Comments on: The 1966 Buddhist Crisis in South Vietnam http://www.historynet.com/the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:24:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Larry Roberts http://www.historynet.com/the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam.htm#comment-785522 Larry Roberts Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:47:24 +0000 #comment-785522 On May 24, 1966 a small group of Air Force construction workers were sent North of the flight line at Danang Air Base. We were building Quonset huts for Communications. It was mid-morning and the guns were a-blazin to the North. A1E SkyRaiders from the Vietnam Air Force were strafing the Buddhist rebels. As we watched in awe, mortar rounds started coming in on us. Several of us, myself included, were hit with shrapnel. Numerous rounds were marched towards the North end of the air field. Numerous rounds hit the hooches and struck the wooden floors where they became lodged without detonating. None of us were aware of what was happening in May of 1966. The area we were working in was off-limits because of danger from the situation described in this article. However, because of the importance of the Quonsets and communications, a small unit of our Prime Beef team was sent to complete the job. We NEVER knew what was happening around us. We were sent into a dangerous area, and did not know a thing about the situation. My mother kept my letters. I ended the letter from May 24 with the following; "Right now I consider myself to be the luckiest man on Earth, for it was simply the luck of the draw that I am still alive." The deadly shrapnel from the mortar round went North while I was running South. That just about sums it up. I pulled a hot piece of shrapnel from my right shoulder and put it in my wallet. On May 24, 1966 a small group of Air Force construction workers were sent North of the flight line at Danang Air Base. We were building Quonset huts for Communications. It was mid-morning and the guns were a-blazin to the North. A1E SkyRaiders from the Vietnam Air Force were strafing the Buddhist rebels. As we watched in awe, mortar rounds started coming in on us. Several of us, myself included, were hit with shrapnel. Numerous rounds were marched towards the North end of the air field. Numerous rounds hit the hooches and struck the wooden floors where they became lodged without detonating. None of us were aware of what was happening in May of 1966. The area we were working in was off-limits because of danger from the situation described in this article. However, because of the importance of the Quonsets and communications, a small unit of our Prime Beef team was sent to complete the job. We NEVER knew what was happening around us. We were sent into a dangerous area, and did not know a thing about the situation. My mother kept my letters. I ended the letter from May 24 with the following; "Right now I consider myself to be the luckiest man on Earth, for it was simply the luck of the draw that I am still alive." The deadly shrapnel from the mortar round went North while I was running South. That just about sums it up. I pulled a hot piece of shrapnel from my right shoulder and put it in my wallet.

]]> By: Michael http://www.historynet.com/the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam.htm#comment-280380 Michael Thu, 20 May 2010 04:14:27 +0000 #comment-280380 Just another reason neither the US or French belonged there. Just another reason neither the US or French belonged there.

]]> By: "Vietnam ki kahani, ek ghaddar ki zubani" Vietnam War - Page 2 - Pakistan Defence Forum http://www.historynet.com/the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam.htm#comment-184821 "Vietnam ki kahani, ek ghaddar ki zubani" Vietnam War - Page 2 - Pakistan Defence Forum Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:00:22 +0000 #comment-184821 [...]     Re: "Vietnam ki kahani, ek ghaddar ki zubani" Vietnam War The 1966 Buddhist Crisis in South Vietnam HistoryNet The end of French colonial rule in Indochina marked the beginning of the American effort to create [...] [...]     Re: "Vietnam ki kahani, ek ghaddar ki zubani" Vietnam War The 1966 Buddhist Crisis in South Vietnam HistoryNet The end of French colonial rule in Indochina marked the beginning of the American effort to create [...]

]]> By: Dan E. Gibson http://www.historynet.com/the-1966-buddhist-crisis-in-south-vietnam.htm#comment-61969 Dan E. Gibson Mon, 18 May 2009 15:48:50 +0000 #comment-61969 On April 9, 1966, I was the artillery forward observer who was on site with the platoon of marines from Fox 2-9 that was mentioned in the article. I called in the artillery fire mission and had several batteries of artillery waiting for my command to fire. The hero of this event was ignored by your story. Captain Reckwell, C.O. of Fox Company, led our small group at the run from our company position to interdict the approaching ARVN reinfored batallion. It was Capt. Reckwell that met the ARVN officer on the bridge. I never saw helicopter come in nor see Col. Chaisson or any other officer superior to Captain Reckwell on site. Obviously, being with a platoon facing a battalion with two 155 Howitzers was about as tense a situation as one could imagine. If they had fired on us, our air power and artillery would have been devistating to them. However, it is unlikely that it would have helped us survive. Dan Gibson Janesville, Wisconsin 608-743-0838 On April 9, 1966, I was the artillery forward observer who was on site with the platoon of marines from Fox 2-9 that was mentioned in the article. I called in the artillery fire mission and had several batteries of artillery waiting for my command to fire.

The hero of this event was ignored by your story. Captain Reckwell, C.O. of Fox Company, led our small group at the run from our company position to interdict the approaching ARVN reinfored batallion. It was Capt. Reckwell that met the ARVN officer on the bridge. I never saw helicopter come in nor see Col. Chaisson or any other officer superior to Captain Reckwell on site.

Obviously, being with a platoon facing a battalion with two 155 Howitzers was about as tense a situation as one could imagine. If they had fired on us, our air power and artillery would have been devistating to them. However, it is unlikely that it would have helped us survive.

Dan Gibson
Janesville, Wisconsin
608-743-0838

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