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?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:36:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Eugene G. Helfrich http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-788832 Eugene G. Helfrich Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:07:43 +0000 #comment-788832 My name is Eugene Helfrich. I was in the 147th LEM Co. Long Binh Vietnam. I was there from Apr.69 through Dec. 24, 1970. I was a 31E20 Field Radio Repairman. I was in Radio Platoon. There was two Johnson's I can remember. The company (Super Clerk) and the one in Radio Plt. Sorry I can't remember the first names. A reply from either or any would be a help to my memory. My name is Eugene Helfrich. I was in the 147th LEM Co. Long Binh Vietnam. I was there from Apr.69 through Dec. 24, 1970. I was a 31E20 Field Radio Repairman. I was in Radio Platoon. There was two Johnson's I can remember. The company (Super Clerk) and the one in Radio Plt. Sorry I can't remember the first names. A reply from either or any would be a help to my memory.

]]> By: paul buttino http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787783 paul buttino Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:19:51 +0000 #comment-787783 Hi Larry, welcome home brother...!!! I was at the 2nd field forces base across from the ammo dump when it exploded during Tet, and was a helicopter door gunner with 125th aviation later. I have a couple pictures of it when it exploded and saved in my computer. Someone must have taken these pictures that was stationed at my base, and I found them online somewhere. I don't know how to publish them on this website, but if you want to put your email in your response, I'll send them to you. I really don't want to make my email public, so it's up to you. Hang in there bro, we were just kids when we went through those terrible times. Now that I look back, we were WAY to young for war...!!! Hi Larry, welcome home brother…!!! I was at the 2nd field forces base across from the ammo dump when it exploded during Tet, and was a helicopter door gunner with 125th aviation later. I have a couple pictures of it when it exploded and saved in my computer. Someone must have taken these pictures that was stationed at my base, and I found them online somewhere. I don't know how to publish them on this website, but if you want to put your email in your response, I'll send them to you. I really don't want to make my email public, so it's up to you. Hang in there bro, we were just kids when we went through those terrible times. Now that I look back, we were WAY to young for war…!!!

]]> By: Larry J Wyrick http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787722 Larry J Wyrick Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:07:39 +0000 #comment-787722 Can you send me pictures as I was RTO in the LB ammo depot when the pads went off and I would like to see what it looked like away from the blast. The blast made my ears ring and still till this day and I suffered from being picked up and depositied knocked out and still hate thinking about it and the days ahead. The Infantry group in the depot were the 52 nd Infantry and were called a "Bastard" company of infantry just to protect the depot. Likewise the MP's were a small platoon attached to the 3rd Ord BN across from the front gate We had a dog handler KIA and one infantry member and later two medics were KIA and the Infantry Captain was hurt from a rocket on the side of his jeep by the Sappers. Also a LT lost his legs from that rocket and the First Sarge was KIA. Lost another Lt to a broken leg. It was a mess and year's later I have crying spells...I turn 65 on Feb 6, 2012 and it still hurts. Can you send me pictures as I was RTO in the LB ammo depot when the pads went off and I would like to see what it looked like away from the blast. The blast made my ears ring and still till this day and I suffered from being picked up and depositied knocked out and still hate thinking about it and the days ahead. The Infantry group in the depot were the 52 nd Infantry and were called a "Bastard" company of infantry just to protect the depot. Likewise the MP's were a small platoon attached to the 3rd Ord BN across from the front gate We had a dog handler KIA and one infantry member and later two medics were KIA and the Infantry Captain was hurt from a rocket on the side of his jeep by the Sappers. Also a LT lost his legs from that rocket and the First Sarge was KIA. Lost another Lt to a broken leg. It was a mess and year's later I have crying spells…I turn 65 on Feb 6, 2012 and it still hurts.

]]> By: George Mariasz http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787712 George Mariasz Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:36:04 +0000 #comment-787712 My difficlty is I can't remember anyone's name. I also did not take many pictures of the base or other people. I do have some movies in Super 8 but my projector broke. I remember one of the movies having a short night action related to a sniper in the village. I neee to find a way to get this converted. I just joined - Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 452 (NJ). Georg My difficlty is I can't remember anyone's name.

I also did not take many pictures of the base or other people. I do have some movies in Super 8 but my projector broke. I remember one of the movies having a short night action related to a sniper in the village. I neee to find a way to get this converted.

I just joined – Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 452 (NJ).

Georg

]]> By: Mike Pierce http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787704 Mike Pierce Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:37:33 +0000 #comment-787704 Hey George: When I arrived in June of 67 I was initially assigned to one of the vans for either target tracking or missle tracking, can't remember which, as I'd come from a Nike Hercules unit in Far Rockaway, NY and before that another Nike unit in Van Nuys, CA. Anyways, I ended up being recruited to the security section for the base. The MPs, dog handlers, etc.and spent my year doing that. Maybe we know some of the same people. Stay in touch. Hey George:
When I arrived in June of 67 I was initially assigned to one of the vans for either target tracking or missle tracking, can't remember which, as I'd come from a Nike Hercules unit in Far Rockaway, NY and before that another Nike unit in Van Nuys, CA. Anyways, I ended up being recruited to the security section for the base. The MPs, dog handlers, etc.and spent my year doing that. Maybe we know some of the same people.
Stay in touch.

]]> By: George Mariasz http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787591 George Mariasz Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:34:22 +0000 #comment-787591 Roger - do you remember the day when the bunkers facing the village ran out of ammo and we got hell from the commandor the next morning? Roger – do you remember the day when the bunkers facing the village ran out of ammo and we got hell from the commandor the next morning?

]]> By: George Mariasz http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787590 George Mariasz Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:31:01 +0000 #comment-787590 Mike - What was your job? Mike – What was your job?

]]> By: Russ Conder http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787536 Russ Conder Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:50:33 +0000 #comment-787536 I remember seeing a Cobra Helicopter. parked at Bien Hoa that had Galloping Guns Painted on it 68-69. I have a picture of it some where. I remember seeing a Cobra Helicopter. parked at Bien Hoa that had Galloping Guns Painted on it 68-69. I have a picture of it some where.

]]> By: Eric Krol http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-787441 Eric Krol Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:19:02 +0000 #comment-787441 Welcome Home to all... Time heals No date on the link but our unit 5th LEM came in country by mid March, 67 and advance party stated the dump was just blown...still trying to establish a timeline. Our final location was overlooking Hwy 15 south, across for the beer dump (later in 67). Since our unit were newby's, we all spent time at the dump and perimeter defense in Long Bien Welcome Home to all… Time heals
No date on the link but our unit 5th LEM came in country by mid March, 67 and advance party stated the dump was just blown…still trying to establish a timeline. Our final location was overlooking Hwy 15 south, across for the beer dump (later in 67). Since our unit were newby's, we all spent time at the dump and perimeter defense in Long Bien

]]> By: George Mariasz http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-the-battles-of-bien-hoa-and-long-binh.htm#comment-786766 George Mariasz Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:06:48 +0000 #comment-786766 I was a Pulse Acquisition and Range Only Rader mechanic with a Hawk Missile outfit “B Btry, 6th Bn, 56th Arty”. Our mission was air support for Bien Hoa airbase. As jets took off they kicked in the after burns over the top of us. The 199th Infantry was our shared wire perimeter to our compound to the west. They took a lot of fire during TET. We could see the Ammo dump across the field to our south. One of the times that it blew up I was just sitting down to eat in the mess hall. The dust rose to the ceiling. We all thought we got hit by a mortar just outside of the building. When I got outside and looked around I could see a mushroom cloud over the ammo dump. About 15 minutes later it looked like black snow was falling from that explosion. We had a supply depot to the east. It got hit one night. We had been told that this set a very large pile of telephone poles on fire. This burned for 3 to 4 days. We got warned to keep our gas masks handy in case the wind changed. I am having difficulty pin pointing the location on a map. I think our location was at the end of the runway to the east of the airbase. Not sure how far away. I was a Pulse Acquisition and Range Only Rader mechanic with a Hawk Missile outfit “B Btry, 6th Bn, 56th Arty”. Our mission was air support for Bien Hoa airbase. As jets took off they kicked in the after burns over the top of us.

The 199th Infantry was our shared wire perimeter to our compound to the west. They took a lot of fire during TET.

We could see the Ammo dump across the field to our south. One of the times that it blew up I was just sitting down to eat in the mess hall. The dust rose to the ceiling. We all thought we got hit by a mortar just outside of the building. When I got outside and looked around I could see a mushroom cloud over the ammo dump. About 15 minutes later it looked like black snow was falling from that explosion.

We had a supply depot to the east. It got hit one night. We had been told that this set a very large pile of telephone poles on fire. This burned for 3 to 4 days. We got warned to keep our gas masks handy in case the wind changed.

I am having difficulty pin pointing the location on a map. I think our location was at the end of the runway to the east of the airbase. Not sure how far away.

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