The Mighty Ninth

Strive To Reach The Summit

Most viewed
Hook_N__Go.JPG
Hook_N__Go.JPGThar She Goes!86 viewsOne of our M-102 howitzers hooked up and lifting off for a hip shoot at LZ Cathy, September, 1969.
LZ_Marie.JPG
LZ_Marie.JPGLZ Marie86 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.
LZ_Abbey4.JPG
LZ_Abbey4.JPGLZ Abbey - Getting Clean86 views(continued) There is a funny story about LZ Abbey and the only South Vietnamese army soldier (Montagnards weren't South Vietnamese, they were good people) I saw in the field during my entire tour.

The_Soul_Section.JPG
The_Soul_Section.JPGSoul Section86 viewsThe soul gun section chilling out. No names on the slide holder. While I recognize all of them, I don't want to put on wrong names.
AnKhe_AO.JPG
AnKhe_AO.JPGBan Me Thout86 viewsOn the ground. These two photos look the same, but they aren't.
AK-3.JPG
AK-3.JPGAircraft at An Khe runway86 viewsAttack Cobra
RW-14.JPG
RW-14.JPGIt's functional86 viewsMaybe it has no faucet but if you fill it with warm water, it's a pretty decent field shower.
Plieku_Catholic_Shrine_2.JPG
Plieku_Catholic_Shrine_2.JPGPleiku series86 viewsPleiku Catholic Shrine: A panoramic view of the shrine and church yard.
Pleiku_Catholic_Church.JPG
Pleiku_Catholic_Church.JPGPleiku series86 viewsAt the time I was surprised to see a Catholic church in Vietnam. I eventually found out that the Catholic religion is the second largest religion after Buddhist. I talked to a person there to find out that it was Catholic.
{Webmaster's Note: Many Vietnamese were settled in Port Arthur, TX and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi after Nam. They started up both Catholic parishes and Buddhist temples.}
Fred_Oliver_Golf.JPG
Fred_Oliver_Golf.JPGJ Fred Oliver86 viewsRedleg J. Fred Oliver of the 2/9th, a resident and developer in San Diego, tees off on the back nine. Note the landmark called "Loma Point" sitting out in the Pacific. This is truly a scenic golf course. Fred coordinated with Don "Doc" Johnson in getting tee times for the golfers.
J_Wm_Ward.JPG
J_Wm_Ward.JPGLock & Load86 viewsThe 500,000th round is getting ready to go on its way on 22Jan68
Pictured above at far left is J. William Ward, our photo contributor.
Commo_Playtime.JPG
Commo_Playtime.JPG86 viewsGood Grief! When are those Donut Dollies gonna show up?
4987 files on 416 page(s) 313