I arrived in Nam a couple of days after the Battle of Suoi Tre in Jan 1968.

I was assigned to Sgt Staples' section as a gunner but took over my own # 1 section in March.

So many FSB were introduced to us, Danver being only one I can remember. So many of the ground attacks by Charlie around the Trang Bang area are still very vivid in my mind. The mortar barrage that took Dave Owens from us. That day I had just got to know Owens in the afternoon along with Bob DeSaro as we shared some pepperoni Bob had just gotten in the mail. We got hit and Dave caught some shrapnel.

The night we lost Tom Beamon in that terrible, rainy, night convoy accident, will always replay in my dreams.

The night we thwarted Charlie in their attempts and lost two from our Mech Unit who was guarding the perimeter.

I finally was pulled from the field in mid November by our Battalion XO who thought I had been in the field too long. It took me no longer than 10 minutes to put Cpl Lavett in charge and wait for the Major to come back to the chopper. I left Nam in November 28th.   Email me at z71spy@cox.net