Most viewed - Michael Medley
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FDO_Benton_and_XO_McKuen.JPGFDO and the XO125 views"A" Battery officers Lt Jerry R. Benton (FDO) and Lt McHugh (XO) touching the roof of the twin CONEX containers of the portable FDC. Note the trusty ol' pencil sharpener under Benton's right arm and a flashlight magnetized to the joint in the roof. Benton was later promoted to Captain.
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LZ_Tuffy_-_Jarisch_and_Medley.JPGLZ Tuffy - 1970125 viewsClean up time. (L to R: Eugene "George" Jarisch and Mike Medley). When those of us in the advance party (that didn't find the punji stakes) out of the 4 slicks that made it, we were stranded in the clouds without commo, in the mud inundated with 50 gallon drums of persistent CS. Each morning, a dink from the group on the overlooking ridgeline would come up the draw and let off a clip trying to get us to fire back to locate our 60s. It was only fitting that the three-holer (top left in photo) was placed in that shitty location. I was hesitant to use it since it was on the draw and left one's backside facing the dinks on the opposing ridgeline.
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LZ_Tuffy_-_Civilized.JPGLZ Tuffy - 1970125 views{continued from previous slide} From memory, both the 101st and 1st CAV had previously inhabited the LZ and both had the same problem we did exiting based on the evidence of Arc Light strikes and downed chopper husks in the jungle below the LZ. Like an idiot I decided I needed a break and chose to go out on the last chopper for a change instead of the usual Advance Party. So I got to party with the gun the dinks couldn't see from the ridgeline and didn't know was there when they opened up on the Chinook carrying Pineapple's crew and gun.
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LZ_Marie.JPGLZ Marie125 viewsOn the ground, now...securing LZ Marie. After the guns got in, we got up a strand of concertina wire. I don't remember how long we were there, but one evening as the LPs were going out, the new grunt Platoon Leader had the rest of the platoon guarding the LZ in the middle with their weapons field stripped. Rookie mistake. The AKs started popping and the LPs came running back in under fire, followed by mortars (just 60 mikes) right behind them. One of the howitzers went to final protective fire (firecracker, crank it all the way up and down a couple of turns, charge 1 and .2 seconds I think it was). I think the other tube was loading beehive. Our eltee was in his hole down from me and I had the radios. Got in touch with the Battery at LZ Lois but there was a problem with the GT line. So we shot the firecracker. Nothing like the sound of 9 bomblets coming down on an incoming breeze to pucker one up. Only a couple of them landed in inside the perimeter. The only casualty - and this might be just wishful thinking garnered over the years, so I'd like confirmation from others - was the grunt eltee who got shrapnel in his rear.
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LZ_Abbey.JPGLZ Abbey - Beautiful125 viewsLZ Abbey was as beautiful as LZ Tuffy was terrifying. It was near Bong Son. (continued).
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LZ_Tuffy_-_1970_HiAngle_Fire.JPG125 views
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Road_Views_Christmas.JPGRoadside view125 viewsConstruction along the road always varied greatly in type and quality.
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Hurdle___Medley.JPGHurdle & Medley124 viewsSp4 James A. "Jim" Hurdle and PFC Mike Medley. Taken right after I got to "A" Battery late May '69 at LZ St. George.
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LZ__Marie.JPGLZ Marie124 viewsOn the way to LZ Marie, we got the "good news" that we had been dropped off a few klicks short the intended spot; we had to double-time on down by foot since the shithooks were laid on for the lift. LZ Marie started off bad since they landed the Advance Party a few klicks away from where we were supposed to be and we had to hoof it to the right location. This LZ was just outside of a rubber plantation. We could see the enemy scampering around their bunkers among the rubber trees. We weren't supposed to shoot into a French plantation without higher (economic impact) authority. However, we did shoot the guns like mortars - high angle charge 1. About 15 minutes later the French plantation manager pulled up in his jeep raising holy hell in French. I had flunked college French and one of the other guys had taken it in high school so we tried to calm him down, which only made him madder since we were butchering his native tongue. The rear sent out a settlement team to pay him off in short order, less than an hour. I sure wish the rear could have produced a pair of 9 1/2 boots - two weeks - as fast as they sent that settlement team.
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Christmas_convoy.JPGOn the road again124 views On the road again, another fond memory of Christmas Eves past.
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LZ_Tuffy_-_Sikorksky_Crane_arrives.JPGLZ Tuffy - 1970123 viewsThe Sikorsky Skycrane unloads a huge log, almost as long as the LZ. Many hooches used it as a foundation.
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LZ_Lois_-_Christmas,_1969.JPGLZ Lois - Christmas Day, 1969123 viewsAfter barely getting back from the "Christmas Eve Raid" and getting to sleep, I get awakened by excited calls that there are round-eyes on the firebase and there is going to be a show. Yeah sure...it was an over-the-hill DJ and 4 would-be starlets stopping by for a few minutes to pose for pictures and punch their "patriotic" ticket.
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