While I was in Vietnam lots of the guys carried a Kodak in their
elastic helmet band, and snapped shots everywhere we went. I didn't carry a camera,
because I told myself I would never want to remember all the things I saw in Vietnam.
Well, I was wrong. And now I don't have any photographs. So when I
published my Tales Of A War Far Away stories my pages were full of text, but not many
pictures.
And then one day the little e-mail indicator in the corner of the screen popped up, and
when I retrieved my mail there was one titled "An Old Friend". I opened it
and found a picture of a PRC-25 radio, just like the one I carried in the field.
Before long two more items arrived, one with pictures of smoke grenades and another with
signal flares. They were from Bob "Red" Lindgren, Golf Company, 2nd.
Battalion, 1st Marines, "Nighters!" ('69-'70). That's Bob on the right
(its dress-down day) and also on top of the Ontos.
They
were the first of a flood of pictures, which have added immeasurably to the interest and
appeal of these pages, and I want to extend my public thanks to a fellow veteran for the
spirit of comradeship displayed in offering his pictures, unsolicited, to help another
vet.
The table below lists each of the pictures Bob has contributed and the stories where
they can be found. As an aside, I think it would be best if the Joint Chiefs don't
find out about this sort of collaboration between the Army and the Marines...
I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Daniel
Spires, 4th/20th Mech Inf (deactivated) 193rd Inf Bgd (CZ) Republic of Panama, who
e-mailed the dictionary definition of the word "hootch" found in A Hootch Is A
House Is A Home. Thanks...
Paul North served with 2/14th Inf. Echo Company
4.2 mm. mortar platoon during the early part of my tour. He participated in the
action at Keane, and helped build Patton II, one sandbag at a time. His mortar crew
demolished the hootches in the field across from the new Patton II fire base.
Paul is webmaster of the 25th Infantry Division Association web site and has collected
information and maps relating to our area of operations. He was able to provide me
with locations of the fire support bases we both stayed at. The table below lists
each of the pictures and documents Paul has contributed and the stories where they can be
found.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| Patton II |
Night Laager Before Base Was Built |
| Patrolling |
4.2 Mortar Squad at FSB Hunsley |
| To The Rear,
March! |
When FSB Hunsley Was New |
| Acknowledgements |
Paul North Cameo |
Don Casteel served with Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th
Infantry Division. The table below lists each of the documents Don has contributed
and the stories where they can be found.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| 1968 - Operation Toan Thang I |
Along the Saigon River - Alpha Co. |
| Acknowledgements |
Don Casteel photo |
Matt Vuolo served with Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th
Infantry Regiment in the communications platoon. He shipped over
from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii on the Walker in 1966 and helped with
the construction of parts of Cu Chi. The table below lists each of the
documents Matt has contributed and where they can be found.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| Acknowledgements |
Matt Vuolo photo |
Jim Huskey served with Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th
Infantry Regiment in the Battalion S-1. He was part of the rear
detachment when the battalion left Schofield Barracks, Hawaii for Vietnam on
the Walker in 1966. He flew commercial jet to catch up, and joined them
on the drive up Highway 1 to their new base at Cu Chi. The table below
lists each of the document Jim has contributed and where
they can be found.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| 2/14th Archives |
Troop Orientation: Operation Lanikai |
As support platoon leader, Peter Riker made many trips from Cu Chi to
the battalion fire support bases such as Keene and Patton. Not a job for the weak at
heart, Peter survived many trips down highway 7A where every day two or three vehicles met
their demise to mines planted in the dirt. He eventually transferred to the 725th
Maintenance Battalion, but not before recording many of the sights with his Kodak.
The table below lists each of the photographs Peter has contributed and where they can be
found.
Dion P. Detrick, or "Butch". Also known as the
"mailman", Butch brought the mail and other supplies to Keene, either by convoy
or air. Along with all the Christmas packages and mail, he was aboard the Chinook
that crashed at Keene. "It got too hot back there to save any of the mail. We
only wanted to get out!". The table below lists where his photographs can be
found.
Patrick Shedd served as a medic assigned to Charlie company from August,
1966 until he was wounded by a grenade on the 4th of July, 1967.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| Acknowledgements |
Patrick Shedd, relaxing, Cu Chi |
Bill Olive served with Alpha Company from 70 to 71, arriving just after
the Cambodia incursion, then moving to Dau Tieng. These pictures were published in
The Army Reporter, Oct. 26, 1970, showing Bill's squad crossing through elephant grass
south of the Razorback Mountains. The table below lists where his photographs can be
found.
| Chapter |
Picture/Document |
| Acknowledgements |
Bill Olive Crossing Stream |
| |
Bill Olive and Squad, Razorback Mtns |
Acknowledgements: Tales Of A War Far Away
Copyright © 1995 Kirk S. Ramsey
Pictures Copyright © 1995 Bob Lindgren
Picture Copyright © 1995 Paul North
Picture Copyright © 1995 Don Casteel
Picture Copyright © 1995 Matt Vuolo
Picture Copyright © 1995 Dion P. Detrick
Picture Copyright © 1995 Patrick Shedd
Picture Copyright © 1995 The Army Reporter
Last modified:
April 05, 1995
