Bearcat Vietnam 1967 - Bing Images. I was with the SLS (Special Liaison Section) out of II Field Force to the RTAVV. 15 July With the constant incoming enemy harassment fire, overhead protection during the frequent attacks was paramount. Think front end loader. Shops line the road into the camp. It was so hot that I couldn't touch it, so I left it for the next person Jack, (He is the only openly gay officer of the American Legion of whom he knows, he said.) HQ & A Co mess hall at Bearcat, late intour. But harkening back to Bearcat, my Company Clerk and command driver wrote me that the garden my wife had planted in front lawn of Company HQ was being well taken care of by the Company members. It was later the base camp for the 9th Infantry Division from January 1967 until the division moved to ng Tm Base Camp near M Tho in late 1967. The Division went through eight battles and was already a "veteran Division" by the time that D-Day started. Oh yes, we learned to not wear our MP covers on QL-15 patrol, we found out they were pretty big targets. How did it feel to be aCherry inVietnam? southwest of Saigon. Abstract. I also remember the monkey incident. 12 August The third increment of the Royal Thai Volunteer Force Black Panther Regiment completed its deployment to Bearcat to replace the first increment, which returned to Thailand. 660723-660806:Operation KOKO HEAD, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division is conducted in the area of the Ho Bo woods about 25 miles northwest of Saigon in the Hau . Commanding General. Our food was so bad we would of welcomed C rations. By Frank Danley Page 1. Opinion The Saigon waterfront on the Mekong river. Hello John, I was assigned to the 36th Signal in June 69. James, I was there when the Vulcan's first arrived. This 13 part series covers the history of Vietnam from France's colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975 U.S. evacuation from Saigon and the years beyond. contact team sites in bad guy country, 38) berm from outside 709th's area.Note bunker. My 16 year old granddaughter is fascinated with pics. Gypsy Bandits. He became a consultant on the Vietnam-reenactor documentary In Country, which is out on video on demand on April 28. 2/47th Mech Inf. 28) Scenes They sometimes landed on it while I was there and some (especially the Chinooks) blew pot holes in the surface which made your take offs and landings uncomfortable/dangerous. I served in bearcat July 69 through July 70. Infusion, 1967: "Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Division (red, white and blue unit patches) based at Bearcat (Camp Martin Cox) are trucked to a waiting Caribou aircraft for the flight to their new units." All quotes in this caption and the ones that follow come from photographer Christopher Gaynor. 13 October, Personal Reflection One of the first details we where assigned at the Bearcat Detachment was Highway QL-15 patrol. Our daily run was round robin Bearcat, Tan An, Dong Tam with an occasional special mission. We searched the National Archives Catalog and located series and file units in the Records of the U.S. In 1966 the Division was reactivated for deployment to Vietnam under General William C. Westmoreland, a veteran of the 47th Infantry Regiment and part of the 9th Division during WWII. I know that's where he spent most of his time. Since then we have travelled 6 times by bus and car to Vung Thau on that same Long Thanh hiway. Writing. 17 May 45 Brig. We always slept 2 with one awake, risking getting caught. . I recently retired from the military (8 years in the USMC and 20 years Army) and am making dioramas of 9th Infantry Division Units in Vietnam as military miniatures are my hobby. If you ever had company duty, youll know what Im talking about. Later, the division was an important unit of the United States Army in World War II and the Vietnam War. When I was finished, they all clapped. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. Although the rear echelons (behind the lines) were considered safe in conventional wars, there were no safe places in Vietnam and standing guard was vitally important duty. 114 likes. Due to the constant enemy activity on the roadways of III Corps Tactical Zone during and after the 31 January Tet New Years Offensive and its following May Mini-Tet attacks, the 9th Infantry Division (rear) Transportation Headquarters at Bearcat requested escort assistance for their critical night convoy supply runs from Bearcat to the U.S. Army Newport Terminal on Highway-1A (#316), and back. It was incredible what the 709th troopers, 55) But I had a job and had to decline. 9th Infantry "Manchu" Vietnam. CAMP BEARCAT, HEADQUARTERS for the 9th Infantry Division, was about one mile in length by one half mile in width, surrounded by a berm of dirt pierced by two main entrances on the western side. In the year 1999, my newer wife, also Vietnamese, and I motorcycled to Bearcat from Saigon. What I have found in North Vietnam and South Vietnam is that Vietnamese people are not only not Communist, but are just good folks. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. The division was under the operational control of the Commanding General, Headquarters U.S. Army II Field Force (Long Binh Post). The Viet Cong may only have three or four men out there, but fighting from the shadows, they could exact a terrible toll. Live it well so that they didn't die in vain. I worked for LTC Foley in hq hotch. Thank you for your service! Their new Headquarters would be the Bearcat Base Camp in Bien Hoa Province. We could discern still the lowered rain gutted outline of burms fron long ago. Hey. The Old Reliable February 2, 1967 Page 1. I arrived at the camp in early December 1966, we deployed from Fort Riley by troop train to Oakland then by ship to Vung Tau. Documents By AD Number. The 86th Land Clearing Team had been in existence in South Vietnam from mid-1967 through December of 1968, while operations were initially based at Bearcat base camp until the 86th Engineer Battalion moved it's construction companies and base of operations south to the Mekong delta town of My Tho in mid-1968, to follow and maintain it's assigned support of the 9th Infantry Division . The famous F**k - you gecko lizard. I needs to spend some time studying much more or figuring out more. Cuba Anyone in this crowd (including children) might toss a grenade into a truck., Bunker, 1967: Troops of the 77th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division hunker down in a partially completed bunker to escape the mayhem of 3,600 of our own 105mm Howitzer rounds light off at knee level in all directions. I was at Bearcat May 68 till June of 69 with the 39th/36th Signal, we were generator mechanics. We got ambushed the next day on the way to Bear Cat, then mortared about an hour after reaching the camp. The 9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables") was created as the 9th Division during World War I, but never deployed overseas. The company streets, HQ & A Co. 31 is looking. 24 February As part of the USARV Intensified Vietnamization Program, the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Task Force II was being redeployed from the Cu Chi area in Tay Ninh Province to be part of the defensive ring around Saigon Sea Scouts Convoys leaving or entering at the berm entrance. You will find that each site has a mix of Vietnam War photos, memorabilia, stories, etc. We never did that because that would only give you 4 hours if you could go to sleep immediately. We rode slowly entering the shade of the tall rubber trees. Monsoon I'm always happy when another member of the 9th wanders by and leaves a message. The explosions and fires lasted for days. 24) Bearcat was originally a French Colonial Forces airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. We called him "The Magnificent" Colonel Murray. . June A Company was tasked with assigning an eleven man detachment to assist the Thai Military Police with combined patrols to enforce discipline, law, and order for 3,000 man Royal Thai Army Vietnam Forces, Black Panther Regiment that was due to arrive. Hope to hear from some folks via my e-mail: flbowers@hotmail.com Enjoy the day and hope for tomorrow as we would always say :-). Operating deep within the Viet Cong-controlled Delta, the 9th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army was charged with protecting the area and its population against Communist insurgents and ensuring the success of the South Vietnamese government's pacification . Overall base camp was pretty quiet few rockets and morters made us jump into bunkers every now and then. They would attack the civilian defense forces. 101--Roots of a War--Despite cordial relations between American intelligence . On a scrounging mission, found a US unit living Buy 9th infantry division Vietnam veteran T-Shirt: Shop top fashion brands T-Shirts at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. One night halfway through my tour, I pulled guard duty with a FNG. An old warrant officer buddy got me 19 August 1LT William A. DAndrea of A Company was assigned as the Provost Marshal at Bearcat. HQ were also located there. US Navy supply and maintenance ship, Da Nang compound, 11) Scenes Coming through Long Thanh going toward Vung Thau, just outside the town, the Rubber Plantation in which our company compound in Bearcat was located appeared on the left in the distance. I was in country from 67 to 68. If you stared at the tree line long enough you'd think it moved. Looking at the pictures put me right back into the jungle as if I were a 21-year-old soldier again.. 572nd Trans Co. Left country in December of 67. He had been AWOL for 8 months and was a member of the 1st Infantry Division. We turned onto the dirt road from the hiway and headed for the edge of the rubber plantation and the area our Signal Company had existed 30 years before. 25 May, 2006 Hours, a C Company Operation OVERTAKE convoy escort composed of two Armored Personnel Carriers and a gun-jeep assigned to pickup 9th Infantry Division transport vehicles at the Bearcat Base Camp for escort to the U.S. Army Newport Terminal were ambushed by enemy forces of unknown size by RPG, machine-gun and small arms fire at two locations on Highway QL-15. (The Polar Bears) was activated 1 Nov 1967 at Ft. Lewis and joined the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam as it's last maneuver element. By early February 1968, at the first sign of the Tet Offensive, the unit was on the move with A Troop . Use to have stories of his time there but the memory is starting to fade. He had spent his 13 months in the field artillery creating pictures, too. Podcast: What was it like to hump the boonies in Vietnam? Bearcat -- the 709th area was in the upper left, From what I could tell, Gene revived him. Co. Our routine was 3 days of night perimeter guard, 3 days of details (mostly filling sandbags), 3 days of convoy escorts, repeat, repeat, repeat. I also served with their Artillery TOC and visited their Batterys. It sure grew a lot in 1967.I spent my time in those guard bunkers too. We were supposed to guard a block building that contained the well and pump that supplied our base's water. Do you have 9TH INFANTRY Reunion information you'd like to share. Two shifts a night. 1 talking about this. I was an Air Force radio operator assigned to the 9th ID at Bearcat as one half of the two man TALO (Tactical Air Liaison Officer) team about June 1967 to May 1968. . Bearcat was also called Camp Martin Cox . Some fellow buddies were william curry, jose lopez (cook), jody laws. Before the jeep stopped rolling, Gene had his gun belt off and he was down the bank and into the water. On January 6, 1967 we loaded on a train and headed for Oakland, California where we then boarded a troop ship and headed for Vietnam on January 10th. Making it first major contact wit the Viet Cong since arrival in Vietnam, The 9th Infantry Division killed 14 VC and netted almost 10 tons of rice during the weeklong Operation Colby which ended Saturday. I was just surfing the web when I saw your info about Bearcat. Advanced party departed Bearcat Mar 10, 1968, with the remainder of the company to follow, for Hue Phu Bi to support the just arrived in country 101st Airborne/Airmobile Division. Glad you survived it. was spread out, but most of the multi square mile base was evacuated to Thank you for visiting my website/weblog and commenting. It was completely overwhelming. I was in Bearcat for a couple of weeks when I was assigned to the Nha Be Detachment. Thank you for stopping by and taking the trouble to comment. I remember most of went on like the photos show. Many nights of sweltering heat, monsoon rains, and all that went with it..Thanks for the memory. Bearcat, our remembrences, We were in Bangkok abiut 8 years ago. Rather, he captured the off times, with soldiers relaxing, playing ball, hanging out. December 1, 1966 - December 31, 1966. A fourth one one went out the back door and was caught by my partner. and kids from the 709ths civic action village. Every possible . Mainly did guard duty & convoys during my tour. The picture with the Vietnamese flag is actually a plant for a foreign corporation. Do not remember any fan but in the short time I was there I noticed some weird stuff. S/Sgt Humes. Wish I knew where the old crew was . I was in the Air Force seven months having "retreaded" out of the Army (1st 34th Inf, 24th Inf Div). Never got paid for that year because the 590th lost those of us who didn't return after our 90 day assignments. I always found them. The vintage footage in this video has been uploaded for research purposes, and is presented in unedited form.. First I thank Jack for this wonderful web site. Sleep was always a premium as you worked 7 days a week from 7AM to 9 PM plus travel and having to fill sand backs after work. Sitting on deck in the late evening I could watch airliners approaching LAX and their landing lights reminded me of those flares and the memory took me back to Vietnam. Entrepreneurs Please contact: Ray Swan Mailing address: 289 Prospect Ave City, State, Zip: East Aurora, NY 14052 Spent at least 1 night a week on guard duty in/on those great bunkers described. streets were, improved with crushed laderite gravel and Sge also became a test platform for the new Phalanx CIWS hyperfast minigun in 1977, installed aft of the aft radar gun director. 1st infantry division (2nd brigade) turned Bear Cat over to 9th infantry in Nov. '66 & relocated to DiAn. I wonder if you saw a GE fan in my old hooch and if it was still working. SSG Archie E. Moss was the detachment Noncommissioned Officer In Charge. Like I said, not sure if this Bearcat. 68--69 5th 42nd hauled ammo and supplies to 155 gun units. At the request of the infantry, we figured out a 1 October CPT Arthur L. Huckabay of A Company was assigned as Provost Marshal at Bearcat. 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry (Infantry) Arrived Vietnam: 1 Jan 1967 Departed Vietnam: 8 Aug 1969 Previous Station: Fort Riley Strength: 818. Army 1969-70 11th ACR in Vietnam . world, probably. He reached out to younger veterans who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan. At time it was unbelievably loud.One night the side of our bunker just fell way! The Veterans of the 720th Military Police Battalion Vietnam History Project extend their appreciation to Signalman Nick Quigley, formerly of the 104th Signal Squadron, Royal Australian Army, and his mates for their assistance in Vietnam and with the 1969 Timeline History of the Bearcat Detachment. It sounded like the whole place was under attack. They would come out at night and croak "f**k you" One of my favorite slides is of a bunch of cut-off 55 gallon drums which were pulled out from under a smelly place, stacked neatly, doused with diesel and a touch of gasoline then set on fire. To develop each roll of film, he took it to the Post Exchange on the base camp, they mailed it to Kodak for processing, Kodak mailed it back to Vietnam and, finally, Gaynor mailed the pictures home. working the outside yard on a humongous forklift with giant tires It is kind of sad that we didn't deploy and return as units. Calling artillery, Dust-offs, Locsats (location status), Sit-reps (Situation Reports) and in many cases operating in a Liaison situation between the ARVN, U.S. Military, Thai's, Kiwis (New Zealand) and Australian's in the battlefield. Thank you for great info I was on the lookout for this info for my mission. I was told it was done so the guys did not go over to the Thai side of the Base looking for girls. This was early in the tour before we got tin roof WABTOC To develop each roll of film, he took it to the Post Exchange on the base camp, they, it to Kodak for processing, Kodak mailed it back to Vietnam and, finally, Gaynor, And it wasnt just a matter of remembering moments long buried. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies inVietnam? To work with the U.S. Military Police is a great honor. Through cooperation and working together we have established a good relationship with the troops.. The 9th INF was moving out and the Thais were moving in when we got there. Good to contact other people from Bearcat. Also check out RallyPoint.com. kinds of pictures. Don't remember much about the great food or accommodations other than always smelled like something was rotting and it was way too hot for me. Carrying a camera when you never came in was a difficult think to do. I wish I were exaggerating, but 26 May The responsibility for drug violations processing reverted from the 8th MP Group Criminal Investigation Divisions (CID) to the line duty MPs, including processing of all evidence and reports. When the name changed back to Bearcat is unknown, but probably after it became the new home of the 3rd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division Old Reliable's in December 1966. of the Army recognizing my time with the 86th and VA because of Dept. How Many Vietnam Veterans are Alive Today? More battle damage awaiting repair, 16) 4/39th Inf. This was my Vietnam Tank. I was in the thick with the big losses in June of 1967 and lost a great number of friends and acquaintances in that battle. Maintenance Shop area Bearcat -- smoke plume indistance is I spent most of my time at Bearcat, but later was sent down to DongTam, You were lucky that you were in those bunkers when they were first built. The memories and images that had been buried for decades became the opposite of hidden, motivating Gaynor to reorganize his life around a new mission. 40) Convoy truck driver. 18 May The battalion realigned the combat support and combat service support missions within CTZ/MR III previously accomplished by A and C Company. On 26 July 1969, the 3rd Bde, 9ID was OPCON to the 25th . At the time, the VFW post on Vashon Island, Wash.where Gaynor still lives with his husbandwas sponsoring a Boy Scout troop; one of the troop members wanted to scan Gaynors photos as part of his Eagle Scout project. We did take some mortars or rockets one night but nothing heavy. I believe he was later promoted to Brigadier and became an Assistant Division Commander. 1973 for 3/5th Cavalry in Boxes 169-193 There's more than a half million veterans participating there. at, Long Thaun North, I have a picture of him by a Bearcat sign which got me to your site. Let us know in the comment section below. PFC Flynn age 20, of Kings Park, NY, would die of his wounds within several hours. The You were there about a year after I left. The manicurists were invariably Vietnamese and they invariably asked me the same question: "Did you leave any Vietnamese children behind?" On deployment the division was assigned to the III Corps Tactical Zone of Vietnam where it commenced operations in the Dinh Tuong and Long An provinces (6 January-31 May 1967) in Operation Palm Beach. 48) As a second lieutenant, I was generally second in command of a sector and had the privilege of walking the perimeter to check on the guards while my superior slept. Many thanks There was what looked like a toy boat floating down the river. A monkey got hung up in the wire and started screaming. Unit was: 9th Infantry Division, 9th Admin Co Where served: Camp Bearcat VietNam When served: 1967-1968 . The 2nd Battalion 47th Infantry Vietnam In Pictures (47 Pages) If you can identify anyone in these pictures, please contact Bob Pries. way to mount a 106RR on a 113 APC so they would have more firepower. This brings back a lot of memories. What an experience for a whole year there. InThe 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam: Unparalleled and Unequaled,Ira A. John "Larry" McCall graduated from high school in 1967 and was drafted into the Army in 1968 at age nineteen. I plugged it in shortly after I arrived and left it running when I left. 20 July The first of two increments of the Royal Thai Army Black Panther Regiment arrived in South Vietnam and was deployed at Bearcat. Sounds like you're struggling with the same issues that I am. for the 9th Inf Division during 1967. There wasa strip for. Blessings to all. I felt pretty useless at times doing busy work and wondering what was the point of me being there. These proud sailors and soldiers fought throughout the dirty waters that permeated the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta from 1967 to 1972. A combined U.S. and Thai MP Desk was formed and motorized patrols were assigned. Thousands upon thousands of military people of all types and Vietnamese Thanks for stopping by and commenting. For a while I also drove the "deuce and a half" to the local town (can't remember the name) to pick up the "hootch maids" and "mess hall help" in the morning and take them home at night. Best time to draw was 8-10 and 2-4. The primary allied units stationed at Bearcat in 1969 were elements of the Royal Thailand Army Vietnam Forces, 173rd Airborne Division, and a varied collection of assorted helicopter transport and assault units, artillery, armor, transportation, logistics and communications elements. The 3/5 Cav was organized as a Divisional reconnaissance unit for the 9th Infantry Division and arrived in Vietnam with the Division in late 1966. Chinook CH-47 chopper drops long boxes of 105mm Howitzer rounds at a fire support base. Apparently this goes on for a while and the toy starts getting closer to a navy boat. trees growing on it. I was with 5/42 at Bearcat from June 68 thru June 69 as an artillery surveyor and shell recon (chasing down those incoming 122mm rockets that would come in randomly). soldiers. His He started to talk about his experiences and began to get more involved in the VFW and the American Legion. We did kill 2 monkeys found in the next day sweep. Bat. Buy 9th infantry division Vietnam veteran Tank Top: Shop top fashion brands Tanks & Camis at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases 49% of the population were Viet Cong. Unfortunately we learned later on that the soldier did not make it. Oct 69- Oct 70 February The remaining half of the Thai Black Panther Regiment stood down and was returned to Thailand. 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