over and men would avoid food altogether or men would get in line and have to leave after they smelled the food and got sick.
Malaria pills are distributed for the first time. Thunderstorm breaks out as hit the high seas.
I learned that the Second Brigade of the 4th ID were also transported to Vietnam on the Nelson M Walker courtesy of Bob Babcock, 4th ID Assoc Historian. They left on July 21st. two months before us. Before them, the First Brigade left in May. I assume that the Walker was used each time.
These are more of the Jim Deluco photos that I alluded to on the day before. They were taken as we pulled away from the pier in Tacoma.
“Taken from the ship the day we left for Vietnam”
Note the band playing…wow…brings a lump to my throat.
“Good bye US”
This is the 1st picture I took as the ship moved away from the dock. So sad…all the people waving bye…mostly women….very sad.
“The day we left” This was on the ship looking down on the dock… AMAZING !!!
This was the best photo that I have ever seen taken on that morning fifty years ago. I agree, AMAZING!
“Again, leaving for Vietnam”
These photos were also taken on that day. The first photo was taken by me and mentioned in my letter, posted below. The second and third photos were provided by John Mascaro, 2/77th Artilleryman who shared them with me years ago. Ironically, in the second picture he inadvertently took a picture of men from the 3rd Platoon of A/2/12. You can clearly see Rick Janson in the front.
Ever wonder what it looked like for the civilians who saw us off on that morning? Now thanks to Brian Neal and John Clifton we can see that. John Clifton of the Recon Platoon, 2/12th, was originally from Seattle and his parents saw him off in Tacoma. They took some pictures on that day and Brian Neal organized them in a pDF album for us all to see. Click on the picture below to load up that album.
DATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1966
First movie shown on deck was an old Perry Mason episode from the 50s television series. We get our first edition of the ship newspaper. Wish I had saved one. This day we learn that we are going to Okinawa, 5500 miles away on this day, before proceeding to Vietnam.
Here are parts of the letter John Mascaro wrote home when he realized he was going on a long trip to Vietnam in a Sardine Can
DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1966
Movie shown this night was a movie that came out two years earlier (fairly typical) named Rhino starring Harry Guardino, movie star form 1950-90, Shirley Eaton, considered a 1960's Sex Goddess, and Robert Culp (and who can forget his series I SPY that where he co-starred with bill Cosby?)
We are beginning to get used to tight quarters that you can see by this John Mascaro photo taken on this day. Pretty tight down there. The second picture shows some graffiti that was drawn on the ship.
DATE: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1966
This night we see another 2 year old movie called 'The Young Lovers'. I mention in my letter that the guys got a big kick out of that one, especially the part in it where Nick Adams gets his draft papers. The movie starred Peter Fonda a couple of years before he turned into a rebel and counter culture icon. I learned this unusual tidbit from Wikipedia:
In 1966, Fonda was arrested in the Sunset Strip riot, which the police ended forcefully. The band Buffalo Springfield protested the department's handling of the incident in their song "For What It's Worth".
Between Peter and Jane, Henry Fonda must have been thinking, "What did I do wrong?"
There were no movie on the next night because of windy weather that prevented the screen to be put up. Nothing unusual happened on that day except for bad weather in and out
DATE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1966
By today, the temperatures are beginning to rise into the 80s. We pass north of the Hawaiian islands late that night. Some guys with powerful transistor radios pick up local radio from Hawaii, playing the same popular music that we heard in the states. I note that we were then 2500 miles from Tacoma with 3500more miles to go on this day.
By now we have a water problem as we are using up too much fresh water. Showers use sea water so we can't save there. (Funny thing about salt water showers is that you can't lather it. The soap just kind of slides across ones body having no effect.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1966
This will be the longest sleep that I experienced in my life. I went to the sack on this night and didn't get up until September 30th. September 29 disappeared, not to return for a year as we pass through the International Date line.
DATE: THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 1966
Never happened for us. In its place we receive this certificate:
DATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1966
On this day we were told that that we will be arriving on Tuesday.
THIS IS WHAT I WROTE HOME DURING THIS PERIOD AND WHERE I WAS ABLE TO DETAIL THAT PART OF OUR VOYAGE
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