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. Richard Thomas Jackson RIP I fondly remember Bob Hope putting on a show. Local kids Dick Jackson (holding beer can) separates the troops from their pay., Convoy, 1967: My buddy Sgt. PFC Flynn age 20, of Kings Park, NY, would die of his wounds within several hours. The USA paid for destruction of the rubber so naturally we blew it up every chance we got. Monsoon season. I will be adding pages dedicated to the distinguished service of the men who served with the 2/47th Infantry, Vietnam. 9th Infantry Division Casualties List - 1967 . * Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1967-1968 had a name change after i got out of the army when i was in Viet Nam i was Robert L Hanson, it brings back memories.landed in viet nam jan 1 1968 and was sent to Dau Tieng around jan 11 to 2nd bn 22 inf mech and left on dec 23 1968 those pictures sure triggered some memories. The Liaison Officer/Operator (LO) had to be capable of working alone, of using the Cat Code (converting plain language into 5x5 figures and letters to code up secure messages), precise map reading, impeccable procedures and capable of operating multiple radio and phone systems at any one time. The Vietnamese make very low wages, Nike sells I would love to see the photo and, with your permission, add it to the blog. Change). Good to contact other people from Bearcat. fire. Martha Raye show Bearcat Sept. 67 . It is the nurses who served in Nam. According to Signalman Quigley it was almost a forgone conclusion that the alert status at any time was always yellow or red. I never saw anything or fired but it was nerve racking. Best time to draw was 8-10 and 2-4. We apprehended about 50 AWOL's working with the 9th MP Company the first couple of months we were there. HQ & A Co orderly room at Bearcat, 17) Scenes Didn't get issued a weapon until the following day. 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. 2/47th Mech Inf. 40) 17 May 45 Brig. US Embassy, University instructor, primary staff of newly opening International hospital near Saigon in Binh Duong Province. Nicknamed "The Old Reliables" during WWII, the 9th Infantry Division served with the Mobile Riverine Force in Vietnam's fertile Mekong Delta, a vast maze of rice paddies broken up by rivers, swamps . Thank you brother Chris great photos WELCOME HOME BROTHER. The final phase of their training program involved a practical exercise in which the Thais joined the A Company escorts during the Operation OVERTAKE Night convoy escorts. They had welded together a steel bucket to go over the forks of the forklift which was used to dig the pool before I got their. Woke up one night with one on my chest. It was a post with one tower 5 miles out in the jungle. Agency, Mac Gordon, the House of Representative's Public Information Director The ancient language with which it was named is now extinct. SP/4 William H. Antila, A Company, 720th MP Battalion, August 1968-November 1969. I assume it was at Bearcat but I could be mistaken. Bear Cat was the home of the 9th Infantry Division and its many supporting elements. Parachute flares dropping from illumination artillery rounds (click to enlarge). Approximately 3,000 U.S. troops of various support units were still operating at the base. Paul Tilzey. From there we were of to Bear Cat. Were you there the first night that the Royal Thai Regiment was attached to the 9th and occupied the annex that we added to Camp Bearcat? I arrived at Vung Tau by ship Oct. 1966 with the 15th combat engineers. for hours. I know that's where he spent most of his time. The 9th Infantry Division next saw combat in Vietnam in 1967. I hope that you are enjoying your time in Vietnam. We always look to the left to view that same corner of the Bearcat location from years ago. The photos on your site are going to be helpful in recreating Bearcat in . If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website the button is located at the top right of this page. The enemy was everywhere. History If you think the bunkers were bad when you were there they were really bad for us, never went down stayed on top. 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 . More insight. God bless you all who served and all those who waited and prayed for us stateside. I'm sure everyone is happy to see that you too survived the experience. were stationed here. I came over on the Barrett with the 9th Signal Bn. By Frank Danley Page 1. Bearcat Location : . Thank you for great info I was on the lookout for this info for my mission. We drew straws. (.308) N.Match ammo. Although the destination of the 9th was not announced when the division was activated on Feb 1, 1966, a hint of a possible future location was given during a visit by Army Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson who "likened areas of the post to portions of Vietnam." The 9th Infantry Division was the first Army unit to be organized and trained . Donald T. 3/39th Inf. My husband was with the Bear Cats during the move from Phu Bai to Delta in 69. 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. 228th Company A from January 1970 to December 1970. I didnt look at them, I put them in the box, sealed it up, and they stayed in that box until 2007, Gaynor, now 70, recalled. It was an amazing operation, handling about He started to talk about his experiences and began to get more involved in the VFW and the American Legion. Commanding General. Only the three of us for 12 long hours. Please contact: Ray Swan Mailing address: 289 Prospect Ave City, State, Zip: East Aurora, NY 14052 Someone fell into hole in the middle of the airfield which is how they discovered it. Bearcat was a favorite target for enemy harassment and it occurred on almost a daily routine. contact team sites in bad guy country, 44) We spent the first couple weeks digging trenches, filling them in and moving the tents to other areas and digging more trenches. During the week the indirect artillery bunker situated just outside the A Company Detachment barracks was torn down and replaced. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I lost nearly 30 lbs. The division would be critical in reshaping the U.S. Army in the 1970s and 1980s as it was transformed into a voluntary force and reshaped to fight a new type of war. The US had stayed out of this area until 1967 when they had to sent in a division. shot along highways just showing. 63) The company streets, HQ & A Co. 31 is looking up the street toward the Bn quonset hut. Anybody else have a similar experience? chopper nose art The Jayhawk on a map of Kansas People from Kansas have been I arrived in Vietnam the afternoon before the first day (evening) of the '68 Tet Offensive. Its a difficult emotional stress [to revisit that time] but I had to do it, he says. Due to the ferocity and boldness of the enemy attacks, the escorts remained at Bearcat until the roadway could be cleared in the morning. Gypsy Bandits. shot along highways just showing, 23) Podcast: Mother Nature and the Infantry Soldier. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. . You almost never hear of them. Hospital at Bearcat 1967 Bear Cat PX. I have pictures of the rifle. Last I also arrived in Dec 66 at Vung Tau on the troop carrier USS Barrett and convoyed to Camp Bearcat where is was littered with tents and a wooden building containing lots of beer! If memory serves me correctly, the 2/60th was part of the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Col Murray while I was there. After the civilian Vietnamese contractors finished the structural work their crew of mostly women with their children who accompanied them to work, filled the hundreds of sand bags needed. Thank you for sharing the photos and the documentation which says so much emotionally in its factual presentation. Thanks for your service and thanks for writing about your experiences. A Special Thanks to a Friend of all Vietnam Veterans WASSI, Inc . clouds -- the rain is coming, 19) Scenes But life on eagle was easy compared to the grunts out in the bush. During the early part of December 1965, the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, was in Alaska preparing for its annual winter maneuver to be conducted in January 1966 in temperatures of 50 below zero. 69) Now at 64 I feel their loss more then ever before. very expensive sneakers. From what I could tell, Gene revived him. 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. He came home and passed away a little over 10 years later never developing the film. We would leave post every morning and ride (north) to the defile at the temporary Baily Bridge over the Buong River first, then back up the highway (south) past the rubber plantation to the Long Than area and back again. He was in 1st infantry division The Big Red One, Bravo 1st Batallion/2nd infantry regiment, Third Platoon. for the 9th Inf Division during 1967. In 1972 the "Old Reliables" were reactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington, where they tested new . In 2007, he was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, which he thinks is related to his exposure to Agent Orange during the war, and facing an illness motivated him to think about his legacy. This was a Special Forces outpost northeast of Saigon. I hope you enjoyed my brief reflections back in time to when I was a bit younger than I am today at 80 years of age. Inactivated 13 October 1970 at Fort Lewis, Washington. the area we had cleared out 42 years ago. The armored vehicles within the battalion were divided between A and C Company. Combat activity slackened the first month of 1968. 67) 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. I wish I could help you with relevant information. Chinook CH-47 chopper drops long boxes of 105mm Howitzer rounds at a fire support base. Had to record whose time it was to sleep. This was my initial and final home. You were there about a year after I left. 4th Bn. I can only say that it took a while, but it felt like a lifetime. I also served with their Artillery TOC and visited their Batterys. Ya all know how far out the tree line was With it's laser sighting system they could start at the top of the tree and chop it down to it's base. This is the Bn HQ TOC. camp, 62) These are examples of battle-damaged vehicles, 56) Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. Dick Jackson (with glasses and camera) checks out the crush of villagers as our convoy slows to a crawl. 59) Most LO Radio Operators worked 12 hour shifts and were ready at all times to move to another operating station. Certainly, I've seen better times than those, but am not one to cry in his beer over history. AAORLL's 1971. HQ were also located there. 31 August Battalion convoy destinations in Military Region III were: Tay Ninh, Phu Loi, Xuan Loc, Long Binh, Bearcat, Long Than, Nui Dat, Vung Tau and Tan An. It's on the endangered species list. 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. More like this. I also arrived on the (grin and) Barrett with 9th Signal Btn. https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. If willing. We have so man memories and we have forgotten much. I basically was a one man aerial port supporting the 9th's airlift requirements of men and supplies at the Long Thanh airfield. 572nd Trans Co. I'm not very good with the lingo, so forgive me in advance. Maintenance A monkey got hung up in the wire and started screaming. I know of many folks at the Capital who Dave: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. 1973 for 3/5th Cavalry in Boxes 169-193 air. ARMY 1969 1-9th Cav Ops Report Apr . It has been 51 years but so many memories. Turned out to be a bomb. The 104th was still operational right to the last days of the war and Australia's withdrawn. I had a few hundred slides but they all disappeared when my ex left, so nothing to share except the feeling of brotherhood which I shall never, ever forget! According to unverified information, the Bearcat base was renamed on 4 July 1966 to Camp Martin Cox for SFC Martin Cox who was killed in action on 7 April 1966. She is putting them in to collages. There the 9th fought with distinction in 8 campaigns as part of the Riverine Force. Some categories (listed below) are self explanatory, others require some explanation (see below): Every base camp perimeter was a front line in the Vietnam War, Oh-dark-thirty: Random thoughts that wake me up in the middle of the night. I didnt want to deal with it.. And it wasnt just a matter of remembering moments long buried. Also, great place as compared to conditions with 101st. Military Working Dogs . To say the least, Gene was exhausted and we didnt talk about it for the remainder of that day. We were then replaced by a full platoon of Korean infantry. Love to hear from anyone that remembers him during that time. Bearcat, our remembrences, We were in Bangkok abiut 8 years ago. We never found out his name, but it hurt. 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. . Div. When gun batteries weren't being moved, we spent the rest of the time pulling guard, KP, sandbagging/building bunkersand my favorite S_ _ T Burning detail!!!! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your memories. Coordinates: 105006N 1065736E / 10.835N 106.96E / 10.835; 106.96, http://720mpreunion.org/history/project_vietnam/212th/detachments/Long_Thanh/long-thanh-north.html, "United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1972-1973 Command History Annex C", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bearcat_Base&oldid=1060558495, Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam, Military installations established in the 1940s, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 December 2021, at 07:23. Bob Stapley 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. The bunkers belongs to the rats. 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). I was there when TET of 68 broke out and all hell broke loose. Thank you for stopping by and taking the trouble to comment. Bearcat was the base camp. . I pulled guard on the South Eastern corner by the 5/42. 2) Reactivation of the 9th Infantry Division, nicknamed the "Old Reliables," took place at Fort Lewis on May 20, 1972. I arrived in Nov 68 and stayed until Nov 69. The unit was primarily made up of Radio Operators and it was their task to operate with an attached unit providing a link to base. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, When Christopher Gaynor returned home from the Vietnam War, on Feb. 6, 1968, he didnt leave with memories alone. Have been searching for an active Vietnam Veterans website/forum/blog. Documents By AD Number. I secured the area, called for backup and a Dust-off from Long Binh Post for help. The Australian enlisted personnel in the detachment shared the same billets with the A Company MP Detachment. My dad was C Co. 36th Sig. I was at Bearcat May 68 till June of 69 with the 39th/36th Signal, we were generator mechanics. My father, a veteran of USA undeclared anti Japan war in China (1932), World War 2, and Korea was not inclined to share his terrors in mortal combat, though his photos do tell the story sufficiently for my education and expectations. An Army Officer training facility is all that is left of our Looking for any others. (May '70 -Dec'71 ext). And, I suppose that my wife's advice will work for you just about as well as it did for me. (He is the only openly gay officer of the American Legion of whom he knows, he said.) There are 10's of thousands of such A combined U.S. and Thai MP Desk was formed and motorized patrols were assigned. Like I said, not sure if this Bearcat. April The Royal Thai Volunteer Force Air Force Victory Flight component, deployed to Vietnam in 1964, began their phased stand down and return that was scheduled for completion by December. The 3/60th was one of the three battalions (2/60, 3/60 . On the way downvthe steps leaving the building, she offered me a job as English Instructor at the military university. I believe he was later promoted to Brigadier and became an Assistant Division Commander. We did kill 2 monkeys found in the next day sweep. tent going up in HQ&A shop area, 33) Even after his return to the United States, decades passed before he decided that he should do something with that box. Later, the division was an important unit of the United States Army in World War II and the Vietnam War. (LogOut/ harbor, 70) Sunrise scenes in Bearcat.It could have been. Coverage includes . I believe part of the camp is now a tank park. Elements of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division used it as a stopover after their arrival in-Vietnam. Sign our 2-47th Infantry Guestbook View our 2-47th Infantry Guestbook. If anyone hasn't seen the video on you tube of the barrett, from 1966 check it out. My health was so poor that I was unable to join the Australian effort to assist the Us in Vietnam. I am forever in their debt. Spent a relatively short time at Bearcat then went to Dong Tam. Let us know in the comment section below. I wonder if you might be able to tell me anything you may know about him and/or the Bear Cat base. Recon Platoon. Convoys leaving or entering at the berm entrance. On 20 April 1967 she suffered a gun mount explosion, injuring six and killing one crew. 4 - 8 December During convoy Operations CANARY, DUCK & IOLA the 720th MP Battalion was tasked with traffic control and security in support of elements of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 5th & 6th Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment, in support of elements of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade (LIB) and 9th Infantry Divisions move from debarkation at the Port of Vung Tau to their new base camps at Long Binh and Bearcat, respectively. I was used mostly in daytime deployment. It was one of 3 in country on its trial run. My buddy Jack Teeple is playing the guitar. This was before the company Glad you made it back. Updated: 11/24/18 Alpha, Bravo & Charlie Company KIA Pages Updated - input by Al Brown & Frank Lewanovich David L. Thornton moved . Short Story 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.. In 1966 the 15th Engineer Battalion of the 9th Infantry Division, who arrived in Vietnam aboard the USNS Sultan with the 720th MP Battalion, expanded and constructed new facilities at the Bearcat base. up. 15 July With the constant incoming enemy harassment fire, overhead protection during the frequent attacks was paramount. Make sure you set aside a considerable amount of time for this project as you may run into tough spots and problem areas that will eat up a lot of time. Vietnam Our unit had a swimming pool between the officers club and the EM club. It sure grew a lot in 1967.I spent my time in those guard bunkers too. I was at Bearcat with the 1st Cav. What an experience for a whole year there. On a visit to USA I promised his mother I would one day visit Vietnam and try to go to the place he served (he was in Vietnam for only 20 days) and to the place he was killed (Ben Cat). Trying to find anything about my unit. Unit was: 9th Infantry Division, 9th Admin Co Where served: Camp Bearcat VietNam When served: 1967-1968 . All 22 August Discipline, law and order patrol and convoy escort activities were curtailed at the detachment due to the assignment of forty Battalion enlisted men and one officer in support of the Drug Abuse Treatment/Holding Center (DAHC) on Long Binh Post. Left country in December of 67. I lived it. A fourth one one went out the back door and was caught by my partner. Their area of operations was the Mekong Delta, located south of Saigon. US base camp from air, possibly Long Binh. sappers snuck into the Ammunition Supply Point and blew most of it They left a pail and rope and we had to keep the new concrete abutments wet so they cure faster in the heat of the day. We could discern still the lowered rain gutted outline of burms fron long ago. AAORLL's 1968. It is unknown if the 720th MP Battalion participated as convoy escorts in this movement. Also Saigon -- those beautiful au-dai pantdresses. I left Two Bits @ Bong Son back to Nha Trang then on to Bearcat. find yourself in my pics in the 3 albums I have posted there. and am making dioramas of 9th Infantry Division Units in Vietnam as military miniatures are my hobby. You will find that each site has a mix of Vietnam War photos, memorabilia, stories, etc. I lived on a boat moored in Marina Del Rey when I first moved to California. Thank you in advance! Thousands upon thousands of military people of all types and Vietnamese on a plane and flew onto a dirt strip in the middle of a jungle. I left Bear Cat to move into the Delta in late January of 1967 to go to Next assignment was STRATCOM, Okinawa where I determined a long marriage was not to be. Five of our men were wounded and ten sappers died. The Chris Gaynor is a friend and this article is reposted here with his permission. It sounded like the whole place was under attack. I wonder what it looks like today. 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 On a scrounging mission, found a US unit living Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. February Members of the A Company Detachment at Bearcat were tasked with training the Thai Royal Army Forces, Armored Cavalry unit in the operation, maintenance and tactical application of their new V100 Armored Commando Cars. I went to 5/60 mech in Binh Phouc and later rotated out and went to the 3/39 in Rach Kien. Dry dirt to standing water in 30 Shops line the road into the camp. I well remember that corner of Bearcat. All of the vertical construction is being accomplished by the Thais. 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. Widely considered the definitive resource on the Vietnam War, Where We Were identifies the name, location and provides a brief historical synopsis of every military installation, firebase, landing zone, airfield, port, signal site, vessel and significant terrain feature of the American war in Vietnam.
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