I know I sure do! In my book, Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel, I wrote about my first combat engagement – at that time, remembering it as if it were yesterday. Speaking for myself, I was confused, terribly frightened, and only had one thing on my mind – how do I make it through this? Our company stumbled into a large enemy basecamp, and we lost almost an entire platoon within the first minute of the ambush. I had only been in the bush for a couple of weeks at this point and found myself pinned down when the enemy flanked us. The experience opened up a can of emotions for me that I never knew existed – and never forgot. There were other firefights, but the first one always stands out. Whenever I relive that experience, my heartbeat quickens and the hair on my neck stands on end.
What about the rest of you? It doesn’t matter which war you were in…do you still remember? Click on the comment link below and share your experience.
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My husband Earl is a Vietnam Veteran and he passed 9months ago and he told me a lot about Vietnam and understood everything he and his brothers did there to keep our country safe. He always had Vietnam and his brothers on his mind everyday and he would tell me and all I could do was be there for him but he finally gave up and had a big smile ☺ on his face when he died and I knew he was finally home. Thank you for everything and keeping our country safe and God bless and RIP.
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I arrived with the advance party of the 254th Med Det (HelAmb) in Oct 1965 (3 of us) In November I started flying with the 57th and 283rd out of Ton Shun Nhut airbase in Saigon. On November 11th we flew into a firefight that the 173rd was having on I believe hill 65 or 67. That was a wake up call of what I had volunteered for at Ft Carson, CO.
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When I first reported in to my Company HQ’ Drew my gear, weapon ( piece of shit) I walked up a berm and thought too myself, So this is Vietnam. Net thing I knew someone tackled me and told me about a Dink they called two magazine Charli. Eventually he told me I was being shot at by him as I stood there and that was why I was tackled. I sure do thank that Marine.. Talk about feeling like a shit bird. When my Platoon came back from a 30 day stint in the Jungle P.P.B, I was fit into a squad and never looked back. We were nick-named the “Professionals” and it surely fit. We NEVER lost a battle, or a firefight, We all 8 of us were ground pounding, shit talking, weed smoking Devil Dogs. in that squad…Semper Fi Marines and Welcome Home back in the World.1968-1970 2nd Bat. 1st. Mar. Div.
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It reminds me of another vet who told about his first time in a similar situation, only with him it was the ammunition that was checked in and only doled out by a Sargent when he deemed the situation warranted it. When sappers attacked the FSB the Sargent was killed along with the other guards who were w/o ammo. Only he and a buddy assigned to the same corner of the base survived out of the other guards who were killed because they refused to give up their ammunition. It taught him some important lessons in survival.
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Thanks Brad! Lucky the sergeant lasted as long as he did!
On Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 1:41 AM, Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel wrote:
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During TET my company was over run. I was a combat Engr. Our company commander was of the mindset that when we were in the compound we didn’t need a weapon because there were guard posts so he made us put our guns in a locker. Well the (house boys) and you know who I mean KNEW about this and you know they told the VC. So that night during TET the VC killed one of the guards in a tower then ran through the compound throwing schacel charges then setting up on a small hill spraying AK 47 everywhere. Until we got that DAMN LOCKER open we were sitting ducks. When we got our guns we killed 35 or 40 of them BUT not before they killed 12 of us. The next day the Company commander was relieved. Can you imagine how glad we were to see day light?
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You made it! Welcome home brother! On Nov 12, 2015 10:14 AM, “Cherries – A Vietnam War Novel” wrote:
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