Vietnam 68-69

I still vividly remeber the first time I saw the Rakkasan’s symbol.  It was outside the battalion headquarters at Camp Evans.  I came around the corner of the building and saw it standing there.  It was in stark contrast to the olive drab, the Vietnam dirt and the gray brown wood of the buildings.  I pretty much stopped in my tracks and just looked the big red inverted arch.  I thought it looked asian, like Chinese writing.  I thought it odd that the 3/187th would have such a symbol.  I never took a picture of it.  I think it was becasue I hadn’t received a camera from home yet.  I do remember that it was big and solid, not some flimsy thing.  I vaguely remember a ring of rocks around it and the ground was well kept.  It felt like a shrine or somehting.  I probably asked a few people about it, but I don’t remember.

It wasn’t until years later that I really came to understand what it really means.  The symbol is actually a Tori.

I took the picture of this Rakkasan Tori at this years “Hamburger Hill” Reunion Ceremony, which was held at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

Active duty soldier at the Rakkasan speakers poudium

Also see: http://rakkasan.net/

Jack Schmitz at one of the 101st Airborne fire-bases near the A Shau Valley

I took this picture of Jack Schmitz as he took a smoke break.  We were on a fire-base near the A Shau Valley.  I’m not sure which fire-base it was but there was trucks and heavy equipment there.  You can see one of the trucks in the back ground of this picture.  You can also see some of the hotches that we built.  You can also see the 101st Airborne patch on the shoulder of his fatigue top, as well as the cross on the chain around his neck.

I sent this picture along with some others to one of Jack’s good freinds in his home town.  Jack called me today and told me that his good friend, Frenchy, had enlarged and framed this picture of him and hung it in the local tavern that Jack frequents.   Jack said the picture had ”Thank You” inscribed on it.  I was quite moved to know that Jack’s friend thought enough of Jack’s service in Vietnam to recognize him in this way.  I’m glad I took this picture of Jack.

We will always miss you Ralph.  You were a great friend and a true soldier.  You gave your life for your country 41 years ago today.   The Rakkasan’s commemorate your heroism and that of the other fallen Rakkasans on Hamburger Hill, at a formal ceremony at the pylon on the Ft Campbell army base.  Your name is engraved on the wall for all to see and know the you are not forgotten.

While securing a trail leading up the middle of a ridge on west side of Hamburger Hill, Galen Brown and Terry Wender were shot and killed by enemy fire.  The day was May 13th, 1969, a day that I will never forget.  Galen and Terry had only been in country a couple of months when the 3/187th started it’s assault of Dong Ap Bia.  It was the third day of the operation and up to that point we had no enemy contact.   Our platoon had just stopped and we had just moved off the trail when shots range out.  With in seconds we were yelling for the medics.  Three men were hit, Galen Brown was hit in the chest and died immediately.  McCarthy was hit in the leg and up through the hip and need a medic.  Terry Wender was hit in the chest and was unconcious but still alive.  One medic was attending to McCarthy and our medic was at Terry’s side. He was applying field dressings to Terry’s chest wounds.  I was trying to help as the medic worked frantically trying to save Terry.  I could tell that Terry was slipping away and as kaous ensued around us, I sensed an abiding peace where Terry was, except for the medic who was very upset because he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to save Terry and was crying frantically.  As Terry slipped away the war seemed to come crashing in on us.  We consoled our medic and told him that he had done all he could do to try and save Terry.  I will always remember Galen Brown and Terry Wender, and that fateful day.

I promised that I would talk more about Hamburger Hill, and I will.

I heard about a new soldier that shot himself in the leg shortly after being assigned to our platoon.  He was one of two guys that joined out 1st platoon.  The guy that shot himself had not even been out on patrol yet.  We didn’t know for sure if it was an accident out not, but we figured that he probably shot himself on purpose.  We figured that he had because we were all trained on how to handle weapons safely.  Recently, while talking on the phone with Alvin Dunn, our squad leader in Vietnam, he told me that he was in the barracks when the guy shot him self in the foot.  He said the guy intentionally pointed his M-16 at his foot and pulled the trigger.  Alvin said he couldn’t believe what he saw.   I don’t know if the guy faced a court martial or not.   A self inflicted wound was and still is considered a serious ofense.  I need to ask Alvin if he knows what happened to the guy the next time I talk to him.  I wonder if the guy is still alive today.  I know now that he wasn’t cut out to be a Rakkasan in the 101st Airborne.