Last additions - Dennis L Dauphin
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LZ_OD_Mess_Kitchen.JPGChow TimePFC Alvin Hite, Cook and SFC Frank Venegas, Chief of Smoke, enjoy a "hot meal" from the mermite cans at LZ OD, firebase for 1/35th and "A" Battery.
SFC Venegas eventually became the Command Sergeant Major of III Corps Artillery located at Ft. Sill, Ok where he resided until his death.Jul 13, 2016
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Bronze_Star_Ceremony.JPGBronze Star CeremonyAfter I returned home, I didn't know that I was put in for any award. Then I got a letter asking if I wanted a formal military color guard presentation. Since I was back home living with my widowed mother and two younger sisters, I said "yes" mainly for their benefit. Sure enough, they had me go to the Louisiana National Guard barracks where they called out the Color Guard and I was presented my Bronze Star.
Maybe I should go back for my Air Medal? Never got that one.Feb 08, 2016
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Powder_Bags.JPGPicture Worth a 1,000 wordsIn order to explain a little about our firing battery to the folks back home, I used this photo clearly showing the powder bags held up for the Executive Officer (XO) to verify that the correct charge was being used to fire the round. In this case, with four bags out of seven not in the tube, it is Charge 3. That round won't go very far away from the firebase at that charge. PS> Straddling the leg of a 105mm is not Ft Sill approved procedure.May 02, 2015
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Service.JPGHanging 'em upAfter 28 years of active and Reserve service, it's time to "hang 'em up". Let someone take your place with new youth and vigor.
My USAR time was spent primarily with the 4152d USAR School in New Orleans and a short stint with the 1192d Transportation and Terminal Unit located at the edge of the famous French Quarter.Apr 28, 2015
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Jungle_Expert_Cert.JPGThe Most Valuable Certificate Ever!Many students were "dropouts". Several of the exercises were beyond those officers and NCOs who didn't have sufficient physical fitness. Some were petrified by having to rappel down a vertical cliff. The "practice" run was a mud cliff; the "graded for score" rappelling was done down a rock waterfall. Those very devious buzzards didn't tell us that. Crossing the raging Chagres River with two poncho halfs making a raft was very daunting for the non-swimmers. I was lucky to be paired with a strong swimmer. The 24-hr E&E was not for the faint-hearted, plus they threw us into a raging storm. The maps literally washed out of our hands from the driving rain as a monsoon started. Such fun.Nov 09, 2014
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Ft_Sherman_Book.JPGFt Sherman - Jungle Training PamphletThis training was tougher than Vietnam; many candidates dropped out and were ushered out of the country. The School was advised NOT to send the men on the final E&E exercise due to a major storm and river flooding, but did so anyway. The "partisan point" was 15' under water and marked by a pole. Landing craft picked up the students. Safety and property loss was NOT a concern as many M-14 were dropped in the Chagres River from the crossing ropes. After all the "safety first" training rules back in the States, this was a shock to my system. The Jungle Expert Badge was truly a "well-earned" award.Nov 08, 2014
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Jungle_Expert.JPGFt Sherman - Jungle TrainingBut first...we're sending you to Ft Sherman for jungle training. This course was worse than any experience I had in Vietnam, minus being shot at, of course. All the swinging on ropes and eating snake meat, killing a chicken and eating it, and the 24 hour E&E (Escape & Evasion) exercise was really survival training if you got separated. Didn't apply much otherwise. We were supposed to have a plane waiting upon graduation directly to Vietnam, but some Infantry battalion had a higher priority. That was OK by me; got another 30 days leave to ponder my fate.Oct 28, 2014
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Port_Call_-_1.JPGPort Call OrdersGuess what, buddy? You're going to Nam! Port Call orders dated 2Nov66. The story goes that the Pentagon had no way of knowing what posts the Field Artillery officers and NCOs were stationed back then. Soooo, they found a solution. The big brass sent a "get off your ass" letter to each Army Post commanding general and told them to report the presence of MOS 13 personnel living on post. Well, it worked. And, Ft Dix kinda resembled Nam...gawdawful place.Oct 28, 2014
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CONUS_Orders.JPGGoing Home - CONUS OrdersSpecial Orders #245 were special indeed! Switch the numbers around and you have my Northwest Airlines flight #254. The arrival at Oakland Army Air Terminal was bullshit, though. Due to our wonderful "hippie" anti-war friends, they were shooting .22 cal rifles through the chain-link fence at the Oakland Terminal and we were diverted to McChord AFB. There we were treated to "midnight physicals". Ya think anyone refused to sign a medical release then? The next photo shows our "going home" barracks...even got a Floor & Bunk assignment. The jungle never looked like this!!Oct 28, 2014
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DD_-_Wendell_Corey.JPGTour GuideI served as a tour guide when actor Wendell Corey was making field visits. He died the next year (1968) at age 54.Dec 12, 2013
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DD-pipe.JPGIt was tobaccoCourtesy of Lt Dennis Munden, who served shoulder-to-shoulder with me in the FDC CONEX at LZ OD in 1967. He snapped this shot of my handy pipe. It was filled with Cherry Blend pipe tobacco and none of the "local stuff".Dec 12, 2013
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Capt_Mike_Casp,_BC.JPGThe BestCaptain Mike Casp, KIA in November, 1967, was the best commanding officer that I served under during my tour from 1966-67. Mike was a West Point grad and Captain of the West Point football team. May he rest in peace.Dec 12, 2013
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