Full well knowing that I was headed to Vietnam as an Infantry Soldier from day one…My best experience was in surviving the Vietnam War and safely taking off from Cam Ranh Bay on that Freedom Bird.
Let’s see how many ‘good’ experiences we can collect. Please respond in the comment section of the post so everyone can follow the responses; most of my readers do not have access to the many Facebook Groups where this might appear. Thank you for your time!
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CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website 
My best experience in the military was after my return home from service in the first Infantry Division. I served six months as a 1st lieutenant and XO of the 532nd MP company at Fort Dix. I was an hour away from my girlfriend and an hour and a half from home and had most every weekend off. My company commander and fellow soldiers were great.
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I served in the 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry The Old Guard 1967-1968. My most proudest moments were partisapating in the 400 to 500 (estimated) funerals in Arlington National Cemetary. As Sgt. E-5, I carried the American Flag in Arlington National Cemetary and all over Washington DC for official ceremonies there.
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I’m sorry, I’m Toby Easter. Former Sgt E-5.
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It was June 13th 1970. !5 of us ARPS in C 3 17 air Cav were sent out on a routine rescue of a scout chopper. We landed in a small clearing and began making our way to the crash site. Suddenly my radio crackled and a frantic pilot screemed, “You are surrounded by the 33rd NVA Regemeent!!” I responded with ” Hey man, don’t tell me that, its my birthday.” At that he lost it it si I ran up to Luitenant Moe and told him. He took the radio and soon ordered me to go out into the middle of a grass. I wasn’t sure I heard him right and questioned him upon which time he told me a huey was landing on the edge of the field and I was to guard it. I Low crawled to the middle of the small field I had been looking at through the trees. I had my M 79 grende launcher. I carried 60 grenads and 30 shotgun rounds. Suddenly our cobras, The Crowd Killers, Exterminators, The Gook Makers, Bad Luck 3 and the executioners opened up from above my head. Empty shells rained down on me. The Scout was 75 feet up in a bamboo cluster just at the edge of the field right behind me. The cobras ceased fire and I head a great hum and rumble. Suddenly over me so low I saw the face of the piolt, a sqdron of bombers came over and dropped hundreds of 250 pound bombs. My feet vibrated almost six inches off the ground. As Fast as they arrived and left the cobras opened up dropping shells all over me. Then things really ramped up as four jets (not sure but F24s) came in and established a cartwheel formation. When 3 O’clock swooped in, napom went off as high as I could see. An NVA jumped and ran, I fired a shotgun round and he dropped. I reloaded a greanade and heard a screen behind me. I turned on my chances and saw a man fully engulfed in fire with his arms raised running as fast as he could towards the Huey I was guarding. Without really aiming, I fired. Now you may not believe in God but I watched that greanade make a swooking right hand turn and hit the msnon fire dead center of his chest. Hew flew into the air and the explosion blew the fire out. The was about a three acre field of two foot high dry grass. Three ARPS claimed the bamboo and got the three in the Scout off on a long rope ladder. Then the Huey in front of my lifted off and pulled the Scout out. Finally the !5 of us left. That birthday had enough fireworks in it to suit me the rest of my life.
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It’s was Nov.5 1969 at 6.00am coming back from all night ambush ,which we had to do ever night. When I hear big explosion and the next I’m I’m flying in the air.I was awake all the time,my body went nom.Cant move ,had cop fracture right femur lying there’ for 3 hours,mean while fire fight still going on.The hear in the distance Hue gun ship coming in for support,then they diside the Vc or gooks.they run through where I was laying ,saw him face to face shoot me and he keep on running and i just turn 20 years old one month before. I joined because my two bother were There1968 army And were wounded ,but it’s ok ,Both died agent orange 3 years ago,I say it’s because they are at piece from there pain while they were sick.me myself proud USMC. 0331 guns up.
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Wow, Where do I start. Simply put my best experience being in the military was being in the military. Let me explain: I grew up dirt poor – no electricity, no indoor plumbing, water manually drawn out of a deep well, a family of five living in a one-room tar-paper shack, three kids sleeping on one bed and food was often scarce. The military gave me “three hots and a cot” and a warm blanket to sleep under. It was heavenly. The military allowed me to get an education (thanks to the Army, I graduated Suma Cum Lade with a BS Degree). They taught me about electricity and electronics and Saints be praised, gave me an opportunity to become a helicopter pilot. Okay, so I went to Vietnam – it was a challenging two tours, but I survived. I’m the better man for it. My three year tour in Germany was the highlight of my career.
Along the way, while stationed in Virginia I met and married my wife. In June we will celebrate our 59th year together.
My best part of the military? Just being in the military. I loved every minute of it.
Welcome home everyone.
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I missed Vietnam by a hairsbreath. In December of ’72 I was sent to ROK. Camp Casey 2nd Inf. Div. 2nd Med. Interesting place! During ’74 thru ’77 I was in Hawaii 1/5 Inf Bn 25 Inf Div Schofield Barracks, one morning out on the East Range, a cold morning we were given C-rations to eat cold. I carried a small, single burner propane stove with me. I made a cup of coffee from an empty can of peaches I ate dated 1955. Best cup of coffee on a cold morning ever! We would go to the Big Isle of Hawaii for 30 days every year. Cold at night, hot in the day time. After a couple times doing that I got tired of freezing my ass off at night and in the morning. Using a sewing machine and a pattern, I sewed up a large hooded parka out of 2 wool Army blankets. It fitted well over my web gear. I never was bothered about being out of uniform, but then, I only wore it when I went out into the field with the 81mm mortar crews.
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The most important thing I learned from my combat experiences in Viet Nam was: Knowing that when the shit hit the fan I did my job each and every time. I found out I could over come, think and react responsibly. This became a part of my every day life forever and continues to help m and my family. I am most grateful every day 59 Years later.
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Very interestig.
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So many memories. Infantry training at Fort Ord, being assigned to The Old Guard at Mt McNair in Washington, DC and meeting my wife there. Stationed in Long Binh Oct 68 to May 69 and being on the Reaction Force for the Mini Tet and losing our OIC. Coming home to a 9 day old baby daughter. Service with the Army Reserve with a trip to Germany for REFORGER 83. Volunteering for Deseret Storm and spending the war at Fort Irwin with the GA National Guard. A well traveled, interesting, sometimes long and boring, sometimes terrified career. The good times far outweighed the bad.
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Thank you, sir, for your service and sacrifice!
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Best Experience:
Two.
First was waiting for the Caribou to show on the horizon while sitting on an artillery crate with Glen Riser (deceased) at the Dau Tieng air field. Not a word being spoken. Just the two of us. Did not know the song yet. Ran to the plan before the ramp was down and got in. I don’t think the plane was on the ground for more than 20 seconds. That was my last day in between two rubber plantations…Ben Cui and Michelein…good riddens. On to Saigon and home. Sadly I had dysentary too and would have it for a couple more months home.
Second,
Standing in the Oakland Terminal with new uniform and $800.00 cash in my pocket, avoiding the crap outside the terminal, and within a few more hours the survival experience would be complete, with disturbing news trickling out over the next few years, things that were kept from me. Parents trying to shield me from the home life stuff. Mother went through hell. Thyroid, hip, electro-chock therapy, institutionalized, and start of MS. Brother stayed with friends at a resort. Dad drinking too much.
Every combat Vietnam veteran has so many flashbacks, ghosts, day dreams, and should of thoughts that linger and pop out for the rest of his life.
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And, Thanks for this Blog website
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I believe that my kids’ uncle, Wayne Thomas Stevens is, “The M60 gunner who looks more than tired”.
http://capitolwords.org/date/2007/06/11/E1233-2_in-memory-of-wayne-stevens/
Wayne’s distinguished record of military service to this Nation is one of the finest examples of selflessness and courage. He served in Vietnam with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and was among the first soldiers to arrive in country from Okinawa in 1964. For his heroism in Vietnam, Wayne was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry”.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72472143/wayne-thomas-stevens
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Charlie Company 1st Bn 3rd Marines, 0331 Machine Gunner.
March 68 medevaced out February 69
Survivor of The Battle of Dai Do
April 28 to May 3rd
The worst battle of my tour, I did my job and I did it well. Rest in peace my Brothers who were KIA there and other battles.
Semper Fidelis
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As previously said, the best experience was getting back to “the world”, however, it wasn’t uneventful for me. On the way home to Pennsylvania in January 69′, I changed flights at O’Hare and was approached by two hippie-types in a corridor. They called me the usual names- “baby killer”, “napalm dropper”, etc, and tried to take the medals off my newly issued Class A uniform. We got into a little tussle but, of course, they didn’t succeed. After landing in Philly, I hopped a bus for the two hour ride north up the PA Turnpike to my home town, Bethlehem, PA. It was snowing to beat the band, and about halfway home the bus went into a spin and did a complete 180. Luckily, it was almost midnight, the highway was empty and we didn’t hit a thing. I thought to myself, ” I just spent a year in a combat zone, survived the Tet attacks….. and I’m gonna’ die here on this icy highway!”. When I got to the bus station, my fiance’ was waiting for me in her little white Chevy II. She had argued with her Dad who didn’t want her going out alone on a snowy night to pick me up. Lucky for me she had prevailed because, um…… well, we didn’t exactly go right home.
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December 4th 1970, Left the field for the LAST TIME! also, it was my 21st birthday! Chopper C-47 chinook was on time. Celebrated by eating a lifer sandwich and washing it down with a can of hot Dr. Pepper.
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Austin Sloan, Define “lifer sandwich”, that’s a first for me.
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Very touching. God bless sgt Rock
May he Rest In Peace.
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Best day in Vietnam was June 25, 1969 @9:00 PM. left in jungle BDU’s.
Landed in Oakland June 25, 1969@ 9:30 PM. Sent to mess hall for steak and french fries
while the wonderful ladies prepared our class A’s for travel home.
For the last 49 years my dinner on June 25 has been steak and french fries.
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I don’t know about best, but it struck my funny bone. I was in a Mechanized Unit (although I think they forgot that sometimes) and were on a patrol and spotted a deer needless to say he didn’t live long. So we field dressed him took him back to the rear and conned the Cook to cook some steaks from it. I don’t know who butchered it but the cook couldn’t prepare it in the mess hall so he set up a makeshift grill outside. He did a great job and everyone enjoyed the steaks. Know to the odd/Funny part. We spotted another deer a few weeks later and did the same thing to him. We took him back to base but the cook said he couldn’t cook it for us since he had gotten in trouble for cooking the last one. So we decided instead of it going to waste a couple of the guys took it to a nearby village so they could partake of it. When the guys came back to base, they were shaking their heads, seemed the villagers were a little put out that we left all “THE GOOD” stuff out in the field and only brought them the carcass! Just can’t pleas some people!
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All total I was in the Army for almost 30 years. I had so many positive experiences but for any other similar period in my life compares with my tour in Vietnam. It was my first assignment immediately after flight school. Looking back trying to select my greatest experience and realized there were so many rewarding moments that I could not select just one. I arrived in Vietnam on January 10, 1968. TET 68 started almost immediately after my orientation. We flew long hours in and out of “hot” areas bringing in troops or extracting troops, delivering supplies, evacuating wounded and bodies. There was nothing more rewarding that bringing troops back to safety while under fire or not. Over the course of the next ten months it seemed that I flew missions every day but of course that was not the case. In retrospect, there were many DIFFICULT days but so many more satisfying and rewarding days. I have had a wonderful life with so many great memories but there were so many crammed together in 1968 that no other period can compares to that short period in my life.
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John, Here is one of the most humorous events during my time in Vietnam (69-70). I noted that you haven’t included my 1988 Nam novel, Shades of Gray (Prometheus) in your reviews. Please send me your address so I can send you an autographed copy. I am attaching brief notes about SOG, as well as m Iraq War sequel, Three Wise Men. I also wrote the definitive history of MARS operations (MARS: Call Back to ‘The World’) in 1994 while I was National Public Relations Officer of Army MARS. Steve Maxner at the Vietnam Center at TTU will be publishing an e-version as soon as I update all the info. Paul Scipione 26 Thompson Lane Canandaigua NY 14424 585-905-3113 residence 585-245-2552 scipione@geneseo.edu author website & blog at: nationofnumbers.com
On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 5:07 PM CherriesWriter – Vietnam War website wrote:
> pdoggbiker posted: “Full well knowing that I was headed to Vietnam as an > Infantry Soldier from day one…My best experience was in surviving the > Vietnam War and safely taking off from Cam Ranh Bay on that Freedom Bird. > Let’s see how many ‘good’ experiences we can coll” >
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The Bob Hope USO show, Made me forget the horrors if only for a few hours
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after I left Vietnam I was stationed in Germany with 1/51 inf 4th AD…in the spring of 1969 we got to go to Greece on NATO maneuvers…ouzo, calamari, beaches, beautiful women and the Greeks loved the American GI…
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good
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The quilty part!! Spent a couple of months at FSB Bastogne A Battery 1st Bn 83rd Field Artillery as a gun bunnie, got transferred to Camp Eagle in Service Battery Personnel. Became a REMF, thankful, BUT!!
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No doubt my last day after 22 years, the opportunity to give up command knowing I was part of something bigger than I. I’ve will never have that experience again
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I served for 21 years, 10 years US Army, 11 years US Navy. 3 tours overseas,Vietnam, Panama, Korea. Served on 5 ships in the navy. My best experience was traveling to foreign countries. 16 in all, my favorite was Rome,Italy.
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I was driving for Captain David Schmidt one day during Annual Training 1988 at Fory Riley, Kansas. His regular Driver had KP so my Tank Commander, 1LT Rathburn volentold me that I was the Six’s Driver for the day. As we were driving north in an assault against 1/ 137 Infantry (Mech) while assigned to 2/ 137th (Mech) we heard one of Second Grunts Company Commanders complaining to Second Grunts Six that his Company was out of blanks, Hoffman charges and other pyrotechnics. The Six’s reply was classic and classy, “WELL CAPTAIN THAT’S WHY THEY INVENTED BAYONETS!”
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Only one GI ever died on me aboard the HUEY. But I delivered him – ALIVE – to the hospital. Turns out he’d had a stroke. Got to see him again a few days later, when we flew him to another hospital that had a vascular surgeon.
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Obviously like everyone else, my best experience in Viet Nam was coming home. Best experiences while in country was being assigned to the 630th MP detachment in Dalat (7 months). Got the opportunity to see some of the beauty of the country and its people. I did extend my tour of duty for another 6 months before finally coming home for good. I made a lot of good friends while in Viet Nam and relive some of those experiences at our reunions.
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Lots of good experiences…hot chow in the boonies…R&R… coming home. However, at the top of the list came fifty years later when friends made in Nam reconnected to renew those old friendships….Pretty doggone special only NamVets know.
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DD214
On Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 5:07 PM CherriesWriter – Vietnam War website wrote:
> pdoggbiker posted: “Full well knowing that I was headed to Vietnam as an > Infantry Soldier from day one…My best experience was in surviving the > Vietnam War and safely taking off from Cam Ranh Bay on that Freedom Bird. > Let’s see how many ‘good’ experiences we can coll” >
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Dean Delongchamp
I would have to say the friendships forged in my year of flying out of Phan Rang AB in the 310th TAS in ‘69-‘70 was the enduring reward I got for my year in Vietnam. Those friendships exist to this day.
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I guess it was going home, the worst my brothers I had there and lost. It is still hard for me to hear them hueys in my head. I have to look in the sky to see them.
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April 1 1972 I left Viet Nam with an early out of two months and a ten month early out of Army….seeing I left my company in Long Bihn approx. the 29th of March I didn’t recieve any pay…..landed in Oakland on April 1 with a 4 day wait to ETS. No money in our pockets me and my buddy went hitchhiking to San Francisco….got picked up by an elderly gentleman and his wife who welcomed us home and gave us each a $20.00 bill for spending money. Sure was nice to be treated well and loved.
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StuchYou might like this
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
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#1 Getting out of Vietnam alive.
#2 I borrowed a Air Force pallet of beer with the help of a crazy ass 1st Cav chopper pilot. He asked if I wanted a ride while we were on 3 days stand down in the rear area. He said we had a mission and hovered over the pallet while I hooked it up. We were the Champions when we landed and gave our platoon the beer. Yes it was hot but a bunch of fire extinguishers cooled it down just right.
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One of the best moments was visiting one of my old soldiers while he was in the recovery ward of the hospital on Kandahar AFB. I was then working in the S3 shop and he was on the CSM’s PSD. During a several hour long fight two vehicles were damaged by RPG and small arms. It took almost two hours of clearing before they could get in and extract them, almost all of them were wounded and only 2 were conscious. Those 2 soldiers held off the enemy and kept the other 3 secure until relieved. The first thing he said to me was thank you..everything you beat into my head was what kept me going through it. I don’t think there can be any better feeling out there then knowing that no matter what else i did, or will do…I did that right.
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Having the privilege of leading, as a USMC rifle platoon and rifle company commander, young Marines in combat
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#1. The obvious….leaving Vietnam when my tour was over!
#2. R & R to Hong Kong
#3. Assisting the chaplains at the local orphanage and leper colony in Qui Nhon.
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I think not much good but one thing I can remember that I enjoyed. We were on Lz Ranch and after eating c rats for a long time our rear sent out a cook section. I don,t know where the mess Sargent got them, but he brought Steaks! Was so good. One of the best meals I ever had. Didn,t last as he disappeared. I always thought he stole them as we didn,t get steak ever! He probably got caught but bless him wherever he is.
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My best experience in the military was after my Loach got hit in the belly by NVA .51 cal. rounds, and caught fire. Flying as part of an A Troop, 1/9th Cav hunter/killer team, we were close to an NVA base camp northwest of Nubia Ba Dinah and got shot down. The Cobra covering my ship guided me to a nearby clearing to land and shut down, then my doorgunner, observer, and I set up a defensive position in a bomb crater.
The Cobra radioed our troop TOC, who scrambled our Blue platoon on the troop’s lift ships. About 20 minutes after I put that Loach on the ground, the Headhunters were on short final to our position. We scrambled on the first Huey out of that jungle clearing, and were soon back in Tay Ninh.
I walked into the TOC, wanting to finish a debriefing and go “lick my wounds” though only my pride was wounded. Our OPS officer, Cpt. Anderson, told me to get another aircraft and crew, and go find the NVA that shot us down. Get back in the saddle, cowboy.
Though I had trouble getting a crew, once I did we headed back to the AO, found the base camp that .51 cal. position was guarding, and pulled off a very successful mission. And our OPS officer helped a young WO-1 grow up that day.
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My greatest experience was 25yrs after vietnam. I was a Navy Corpsman with the Marines. We were protecting the airfield they were building in Quang Tri. Several folks in the mortar tent were working on rounds. One went off. We had several seriously wounded. One in particular had both hands blown off and a sucking chest wound. It was dark there. I was able to treat him and medevac him alive. 25 yrs later I was at Tampa VA and saw a guy wearing a 2/1 Marine hat, he had 2 hooks for hands. I walked up to him and asked when he got wounded. It was him, alive and living well. He had guilt because he blamed himself for the explosion. My answer was it was America’s fault for sending us but at least he survived. I have met several that i treated in many combat tours but he was the worst that I have seen since vietnam. Meeting those I treated and survived does help me with reliving this war everyday. Still smelling dried blood on my cloths.
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