Hey everybody, welcome to my first podcast!
Today’s topic is an attempt to explain what it was like for Army Infantry Soldiers to hump the boonies during the Vietnam War. I’ve used 90 photos for this show ‘n tell presentation which I’m confident will help listeners better understand what many of us grunts experienced during our tours.
After watching my presentation, you’ll have answers to the following questions:
- What was it like for these young men to hump through the countryside while carrying a rucksack and other supplies weighing almost as much as they did?
- What did they have to carry in the bush?
- Was it more difficult to hump in one area of the country versus another?
- Did it get easier over time?
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response.
If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website – the button is located at the top right of this page.
I‘ve also created a poll to help identify my website audience – before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item that best describes you. Thank you in advance!
CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website 
Love your presitation of a grunts life in Vietnam for I was an11b spent all my time in the delta 4 ,corps was with the 11th a while then moved south to can tie and vihn long and dong Tam never had to jump the bush as much as most grunts did most of my job was security was under usarve ,but loved your presantation look forward for some others
LikeLiked by 1 person
5 stars John, great podcast and it helps explain your book locations as well. Thank you for your service.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good show buddy two tours with the 572 engr co, we worked with the 173, special forces, Koreans and other units needing some engineer equip or help. Alex
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very accurate description of a grunt
Combat medic 1st inf div
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Randall,
My name is Tom Mack. I was a Grunt in Vietnam from Sep 68 to end of Dec 68 when I was wounded. I served with the 1st Infantry Division co C 2nd Battalion 28th Infantry Regiment. I was a rifleman then carried the M60. My email is: tommm21944@gmail.com.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much … it’s was the best presentation of what our lives were like in the bush … I especially enjoyed all the details you covered .. it brought back so many memories of my time with C 3/7 199th Light Infantry Brigade 1968 – 1969 … thank you brother
LikeLiked by 1 person
Outstanding and horrifying, I was in RVN Dec 67-Nov 68. 5/22 Artillery 175-8″. We were dedicated to doing our absolute best to provide artillery fires for the Infantry. To this day I cannot comprehend the misery, fear, and hardships endured by the Infantry. We participated in numerous missions. I guess I am at a loss for words. Those who did not participate in the war have no concept of what was endured. Thank you for producing this. I will forward it to others. Please keep up the fire work you are doing. As I write this I just realized 52 years ago on 13 Sept 1968 we were flown into Duc Lap Camp to coordinate artillery fires. Where has the time gone?
Regards,
Steve Sipos
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice article 69-71 25th 2/32 wolfhounds groundpounder fire up port base atom
LikeLike
I was there in Sept 68 in Duc Lap with Recon 4th. Inf. Div. 2nd 35th. You probably fired support for us at the area known as Coffin Corner or the Volcano.
Welcome home.
LikeLike
Great presentation! I was in country 1969-1970 I was with mech unit M-113 . I felt bad for leg unit had to carry their supply etc. on there back and body ! But I have talked to leg unit it want to be Mech but preferred to hump. Thanks!👏🏻👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks John for the comprehensive look back at the essentials that we carried and the ground that we pounded. I worked in both III Corps with the 1/27th Wolfhounds and I Corps with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in ’70-’71.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good description of a grunt John and what we went through humping everyday..I was with A/4/503 173rd Airborne Brigade in ’67-’68. Mostly in the central highlands of Dak To and also Tuy Hoa in II corp. This brought back a lot of memories from our younger days in Vietnam..Thank you for the accurate description of a grunt, Brother.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ray,
I had a roomate from the Herd around that time Scott Gillain, also had a brother Alvin too. I was 82nd 1970.
LikeLike
It brings back bad and good memories but most bad memories. Specially when you see your friends dying in your arms and can’t do nothing about it. And those memories because your nightmares for the rest of your life.
Proud tunnelrat
LikeLiked by 1 person
You did good. Took me back there and made me remember some of the small every.day things we went thru
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like always, great article. Was USN so I didn’t have to hump the Bush. Was brown water Navy. Have many friends who humped the bush.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like always, great article. Was USN so I didn’t have to hump the Bush. Was brown water Navy. Have many friends who humped the bush.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were lucky to train as a battalion for 6 months before going to nam. I ended up in the delta 68/69 and it is hard to how much i hate getting wet anymore or muddy. The other thing that we were not prepared for was street fithing in Cholon during the mini tet but most of us in our company survived that also. As an rto only another one can describe what it was to hump thru the delta with your radio.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good report. FYI when doing a video it’s best to have quiet in the background . Keep the faith” 67-68 1Inf 337 RRC
On Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 7:36 PM CherriesWriter – Vietnam War website wrote:
> > > > > > > pdoggbiker posted: “Hey everybody, welcome to my first podcast! > > Today’s topic is an attempt to explain what it was like for Army Infantry > Soldiers to hump the boonies during the Vietnam War. I’ve used 90 photos > for this show ‘n tell presentation which I’m confident will hel” > > > >
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very realistic and so accurate. Fantastic job, I was an 11B with the 9th. Div. (Mekong Delta) back in 69-70. Spent first 6 months in Rice Paddies and villages, always wet and never knew what we would encounter. Rest of my tour was with 9th MP Co. at FSB in Tan An when the division pulled out of Nam. No doubt that had I remained as a Grunt, I would not be here today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great presentation John We humped the same AO so it was very relevant to my experience
LikeLiked by 1 person
consider doing one showing the huey support/cas/guns etc working for the grunts
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done, Brother. Brought back bitter-sweet memories of humpin’ the boonies back in 1967-68 as a Combat Medic with B Company, 1/6 Inf, 198th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. Our AO was I Corps, protecting the base at Chu Lai and participating in Task Force Miracle during the Tet Offensive, for which we received a Valorous Unit Award and earned the nickname “The Da Nang Gang.” Welcome Home, Brothers and Godspeed to all our fallen brothers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! John, you really did a fantastic job. I’ve always counted my blessings that I didn’t have to do what you did. As many ‘Dustoffs’ I did and recovered many of your peers, I never got used to the terrain or the weather. Flying during monsoons was difficult, but being a grunt had to be a nightmare. Thanks again for sharing your stories and providing a website for us Vets. Welcome, Home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a good general and informative presentation. Your insights were right on for what you presented. You mentioned Navy Corpsman and Army Medics. I was a Navy Corpsman with the 3rd Marines in I Corps from ’68-’69. Maybe in your next presentation, you could talk about your experiences with the firefights that you were involved with. I know that it may be difficult to do so but it would add more authenticity to your presentation.
Thank you for taking the time and effort. I hope that you receive bucco amount of feedback.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great presentation . As a scout dog handler assigned to the 1st Air Cav in III Corp my memory was refreshed of all the things we carried. Although I didn’t carry a lot of the things that the grunts did, I did have to carry substantial amounts of water and food for my scout dog. Memories of humping point thru thick jungle with my 80 lb shepherd pulling me forward .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very informative,my time there was as a SeaBee,MCB10-68,69,70: I&3 Corp
LikeLiked by 1 person
You nailed it. I was an infantry platoon leader in II corps, Spent almost all my time in the mountains including 2 months in ” Happy Valley”…it wasn’t. One thing you left out was the length of time an infantry company would spend in the boonies. In my Battalion, each company would spend 3 weeks in the jungle then a week on fire base perimeter where the company would get some rest and class A rations ( real food) . We did have a company get sent to Quinhon for palace guard duty and my Company spent 35 straight days in the mountains in the jungle. I tell the story that once a week I’d find a stream, put out security and we would bathe whether we needed it or not!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spent a year in the 25th Div. in the field as an Infantrymen and very proud of it. Ho Bo Woods, Boi Woods was our home. The truth is only 1 out of 12 people who went to Nam actually saw any fighting. i get real upset when I hear people saying they were there and had it bad when they were actually back in some supply area, where they had it made with clubs so they could drink at night and have music We got to go back once every 45 days for stand down where we got some beer and a real good hot meal and see one of these groups come and play some music before they would go and play for one of base camp clubs.
.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brother Jim all Supply GI’s did not have it all that great back in the Rear. I and my other Brothers we were Attached to HHT/1st11thacrBlacjunglekhorse and our Fire Base was surounded by thick Jungle and Rubber Trees.We had to pull Ambush Patrols and Bunker Line Guard. Had Morator and Rocket’s more than we wanted. Nva and VC all over the place they had a Tunnel complex all thru our Fire Base we also had to have our Weapons with us at all times.I was there from 6/67 -6/68 antOffencive was no Picnic. The VC had a Base Camp on a Big Hill above the Rubber Till the F/4’s Blew itfire up. The 11th Cav was bad to the Bone had alot of Fire Power M113 Acavs Tanks, Self Proplled 155 ,s in How Battery, four Duce Morators. anyway Godbless you and yours and besafe.Ron&FayeRaper
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like what you posted. Would not wish upon anyone what happened to me and my squad in Pleiku
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was great! Thank you for putting this together. God Bless the Infantry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Way too familiar. Several photos evoked memories of unhappy day sto which 3/`187 experienced in the jungle, mountains and rice patties. What was the cause of Troupers running away from a hurting Soldier? Those damn ants! When highly motivated, a Trooper can shed his weapon, pot, ruck, pants and boots in 20 second or less. .
The resupply/mail call was one of the occurrences that every grunt relished. I still smile when I think of how the quickly the could Huey crew could unload the supplies in a great beautiful heap. Particularly when someone got a dump of birthday gift at one time . One guy can only eat so much candy, cheese, cookies (crumbles actually), jerky and chocolate blobs. Right? Someone in the S-4 shop must have been a missionary, because the joy was spread around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
YOUR PODCAST WAS ON POINT THANK YOU BROTHER FOR SERVICE WELCOME HOME
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great article. I was a medic attached to C/1/22 in II Corp. from Dak Pek to Ban Me Thuot. Mountains steep. Jungle thick. Lived like animals but after a while it was normal so soldiers just went on as if it was SOP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good presentation. I served as a grunt with C 1/6 198BDE Americal 69-70. You didn’t mention about the flak jacket many of us had to wear, adding to the heat index, but did help to keep warm during monsoon plus helped from ruck straps cutting into the shoulders.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Podcast, very informative, would have liked to seen some eagle flight insertions. Brought back a lot of memories 11B A co 1/16th (mech) 1st Inf Div Sniper/LRRP recon and Ambush straight leg, Lia Khe, An Loc, Quan Loi, Delta area, Saigon River Nov 1969
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great job. I was an Engineer with half a squad attached to a inf. Comp. We had full size tools. Shovel ax and pick. The best thing was that we were at the end of the center column and had a path worn down by the time we came through. Every evening we dug our hole and filled our sandbags while one guy would cut timber. We only had to use the hole for morter attacks. The next morning we would empty the sandbags and fill in the hole. I never knew that LZs and Firebases had names until about a year ago. I was there from Mar. to Oct. 68. I have never shot a weapon or been camping since then. I went without eating a can of Fruit Cocktail for 52 years. When I finally got a can a few months ago I noticed that everyone was watching me. I didn’t realize I was eating it straight out of the can. Old habits came back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice Video —-thank you. You may like the Definition of Infantry in Vietnam that is found in Chapter 10 of the award winning and popular (over 185 five-star reviews thus far) BLADES OF THUNDER (Book One).
Best wishes,
Larry Dandridge, ex-Enlisted Infantry, ex-Warrant Officer Snake and Gunship Pilot, and retired Army Aviation LTC
Definition of US Army Air Assault Infantry in Vietnam!
By: LTC W. Larry Dandridge and from Chapter 10 of BLADES OF THUNDER (Book One)
Enlisting, training, and learning. Deploying, landing, and assigning. Training, reconing, and patrolling. Sweating, hoping, wishing, and praying; planning, coordinating, following, and leading. Running and waiting. Flying, fearing, missing, taking, and retaking. Anticipating; shaking, locking, and loading. Jumping, assaulting, shooting, taking, and retaking.
Crawling, sweating, stinging, listening, scratching, sneaking, taking and retaking. Searching, attacking, bayoneting, taking, and retaking. Resting, recuperating, firing, throwing, suffocating, slogging, mortaring, cursing, and swimming. Fainting, fumbling, cutting, and sliding. Climbing, observing, carrying, shelling, and loving. Crying, infiltrating, slogging, ambushing, searching, and destroying. Yearning, coughing, craving, taking, and retaking.
Complaining, begging, blasting, smoking, resupplying, and fighting; falling, swearing, drinking, directing, and blasting. Digging, building, grieving, praying, yelling, taking, and retaking. Inserting, bleeding, reckoning, blessing, toking, and extracting. Thanking, humping, wailing, winning, losing, taking, and retaking. Vomiting, securing, slapping, pulling, observing, releasing, tapping, and shooting. Dragging, lacking, lobbing, loathing, hating, thirsting, and Vietnamizing. Foaming, frothing, fortifying, fumbling, taking and retaking.
Assaulting, evacuating, extracting, excruciating, advancing, and retreating. Wading, wobbling, running, wanting, washing, and never drying. Voiding, vomiting, mourning, exhilarating, and suppressing. Surprising, confusing, drenching, taking, and retaking.
Digging, dogging, remembering, and forgetting. Breathing, blowing, surviving, taking, and retaking. Chilling, falling, peeing, day dreaming, binging, breaking, taking, and retaking. Worrying, wounding, hurting, and dying. Bloating, stinking, bagging, and draping. Wailing, sobbing, saluting, honoring, folding, and presenting; and burying, suffering, mourning, and grieving!
All rights reserved copyright © 2015 by W. Larry Dandridge
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice U-Tube video on Infantry. You may like this definition of Infantry in Vietnam.
Definition of US Army Air Assault Infantry in Vietnam!
By: LTC W. Larry Dandridge and from Chapter 10 of the award winning and popular (over 185 five-star reviews) BLADES OF THUNDER (Book One).
Enlisting, training, and learning. Deploying, landing, and assigning. Training, reconing, and patrolling. Sweating, hoping, wishing, and praying; planning, coordinating, following, and leading. Running and waiting. Flying, fearing, missing, taking, and retaking. Anticipating; shaking, locking, and loading. Jumping, assaulting, shooting, taking, and retaking.
Crawling, sweating, stinging, listening, scratching, sneaking, taking and retaking. Searching, attacking, bayoneting, taking, and retaking. Resting, recuperating, firing, throwing, suffocating, slogging, mortaring, cursing, and swimming. Fainting, fumbling, cutting, and sliding. Climbing, observing, carrying, shelling, and loving. Crying, infiltrating, slogging, ambushing, searching, and destroying. Yearning, coughing, craving, taking, and retaking.
Complaining, begging, blasting, smoking, resupplying, and fighting; falling, swearing, drinking, directing, and blasting. Digging, building, grieving, praying, yelling, taking, and retaking. Inserting, bleeding, reckoning, blessing, toking, and extracting. Thanking, humping, wailing, winning, losing, taking, and retaking.
Vomiting, securing, slapping, pulling, observing, releasing, tapping, and shooting. Dragging, lacking, lobbing, loathing, hating, thirsting, and Vietnamizing. Foaming, frothing, fortifying, fumbling, taking and retaking.
Assaulting, evacuating, extracting, excruciating, advancing, and retreating. Wading, wobbling, running, wanting, washing, and never drying. Voiding, vomiting, mourning, exhilarating, and suppressing. Surprising, confusing, drenching, taking, and retaking.
Digging, dogging, remembering, and forgetting. Breathing, blowing, surviving, taking, and retaking. Chilling, falling, peeing, day dreaming, binging, breaking, taking, and retaking. Worrying, wounding, hurting, and dying. Bloating, stinking, bagging, and draping. Wailing, sobbing, saluting, honoring, folding, and presenting; and burying, suffering, mourning, and grieving!
All rights reserved copyright © 2015 by W. Larry Dandridge, LDandridge@earthlink.net
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good therapy
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow! you took me back to the time I was with the grunts as recon sgt., then F.O. and carrying my radio, did it for five months, then heavy arty, blew away a n.v.a hospital and got a visit in return from sappers, saw enough blood to last me a lifetime, great presentation
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent summary of the Vietnam War. Up in the Anh Lock, Dau Tiang area the region closest near the border and around the Fish Hook the temperatures would reach 115 degrees or more at near 100% humidity. If the temperature dropped even 15 degrees it felt freezing. During the Monsoon nothing would be dry or even able to dry . In the Trapezoid Jungle trying to sleep during the Monsoon the Sargent next to me was bitten by a Banded Krait and died before they could get him to hospital.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your presentation of a grunt. Brought back many memories of that year I was therein 67/68 during Tet. Was no picnic Was with 2/60 9th Inf. Div. the terrain was mostly wet and rainy / very humid. We were covered in jungle rot from the waist down. Actually arrived home to Boston like that. Mosquitoes were brutal and when walking through the jungle these vicious ants would jump out of the trees and crawl down your neck biting like hell. Leaches were always waiting for you in the canals, ugly little suckers . First few months we had sporadic encounters with Charlie then just before Tet all hell broke loose We fought in Saigon and a few major cities, that was weird. Lot of us made it through ok. Sadly not all. Just so glad to be above ground. Thank the good Lord. Again thank you for your very informative presentation . Dan
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very thorough, accurate, and clear explanation of a Grunts life. D-1-8, 4th ID, Central Highlands ’68-’69.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha John this is Dennis Crawford I was in Dco 1st of 8th m60 gunner . We have a reunion every may. Please get back to me. I am going to north Carolina in September to see Frank chito. For the first time. Email in den67gtx@aol.com
LikeLike
Ha john reunion for Dco 1st of 8th in Tennessee at talley ho inn. May 15 to 18. Good times wife’s have great time
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great descriptions of what it was like to hump in the boonies. Thank you for sharing it and thanks to all who served, before, during & after. Welcome home!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for putting this presentation together. It was “spot on” with the reality of our 11Bravo ground pounder’s “day at the office”. I served with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam 1968-69. Our basecamp was at Rach Kien in the Long An Province in the Mekong Delta. You have given a voice for so many of our fellow ‘Nam Veterans who still can not talk about their personal wartime experience. Thanks again for your presentation. This fellow grunt is proud of you and your work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nailed it!!! That was spot on. The only thing I missed out on was the rice patties. I was a Grunt with The 1st Air Cavalry. Delta Co./2nd/7th (“Dying Delta”). Our A.O was around L.Z. Jamie, close to the Cambodian border. It was referred to as the “Parrot’s Beak”, or the “Fishhook”, when referred to on the map. Watching this let me know that you were, in fact, a Grunt who served your country in one of the worst positions available to us Draftees in the 60’s. I was there from June 1969 to June, 1970. I made it home alive…God is so good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the knowledge
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey John, you did a very nice job of describing what us Grunts did on a daily basis. You “hit” all of the most important facts about our lives on the ground in that short half hour. Well Done, Brother, Well Done!
LikeLike
👍🏻
LikeLike
Great information. It really jogged my memory after over 50 years removed from what it was like being a grunt and humping the boonies in war Zone C, D in 1967. My rucksack and articles attached to it weighed around ninety pounds, but I was an athletic muscular 190 pounds. I realize now that this really gave me a big advantage over the average guy who usually had at least 20 pounds less muscle. Your article has also made me realize that we 1/18th Infantry guys would leave our heavy rucksacks behind in the NDP, while we ran security patrols, which I had totally forgotten, until I watched your video. So, big deal one might say. However, it is a big deal, because I have had the good fortunate, to be in the right place at the right time, in my one-year tour in Vietnam, to become privy to an awesome story. It’s a story that has all the ingredients to become a block buster media event, which could redefine, in the minds of future Americans, the present national picture we now have for that period of American history. However, to become that defining statement, I have two major obstacles to overcome. Briefly, they are authenticity and the ego of the storyteller. First Chapter – http://www.iam777.org/Book/Chap1_7.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great presentation. Spent my time 1969 in the I corps , 2nd battalion 3rd Marines Fox Co.
Especially appreciated your comment on the movie Platoon. I too felt the same way for the first couple of weeks. We still get together with our Brothers from that time. Semper Fi my Brothers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I serve on the rivers with Riv Div 15 its gets easier each year to forget the terror we felt going down the river every day not knowing when a shot would come from the bush. I pray every day for your sanity Brother
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was spot on. I served with Charlie 1,/27th……68
You brought me back for a moment and that is ok for just a moment. I could smell the air and feel the fatigue just viewing this. You did a hell of a job…. NEC ASPERA TERRENT
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your podcast. Yes, it accurately depicts the daily grind of the grunt. By the way, I spent my time as an artillery forward observer with an ARVN Cav Battalion . We were in I Corps from the “Valley” to the beach. The life was basically the same except, Only 6 of us were english speakers. 2 on the FO team and 4 on the MACV advisor team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great job bringing the hump to life. Survived that to wind up old now with the weak government and corrupt leaders
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marine grunt 1967-1968 carried M79 and 45. Moved into Khe Sahn the night before it all started was there the whole time. Thank you for sharing such a great perspective of what it was like.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your service and God bless you and all Vietnam Vets
LikeLike
Great presentation ! I admire and thank God for all of our courageous soldiers
LikeLike
The article was great and spot on ,was with the 4th inf Div. D co 1/14 from Jan.69 to Jan 70 in the 2 core area,central highlands and they were hell in my book.You done a wonderful job will look for your website,Thanks and Welcome Home
LikeLike
I loved it! MSG Retired 1967-1968 1st 27 Inf. Cu Chi 1970-1972 MR4 Delta total 2years and 8 months. It also brought back many memories.
LikeLike
I wasn’t a 11bravo but many of my friends were it sounds like you nailed it. I had it easy I ran the roads as I was in transportation and ran convoys as a mechanic driving the wrecker I was always 3rd from the last vehicle as I always had to be able to get to the brake downs. From time to time I would be a gunner on a hard truck or jeep I did like that as I felt more important. So all in all I was pretty safe compared to so many others. To this day I feel guilty that I wasn’t able to do more. Thank you for trip very well done.
LikeLike
You make reference to the shallow draft boats used to transport troops in IV Corp. This was the Mobile Riverine Force; Brown Water Navy and the 9th Infantry. The Navy operated from 1967 – 1970. If you would like more information and photos of the boats, Webpage is www MRFA.org. I served on a Tango (ATC) June 68 thru May 1969.
LikeLike
Yes sir humping the boonies Infantry equals Grunts and Grunts equal Infantry The Elite of The Nam I remember 101 airborne 70-71 well said with this podcast Thank You Nam Vets
LikeLike