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Echo Company Membership
 = a link to a remembrance
has been posted for one who served, either on the Wall or Memorial page.
 = a link to a donation
that was made in the name of one who served, either on the Wall or
Memorial page.
Echo Company
- Biggar, Robert
C. - SGT - Recon - Cambodia, Binh Phouc, Cu Chi - 05/70 - 09/70
2504 W. Boone Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201-2957
(509)325-4886
biggarbb@attbi.com
I was platoon sergeant for the Recon-Raiders. I started out
humping a radio in Cambodia from Shakey's Hill. We worked the
populated area around Binh Phouc after that. Our last major
operation was the Hobo Woods before the Battalion was deactivated.
Cannon,
Earl L.
-
Crawford, James - Rach Kien, Binh Phuoc
- 1/70 - 09/70
26770 Santa Rosa Drive
Moreno Valley, CA 92555
crawfordpwll@hotmail.com
I was Commo Chief in Echo Co at Rach Kien and Binh Phuoc. I remember Dean, Ortega, "Saddle Bum" (Robert Norris), Jim Wagner and a few others.
-
Deane, Clifford - Recon - Rach Kien, Bien Phuoc
- 09/69 - 09/70
119 Mayflower Lane
Meriden, CT 06450
cfdeane@cox.net
I was with with Ortega & Blunk and all the others. Would you of ever
guessed how it would all turn out?
-
DeHart, William - Recon - Rach Kien, Bien Phuoc
- 2/70 - 7/70
220 Shell Road
Merion, NC 28752
828-738-4848
billsautoglass@charterinternet.com
Served in the Recon Platoon as a sniper with Warloe, Clayton, Rutan, Cardenas, and Zuckerman. Was on Shakey's Hill in Cambodia.
- Ford, Stanley S. - FDC 4.2 mortars - Rach Kien -
8/68-10/69
4506 Palm Avenue
La Mesa, California
619-741-5721
stn9f6@aol.com
Those of you who served along side of me will be able to recall who I
am because I don't think anyone who was there could ever forget it. It
was probably in August or September of 1969. I was sleeping during an
all night shift in FDC (Fire Direction Center). We would take turns
napping in the wee hours. I was getting short, and had extended 63
days so I could ETS out of Nam. Outside the quiet was broken by a horn
wailing into the darkness. I awoke from my bad dream and went right
past my buddies and charged into the barracks screaming as loud as a
man could scream, "Ground attack! Ground attack!" I went back into the
FDC room and the people in there with me were putting on their
protective jackets and grabbing for their M-16. It was about 4:00 a.m.
The entire barracks emptied out the door. Richard (Tennesse) Thompson
was one of the first out the door. He was also one of the first to
come back in. I will never forget the look of relief when he stuck his
head into
our door, and said in that strong southern twang, "Ford, that sounds
to me like that horn in the deuce and a half just got stuck, that's
all it is." Actually everyone had a look of relief. Not one of you
were angry at me; if you were you never said a word. For that I have
always been grateful. From time to time over the years when the
subject of one's most embarrassing moment would come up, that has
never been challenged by any other event in my life. I know that many
promised each other that we would meet again in the "world". It never
has happened for me. However the bonds made in Vietnam have remained
incredibly strong for me as the decades have passed. I found David
Tomberlin on the Internet and called him on Thanksgiving Day. We had
not spoke to each other since our last day in Rach Kien, or perhaps
Dong Tam. It was amazing how we spoke to each other. It was just like
we had spoke yesterday. It was then I realized that we have all become
alegend and somewhat of myth to each others wives and families. I
would really like to find Steven Glore. I have so many memories of our
adventures. One of which occurred one evening when mortars were being
fired into our base. We didn't really know where to run or duck, so we
did what most G.I.'s did, we hit the ground and hugged it with all our
might. We were face to face and Steve said to me, "We could die. Right
now we could be killed!" As Charlie walked the mortars ever closer we
started to giggle. The booms grew louder and closer. With each blast
we became hysterical and acknowledged to each other that we were
laughing in the face of death. Soon they passed over. I think we both
knew fear, and the helplessness it can bring. We could have cried just
as easy as we laughed. One final question to other vets out there,
have any of you experienced what I must have experienced at least
three or four times. That is finding yourself in a situation where you
are certain you were going to get your ass kicked by someone and some
else says something to the effect "You better be careful, he went to
'Nam!" I guess the moral to that story is that every silver lining has
a cloud.
- Johnson
,
Gus
-
Mortar Platoon - Rach Kein -
2/69-2/70
423-345-3208
I was in
4.2Motar of Echo Co. Anyone at Rach Kein in 1969 who called for,
H.E.or Illumination rounds, I was one of the guys that sent it.
Hope we did a good job. They dont have listing for the yellow house.
Does anybody have any photos of the yellow house. Some of the
other guys I remember in 4.2Motar of E. Co. in 1969--1LT Terrence
Rudes, SFC James Woodard, David Tomberlin, Stanley Ford, Eddie Bailey,
Steven Glore, Bernard Mendoca, Donald Okawa, John Watkins, John Acieno,
David Slater, Robert Schutte, Maurice Motoda, David Rohe, Richard
Thompson (Tennessee), Jesse Hall, Dial (Chief), Gerold Newell, James
Beavers, The Professor, my 2nd. Squad Leader Charles M. Wright.
Special interest in finding Gerold Newell, He was from
California. Don't know the towns. His father worked with
animals, in a lab. It has got to me that he was killed by a rocket in
early 1970 at Rach Kein. Can't find his name on the wall
listing. He was my friend.
Mills,
Thomas L.
-
Rach
Kien - 8/69 - 8/70
950 N. 12th Avenue
Broken Bow, NE 68822
308-872-5521
millspond@cornhusker.net
I was there when Recon was split and the Raider Platoon was established (69-70). I remember on 9/17/69 Raider platoon was pinned down by the VC and the commanders, Col Dale Crittenberger and Lt Col Leo Sikorski, and 10 other Americans were killed in a collision of a Huey and a Cobra. That was a bad day. I was at Ben Luc when our platoon worked the bush off of river patrol boats (PBR's). Dan Pizzuttillo saved my life and I would really like to hear from Dan. I started a PFC and ended up a Spec 4. I also went to the Plain of Reeds; Cambodia twice, once on ACV's; at Rach Kien; at Ben Luc; at Binh Phuoc and I was on Shakey's Hill. Some of the guys I remember are Norris Walter, Stanley Seroke, Joe Graziano, Dan Pizzuttillo, Lt. John Benson, Lt. Richard Owens, Stanley Patterson, Clifford Dean, Dick Hite, Ted Rensing, Willard Robertson, David Ortega, Andrew Jackson, Roger Taylor, Charles Mason, Ronald Isenhour and Charles "Tennesse" Hensley.
Ortega,
David -
Recon Platoon - Rach Kien / Bien Phouc - 08/69-08/70
963 W. Oliver Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
760-672-2826
dortega@MiTierraGrafix.com
I was there when Recon was split and the Raider Platoon was established. Worked the canals with the Navy on PBRs and Alpha Boats out of Ben Luc, Plain of Reeds, FSB Jaime. Went to Cambodia (Parrots Beak) and spent time on Shakey's Hill in Mar of 70. I remember Willard Robertson "Chief", Sgt. Toles, Charles Mason, Malloy, Charles Hensley (Tennessee), John Ahrens, Dick Hite, Sgt. Andrew Jackson, Lt. Owens, Lt. Smith, Roger Taylor, Tom Mills, Sgt. Patterson, Glen Blunk, Jim Wagner, Sgt. Clifford Deane and others. I have made contact with Jim Wagner, Clifford Deane, Tom Mills, Glen Blunk, Tony Alexander (Mickey Alexander’s brother) and Stanley Seroka. Pictures of them from Vietnam and as they are today can be found on the “Alive and Well” page of my Website. I hope to make contact with many more.
I also have a video on VHS (converted from 8mm) that I have sent to some of those I have contacted and am in the process of sending it to the others. I am also looking into having this video digitized so that it can be downloaded from my website for those who are interested.
Please log onto my website to see additional info on my tour and other information.
Web Page-
www.MiTierraGrafix.com
Patterson, Stanley E. - Recon - Rach Kien - 2/69 - 2/70
7810 Idyle Wild Road
DuQuoin, IL 62832
stanley.patterson@mchsi.com
Was assigned to Charlie Co, after about 3 months went to Recon Echo Co. Recieved E-6 stripe, became plt sgt. Remember and have pictures of Rodrigues, Norris, Morin, Farmer, Davis, Wyant, Lytle, Marks, Burnhurt, Smith, Maddox, Saldana, White, Hacker, Wills, Rons, Doc Paskal, Graziano, Malone, Ortega and tiger scouts who served with us.
Pizzutillo, Daniel M. - Recon Platoon - Rach Kien - 3/69 - 3/70
223 Lakehurst Avenue
National Park, NJ 08063
609-472-1778
dpizz101@verizon.net
Seroka,
Stanley M. -
Rach Kien, Bien Phouc - 7/69-9/70
501 N. Pennsylvania
Abingdon, Illinois 61410
(309) 462 5328
soakie56@yahoo.com
I started as a
PFC like most ended a SGT. First job I got was RTO for SSGT Joe
Graziano, then SSGT Hacker, then LT. J.O.B. Then assigned to HHC
as RTO. Some people I remember are David Ortega, Willard
Robertson(chief), Ted Rensing, SGT. Patterson, SGT. Pizzutillo, SGT.
Norris walker, LT. Owens, SGT. Clifford, Dean Dick Hite and Tennessee.
I also went to Plain of Reeds, Cambodia, (twice) once on acv's.
Spent last month at Long Bien ammo depot pulling security as assistant
platoon sgt. If any of you guys remember me feel free to drop me
a line. I know its been a long time but all my adresses and
photos were stolen in long bien.
Shipman,
Mark A. -
Rach Kien, Tan An - 4/69 - 4/70
40101 Dapple Grey Ct.
Tehachapi, CA 93561
661 823 7697 ( h )
661 496 0944 ( c )
Mark1950@live.com
I came to Recon in June/69 after 2 months on the river with the Mobile Riverines.
I hated being with a Co size unit in the field and volunteered for Recon as soon as a slot opened. I walked point, carried an M79 w/vest for rounds but mostly carried a damn PRC-25. Oh well, couldn't have it all your way. I worked Bien Luc, Plain of Reeds, etc. Some of you may remember the time I killed that gook with a knife on the dike.
Ah well, the stories we can and will tell.
The date today is 09/25/07. I am in contact with SSGT Patterson, Thomas Mills and Sgt Dean. I would like to hear from everyone who has time. I'm thinking of taking a road trip to see everyone I can or perhaps we can meet somewhere. I know about the Battalion Reunion. But wouldn't it be great to have our own. Dammned near 39 yrs ago boys, I need some answers in order to find out a little more about that (boy turned man) I left in a stinking shit hole.
Smith,
James
- SP4 -
Recon Platoon - 03/70-09/70
Recon
Thompson,
Richard S (Tennessee) - Mortar Platoon - Rach Kine - 09/68-07/69
4411 Martins Chapel Rd
Springfield, TN 37172
615-382-8872
justjana21@worldnet.att.net
I came into RVN Aug '68. Reported to 1st INF Div at Dian then to
Lakie on Labor Day '68. Went through CIC School there. On
Friday 13 Sept 68 traveled by C-130 to Vinn Long airstrip then to Dong
Tam by River Craft. From Dong Tam to "Callai" to fire support
base Moore on Hiway #4. On Friday 4 Oct 68 I lost 2 of my
buddies from E Co, PFC Ronald Powers and Sgt Perves. I was
wounded from short round fired by D Co 81mm mortar while they were
firing at VC approaching Berm. Medi Vacked to 9th Div field
hospital in Dong Tam and next morning woke up to find NVA Col in the
next bed. He got his education at Harvard and could speak better
English than I could. Blew my mind as to what a nice guy he
appeared to be. I was a 19 year old Tennessee country boy and I
could not really sort all this out and maybe couldn't today.
From fire support base Moore to Tan Help. We set up in AVRN
Basic Training camp to provide 4.2 mortar cover due to VC Rpg's and
mortars. From Tan Help to Rach Kine at Thanksgiving in temp
bunker. From there to fire support base Diablo in the rocket
belt. We returned in Jan of 69 to Rach Kein and build permanent
bunkers for 4.2 PH and 4 gun sites.
Could tell hours on end of stories about fire base Diablo, some funny,
some not and some that can't be told. Spent Easter at the north
end of Ben Luc bridge with Kelly Harrington from McGee MS. who has now
passed away.
From Rach Kine on 4 July 69 to Tan Ann 3rd Bdg Hdq to 9th Div Hdq at
Dong Town to USS "Benwha" on 15 July 69. CH47 to Ben Hoa by C121
to Japan to McCord AFB WA to Fort Lewis back to Springfield TN 16 July
69. Sixteen July 69 has always been a special day in my life and
what a privilege it is to note all of this to include the misspellings
on this 14 July 2002 just a mer 33 years later.
A special thanks to Sgt.Gus Johnson of Surgonsville, TN for letting me
know about his Web Site.
Only the men who were there will ever know what kind of life long
friendships that we young boys forged out over there. Only God
knows what guys like Gus Johnson, Steve Hamblin, Joe Gage and Mike
Wright mean to me today and tomorrow.
Keep up the good work and if there is anything I can help with you can
call, send an email or come to Tennessee and sit and jaw awhile.
Richard S. (Tenn) Thompson
Wagner,
Jim, Sr. - Recon - Rach Kien/Bien Phouc - 03/70 - 09/70
161 Regency Drive
Grand Island,
NY
14072-1452
(716) 773-9504
JWagnerSr@Adelphia.net
Recon Platoon. Inherited point & demo bag from Ortega (he owes
me!). Worked night ambushes, air assaults, Plain of Reeds,
Firebase Jamie, Cambodia, Cu Chi. Transferred north to 101st
Airborne after 3rd Brigade went home 9/70. Served there as 60
gunner, squad leader, and finally bartender (yes, some us got lucky).
Am in contact with Ortega, have been in touch with Deane, am going to
email Seroka (above). Would love to hear from all the guys -
Stroble, Chief, Sherby, Hanson, Blunk, Ahrens, Abad, Doc Hunn, Doc
Sweat. Will remember always - Ike, Tennessee.
West,
Haywood L.. - Recon - Binh Phuoc - 4/70 - 8/70
5093 Ross Road
Lillington,
NC
27546
hwest10304@aol.com
Wills,Prince,K.
- Rach Kien - 1969
011.52.322.222.8047
kaleo81us@yahoo.com
(Lynch died on dust off.)
Ambushed on dike, drew fire from the Cementary. I walked rear
security that night, fired my 79 over everyone, got some.
( Patterson ) my 18th birthday, woke up at base camp, I got the
Car-15! couldn't wait to use it. ( Didn't wait long).
( Cosack) Waked point after Lynch K.I.A'd, I walked slack. Somewhere in
Mi to, we walked into a Hooch, 10 Gooks armed sitting at table. We
both got'em all, 2 silver stars, one round set off a chicom, blow us
out the door. Torched the hooch.
(Ried) Animal! Must have been deaf! Had more ears then he needed.
we are both watching another zippo'ed hooch going down. We catch
movement on our left flank. Charile crawling on the inside of a small
dike. We brought him down together. Fast work.
(Grassiano) My hero! Myto, bigest rice paddy I ever saw, Hooch in
the middle. HQ squad sleeping in the hooch. We see charlie
walking up, tired to raido for them to stay inside until we blew the
bush. Fat chance! Everything happens at once. they walk out of the
hooch as charlie begins to die. 14 or more of them, carrying lots of
"RPG's" Same time I have two others pop the flares. Moments later,
Grassiano appears on a small dike infront of me, and yells! " Give me
one man!" My heart freezes, he's lookin at me! So, off we go,
running down charlie on the right flank. Its the first time I kill
charile as he's running from us. We killed three or four each
that night. I'm in shock after the fire fight/ ambush. We drag our
body counts back in. I look at him and said ( as we are dragging this
gook, he's got one foot, I got the other) do you believe this shit? He
stop's and yells at me," F you man, and do your job!" some thing
"clicked", from then on I did.
(Bien Loc) New status for us. Call sign: Ranger One. River
patrol boats. PBR's. One stupid night. we board up, on
three boats, one squad each. I ride forward with my slack, (
vantassell) next to electric dual fifty's. We wait for the gook
to shoot his tracer in the air from the bridge. ( that way we know
which way we are going tonight)of course he didn't work for us. But
his connections were a hell of a lot better then our'n. Sure
enough, the tracer round goes south, we the brave, follow the shot.
Nice night, all lite up form the moon. You could see everything, even
us... Time goes by and then we swing to starboard for insertion.
I go over board, in the water up to my ass in mud. Then the onboard
raido goes off! " Squak! " Ranger one, Ranger one, over!" at
that over part, I thought I was dead! I took a glup of air and went
down to the bottom of the river. I could screaming and foot steps from
the bottom of the hull. And just before I ran out of air, someone
noticed I was gone. Shit, you ain't leaving me here all alone! I come
up, and hands grab me pulling me on board. I'm aimming at the Nipa. (
ya, never know ).
Nightmare part 2. We head farther on down the river. Still a
bright night, considering. Turning towards the same side of the
bank for insertation. Cool, charlie will be traviling in a southernly
d-i-e-r-e-c-t-i-o-n, we should be just where he wants us...now. Of
course, I'm bad, we're all bad, just bad , bad, bad, and slightly
stupid. F&%$! I'm told that no one is going to use the raido again.
Okay, over the side I go. ( To this day I have a real adversion to
river banks, no more frog gigging for this boy!) So, this time I go
straight for the bottom. ( one thousand and one, one thousand
and two, I'm the only Airborne daddy on this stick, which means " I
can count", one thousand and three. An sure as shit the top of the
water lights up with flood lights. It is now daytime under water...
one thousand and four, lights go out, One thousand and five. I hear a
fight going on above me! Time to check the main. My Car-15 comes out
of the water before me... Same hands and smelly breaths, drag me on
board again. ( Hell, I figure thats it. I mean so far this has been a
circus.) But oh no, ours is not to reason why, our's is but to do and
fry. Yep, we're going to do this again. And just to prove God is
on our side, we going to insert on the same ole side again. I'm
sure I said, " Hey, whats on the other side of the river, Lt?
But a strange deafness seems to have befallen on the team.
Okay... a little farther down the river, I go over the side, straight
down, its deeper here. One thousand and one, etc. until I couldn't
hold my breath. I moved away from the boat, ( never know ). And
drugged my silly ass out of the water, crawling into the nipa. A few
yards ahead was a dike. I crawled up and got sight of the boats down
in the river, about 40 feet below me, out another 10 or so. I turned
away from the boats. Out ahead around a Klick or so was a hamelt.
It was way to brightly lite. My thought was f()='en charlie had an
ammo dump out there. Time enough to tell. I scouted out to my left
flank about 300 yards, and back out from where I started, another 3.
Looked clear, couldn't feel anything weird. Even though my "weird
device" took a beating from the Navy.
I got to a perch where my boat could see me, and signaled the
men to insert. From time to time I'd check their progress. Of course,
we were running out of dark. Everyone's ready, we are going to
"look see", what charlie is doing. But first I really need to get
"Blown up". "Boom!" this frag goes off right in front of
me! and throws me on my back! , I was in a leaning front prone
position! I get back to where I was and open fire! all of us opens
fire! but there ain't no return fire! We stop firing. Then we hear
yelling, not in front of us, oh no, its comming from behind us! I'm
thinking there ain't no f'en way that could be! But it was, it
was them, them big dummies on the PBR'S. As we looked in shear dis-
belife the boats were swinging (3 boats) in our direction, more so
then just inserting. We could see, that the forward gunners, ( with I
might add, have mounted in a swinging deck turrent, "Duel electric
fifty's" were being prepared to fire on our position! They were
screaming.." Gooks, Gooks, and pointing at us...Oh yes, we were going
to kill them first... But Lt. Newton, God bless his butter bars,
Jumped up and started screaming!
Of course he was screaming ," No, No, its us." And we were
screaming, Kill'em, Kill'em,. So, I want you all to
remember this,
" BEFORE YOU EVER CLIMB ON BOARD AGAIN, CHECK OUT THE BOW OF THE
BOAT!, YES! THE BOW, THESE GUY'S HAVE BEEN KNOW TO STRAP ON A "
CLAYMORE MINE! they don't even know about the back blast! Oh Lordy,
Lord.
So to the men I fought with, brothers, I'm alive and
kicking!
it's taken 30years to find this site. So get off your sorry asses, and
lets get together! You are still the best. We ate RPG's
for breakfast, mistakes for lunch, and lots of joy juice for dinner!
" Dixon's Desperado's " Pointman.
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