Comments on: Tet Offensive: The Battles of Bien Hoa and Long Binh http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:03:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ROBERT KEY http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-144590 ROBERT KEY Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:32:11 +0000 #comment-144590 I was also stationed at Long Ben 1968 TET 551st Detachment our job was destroying ordnance. That knight after charlie was in the depot ,I was shotgun guard for CASEY core of engineers he ran a dozer puting out fires. Then along with my other comrades, we looked for shacho charges. We were 2 pads away from the first pad that went up.We had chrapenal the size of basket balls landing around us. Im going to stop.other than My nick name was TWISTO. 1967 1968 Long Ben 1969 Vung Taoe. ROBERT KEY U.S.A Email robkey16580@gmail.com 509 480 1925 I was also stationed at Long Ben 1968 TET 551st Detachment our job was destroying ordnance. That knight after charlie was in the depot ,I was shotgun guard for CASEY core of engineers he ran a dozer puting out fires. Then along with my other comrades, we looked for shacho charges. We were 2 pads away from the first pad that went up.We had chrapenal the size of basket balls landing around us. Im going to stop.other than My nick name was TWISTO. 1967 1968 Long Ben 1969 Vung Taoe. ROBERT KEY U.S.A Email robkey16580@gmail.com 509 480 1925

]]> By: Orlando Gallardo http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-133490 Orlando Gallardo Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:14:58 +0000 #comment-133490 I was flown in there from Bihn Son Rubber plantation south of Bearcat. I was in B-4-39th, 2nd Plt. We landed in the middle of the street and from there the party began. We also had a lot to do with the sucess of what happened there. We contributed to the enemy body count and made sure that they stay down. The guys from B-4-39th did an outstanding job and I'll fight with them again anywhere, anyplace. 2/47th you had a steel vehicle between you and the bullets, we only had a shirt. Good job 2/47, you did great.....Thanks CSM Gallardo I was flown in there from Bihn Son Rubber plantation south of Bearcat. I was in B-4-39th, 2nd Plt. We landed in the middle of the street and from there the party began. We also had a lot to do with the sucess of what happened there. We contributed to the enemy body count and made sure that they stay down. The guys from B-4-39th did an outstanding job and I’ll fight with them again anywhere, anyplace. 2/47th you had a steel vehicle between you and the bullets, we only had a shirt. Good job 2/47, you did great…..Thanks CSM Gallardo

]]> By: Bob Edmonds http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-132529 Bob Edmonds Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:40:50 +0000 #comment-132529 I was at Camp Frenzel Jones April, 1968 until November 1968 nd I was fortunate enough to miss TET. Being in base camp ,we didn't grasp what you field guys were going through.. Although we are all nam veterans, some of us carried the load,please accept my belated gratitude. co a 7th combat support bn. I was at Camp Frenzel Jones April, 1968 until November 1968 nd I was fortunate enough to miss TET. Being in base camp ,we didn’t grasp what you field guys were going through.. Although we are all nam veterans, some of us carried the load,please accept my belated gratitude. co a 7th combat support bn.

]]> By: Dina & Larry http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-120874 Dina & Larry Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:38:23 +0000 #comment-120874 Thank you Dad (Ron Lawyer) and all others who shared their stories. Even though we will never know what you went through, we all "Thank You" from the bottom of our hearts! GOD BLESS THE USA! Thank you Dad (Ron Lawyer) and all others who shared their stories. Even though we will never know what you went through, we all “Thank You” from the bottom of our hearts! GOD BLESS THE USA!

]]> By: Ron Lawyer http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-120784 Ron Lawyer Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:22:57 +0000 #comment-120784 I was a Spec 5 with the 79th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade stationed at the far north end of the Long Binh compound. About 2:45 AM I walked from my barracks to my assigned above ground guard bunker. It was my duty to check the changing of the guards every 4 hours. When I determined that the change went OK I started to leave to walk back to my bunk when the young pfc guard on duty asked me to stay a little longer because he had only been in Vietnam for a few days and was very nervous. So I leaned my M-14 against the sandbags of the bunker and we began to talk. A few minutes later all hell broke loose. Several mortars fell inside our base camp and at least one 155 shell struck near a transient tent and a small walk bridge across a large ditch destroying the bridge. I remember the explosion of the ammo dump behind our base camp and the bright orange ball of flame and dust cloud and a few seconds later the hot air and wind from the blast hitting my face. If…that young pfc in the guard bunker had not asked me to stay a little longer…I would have been near that walk bridge where the 155 shell landed and probably would have been killed. Within a few minutes all the men assigned to my bunker were crowded in the bunker and after the initial excitement we began to watch the perimeter fence for unusual activity. Our command post told us to not fire our weapons until we were absolutely sure it was the enemy. I understood why a few minutes later because some of our army personnel were crawling along the fence checking for Bangalore torpedos and any breaks in the fence. Our above ground bunker received a lot of small arms and 50mm machine gun fire and we spotted an area across the highway in “widows village” that was directing a lot of that machine gun fire. We used the radio phone to report the location to headquarters and received permission to fire. We silenced that machine gun. Later it was determined that the machine gun was mounted on wheels and was underground inside one of the make shift widow’s houses and the Vietcong would roll it up and fire on the base camp and them quickly roll it back underground. I also remember that after the ammo dump blast that I could not control my whole body from “shaking”. But…immediately after I fired my first shot with my M14 a strange calm took over and a lot of what happened during the next 9 or 10 hours seemed like a dream. It was a lot like being 9 years old again and playing cowboys and indians with your friends, running from one place to another and shooting your weapon. Our company lost one transient soldier and very few wounded during the first round mortar attack and we held on and did our job defending our location. The experience I had during my 12 months in Vietnam was a big portion of the “shaping” of my life. I was 25 years old and most of the others in my company were 18 & 19 years old. It has been 42 years but I still remember some of those guys… Sergeant Cooley, Jimmy Dunn, “Rat” Harrison, Ray Zawacki and Unser who claimed to be related to the racing family (wish I could remember his first name) from central Illinois. This is a snapshot of what I remember about “TET 1968”. I was one of the fortunate ones and got to fly home March 31st to reunite with my wife Jo and see my daughter Lesa for the first time who was 4 ½ months old by then. I was a Spec 5 with the 79th Engineer Group, 20th Engineer Brigade stationed at the far north end of the Long Binh compound. About 2:45 AM I walked from my barracks to my assigned above ground guard bunker. It was my duty to check the changing of the guards every 4 hours. When I determined that the change went OK I started to leave to walk back to my bunk when the young pfc guard on duty asked me to stay a little longer because he had only been in Vietnam for a few days and was very nervous. So I leaned my M-14 against the sandbags of the bunker and we began to talk. A few minutes later all hell broke loose. Several mortars fell inside our base camp and at least one 155 shell struck near a transient tent and a small walk bridge across a large ditch destroying the bridge. I remember the explosion of the ammo dump behind our base camp and the bright orange ball of flame and dust cloud and a few seconds later the hot air and wind from the blast hitting my face.

If…that young pfc in the guard bunker had not asked me to stay a little longer…I would have been near that walk bridge where the 155 shell landed and probably would have been killed.

Within a few minutes all the men assigned to my bunker were crowded in the bunker and after the initial excitement we began to watch the perimeter fence for unusual activity. Our command post told us to not fire our weapons until we were absolutely sure it was the enemy. I understood why a few minutes later because some of our army personnel were crawling along the fence checking for Bangalore torpedos and any breaks in the fence. Our above ground bunker received a lot of small arms and 50mm machine gun fire and we spotted an area across the highway in “widows village” that was directing a lot of that machine gun fire. We used the radio phone to report the location to headquarters and received permission to fire. We silenced that machine gun. Later it was determined that the machine gun was mounted on wheels and was underground inside one of the make shift widow’s houses and the Vietcong would roll it up and fire on the base camp and them quickly roll it back underground.

I also remember that after the ammo dump blast that I could not control my whole body from “shaking”. But…immediately after I fired my first shot with my M14 a strange calm took over and a lot of what happened during the next 9 or 10 hours seemed like a dream. It was a lot like being 9 years old again and playing cowboys and indians with your friends, running from one place to another and shooting your weapon.

Our company lost one transient soldier and very few wounded during the first round mortar attack and we held on and did our job defending our location.

The experience I had during my 12 months in Vietnam was a big portion of the “shaping” of my life. I was 25 years old and most of the others in my company were 18 & 19 years old. It has been 42 years but I still remember some of those guys… Sergeant Cooley, Jimmy Dunn, “Rat” Harrison, Ray Zawacki and Unser who claimed to be related to the racing family (wish I could remember his first name) from central Illinois.

This is a snapshot of what I remember about “TET 1968”. I was one of the fortunate ones and got to fly home March 31st to reunite with my wife Jo and see my daughter Lesa for the first time who was 4 ½ months old by then.

]]> By: stanley chalmers http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-116441 stanley chalmers Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:27:23 +0000 #comment-116441 I was at Bearcat in July 69' during the time frame that the ammo dump blew up. There was mass confusion during that time due to all the daily rocket and mortar attacks on bearcat. It was almost a foregone conclusion that It would ahppen. When the dump exploded, there were a number of guys that were killed or seriously maimed. To this day, I cannot erase from my mind what I saw. I had never seen anyone killed or so dismembered that they could not be identified. I still have nightmares about it, 40 years later. I was at Bearcat in July 69′ during the time frame that the ammo dump blew up. There was mass confusion during that time due to all the daily rocket and mortar attacks on bearcat. It was almost a foregone conclusion that It would ahppen. When the dump exploded, there were a number of guys that were killed or seriously maimed. To this day, I cannot erase from my mind what I saw. I had never seen anyone killed or so dismembered that they could not be identified.

I still have nightmares about it, 40 years later.

]]> By: Blackwidow 14 http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-94426 Blackwidow 14 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:24:04 +0000 #comment-94426 Greetings I am helping a friend find a capt.Powell, my friend Ted shot the finger off capt Powell by accident and would like to contact Capt Powell to personally apologize. It was ted's first day with Bravo 4/39 9th div.and his weapon discharged taking off Captain Powell finger and striking his leg. IF you know anymore about this incident or capt Powells e-mail plz write me . Unowhohot@hotmail.com Blackwidow14@truebattlestories.com Via Con Dios Greetings I am helping a friend find a capt.Powell, my friend Ted shot the finger off capt Powell by accident and would like to contact Capt Powell to personally apologize.
It was ted’s first day with Bravo 4/39 9th div.and his weapon discharged taking off Captain Powell finger and striking his leg.
IF you know anymore about this incident or capt Powells e-mail plz write me .
Unowhohot@hotmail.com
Blackwidow14@truebattlestories.com
Via Con Dios

]]> By: roger http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-89324 roger Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:41:39 +0000 #comment-89324 i was across from Widows Village and were receiving fire from three sides Bien Hua, long bein and the village. I was with hhq 6/56 Hawk missle. We were not combat experianced. Not much I can recall or not wanting to. I remember two different colors of traciers, I wsa in charge of opening ammo bunkers and taking ammo to the defense bunkers. I remember the ammo blast from long bien. I thought the Sun was rising from the West. Iam finally getting info for PTSD from this event. 41 years of thinking i was ok. i was across from Widows Village and were receiving fire from three sides Bien Hua, long bein and the village. I was with hhq 6/56 Hawk missle. We were not combat experianced. Not much I can recall or not wanting to. I remember two different colors of traciers, I wsa in charge of opening ammo bunkers and taking ammo to the defense bunkers. I remember the ammo blast from long bien. I thought the Sun was rising from the West. Iam finally getting info for PTSD from this event. 41 years of thinking i was ok.

]]> By: Steve http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-84053 Steve Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:37:11 +0000 #comment-84053 Dear Vietnam Brothers, Nightmares and stress including the worse form of stress named PTSD are all related to your Vietnam experiences. Please see your VA Representative Veterans Service Office to get assistence. ALl VN Vets should get compensated... God Bless our Veterans and Troops... Dear Vietnam Brothers,

Nightmares and stress including the worse form of stress named PTSD are all related to your Vietnam experiences. Please see your VA Representative Veterans Service Office to get assistence. ALl VN Vets should get compensated…

God Bless our Veterans and Troops…

]]> By: Robert Sloss http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm/comment-page-1#comment-78594 Robert Sloss Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:25:49 +0000 #comment-78594 I was stationed with the II Field Force Hdqtrs company, SGS, under LT. Gen. Fred Weyand. Jan. 31st, we received rocket fire. the 11th Armored Cavalry came down from the border to pull perimeter duty for us. What a welcome site to see those quys. I was sitting in a sandbag bunker 3 feet high when VC blew the ammo dump. I could see the huge fire ball go up and ducked when the concussion came. shrapnel fell like confetti all night. saw the aviation unit under attack. saw infanty land across from us to do a sweep of Ho Nai village. The jets came in at tree top over us to rocket the NVA in the village. Witnessed the huge fire fight there. A few days later a group of us went to pick up dead bodies where ever we could find them to throw in the back of a deuce and a half. Gun jeep in front. I saw the NVA and 199th Lt. Inf.firefight up the Hwy from us as they briefly broke thru. I had 60 days to go on my tour. Never forgot man. I was stationed with the II Field Force Hdqtrs company, SGS, under LT. Gen. Fred Weyand. Jan. 31st, we received rocket fire. the 11th Armored Cavalry came down from the border to pull perimeter duty for us. What a welcome site to see those quys. I was sitting in a sandbag bunker 3 feet high when VC blew the ammo dump. I could see the huge fire ball go up and ducked when the concussion came. shrapnel fell like confetti all night. saw the aviation unit under attack. saw infanty land across from us to do a sweep of Ho Nai village. The jets came in at tree top over us to rocket the NVA in the village. Witnessed the huge fire fight there. A few days later a group of us went to pick up dead bodies where ever we could find them to throw in the back of a deuce and a half. Gun jeep in front. I saw the NVA and 199th Lt. Inf.firefight up the Hwy from us as they briefly broke thru. I had 60 days to go on my tour. Never forgot man.

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