1968-1969 USMC Vet's Viet Nam photos 

Thanks for your kind comments.

Did you mean "Bravo 1/11?" I was with Charlie 1/11 1MarDiv. If so, were you with the battery on Mothers Day night 1969? Big attack on all three batteries. We had sappers in the wire. OV-10's shooting rockets, F4's doing passes on our front with napalm, 81's shooting over our heads into our wire, front 3 guns firing with plachette rounds, a pair of M-60's must have fired over 10,000 rounds. Quiet came with the dawn and we were still there, but what a night.

@@ROKuberski I was in Nam 67-68. I was with 4/12 at Phu Bai we moved north to Dong Ha Jan 68 I was transfered to B 1/13 in July before they went afloat with BLT 2/26. I remember getting a lot of incoming during Tet 68. I was a wireman in comm section.

Joe, Since he was 3rd Div, I never saw him, but maybe someone else will see this. Have you seen the TWS website? Called Together We Served. You can register yourself by unit and maybe see someone else that you know. It's organized by unit and you can search their database.

Long ago and far away. I now have shirts that are made in Vietnam.

Yes, the sand was everywhere, and if you dug a hole, there was water at 2' in some places.

Jimmy, Thanks for your kind comments.

I was with Charlie Co, 1/3, at LZ Stud, 68=69

At the Rock Pile in 68 in tanks!Attached to 3/9.Took small convoy to CaLu,at 90 degree

Turn on Highway nine do you watch a burned out Tanker truck and another vehicle from a previous ambush! I proceeded recon by fire! God lectured on the difficulty of resupply of tank ammo! I had been in the country since March 1966, even though been in helicopters. When we came into a zone, three lines and paddy dikes were worked over by our 50’s!

Thanks for the kind comments.

Thanks for your kind comments - and your service.

Thank you , Semper Fie !@@ROKuberski

Thanks for your kind words.

Thanks for the comments.

January 23, 1968 we were off shore on LSD 33, USS Alamo. Floated out of the well deck on Mike boats and made a night landing on the south shore a short distance from the mouth of the river. With the dawn we got set up. Kind of a cluster. No information filtered down to my level. In very little time we were active. Long ago and very far away. Glad so many of us made it home.

I was at both Hill 55 & Hill 37. In the Da Nang area, were at the Northern Artillery Cantonment which was west of the main city. I still have a topo map of the area. I don't know where the ESSO plant was located. Like lots of us, I only know anything about the areas where I was and things were always changing.Semper Fi.

I was on the two gun section of 81s next to the 155s up on the hill at Hill 37. July 4th we were down at the end of the runway by the river then moved up top with you guys. The ESSO plant was back in Da Nang. Up on the Hill north of the city next to elephant valley. They took all of my maps away from me in Okinawa on the way home. I had all of the gun registrations for the whole time I was there. @@ROKuberski

It seems that there was a battery of Army 175's down the ridge from us, but I don't remember where the 155's were at Hill 37. I doubt that we ever talked on the radio. The nets I covered were; the FO's for 3/1, SAP requests, higher headquarters, and I think there might have been a 4th, but can't remember what it was. Our battery call sign was "Raging River", the FO's were "Gold Lemon 1, 2, 3 & 4." The map I have showed where the NAC was, but just a note on the side so I would not forget.

Robert, I'm not paying attention. I was not on hill 37, it was Hill 34.

Robert Hough Are you speaking of BLT 1/3 ? was that sunday morn in july 68 at about coordinate YD 244744 sir ?

Thanks for your kind comment.

Thanks for the kind comments.

Thanks.

I was in Gulf Battery, 1967-68

Many thanks!

Thanks for your comment. My wife's Grandfather enlisted in the Seabees (Construction Battalion) in WWII. We have a photo from a local newspaper where over 40 men from the local electrical union all enlisted at the same time.

Thanks for the comments. I also have all of the original orders that were ever issued to me. There are names of others from boot camp, radio school, and other training and duty stations. That's a good memory jogger.

Hey bud my father was I believe in third battalion 11th marines. At least that’s what his return address in old letters I see that he wrote home He was there December 68 to December 69 he was a private first class but when he left he was Lance Corporal Walter Davila I believe they also called him Denny Davila he was 18 yo I don’t have much more info because he passed away in 03 and I didn’t get to talk to much about it never like to talk about it tell me if you have any info please thank you God bless

First off, my name is not bud. I don't have any information about your Dad. It's rare for one battery to have much contact with another battery. We worked closely with an infantry battalion (3/1), but even that contact was mostly via radio. Unless you were on a FO team, you never saw the people you supported.

Richard Kuberski alright thanks, it looks like he was hotel battery 3/11 marines. Thank you again Mr. Kuberski

Yes, I know. But, I can't fix the screw up. Thanks for mentioning it.

Thumbs down, I don't look at that very much. There are always some who like a video and a few that don't. As of this date, 12 don't like it. I wish they could have been with me while I was there, just to see how well they liked that. From the day I left the US to the day I returned for good was 610 days. Some of those days would have earned a thumbs down from me too. Knowing that there are people nearby that would prefer you to be dead sharpens your senses. The cock fight was for the tourist, so no chickens had to die fighting.

My last operation was July/August 69. I think I left country about the end of the first week of August, spent about a week in Okinawa, then flew to MCAS El Toro where I spent another week, then OUT forever.

3rd Force Recon. PBR's did night inserts for us on the Cua Viet. Spent the days in an AmTrac compound upriver. They had only one operational AmTrac, and used it for chow runs back to their main base.

@@ROKuberski Thx for the pictures. Big difference in terrain from Cua Viet to the Laotian border only 26 miles inland.

My wife had a coworker, nickname "Hawk" who was in Khe Sanh too. I was never there.

Did you know Bob Czizek from Chicago.

No, the name does not ring a bell. I was the radio chief, not on the guns.

Great pics!

did u know terry martin

You guessed it. I did a 6-month extension. I found out that if I returned to the U.S. with less than 150 days left in my enlistment they would turn me loose. If I went home on my rotation date, I would have had about 11 months to serve. ME, I WANTED OUT! I was feeling cocky, they hadn't killed me in the first 13 months, so I felt my chances were pretty good for another 6-months. I was in a good unit and when I extended I was sure to be promoted to Sgt. in a few months. By the time I left we were over strength in our unit. The last month or so, I had so many men in the communications section that about all I had to do was figure out who was to stand the watches. However, like so many of us, I was good as what I was doing and I liked to be in the FDC during big (or multiple) fire missions. As we all know, everyone had a different experience. I was not an 0311 (grunt) but rather a 2533 (radio telegraph operator - but never worked as a telegraph operator.) Radio communications was, or at least felt to me to be, less dangerous than what some others were experiencing. I was still in the shit, but only up to my knees, not up to my eyebrows. I left the U.S. on a Continental Airlines charter from Travis A.F.B on the 6th of December, 1967 and returned to MCAS El Toro on August 15, 1969, about 618 days, less two R&R's and a 30 day leave home before I started the extension. When I get to be in charge of the world, every young person in the country will do some kind of national service. Military, Peace Corps, etc, male and female. In my generation there are a HUGE numbers of vets, now, not so many.

Me too!

@@ROKuberski I'll never know

If you were ever at the battery when I was there, I don't remember meeting you. How did you come across this video? I was hoping that people that I served with might find this, but so far, no one has.

I think it eventually went to Argentina and then to scrap.

No, that name does not ring a bell, but, you know that was 50 years ago. Fog in the brain may be the answer.

cpope625 did u ever kno Sgt buckley died Dec 29 69 friendly fire

No, I did not know Sgt. Buckley. I returned home in August of '69. What unit was he in?

I did a tour and an extension.

Thanks, I appreciate the comments.

Thanks for the comment. Hard to believe this was half a century ago.

@@ROKuberski I have lived in Cambodia for the last 3 1/2 years. Went to Vietnam for a visit after fifty years. Beautiful country with great wealth full of hard working people - happy for their success but it wasn't even close to the same..... women rarely wear bou dais... Stayed 3 days and came back to Cambodia. Love kick back Cambodia.

Cool, same time I was in country. I think most of our air support up north came from the carriers, but not positive.

I'm not sure what you are trying to tell me here. "On Time ON Target. No barges for us. Tomahawks and Bobcats."

I was making a statement about a article about a floating battery of 105 split trails loaded on barges. Replied to your article by mistake.

Thanks for the clairification.

I used to think being in a tank was a cushy, safe and dry place. I now know it takes balls to get into one of those iron monsters. However, it's nice to see one operating near your position. You might consider using your shift key and punctuation.

I was not aware of Any M60’s in country!!! Army or marine Corps! What unit received them?

Ed, it took all of us. Way back there was too much inter-service rivalry. My impression is that it is more good natured now, and things in general are much improved from the late 60's. We should all hope so.

@@ROKuberski HAHAHa my first day in the army we fought the marine recruits on the train to Paris Island in the middle of the night headed for fort bragg .We were stupid

A few years ago, I modified my garage and installed a car lift. I got 3 friends to go with me to get the lift and set it up in my garage. While we were bolting it up, it dawned on us that we represented; Army, Air Force, Navy & Marines. All Vietnam era vets. There is always some BS when we are together, but good natured.

@@ROKuberski today I am at the funeral of a relative who was a marine. He was wounded in Nam before I went. He lived a good life. He will be missed

Our generation is now the one getting thinned out. Take care of yourself. When I exercise, I go like I am in boot camp.

Sorry, I do not remember where he was from. We shared that fine accommodation for about 4 months. Naturally, it was improved over time. In the pictures, that was about as good as it got. I was always afraid that if we got a close hit the roof would fall in and kill us. A direct hit was no problem. The 152mm they were shooting would have left nothing but memories of us. My Dad had sent me some small flashlight type bulbs in a holder with wires and alligator clips so I could connect them to my "dead" radio batteries. There was still enough power left in them to run the small lights for many hours. We were the only one's with electric lights.

Patsy, since I put the music in, you must assume that I like it. You can always turn down the volume.

The music sucks,were you an 0311 Rich.?

The hardest thing I do is select music when I make a video. Use your volume control if you don't like it.No, I was not an 0311, I was a 2533. That's a Radio Telegraph Operator. In its wisdom, the Corps sent me to an 18 week radio telegraph school that was held at MCRD San Diego. They were double shifting the school when I was there from 3/67-8/67. We lived in the spanish style baracks across the grinder from the recruits. Most RTO's went to a 4-week course. I never used morse code in the service.

Richard Kuberski ,I thank you for the pic’s and your service. a grunt from B 1/3 3Mar Div.

Gerald Onasch Thank you for your service. My father was USMC Gsgt. Robt. Ausmus. Radio Bn. Chief for the 1/3. KIA quang tri province. 7/5/68.

Well, it's not the first time that happened.

Well, while not a giant, I am 6'1", so short round would not have worked. My moniker was "Cpl. K" (that rhymed - as some of the guys said.) I made Sgt. until about 3 months before rotation. You will have to translate (5-A-37) for me.

@@ROKuberski Thank You Richard for getting back, I like the handle yo had back in country by the way. My 5-A-37 was my amtrac ID#. Stay healthy and young. Semper-Fi Devil Dog ....

My radio call sign was even better "Raging River." I was a 2533 - Radio Telegraph Operator, but we never used Morse code. Yes to staying healthy. I've seen a lot of other people my age, and they seem to be much older than I am. A hand full of decades have slipped by since I got home. Tempus Fugit!

Okay, I'll trust you. I was a 2533. However, if you look at a M48 & a M60 they look a lot alike to me.

Good for you. When I am in charge of the world I will put in a new law. EVERYONE, male and female, will have to give at least 2 years of service to the nation. In a Military or civilian capacity. Think; Peace Corps, Marine Corps, Clean up shit in the parks Corps, etc.

Thanks!

That wasn't an ammo bunker, it was an entire ammo dump. That was a major cluster ****. As I've read later, they were burning the weeds so that a grass fire could not catch the dump on fire. Oops!

@@ROKuberski God Bless you Sir and thank you for serving and fighting for our freedoms!!! Stay blessed and stay dangerous... #SemperFi 🇺🇸 Edit: I have many pictures of my Dad's that I have kept that I'd love to send to you!!! 🤠👍

on the RIGHT I mean

Scott, the name is not familiar to me. I assume you mean the picture taken in the FDC. If he was a gunner, he would not be in the picture. Only FDC and Radio personal in the picture in the bunker.

Scott, I went back and looked at that picture again. I am pretty sure that guy is Helge, don't remember his first name.

@@ROKuberski ha ha i asked my dad and he said he never wore underwear anyway.He cant see thr video cause he is blind now.

It was hard to keep clean. In this location, I think we had a shower setup. Really just an elevated tank that held water with a valve under it so you could get wet, soap up and rinse off. Washing clothes was a DIY project that did not always get done. I did not always wear a shirt, but usually had a flak jacket near by. Ask your Dad what his MOS was and confirm that he was with Charlie Battery 1st Btn. 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division. I was there from 1/2/68 - 8/9/69. From about the fall of 68 until I left, I was either comm chief or radio chief. I did not know everyone on the guns, but a lot of the guys knew who I was.

I'm shaking my head too. I don't know what you are trying to say.

If you read some of the previous comments, you will note that was figured out a while back. I was NOT a tanker.

@@ROKuberski Sorry about that. It was interesting for me to see the images of the NAC. I was there from April of 67 to the end of Feb. after TET of 68 when I went back to the World. I was a 2531 often taking fire missions in that FDC. Filled many sandbags around that FDC. At other times I was up on Hill 282 at 28Alpha doing radio-relay and overlooking the entire DaNang area. Been to Liberty Bridge. Hill 55 and started out at the Chu Lai firebase in Feb. 67. I was in the 3rd 8" Howitzer Battery, 11th Marines. Semper Fi.

Very cool. One of the reasons that I made this video of my tour was that I had hoped that people that I knew back then would see it and contact me. I did get in contact with the guy that we called in the "save a plane" clearances and it turned out that he knew the guy that I mentioned in the video that was hurt in the jeep accident. While at the NAC one other guy and I were stuck on watch 12 on and 12 off for about a month. A bunch of guys extended their tours and went home at the same time leaving us very short handed. I was a 2533 (radio telegraph operator) went to school at MCRD San Diego for 18 weeks, learned morse code, but then never used it. 8" bullets were WAY bigger than our 105MM (~4.1") pop guns. When I see what is being done with the big guns now, it's absolutely amazing. Semper Fi.

As I noted previously, I am not a tanker and my identification was based on information I found on the internet. Thanks.