VIETNAM
VIETNAM
PRELUDE
VIETNAM - ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW (or What did you do in the War, Daddy?”)
Since returning from Vietnam in December 1969, I have seen a General suing a network about Vietnam policies, body counts, command decisions; I have heard the phrase "post Vietnam syndrome"; watched a Lieutenant on TV become a scape-goat for the massacre of a Vietnam village; saw "body bags, heard of soldiers killing to keep from being killed only to be court martialed because they did not have an order to fire their weapons; watched on TV as Jane Fonda laughed and played with North Vietnam regulars in Hanoi with the "war" still going on (up to that time I thought she was a sexy lady - saw her on 16 mm film in an open air theater in ‘Nam in a movie where she swam naked in a tank of water, her breasts bare, while the GI projectionist tried in vain to move the film up to view another part of the anatomy - the last J Fonda film I have watched); watched students on TV protesting the Vietnam war as others flocked to Canada and others dodged the draft because of political influence; etc., etc., etc.
There was a another side to this War . In all the turmoil that surrounded me and thousands of other GI’s, there was another part of Vietnam that I saw and wish to share with you. One thing I had learned: No matter how bad the situation, it could be worse so make the best of it no matter!
CHAPTER ONE - ARRIVAL
Like a truck filled with sheep I arrived with some 256 other scared souls on a stretch DC8 at Bien Hoa just after TET 1968. I had volunteered to serve in ‘Nam as my only way of getting out of Fort Bragg (you see, I was a "leg" (non-airborne) and as such just didn’t fit in there with the 82d Airborne!). The plane landed around 2 AM, a representative from the Air Force came on board, dressed in combat fatigues, carrying a loaded Colt 45, and said "Welcome to Vietnam! As you leave the plane look to your left and your right. You will see bunkers. If you hear a siren, do not panic but go straight to one of those bunkers." Here this plane was loaded with soldiers dressed in summer khakis and this Air Force fellow was in fatigues with a loaded 45. What a contrast! I thought, "Well, maybe Bragg wasn’t so bad after all!"
We walked over to an open air assembly area, and were greeted with a thunderous roar of "Hoorays" and the clapping of many hands! "Who were these fools? Didn’t they know what was going on?" You bet they did! They were taking our place on the DC8 heading east to get back to the west coast of the US. Their "replacements" had arrived, their tour was over and they were going home!
After a briefing we were herded onto waiting buses for a short drive to Long Bien for final processing. Just what is going on? In front of the 7 or so buses was an Air Force jeep with a mounted M60 machine gun, a GI at the ready; in the rear was an Air Force jeep with a mounted M60 machine gun, a GI at the ready. Gee, I thought, this must be serious business - not at all like the boon docks of Ft Jackson or Ft Brag or any number of training centers!
Having slept little in the past 36 hours or so (on board the aircraft over, I helped the stewardesses serve the
"passengers", drank gallons of coffee, anything to make myself busy and not think of my final destination). I conked out soon after drawing combat gear. I awoke around 10 AM to the constant sound of Huey choppers and some god-awful smell. What in the world makes such an odor? (Later, I discovered that burning diesel fuel mixed with human feces has an odor like nothing else - a disease-control procedure used by the American forces). No one else was around! I had been a feast for mosquitoes while I slept, I didn’t know where I was, and I wondered if I had missed a formation or what!
I had been at the reception center for 5 days! Every day I checked the "departure list" - no Houser was listed!
Since I was becoming a "homesteader" - all the troops I had come over with had their assignments - I was becoming somewhat worried, so I inquired about my status. "Just stay put and watch the bulletin board. We’ll let you know what unit you are to be assigned to just as soon as possible!" Sure enough, on the 6th day I was notified that a representative from the 1st Signal Brigade was coming to pick me up.
CHAPTER TWO - FIRST ASSIGNMENT
I arrived at 1st Signal Brigade Headquarters at Long Bien, was interviewed by a Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the installation of signal equipment throughout Vietnam. The Lt Colonel, Regular Army and West Point was destined to make Colonel before leaving Vietnam with a new assignment to Phu Bai. In 1970 while tending bar part time at the Officers Club at Fort Monmouth, I again saw this remarkable man. Colonel? No! Now a Major General - not too shabby - LTC to Maj Gen in about 2 years or so!. I didn’t see the Colonel again while in Vietnam; however, I was a single passenger on his helicopter from Da Nang to Phu Bai during the monsoon season when I needed to get to Phu Bai but couldn’t get out of Da Nang because of the rain.. More later.
The Colonel told me that since I had a secondary military occupational specialty in Secure Voice Communications I was to be assigned to this section of the 1st Signal Brigade. It seems that Philco Ford had the primary contract for installing this equipment, but with some 12 sites left to be installed, Philco’s contract, due to expire 31 January 1969, was not going to be renewed. I WAS IT! Good grief, I had worked on this stuff but it was already installed. Now I was going to install it? Oh my, Bragg looked even better! Two weeks later, I was on my way to Canto in the Delta and on to the village of My Tho.
The SOP (standing operating procedure) I had been given stated among other things: "When leaving the compound for any reason you will carry with you your weapon (since there was a shortage of M16’s in Vietnam at the time, Signal personnel were issued M14’s - heavier and less effective than the M16), at least 2 magazines of ammunition, web belt, gas mask, steel helmet and insert, flack jacket, canteen with treated water, first aid pouch." Add to this the equipment I needed to use once on site - a portable duel-trace oscilloscope, and a full complement of tools in an issued tool box and a meager supply of extra clothing. Being the upright GI that I was, I dutifully installed this stuff on my 150 pound frame, and left for Bien Hoa for air transportation to Canto. Let me tell you, by the time I got to the airport, I was drenched in sweat, my fatigues looked like I had been in a rain storm, and I was worn out - and I hadn’t even arrived at a site for work! Right then I made my own Command Decision: The next time I go to a site I would take my o-scope, tool box, clothing, and a borrowed 45 pistol if I were carrying classified material. The rest of the stuff? Into my locked wall locker. I never touched this stuff again, except to clean and oil my weapon any time I returned to Long Bien which I guess averaged about every 3 weeks. . My reasoning? The only time I would need this gear and a weapon was in case the aircraft I was on was shot down, and I survived the crash - highly unlikely! Once on site I could get what gear I may need plus a weapon (probably an M16 to boot).
To be authorized secure voice communications, a site had to be headed by an O-6 (full colonel); these sites were scattered throughout Vietnam. Most were "MACV"- Military Advisory Command Vietnam, sites. These people reported directly to MACV headquarters. 1st Signal Brigade had the responsibility of installing, and maintaining the various sites. I was accompanied by a Philco Ford representative, a 23 year old GS12 who really knew his stuff (thank GOD! - without his help that 1st month, I really would have been in a pickle!). After spending the night in Canto, I arrived at the compound in My Tho around 9 AM. I helped as best I could with this installation, an in-house one (most difficult), observed, took notes and had all kinds of misgivings! We needed to modify a 1/4" thick aluminum section by cutting it to fit and drilling two small holes.
We did not have the equipment to do this, but an on-site Major said if I took this part outside the gate down a couple blocks there was a "civilian" shop there that could do this I took the part - really just a slab of aluminum about 12" by 9" (nothing classified about this piece of hardware), found the shop and with hand signals told a snagged-tooth, red-lipped Vietnamese what I needed. (The teeth were missing, I discovered later, because of a lack of dental care; the red lips were from chewing a weed called "beatlenut", growing wild, that deadens pain as good as any Novocain anywhere - but also very addictive.) What was amazing about this shop? Here in the middle of the jungle, was a complete machine shop with a brand new lathe - US plastered all over it; outside stored on the ground were many, many brand new jeep engines still in shipping containers. The jeeps used at Long Bien by Americans were ancient, many with over 80,000 miles and here in the jungle for Vietnamese use -- oh well you get the picture! Anyway my friend the lathe operator with the red lips did just find with the aluminum piece. I wondered what he would think if he knew he was working on a piece of aluminum that was going to be installed in a TOP SECRET communications system!
Around 10 PM that night, being some 2 miles from where we were quartered, we got an MP escort and returned to the compound. I had been given a bunk usually occupied by an assigned GI who was on R&R (Rest and Recuperation leave). In the meantime I had discovered how valuable mosquito nets were, crawled in bed and was asleep in no time. Then all hell broke out - sirens going off, the sound of 122 mm VC rockets, the unmistakable sound of M60 machine guns, flares, GI’s scurrying here and there. Heard of the "Chinese fire drill"? That’s what I was thinking! Me? I had no idea where to go, or what to do! Remember now, I had been in country 2 weeks; was a trained signal person; and had never had anyone shooting at me in anger. Then there was a lull in the action, so I decided to leave my not so secure bunk area and venture outside. The quarters were on the 2d floor of this building. As I cautiously went out onto the deck I heard GI laughter and chatter from above. Finding a ladder I went to the flat-top roof of the building where GI’s were manning their own machine gun sites. I asked a nearby GI what was going on? He laughed and said, "Don’t worry, Charlie (Vietcong) was aiming rockets at a nearby Vietnamese police station. They never hit this compound."
About that time some more machine gun chatter broke out, flares were fired from the direction of the police station over a piece of jungle outside the compound and there for all to observe were Viet Cong hunkered down heading away from the police station. This brought on another burst of machine gun chatter from the nearby police station. If this were a movie I would have been inclined to say "NEAT"!
Nine days later we completed this job and asked an Infantry Major to sign off on the installation. "What good is this thing anyway?", he complained, "I’ll be there as soon as I can." Having spent about 9 16-hour days doing the final installation, this kinda galled the Philco rep. As a final check before turning over the equipment, we always made a call to Washington Switch (a secure switch board located in Washington, D.C.), went secure, chatted a while, then terminated the call. The Philco rep told me to place another call through to Washington. I did, turned over the phone to him and he explained the situation to the operator in Washington. Finally the infantry major sauntered in with a "show me" expression on his face. To him, this was just a toy that had to have a 24 hour guard, his responsibility. I brought up Washington switch again (remember, this is a small site in the middle of the jungle in the Delta). I told the Philco GS12 the circuit was up and secure. The Philco rep turned to the Major, handed him the phone, and cordially said, "Sir, would you please check this call for clarity as part of the procedure you must follow before signing off on the installation?" The Major took the phone, and said, "Hello?" Right on cue the Washington operator said, "Washington Switch, is there anyone in the Pentagon you would like to speak with?" The "show me" expression changed, his mouth kinda dropped open, and he stuttered before thinking, ":Washington DC?" Ah, another believer! Movie time again. NEAT!
CHAPTER THREE - THE "HICKEY"
Know what a "hickey" is? Of course you do! What fun loving, adventurous 16-year old (and older) doesn’t?. My 1st morning at Long Bien after being assigned, I awoke early, took my shower under a 55 gallon drum mounted some 20 feet up with environmentally-safe sun-prepared hot water. Gravity was the pump, a rope was used to open the "faucet", and it was closed by releasing the rope. GI ingenuity? You bet! I dressed, and ventured up to the mess hall for breakfast. Just about all sites had hired civilian help for manning the mess halls. Here at Long Bien we had pretty Vietnamese waitresses immediately bringing coffee when we were seated, then took our order. Hey, this isn’t so bad! Our waitress came over, took our order and left. But what’s this? She had 4 or 5 hickeys on her neck. "Boy", I thought, "Some GI must be having fun!" Then I looked around and found other waitresses also had hickeys. Well, GI’s will be GI’s, and thought no more of it.
About 4 months later I had gone to Canto to trouble shoot a problem there. The Canto site had no quarters for me so I ventured downtown, and took a hotel room for the night. I found a bar in the hotel, ordered a "33" local Vietnamese beer and forced myself to believe that this was good beer Soon I was joined by a local "lady" who asked in pretty good "American"., Buy me a drink GI? I said, "Sure, what do you want?" She said with all innocence, "Tea, around $2.00 American - a "bunch" in 1968 for the average GI.) (the girls got a kickback from the bar on drinks). I told her, "Nope, I’ll buy you a 33, but no Tea".
After some dickering, she agreed. As she was sizing me up for "I wonder how much he will pay?" , I complained to her that I had a terrible headache and asked if she had any aspirin. "You have headache?," she said, "I fix!" With that, she started pinching my forehead in about 5 places. I jerked back and said, "What are you doing?" She said, "Headache now go away."--and sure enough about 10 minutes later no headache! When she discovered I was not interested in her charms she left. Later, I went to my room. The next morning I found a mirror, some cold water in a basin and started to shave. Good grief! What were those hickeys doing on my forehead? Earlier, I had had a headache. Then no headache but 5 big hickeys! I discovered I could pull my fatigue cap down low over my forehead and hide my "hickeys". How embarrassing! I wore that cap most all the time except when alone for the next week! 2 + 2 adds up. Waitresses with "hickeys" on their necks? Just a way of killing pain. Try it! It works!
CHAPTER 4 - THE MONKEY JUNGLE
During the dry season, all vegetation turns brown. No water? No green. At Long Bien except for green grass around the "shower" stalls, and a jungle of sorts about 10 meters wide supported by a small stream that passed through the compound this was the case. GI’s named this 30 foot wide oasis the "Monkey Jungle" because one could hear and even see monkeys along this stream. At night, though, it took on another name "Grass heaven" - and not the kind you cut with a mower, but the kind made popular in the 60’s (I understand that even Bill Clinton knows about this). A perfect place. An area of dense foliage some 30 feet wide but in order to get to it, you had to pass through at least a 100-meter open brown-grass area. So each evening, after sun down, while viewing the monkey jungle one could see these little glows although the jungle. What was going on? Not fire flies for sure!
CHAPTER FIVE - I LOVE VIETNAM
I spent many hours waiting on air transportation in various terminals throughout Vietnam. On one such occasion I was in Nha Trang waiting on a flight to someplace, when I struck up a conversation with a Vietnamese sergeant whose English was almost flawless. After some small talk, he asked me how I liked VietNam. I replied, "It’s OK." He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "You lie!" - and I guess I did.
CHAPTER SIX - MOSQUITO HAVENS
Up to Buon Me Thuot on a mission. This site, somewhat like the site at My Tho, was located about 3 miles from the billeting area - an area that was made famous, by the way, by Teddy Roosevelt who hunted wild boar here. I had worked some 14 hours, and decided around 11 PM to call it a day. I asked for and was given an MP escort back to the compound. Again, I was using a bunk belonging to a GI on R&R. Had just hit the sack for about 30 minutes, when the shrill sound of a siren went off. Having been in country some 6 months now, I was more irritated than anything else. Earlier I had seen MACV people in the area so I figured this was a practice alert to impress the MACV inspectors. I pulled myself up and proceeded in the dark to haphazardly put on my fatigues in preparation to going to an assigned bunker, cussing MACV, the Army, this site and anything else that came to mind. "How dare anyone wake me after only 30 minutes of well deserved rest!" With my boots about half laced up, the dreaded sound of an incoming 122 mm rocket kinda brought me back to reality! Then a loud BOOM as the rocket landed. There was an instantaneous flash, then the smell of cordite permeated the air. Let me tell you ole Houser got his ass in gear once he smelled the cordite. The time was around midnight, and the alert lasted till around 2AM. All mosquitoes in the entire Buon Me Thuot area were well fed. I often felt that the mosquitoes were the best alley that Charlie had! So what did Charlie hit? An adjacent civilian power station!
Here again, Charlie didn’t want to mess up American compounds. They were super and pretty soon they’d have these sites for their very own -- and it happened. While on the subject, Charlie rarely hit any communication sites either. Bet South Vietnam today has the best Communication System of any country in Southeast Asia!
NHA TRANG
Went to Nha Trang on several occasions. Found out that since the work I was doing was done on an Air Force compound the Air Force could be responsible for my billeting while on-site. Not knowing this the 1st time I visited, I asked for billeting from an adjacent Army compound. I was put up in a two story open-air building where my friend the mosquito also lived and thrived. But I was seasoned now! After being assigned a bunk, I visited a local PX and bought some mosquito spray for the nights ahead. Left the billets, and worked at the Air Force site till around 10 PM I returned to my bunk thinking at least I’ll have the mosquito beaten tonight! Right? Wrong! My supply of mosquito spray was missing. Now surely another GI wouldn’t take something that wasn’t his! Well, I laid down, and at that time I was smoking around 2 to 3 packs of cigarettes a day. As any smoker can testify, the smoke does have its advantages - like keeping mosquitoes away! After some 5 to 6 cigarettes, blowing smoke for protection, I finally fell to sleep, only to awaken some 20 minutes later with smoke all around me, not the cigarette kind, but the kind that comes from smoldering cotton inside Army mattresses. There was a slight smell of burning flesh as my hand had been laying on the lighted cigarette (I wondered if this qualified me for the Purple Heart?) Having grown up in the Piedmont of North Carolina, I was quite aware of how difficult it is to put out a cotton fire, so I just grabbed the smoldering mattress, and lugged it outside and dumped it into a container similar to a "dempsey dumpster". The rest of the night I slept (slept??) atop a set of springs on a bunk without a mattress. That’s it! From then on, I stayed at the Air Force compound where I was always billeted in a hotel in downtown Nha Trang. That story follows.
THE SALAMANDER CONNECTION
Ah, the good life, a good meal and a couple drinks at the Air Force noncom’s club; an air conditioned bus trip some 4 miles to a hotel in Nha Trang (not to worry that this same bus run was hit by Charlie some 6 weeks earlier by a granade tossed in the bus as the door opened to let off a passenger), a neat single room cooled by good, quite fans. But what’s this? These little green and white salamanders were running all around the walls! I soon learned to love them. They ware the environmentally-safe mosquito catchers. I was never bitten by a mosquito in this hotel!
CHAPTER SEVEN - VD AND LOCAL PROSTITUTES
On another trip to Nha Trang I was staying at the "Salamander" hotel. Met some DA civilians working for IBM and shared some beer. There was a pretty verandah at this hotel, the night was clear but breezy keeping away the dreaded malaria carriers, so we were really enjoying ourselves chatting and having our "Hams" beer (black market, but we didn’t ask where the proprietor where he got it, we just shelled up the inflated price he was asking, glad to be away from 33’s).
After a while one of the IBM workers called over a "slickey boy" riding a bicycle (he knew this 12 year old kid). Some conversation transpired, the slickey boy (really he would be called a "pimp" back in NYC), then rapidly pedaled off. Soon this girl appeared with a big smile, the specific one the IBM employee had spoken for. As they met in the street, the American jerked down his pants, pointed and said, "you g.d. slut, you did this to me!" Backing off, she said, "Not me GI, not me!" then turned and ran like hell! If the situation were not so serious -= Catch the picture, an American with his pants down, in the middle of the street, and a Vietnamese lady of the night in a tight mini skirt startled by what she saw! Oh my!
IN SAIGON
There was no transportation from Saigon to Long Bien after dark because of the possibility of the bus being fired on by Viet Cong. During the day light hours there was a regularly scheduled GI bus that made the 18 or so miles trip. (Fact is, after discovering this choice bit of infor-mation, upon returning from an installation or trouble shooting mis-sion, I made it a point to try and arrive in Saigon after the last bus had departed for Long Bien. That way, I could catch a local bus or taxi to downtown Saigon and was authorized to stay in a hotel leased by the Americans. This was a treat that I looked forward to -- a nice room with shower, a good meal, and a couple drinks at a nearby NCO Club. This particular time was early on in my tour. I was with the Philco rep who invited me to stay at his quarters for the night. I jumped at the opportunity! There were 6 Philco reps who rented a big, pretty house in downtown Saigon. The parties that went on there - oh well - they were parties! I can truthfully say I never did partake in the on-goings. This particular night there was a party in full swing when we arrived. After some excellent food, I excused myself, found my room, read a while, and turned in. As told to me by the 23 year old, about two weeks later all 6 Philco employees went to the local hospital for treatment. Asked by an American nurse on duty what their trouble was, each came forward and stated his problem, dropped his pants and got the needed penicillin shot. When the sixth one (my friend the 23 year old) approached the Lieutenant, the nurse said, "You too?" His answer, "Yeah, it must be the water."
CHAPTER EIGHT - SLICKEY BOY REVISITED
"The term "slickey boy" has many GI meanings. One -a pimp - was described earlier. Another a con artist exceptional who will con you out of anything you have of value. If he can’t con you, he’s apt to steal it. Most are pre-teen street people just doing their best to eat and stay alive.
I had occasion to go to the docks of Saigon to pick up a 5,000 BTU Sears window air conditioner. A what you ask? ‘Tis true. A driver, another friend and I on a Sunday afternoon checked out a 2½ ton truck for this "mission". Anytime we went to Saigon we just had to go by the Cholon PX (big exchange) and do some shopping. I purchased a small desk top radio with pen and pencil set to send back to the states. My driver and I had left the other friend at a bar near by. After going to the docks and getting the air conditioner, the plan was to return via the PX, then pick up our friend after his bar visit. All went well, till we got to the designated pickup point. No friend in sight. I told the driver to just circle the block several times and I would go to this particular bar to retrieve the missing comrade. I couldn’t locate him (I suspect he was "predisposed" elsewhere), so after about 15 or 20 minutes I decided to leave him and let him get back the best way he could. I then joined my buddy in the truck and we started off for the return trip to Long Bien. I asked my friend, "Where is the radio?" He looked on the seat between us, but no radio! His remark told it all: "Damn!" It seems a sweet young thing (low cut blouse, mini skirt) hailed down the truck, climbed up on the running board on the driver’s side asking to change some "script" (play money we used in Vietnam instead of green backs), for Vietnamese currency. Knowing my friend, I know where his eyes were directed! He figured then that the slickey boy had jumped up on the passenger side, reached in through the open window, and made off with the radio! Probably happened that way! In any case the radio was gone.
OUTSIDE TONG SA NUIT AIR BASE
Arriving from an out of town mission I was waiting for a cab at the main gate. The time was around 9 PM but it was still light. Across the street there was an Air Force Airman, carrying a bottle of liquor of some kind, making his way towards a bar. Along comes slickey boy being ridden by another slickey boy on a motor scooter. They approached the Airman from the rear and the passenger slickey boy reached out, grabbed the bottle of liquor and the scooter took off down an alley. The Airman was armed, and waving his 45 stopped another slickey-boy- scooter, crawled on the back and pointed at the "getaway" scooter. Too far away to hear what was said, but I suspect something like: "Follow that scooter!" and away he went! About 5 minutes later the Airman strolled out of the alley, his bottle of hooch in hand!
DOWNTOWN SAIGON
Checked into a hotel. Very street wise now. I always had orders allowing me to stay in Saigon when necessary, but I was not always given "single" quarters with a bath. The cost was very little, and the anticipation of getting a good steak and a couple drinks at a nearby noncom club made the stay in Saigon, regardless of the quarters, a "good deal". After one stay in a hotel of double-deck bunks with GI’s coming and going all night, I said to myself that there had to be a better way Found it! Upon checking in, I had to show my orders to the Vietnamese civilian doling out the rooms. When I presented my orders there amazingly was stuck to the orders $2.00 in script. Worked every time and worth every penny . Graft and corruption? Yep, I was a part of it!
In any case, after a hot shower at around 10 PM I headed for the NCO club. I was surrounded by a group of street kids "learning to be slickey boys" with their hands all over me. Aware of this ploy, I always carried my bill fold in a pouch out of sight around my neck. The kids found my trusty engraved zippo cigarette lighter and a half pack of Winstons though. After about 10 paces I missed the lighter. I turned and saw the group standing under a street light nearby. Amazingly they didn’t move when I approached. I looked over the bunch and only one small kid had his head down, hands in his pockets, not looking at me. I grabbed him by his shirt and told him in no uncertain terms, "You little SOB give me my lighter." Out pops my lighter in his open hand. I took the lighter, told him thank you, unzipped a "secret" pocket I had in my fatigues, and gave him some Vietnamese change. His incredulous look and smile was something else, and I was really sorry for what I had called him.
CHAPTER NINE - GROUND TRANSPORTATION
Getting around Vietnam via ground transportation was most difficult. The huge Long Bien base stretched for miles. Getting to the post exchange on a lunch hour from Brigade headquarters was just impossible unless you had some sort of transportation. The G3 section that my boss, a Lt. Colonel, worked at had access to one shared sedan, so it was always in use. My boss, a reserve Army officer, had been assigned to Vietnam from Taipei, Taiwan, where living was much easier, an assigned driver at his beckon. Although I was never in Long Bien for more than 3 or 4 days at a stretch I also needed transportation on occasion. Forget it! But again - there had to be a way!
There was a civilian construction outfit from Charlotte, NC (Jones Construction) that had many 6 passenger GMC pickups. At their mustering area there were 10 to 12 of these vehicles always parked. I approached an office manager, chatted a little about Charlotte, my home town, then asked about these vehicles and how I could get one to use occasionally. He informed me that all of these vehicles were broken for one reason or another so none of them were operational. I asked him if I got one going if I could requisition it for my boss at G3 1st Signal Brigade (tossing around a little higher authority never hurts). He though a minute, then said, "Get one going and then see me." Did it! Took the battery out of one, a generator from another, installed in a third and voila´ I had a working 6 passenger pickup! I drove this vehicle over to his office and with a triumphant look showed off my "new" truck! His only remarks were, "Well, I’ll be damned! Tell you what I’ll do, you get me a case of steaks and I’ll sign this truck over to you!" We shook hands, and I left. I then approached a mess sergeant I knew and asked him what he would take for a case of steaks. Knowing I was signal, he told me, "You get me a call through to this number is St. Louis for a few minutes and the steaks are yours." Easy. I made the arrangements, the mess sergeant talked with his wife for a good half hour, returned to the mess hall with a big grin and gave me the steaks. Done Deal - in less than two days. I picked up "my" truck and returned to Brigade headquarters. That was the last time I drove this vehicle. Any time from them on if I were in Long Bien the Colonel, at lunch time or in the early evening before dark, would say, "Houser, lets go to the PX", or You want to eat supper at the O Club at MACV on the hill?" You betcha! Also this was the only time in my 20 years Army that I was escorted by a Lieutenant Colonel - he behind the wheel, me in the passenger seat! That truck was his, and don’t you forget it!
LANDING ZONE ENGLISH - THE MODEM TRANSPORTATION
The 173d Airborne Brigade was at a site called Landing Zone English. This site was just about due west of Quinon up in the mountains. Our shelter had been in place for some 6 months but never activated. I was directed to open it up and get it on line. When I arrived at the Shelter and opened it up, there was about 2 inches of water on the floor (condensation from the shelter being closed up). I said to myself, "Huh oh". I drained the water, got power hooked up, crossed my fingers and powered the shelter up. All non-classified equipment came up OK except for the modem (classified equipment was stored in a guarded area until it was placed in the shelter. The shelter then became a guarded area.). After some 5 hours I decided I needed assistance from a main station we had in Quinon. and it would be better to transport the modem to Quinon, check it out there and then reinstall it at LZ English This unit was quite big (not like modems you see on PC’s today). I inquired of my host if I could get a chopper to air lift this unit to Quinon. I was told it would be 3 or 4 days before one would be available, but why not take it by truck? I said, "Are you out of your mind?" "Not at all" was the answer I got. "It is a safe trip." "Well, if you say so, then lets go first thing in the morning." In the meantime, I picked up a six pack of Hams at the club and returned to my quarters. Still very hot, even though it was around 10 PM, I just took a folding chair to the middle of the darkened street in front of my room and started to relax. Siren goes off. Do I move? No way! Charlie wasn’t going to hit this area, maybe a chopper pad or air strip, but not a lone street. Shortly a UH1 chopper appears with all lights ablaze, criss-crossing a small mountain at a very low altitude.! This chopper is really an observation helicopter, so just what the heck was he doing up there? I soon found out. All of a sudden he peeled off, turned off his lights and disappeared. Then from above there was a barrage of rocket fire directed towards the mountain that the UH1 had been flying near. Above the UH1, too far up to hear, had been Cobra gunships and they set the side of that mountain on fire! That crazy UH1 pilot had actually been drawing fire on purpose in order to pin-point where Charlie was located! Good show and as I drank my beer I just had to thrust an arm into the air and shout "Yes!"
The next morning we made our trip to Quinon. The trip there and back was uneventful. Why? South Korean troops were responsible for this zone. No one messes with the Koreans. Have you heard the saying, "Take no prisoners?" It was a Sunday "drive in the park"! I saw more beautiful mountains and countryside, gave cigarettes to Korean guards on each side of each bridge we crossed and in general had a marvelous trip. The "silence" was eerie! No Hueys, no artillery, no machine gun fire, no small arms fire! NEAT!
CHU LAI AND JEEP TRANSPORTATION
I arrived at the 4th Infantry Division area at Chu Lai around 2 PM. I needed to go north of the area about 7 miles to install some varisitors in equipment at a Marine Site. I do not remember the town. My contact was a Signal Officer at the Signal Site of the 4th Infantry. I made contact and asked for transportation to this Marine Site. The time I would be on site, barring any unforeseen problems, would only be about 30 minutes. I had asked at the air passenger terminal when I arrived when I could get a return flight to Ton Sa Nuit. I was told that there was a C130 leaving around 10 PM that night and I probably could get on this flight. Good! The Signal Officer, a Warrant, said since it was getting late (it was now around 3 PM), that he would get me quarters and we would go up the next morning. I was already dreaming of drinks and steaks, a good shower, and nice room in Saigon! I asked why we couldn’t go to the Marine Site now. He stated that Charlie was in the area and he did not want to stay at the Marine Site overnight. I told him this mission would only take some 30 minutes once I was on site, so we’d be back way before night fall (around 9 to 9:30 PM). After some more pleading with a "toss in" of how much 1st Signal Brigade wanted this job accomplished soonest, he finally relented with a "You wanta go now, you wanta to go now?" I told him I surely did! Then he asked where my weapon was. I told him (just a "little" white lie), that I had been told that the visited site would furnish me with a weapon. Flabbergasted, he got a jeep and driver, "artillery", and flack jackets and away we go! Well, sure enough, about 2 miles out we heard small arms fire in the distance around a mile away over an open area to our right that prompted the Warrant to say, "See, what did I tell you?" Finished this job in record time and returned to Chu Lai making my Saigon flight easily!
I did inform my boss that I had obtained excellent assistance from the Signal Officer at 4th Infantry and maybe 1st Signal Brigade could so inform the CG 4th Infantry! Never hurts to stretch the truth a little, I may have to return to Chu Lai!
HOME-MADE JEEP
Each major signal site had a "quality assurance" NCO assigned to monitor and assist on-site personnel in the day to day operation of signal operations. One such site was Cam Ranh Bay. Our representative at Cam Ranh was a big Mexican Staff Sergeant that was quite innovative. He was "married" to a Vietnamese girl, had I believe 2 children, had been in- country for over 4 years and really had no desire to return to the States.
As I have stated, ground transportation for anyone, especially the enlisted, was most difficult. Not so for this Sergeant! He knew just about all the civilian workers at Cam Ranh and easily made friends with the constant turnover of American personnel. There was a big property disposal area at Cam Ranh with many jeeps that were considered non-repairable stored at the disposal site. The site was manned by local Vietnamese. The big Mex put together one hell of a good jeep utilizing the parts from many jeeps that were in the storage site. He then took this jeep to a local paint shop, and had an excellent paint job done, had padded seats installed, floor mats, and extra padding placed on the area above the rear wheels. Then he had the original serial numbers of one of the jeeps he had used painted on the jeep, and placed fictitious unit numbers front and rear. These numbers indicated that the jeep was a 1st Signal Brigade jeep (Of course 1st Signal Brigade was no where near Cam Ranh, but since this NCO was assigned to 1st Signal, no one questioned these markings.) He then made up a fictitious maintenance book and even wrote out a trip ticket each day he used the jeep. Then a problem: Our NCO was transferred to Canto! Not to worry, he talked an Air Force friend into allowing the jeep to be flown via a Caribou (a 2-engine fixed wing aircraft) into Canto, where business continued as usual.. When I left ‘Nam, he was still our man on-site at Canto.
CHAPTER TEN - THE BRONZE STAR
I had now been in country some 10 months. Returning from a four week mission around 5PM one day (having received no mail for a month, I had caught the bus up from Saigon instead of my usual stay in Saigon overnight -- Mail important? Yes - especially coming from a loved-one). I checked in at Brigade headquarters, picked up my tape-recorded mail as I always did. I had earlier called Brigade to let them know that I was arriving sometime that day. The duty officer told me, "Don’t unpack, the secure system at 1st Cav has been down for some 36 hours and they need you there as soon as possible" (Any time this system was down for over 12 hours there was panic). I’ll have a chopper waiting to take you there within the hour! I showered, change clothes and then reported back to Brigade for transportation to the chopper pad. My mail would just have to wait a while longer I was not too thrilled in going to the 1st Cav area. It seems every time I went there, we underwent a rocket attack. I had some 2 months to go, had not even a scratch, and didn’t want one either! But none the less I reported to the chopper pad. Something good comes out of each assignment though. Here was a UH1 chopper to take me to the 1st Cav area. I had been in most of the Army’s choppers except the UH1 and the Cobra (did my best to get a ride on a Cobra, but failed in all requests). We arrived at 1st Cav around 8 PM I believe. A good flight. From the air I saw entire swatches of jungle wiped away. I remember think-ing, "Boy, Charlie can’t hide there." Little did I know at that time just what caused the defoliation. I was met by a driver in a sedan and was whisked away to the shelter housing the equipment. I entered the shelter and was shocked. Here this beautiful self-contained shelter had wiring from conduit hanging out, the entire electrical power panel had been opened with breakers removed, and in general was just a big mess. In the 1st place I really did not want to be there; in the 2d place there was no way I was going to try and "fix" this problem until I could evaluate the system with everything put back as it was. What had happened? Two variables. 1. An Army SP4, fresh out of the Signal School at Ft Monmouth, had been assigned on-site maintenance responsibility for this site. He had probably a little over a year in the service and had been in country for about 2 weeks. 2. An Army Warrant Officer W1 was the Infantry signal officer and was "helping" repair the shelter. It was apparent that although this officer may have been well trained in Infantry communications, he knew little or nothing about fixed site secure communications. I took one look, looked straight at the SP4 and asked him in no uncertain terms just what the hell was he doing? I spoke to the SP4 but the remarks were meant for the WO1 (I knew that the SP4 had not "destroyed the red/black wiring on his own.). I told the SP4, "You put this damn thing back together like it was when the trouble began, then come get me. I’ll be at the NCO club." With that I left. Around 10 PM an out of breath SP4 retrieved me from the club. I apologized to him for my outbreak, then got a run down about the problem. Long story short. The shelter was missing an electrical common return wire. The power was taken from a 15 KW generator about a mile away that was maintained by an Engineer Company. The power was routed overhead and only went to the Secure Shelter. The trouble started when the Engineer people asked for a 30 minute shut down in order to relocate the generator. At that same time Charlie had lobbed in some mortars and some had actually fell inside the compound. Before we could do any trouble shooting, though, the siren sounded and we headed for a shelter (My string of being hit by rockets at 1st Cav was not broken!). The alert lasted until around midnight.
The SP4 and I returned to the shelter. Then he and I headed out at midnight, with a flash light following the overhead power line back to the generator shed. We did not see any apparent problem. We arrived at the Generator shed, noticed through windows in a recreation area 4 engineers playing cards. The SP4 was about to call then, but I said, "Hell, leave them along we can check this out." We entered the shed and lo and behold there was the problem! When the power cables had been reattached to the generator after the move, the common cable had been tightened down on the insulation. I found a pair of pliers, and with power left on (I didn’t want to disturb the Engineers) loosened the common cable, pulled it back about ½ inch, tightened it down on the wire, returned to the shelter, powered up the equipment, made a call to Washington Switch in secure, then to Long Bien 1st Signal Brigade headquarters in the clear notifying the Staff Duty Officer that 1st Cav was up. The time was around 2:30 AM. I told the Staff Duty Officer that my G3 officer wanted to be notified as soon as the system was up, regardless of the time. I stood by and about 20 minutes later (he had his own transportation, remember) I got a secure call from my boss from the terminal in the General’s office asking for a full verbal report so as to be able to brief the General at his 6 AM briefing. This I did explaining that the common cable was not making contact with the generator. I asked in jest if I could have "my" chopper return immediately ‘cause I just didn’t like the 1st Cav area. "Ha!" was all I got.
How was the general briefed? It seems Charlie hit a power line running to the secure shelter severing the common return wire. Our man from Brigade assisted by the on-site engineer spliced the broken wire and brought the system back up. This of course was not exactly true; however, the Engineer Company was off the hook, 1st Cav Signal was off the hook, the SP4 was not responsible, and poor ole Charlie, unable to defend himself, took the entire blame. A hero I was now! A bronze star was awarded. (I still think I should have closed my eyes, turned my back, crossed my fingers , and put out my hand as the 1st Signal Brigade Commanding General presented the award.).
By the way, the SP4 got a meritorious promotion to SP5. I never saw the Warrant Officer again after that initial encounter .
CHAPTER ELEVEN - AIR CONDITIONING
The Sears Air Conditioner - Remember the air conditioner I picked up at the Saigon docks? It belonged to my G3 officer, sent to him by his wife in the states. "Could I get some fiber glass insulation for his room and install the air conditioner?" I had noticed that a construction outfit was putting together some prefabricated metal buildings at Long Bien. Get the picture? Corrupt again! Checked out a 5-quarter truck from the motor pool made a "midnight requisition" for 6 bundles of the stuff and rushed it over to my bosses quarters for installation the next day. Dirty, sweaty work but finally got it installed around 4 PM one afternoon. Much too dirty to go back to work at Brigade but I did find a refrigerator in my bosses room full of Heineken beer. Powered up the AC, sat back, enjoyed some good tapes of classical music, and cooled off nicely. The Boss returned around 6 PM. I told him I just had to check out the AC to make sure it was working properly, and since the beer and music were there ... Just got a smile, and a request for one of his beers. I accommodated. Good afternoon of work all around!
SHELTER AIR CONDITIONER
To Buon Me Thuot. The air conditioner compressor for the shelter at Buon Me Thuot had given up the ghost. Brigade had ordered another unit, but supply delay was going to take too long so I was told to remove an existing air conditioner from a spare shelter, and take to Buon Me Thuot. The units used in the shelters were 10 ton units. I had this unit loaded on a C130 arriving at the Buon Me Thuot air strip around 3 PM. A fork lift off-loaded the unit. I went to the "passenger terminal" - just a 3-room prefab building with some rudimentary air traffic control installed, to call for ground transportation for the AC to the secure site. It took no more than 5 minutes for me to make the call and arrange for a pickup. I went back outside to wait on the truck. No air conditioner! Where did it go? No one knew! (Apparently I was not the only person involved in graft and corruption!). I immediately called Brigade, told them the story and they told me just to return to Brigade, that they had another mission for me and we’d take care of getting another AC. Before leaving Buon Me Thuot, I located a small Air Conditioner and placed it in the shelter for temporary air conditioning. This allowed the system to stay on line for short periods of time so the system was not completely down.
About 10 days later I again took a new AC to Buon Me Thuot, but before I left Bien Hoa, I called Signal Support at Buon Me Thuot and told them the approximate time I was going to arrive, again asking that a truck and wrecker meet me for pickup and movement of the AC unit to the shelter. No way was I going to "lose" another AC! All went well and before evening, I had the shelter up and running! Happy? You bet! I had had just about enough of Buon Me Thuot, what with VC 122 mm rockets, mosquitoes, and stolen AC’s! I couldn’t get a flight out until the next day so I was going to have to stay overnight. An adjacent compound was used by Special Forces personnel, who had an excellent home-made NCO Club. I decided to walk over that evening and have a couple drinks before bed. Walked into the club, really quite nice, using the ingenuity of the GI! Even air conditioned! The air conditioner? You guessed it. There in the wall was a remarkable look-alike to a secure shelter 10-ton air conditioner! I probably could have gotten this unit returned since I noticed that the unit still had its serial number and markings, but I didn’t have the heart. After all just where is Buon Me Thuot located in Vietnam? About 50 miles from the Cambodian border. Again 2 + 2 = 4. Cambodian border; Special Forces; huey helicopters departing early each morning, returning late each evening.....If anyone needed a place to relax, it was these people. Besides, the secure shelter was up and running anyway!
CHAPTER TWELVE - MAHOGANY PANELING
North of Quinon, IBM had a computer system used mainly, I believe, for supplies control. Picture this, if you can: A glass-enclosed area - a "clean room", if you will, with civilian technicians dressed all in white down to masks and gloves, operating the system ("Big Blue" always did things up big time!). This system, as I remember, was a "point to point" system running to, I believe, Saigon. It used the same secure equipment that was used in the secure voice systems and the data com used was also the same. This site was having trouble with their data com or the secure equipment and I was asked to assist if I could. In trouble shooting this problem, I had to go up over this clean room. I got a ladder and crawled up over this room. The site had need for plywood to enclose the computer room. None being available, they had to "improvise". The plywood? Sheets of ¾ inch mahogany, plentiful in southeast Asia, I suppose. How I would have loved to have these back in the states! What a waste of beautiful wood!
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - AIR TRANSPORTATION
Due to the nature of my work, I had "class 2" travel orders. This allowed me priority air transportation throughout Vietnam. As I remember, only emergency leave, and deceased returning to the States with escorts were above the Class two designation Most trips were by C130 (the 4 engine turbo-prop work horse used throughout Vietnam) but I never knew, especially at remote sites
.BUON ME THUOT
Reference above. After the final installation of the AC, I went over to the small air field the next morning and inquired about transportation to Saigon. They had nothing scheduled (not all that uncommon at small sites), but non-scheduled flights were quite common. I grabbed a cup of coffee, a magazine and waited. About 3 hours later, the controller called me and said there was a Vietnamese Lieutenant flying a C47 into Saigon in about 30 minutes and asked me if I wished to go on that flight! Great! I was adventurous, and had never been on a C47. I went over to the "civilian" side of the field and soon I was called for the flight. I crawled into the old C47, looked for seats - there were none. The ship had been used for hauling people, pigs, chickens, and heaven only knows what else and smelled to high heaven, but not to worry, it was going to Saigon! The pilot I would guess was about 25 years old. He was dressed all in black, smiled at me showing two gold teeth and pointed to straps on the fuselage to hold onto. I complied and we were off! Good take off, a nice flight.
We evidently got clearance for landing at Ton Sa Nuit and started our descent. Well, we touched down, or rather one wheel touched down, then it came back up and the other wheel touched down. At that my Vietnamese gold-tooth pilot decided he had better go around and try again. We repeated the same scenario but this time after two bounces finally both wheels were on the runway at the same time, the tail dropped down and we taxied to a stop. My friend emerged from the cockpit, with a broad smile again showing those goldies, and a look of, "Well, we made it!" I just grabbed my gear and jumped to the tarmac heading for the terminal. Oh well, I had asked for it and I must admit it was an adventure! .
BAC LOU IN THE DELTA
I was directed to go to Bac Lou in the Delta to check for "red/black" compliance on an older shelter. Got a flight to Canto, then caught a flight with a Canadian crew on to Bac Lou in a Caribou aircraft. I was the only passenger on board. The cargo consisted of seven 55- gallon drums of diesel. The flight was uneventful - that is until we landed. We were just on the ground, and the pilot had swung the ship around to taxi to the terminal. The rear door of the ship had been opened exposing the runway. All of a sudden, the crew chief rushed back to the side door of the ship and directed me in no uncertain gyrations to get my gear and get the hell off! Having no earthly idea what was happening, I just grabbed my gear, jumped down to the tarmac and moved away from the aircraft. As soon as I was clear, the pilot gunned his engines and headed back down the runway in the opposite direction of our landing. He started picking up speed and all of a sudden I see 55-gallon drums bouncing on the runway. I could see the crew chief through the open cargo door using an ax to cut the strapping releasing the drums! I said to myself, "Good grief, what’s going on?" I didn’t have long to find out. The air field was under attack with 122’s coming in. I found a revetment, jumped in and did a little praying that none of those drums (or me!) would be hit. The Caribou? The last I saw of it was a steep bank to the right and then he was nothing but a dot in the sky as he moved away toward Canto. Movie time!!
IN THE DELTA AGAIN
Using a "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter, a shelter was attached to the underside for delivery to a site with a very short runway.. The ship hovered over the shelter, it was cabled to the helicopter and off we go, the shelter swinging gently underneath. Arrived OK. There was a 2½ ton truck waiting and the ":jolly" pilot gently lowered the shelter onto the truck. Kinda tight fit. Nice piece of piloting! After dropping the shelter, we landed and I joined the truck for about a 30 minute ride to the shelter’s final destination.
The shelter was then "loaded" with the necessary secure equipment. The next day I brought the system up OK, did my usual tests and around 3 PM was ready to leave. Out to the air strip to wait. An "Air America" ship came in. I never did find out what kind of plane this was. It was a single engine, I believe turbo with extremely long wings. Its name to fame was its ability to land and take off "on a dime". I ran out to the plane and asked the "civilian" pilot if I could get a ride to Canto or wherever! He told me he was going to Canto via Sai Dec and I may get bumped but I was welcome if I wanted to take the chance. I told him I would chance it. His next remarks kind of made me uneasy, but none the less I was game. He said, "You ever been to Sai Dec?" (I hadn’t). I climbed aboard, and we waited for the "official" passenger.
Who was this fellow? I didn’t ask, but he was dressed in a dark blue 3-piece suit, white shirt, red tie and black
shoes. He was carrying a small brief case. (A 3-piece suit here in the jungle where the humidity must always stay around 100%?); Air America, huh? Civilian pilot? We took off and it was a nice flight. The pilot started his descent and I peered out the window looking for a runway of some sort. None in view! "What’s this guy doing, anyway?" I asked myself. Then I noticed maybe 20 to 25 Vietnamese soldiers blocking off the only dirt road around. I looked the other way and some 100 yard down this road there was another 20 to 25 Vietnamese soldiers doing the same thing! So this was our "runway"! No wonder the pilot asked me if I had even been to Sa Dec! We landed without incident with plenty of "runway" left over. The passenger gave the pilot a snappy salute and disappeared into the jungle.. The pilot whipped the aircraft around and took off in the opposite direction from which we landed. Oh well, so much for taking off and landing into the wind. First at Bac Lou and now at Sa Dec!
When we got to Canto, the pilot asked with a grin, "Well, how did you like Sa Dec?" I told him it was OK but I didn’t believe I wanted to go back!!
QUINON - THE RESERVE OFFICER CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY
Finished a job at Quinon, manifested on a C130 for a return flight to Saigon at 10 PM. As part of the briefing we passengers always got there was a spiel of not using transistor radios on board the aircraft. I usually just yawned, paid no attention, completely bored at hearing this so many times. This time I actually laughed out loud! Usually a crew chief read the words from his manual. Not this time, the pilot gave us the briefing for some reason or other. I suspect this officer was a reservist called to active duty. I make this appraisal because of his rank (a Lieutenant Colonel), age (I would say late 50’s or early 60’s), and actions. Although most Air Force officers are quite easy to talk with, not endeared with their rank as so many Army officers are when speaking with enlisted, this officer was even more personal, and one could not help but like him. His spiel about radios? He finished off with: "And for god’s sake fellows, keep those transistor radios off! I have enough trouble navigating as it is!" - Now remember, it was night, and if we go north instead of south, we’d be in North Vietnam a lot sooner than if we were going south to Saigon!
DAC LAT - THE CESNA TRIP.
I needed to take spare parts to a DaNang site I believe. Anyway, I was able to get a Cesna out of Bien Hoa (a rarity, Cesna’s are usually for the "wheels"). This flight was going to make a stop at Dac Lat and then on to Da Nang. Dac Lat, as you might know, is in the highlands and just beautiful. Not only this, but the French while they were in Indo China used Dac Lat as an in-country rest and recuperation center. We arrived at Dac Lat without incident. We were going to have a 3 hour lay over so I decided to check out our PX there. Beautiful women? They were in Dac Lat! The cross between the Vietnamese with their black hair, olive complexion and beautiful bodies and the French with high cheek bones and tall in stature was striking! I’m kinda glad we weren’t staying overnight - I may have succumbed to the temptations there!
In any case we reboarded our Cesna at the appointed time and were preparing for takeoff. This ship was really loaded! I had some 100 pounds of unclassified equipment plus a complement of classified printed circuit boards that I was hand carrying. The aircraft also had a full passenger load. In fact, I was seated on the floor in the back of the Csena. When the Cesna took off, it seemed forever before we left the runway and we just did clear the end of the runway! When we landed at Da Nang I said to the co-pilot, "A couple more pounds and we may still be in Dac Lat!" He looked at me and said, "You don’t know how close your are to being right!"
THE MONSOONS AND PHU BAI
The 21st Signal Group, commanded now by the Colonel who interviewed me in Long Bien as a Lt Colonel was responsible for a large in-house switching unit for Secure Voice Communications at Phu Bai. The Army Security Agency out of Ft Meade, Maryland, was responsible for inspection of overall security for the installed sites. These people had inspected the Phu Bai site and found it unsatisfactory. So much so that they threatened to shut the site down! The 1st Signal Brigade Commanding General said there was "No Way" this was gona happen.
I was ordered to immediately go to Phu Bai and correct any problems that ASA had found. At another site, I was pulled out of that site and left for Da Nang south of Phu Bai. There I would catch another aircraft on to Phu Bai. I arrived at Da Nang in the afternoon and discovered there was a 256 backlog of passengers trying to get into Phu Bai (The 101st Airborne was about 11 miles north of Phu Bai so probably many of these people were going there). All planes going to Phu Bai were grounded because of the monsoons. I called Brigade and appraised them of the situation. I was told to standby the phone and I would be called shortly. Sure enough about 30 minutes later I got the call. My boss in Long Bien told me to "find" the chopper pad and wait. A chopper would pick me up. Well, that took care of a possible "R&R" for a short time in Da Nang with a friend I knew!
So I "requisitioned" some plastic to cover the o-scope and tool box as best I could, put on the leaking, issued poncho, and got an MP to take me to the chopper pad ("You sure you want to go to the chopper pad?", the MP asked.)
Picture this. It is raining so hard you can see maybe 30 feet around you. This lone soldier with two pieces of gear and a knap sack is standing out in this mess looking for all the world like he is lost (I felt lost!). Then all of a sudden there is the "chop, chop, chop" that only a Huey makes and in it comes fluttering through the downpour. A crew chief jumps out, asks me if I am Houser, then helps me load my gear. We take off and if I remember correctly about 30 to 45 minutes later we land in Phu Bia. Here again something good out of a bad situa-tion. The flight was just beau-tiful! The Huey pilot flew fairly close to the ground, I suspect for visibility purposes. The entire countryside was inundated with water and the pelting of the rain on the flooded ground area was something I will always remember. This chopper was assigned to the Commander of the 21st Signal Group so once again there is a connection with the LTC who interviewed me in Long Bien and the Colonel of the 21st.
The main "gig" that ASA found with our switch? The equipment was located less than three feet from an existing wall! Radiation of secure information prior to being encoded was always checked by ASA; however, this site was underground, the top was covered with about 2 feet of reinforced concrete and another 15 or so feet of dirt, and unless a long tunnel were dug in an already secure fenced-area, there was no way anyone could get close to the walls that had been certified to be 2 feet thick! We’re in trouble for sure if there is going to be any "spurious radiation" out of this site! There were a couple minor things that I corrected within an hour. I then called in my report to Brigade. Later on I found out that our the Commanding General at Brigade was furious, but being the politician that he was, asked for and was granted an "exception" for this site.
WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE
Took a Huey to Vung Tau on a mission. The Huey pilot was a real "cowboy". First, he flew down a highway about 50 feet from the ground. Looking up, one could see trees lining both sides of the highway. Doors on the chopper were open where crew members manned 60 caliber machine guns. But for this joy-happy pilot, this was not enough. After clearing this particular "obstacle", we approached an open marshy area where Vietnamese were planting rice plants. Our "hot dog" then swooped down low over these people prompting them to fall forward into the rice marsh. To do this work, the peasants stood knee-deep or more in the marsh, bending over to insert the rice plants into the marsh. Our pilot, I suppose, wanted to see these poor people covered with water and mud. Were they Viet Cong? Maybe, but at that particular time they were just peasants placing rice plants in the marsh. Very classy operation by this pilot, and I thought to myself, "If these people are not Viet Cong now, they may very well be tomorrow after being treated as they were by an American helicopter pilot."
THE BEAVER RIDE
Caught a "Beaver", a small single engine observation fixed-wing aircraft from Quang Ngai to Quinon. The end of the runway at Quang Ngai ended about 40 feet above the South China Sea. On board was a Warrant Officer and a SP5. The aircraft carried no cargo, a 2-crew (2) and me along with my gear. On take off, we headed down the runway toward the ocean. The runway I would guess was around 200 yards long. The Beaver with hardly any load would normally, I suspect, take much less than half this length for take off. With the SP5 (I guess he was illegally "learning" to fly) at the controls, we stayed on the ground until almost the end of the runway (remember, the ocean is dead-ahead. Our ground speed I estimate was around 80 to 90 MPH. At the last moment before dropping into the sea, the SP5 pulls back on the stick and the Beaver stands on its tail and shoots up in about a 60º climb. Both "pilots" then turn to me with big grins on their faces. I did not think it was so funny.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - THE DEPENDENT HOUSING, OFFICER AND NCO CLUBS
I went to Tuy Hoa, an Air Force site, to install and bring on a new system. I was met by an Air Force Tech Sergeant who gave me a "cooks tour" of the Tuy Hoa base. Driving slowly throughout the base, he pointed out the Base Exchange, clothing sales outlet, Air Police station, bowling alley, theater, library, snack bar, and other points of interest. Am I really in South Vietnam or am I already back in the States?
Then he pointed to an open field with concrete pilings looking very much like the start of some type of new buildings. He said kinda nonchalantly that this was the start of family housing. Tuy Hoa was going to be around for a long time!
Next we arrived near the ocean. There was a wide beautiful beach area. About ½ mile apart were two very nice buildings with outside dining facilities right on the beach. One was the Officers’ Club, the other NCO. Nice. The buildings were practically new. The Tech Sergeant told me about the dedication of the Officers’ Club. It seems a C130 was dispatched to the Philippines to pick up a contingent of "round eyes" (non orientals) for dedication assistance. After all, this was a site that was going to be enjoyed for a long time! Betcha this was some dedication!
At Tuy Hoa I had my own air conditioned trailer for quarters and thoroughly enjoyed my two week stay. Fact is, I really wanted to stay longer but just couldn’t justify this to 1st Signal Brigade! Like I have said, the Air Force knows how to treat its people and keep them happy!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - HUE - LOCAL POWER AND VIETNAMESE ELECTRICIANS
My last installation of secure voice communications sites was in Hue. This was to be an "in- house" installation and as such usually took me around 21 days or so to complete, if all went well, once power was available for the equipment. The room chosen was underground, all cement about 15 feet by 15 feet, no windows, a double-single steel door for entrance. Command had opted for power to be furnished by the local power company, with backup by a 10 KW gasoline generator.
Through an interpreter, I told the local electrician where I wanted the main power to come in. With all smiles, and grins and nodding of his head, he was ready for this job! Some 3 days later I was informed that the power was in and ready for me to sign off on. Sure enough power lines were inside the furnished primary breaker box.. Good show! Maybe this installation will go quickly!
Wrong! As promised, I had the power in, but it consisted of only 3 wires - one common and two 120V legs. Again through an interpreter, I told our electrician that I needed a fourth "ground" wire, terminated with the common back at the transformer outside the building and actually going to ground at that point. This just was not necessary, he emphatically said, and there was no way I could convince him to put in the 4th wire! Boy, I thought, ASA will have a field day here! What to do? "Rolled up my sleeves" and with a pick started digging a hole in the floor directly underneath the main breaker through 4 inches of reinforced concrete! Then I scooped out another four inches of dirt or so, filled the hole with salt and water that I replenished each day for two days. I then drove a one inch copper spike down into the earth about a foot, filled in with cement and I had my "ground". Well, I thought, here’s another "exception" ASA will be asked for, but I had no doubts that it would be granted!
I left Hue after almost a month. I had seen a lot of this "walled" city and truly thought how beautiful it was. I had barely missed TET. I just could not visualize what must have gone on here about a year earlier. Sad.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - FISHING IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
At Nha Trang on a Sunday afternoon I took some time off , a rarity. My Air Force helper at the Site suggested we go fishing in the South China Sea. He knew where he could rent a boat and Vietnamese seaman for a reasonable cost, so he, 4 other GI’s and I did just that. The boat was a "sand pan" type with a one cylinder engine. We went off the coast a short distance with a good supply of beer, fishing equipment and were having a good time. The only fish we caught, however, were ones with "suction cups" on the top of their heads that was used to attach themselves to larger fish. I don’t know the name of this fish, only that they were not good to eat. After about 2 hours and no fish, we decided to go swimming. There was a reef some 50 yards away and we raced to the reef. Who won? I don’t remember, but what I do remember was the reef was made of coral and climbing up on this thing caused cuts all over our legs and arms! Then we saw a large school of fish near the surface darting first one way then another, chased by something. We rushed back to our boat hoping the blood we were oozing did not attract what ever was chasing these fish! We then left this area. Our Vietnamese seaman cruised around a small island. As we approached the other side of the island, we heard the unmistakable sound of grenades going off! What was happening? Is our fishing trip to be ruined by Charlie? No sir! Another "fishing" party was having more luck then we; however, they used other means for their catch. Hand grenades tossed into the water. They had many, many fish!
So much for fishing in the South China Sea!
FINAL RETURN TO BIEN HOA
My day had finally arrived! I was heading back to the States. We arrived at Bien Hoa awaiting our transportation in an open assembly area. There it comes! A beautiful Boeing 707 approaching. An Air Force Sergeant dressed in combat fatigues boarded the 707 and shortly out comes these GI’s dressed in khakis. These people walked over to an open air shelter and were greeted with Hoorays" and the clapping of many hands! Sound familiar? You guessed it. Some 13 months earlier the same scene took place, but at that time we were the "greetees", not the greeters! And Yep, we too knew exactly what was going on!
MSGT E8 USA Retired
Return
to Military
+
