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RODGER-7/4/44 to 2/23/66
OUR SOLDIER
>
> >
> > He was getting old and paunchy
> > And his hair was falling fast,
> > And he sat around the Legion,
> > Telling stories of the past.
> >
> > Of a war that he once fought in
> > And the deeds that he had done,
> > In his exploits with his buddies;
> > They were heroes, every one.
> >
> > And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
> > His tales became a joke,
> > All his buddies listened quietly
> > For they knew where of he spoke.
> >
> > But we'll hear his tales no longer,
> > For ol' Bob has passed away,
> > And the world's a little poorer
> > For a Soldier died today.
> >
> > He won't be mourned by many,
> > Just his children and his wife.
> > For he lived an ordinary,
> > Very quiet sort of life.
> >
> > He held a job and raised a family,
> > Going quietly on his way;
> > And the world won't note his passing,
> > 'Tho a Soldier died today.
> >
> > When politicians leave this earth,
> > Their bodies lie in state,
> > While thousands note their passing,
> > And proclaim that they were great.
> >
> > Papers tell of their life stories
> > From the time that they were young
> > But the passing of a Soldier
> > Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
> >
> > Is the greatest contribution
> > To the welfare of our land,
> > Some jerk who breaks his promise
> > And cons his fellow man?
> >
> > Or the ordinary fellow
> > Who in times of war and strife,
> > Goes off to serve his country
> > And offers up his life?
> >
> > The politician's stipend
> > And the style in which he lives,
> > Are often disproportionate,
> > To the service that he gives.
> >
> > While the ordinary Soldier,
> > Who offered up his all,
> > Is paid off with a medal
> > And perhaps a pension, small.
> >
> > It's so easy to forget them,
> > For it is so many times
> > That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
> > Went to battle, but we know,
> >
> > It is not the politicians
> > With their compromise and ploys,
> > Who won for us the freedom
> > That our country now enjoys.
> >
> > Should you find yourself in danger,
> > With your enemies at hand,
> > Would you really want some cop-out,
> > With his ever waffling stand?
> >
> > Or would you want a Soldier--
> > His home, his country, his kin,
> > Just a common Soldier,
> > Who would fight until the end.
> >
> > He was just a common Soldier,
> > And his ranks are growing thin,
> > But his presence should remind us
> > We may need his like again.
> >
> > For when countries are in conflict,
> > We find the Soldier's part
> > Is to clean up all the troubles
> > That the politicians start.
> >
> > If we cannot do him honor
> > While he's here to hear the praise,
> > Then at least let's give him homage
> > At the ending of his days.
> >
> > Perhaps just a simply headline
> > In the paper that might say:
> > "OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
> > A SOLDIER DIED TODAY." |
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S E M P E R * F I D E L I S
The Marines have landed, and the situation is well in hand.
-Richard Harding Davis, war correspondent (1885)
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"The American Marines have it [pride], and benefit from it. They are tough, cocky,
sure of themselves and their buddies. They can fight and they know it."
- General Mark Clark, U.S. Army |
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"Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary."
- General A.M. Gray, Commandant USMC |
"Retreat, hell! We just got here."
- Capt Lloyd Williams at the Battle of Belleau Wood |
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RADIO MAN
No problem I'm 56 next August, My first tour with Roger I was 19, the next tour i was 21. I was a Lance/corporal the first time and a sergeant the next time.
Just a quick layout of our job: An Artillery Battery consists of 6 guns(realize I am talking in the past tense as a lot ot things have changed, there are no more 105's in the Marine Corps) Each battery is is direct support of one grunt battalion. There are 3 arty batterys in one battalion and 4 grunt companies in one battalion. So each battery fielded four fo teams, one to each company. An fo team consisted or one Lt, usually 2nd) one scout sergeant(me) and two radio men. This way we had in effect two mini teams for patrols and such. Roger was "my"radioman Radiomen could be and many times, were, rotated from the battery to the hill as we called the op. So, while us '46"s(0846--arty fo MOS) stayed constant, the radiomen usually were but not necessaliary. On patrol with a unit we were in the CP(command Post )group in the middle of the patrol(this could be any size from a squad to a company patrol) so we were never point of tail end charlie since we had to stay near the CO. However having all the radio antennae around us didn't help. Kind of like having a sigh that says "shoot me" . We went on a lot of patrols and ambushes(never got anything on the ambushes except sleepy) During the day we did nothing unless we went on a patrol. Being attached, rather than an actual part of the grunt company, they didn't bother us. So we stood few guard details even though we were junior in rank. Back in the battery area though it was a different story, we were usually snatched up for guard if we came back so we put in as few appearances as possible back there. The pictures you have are of Roger in the first positions of the battery around Danang. I can tell that because his jungle boots are still black, in the field after awhile they turn almost white from the constant rain and wading in the rice paddies and such. The utilities turn a much lighter shade of green also from the sun and the way we wash them by boiling them in a GI can with an immersion burner or with a scrub brush. I'll dig up my few surviving pictures and send them to you. More later, John |
PRC-9
I'm not sure what all to put in. It dosen't bother me to talk about Nam. But, anyway, We were an FO (forward observer) team on hill 55. I don't remember which grunt company we supported at the time. F-2-12 was our parent battery. Yes, Roger and I were pretty good friends, he was one of the better radio operators. Unlike the idiot who replaced him he was never afraid to go where we had to. We were with the first grunts on the hill, I still remember seeing helicopter punji stakes, the first and only ones I had ever seen. We were still using the prc-9 as a radio, this ancient thing had a battery as big as the radio and so Roger had to carry his gear, the radio and about 3 spares as well. A royal pain in the butt. But he was always cheerful and never complained. I think that both of us were just too young and dumb to be afraid. |
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Harassment and Interdictment map of Hill 55
You might be interested in this, it's one of the few things I still have. This is the map I carried my first tour, it predates hill 55 by a little bit but Rodger would have handled it too. The little crosses are what we called H and I's. It stands for harrassment and interdiction. Basically rounds fired at random on randomly chosen targets to confuse the enemy. Rodger would have used it to read when we were sending in the co-ordinates to the battery for the nights H and I's.
I have many tales of the hill. As they come to me I'll let you know if you're interested. (I would hate to be a bore though. I have to admit though, that this takes me back. I try not to tell my marines too many war stories or they'll think I'm more senile than I am. |
MARINE CORP HYMN
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
On the land as on the sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job --
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines. |
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"We took the eagle from the army,the anchor from the navy,and on the seventh day when God rested, We over ran His perimeter, and took the world" |
I can envision a small cottage somewhere, with a lot of writing paper, and a dog, and a fireplace and maybe enough money to give myself some Irish coffee now and then and entertain my two friends.
Richard Van de Geer, letter to friend before he was killed, May 15, 1975, officially last American to die in Vietnam War, Time, April 15, 1985.
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Image title would go here.
These are a few of my favorite photographs from my different travels. Feel free to browse them as you like. If you want one click your right mouse button and choose "Save As" from the menu. |
CHOCTAW
Doug:
Sorry it took so long to reply. Anyway, Roger and I used two principle types. The old ,original ch-34 "choctaw" and the hu1e, commonly known as the huey. We also rode on the ch-46, the twin bladed troop and cargo carrier with tri-cycle landing gear, still in use today. It's almost the twin of the Army's ch-47, the main difference is that the 47 has 4 wheels and the 46 has 3. I believe it was Roger with me when our own copper fired on us in elephant valley. It was very near dark and I guess they thought that we were vc. Luckily they missed everyone. However, that was one scary moment. Is this enough info? John |
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Image title would go here.
These are a few of my favorite photographs from my different travels. Feel free to browse them as you like. If you want one click your right mouse button and choose "Save As" from the menu. |
Image title would go here.
These are a few of my favorite photographs from my different travels. Feel free to browse them as you like. If you want one click your right mouse button and choose "Save As" from the menu. |
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