Author Topic: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!  (Read 2163 times)

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Offline dutch508

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tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« on: November 09, 2017, 11:45:52 PM »
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TheMastersNemesis (8,510 posts) https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029821609

50 Yrs Ago Today Assigned To B-1-5 1st Cav Division. My Life Changed Forever.


Last edited Thu Nov 9, 2017, 10:01 AM - Edit history (2)

It was on this day I was on my way to An Khe, RVN and Camp Radcliffe and the 1 Air Cavalry Division formerly the 7th Cavalry Division where Custer served. I was assigned to Bravo (Mongoose) Company under Captain Nawrosky and Sergeant Denison. Due to odd twists of fate my life would be changed forever for the positive.

I would eventually end up serving as mail clerk and company clerk under two of the finest men I have ever met in my life. The were the best and most fair and caring leaders I have ever personally met in my life. I only fully realize now how blessed I was to meet these men. Sergeant Denison was an E-8 even though severely wounded in July 1968 chose to return to his unit. He did everything possible both legal and possibly illegal to make sure his men had absolutely everything they needed for there missions. He was my mentor and we would have been lifelong friends in civilian life after the war.

Captain Nawrosky was a West Point graduate and destined to become a full general had he survived the war. Seriously wounded with a neck wound in March or April 1968 during Operation Pegasus to relieve Keh Sahn he's would later die in surgery at Walter Reed months later. He always thought of his men FIRST and would not unduly risk his troops. He was the kind of commander every soldier deserves in war.

One of the saddest duties I had was during operation Pegasus on LZ Stud near Khe Sahn. After being shelled by the NVA I was told by my 1st sergeant to go down to graves registration to ID our KIA. We had taken 30 KIA during Pegasus the night before. One or two were from Bravo Company. 28 were from our brigade. Colonel Runkle had been shot down only XO survived. Captain Nawrosky severely wounded during night in artillery attack. One soldier from HQ squad killed.

Walking into a tent with these KIA was sadly gruesome. And it was was very angering to say the least. I still remember that event. However I have never been haunted by it. The cost of war is just so terrible. In the end Khe Sahn was freed from siege and later abandoned.

I had another notable commander Captain Boyersmith who became a major and reportedly personally ran a injured soldier over his shoulder for nearly a mile along a booby trapped trapped trail to a MEDEVAC helicopter. Sadly the soldier could not be saved. Ironically I would run into him again in December 1974 in Colorado while working at DOL. He was a personnel manager for a large corporation. We were supposed to have a beer later but never got together. He was my captain for about 3 months.

I was infantry 81 mm mortar crew until I was given the clerk job. I learned to type at all boys school. Imagine the harassment being such a "sissy" course. It likely saved my life or sanity in 1967. December 9, 1967 is when I was placed in that jobs.

I was on combat operations for about 3 weeks. We killed 2 VC on first day, got shelled by our own artillery and would take 27 KIA during the year. I humped the jungle and went on one company air assault during that time. IT IS REALLY LIKE THE MOVIES.
Except you can seriously get killed. It would have been along year and I wonder if and how I would have done. Ironically 1967 - 1968 was one of the highest casualty periods of the Vietnam war. One month there were500 KIA country wide for US forces.

In the end looking 50 years back my life has turned out extremely well. and have been retired for nearly 20 years now after a successful career at DOL.

Finally in signing off. AFTER WATCHING MASH! Being a company clerk is 100% exactly like being Radar O'Reilly! I did so much of that part in real life back then. During my tour as company clerk I did all I could to serve the guys in the field and get them what they needed.

Sadly on this coming veterans day I still mourn all my fellow soldiers who were not as fortunate as I.

eh...

Anyway- most of this tMN has told us before. Dude was an 11C (or Indirect Fire Infantryman)... that's the way most soldiers would have told you their MOS, btw.
Dude was in the combat for 3 weeks before being sent to do a clerk position. I won't tell you what grunts would think of someone who couldn't handle the combat part of being a combat infantryman.

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heaven05 (15,051 posts)
3. I still mourn those KIA from the field ops, I did convoy duty as a 'shotgun'...and those of us still dying from Agent Orange complications which is my curse from that ******* place.

Yet to a fellow vet, I raise a toast to us survivors

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TheMastersNemesis (8,510 posts)
12. Appreciate That.

My story is one of extreme personal luck. Even though I was in the war and a close witness to it, I was saved from its most vicious consequences never having to fire my weapon the entire year. Sadly I could not say such thing for my fellow soldiers in my company. I now realize so many years later how truly fortunate I was.

Another soldier had had the job I was put in. He made a huge mistake and lost that job because he screwed up by leaving the company area and base without permission and telling no one in command. I was told by the company clerk training me a couple of months later in confidence. I felt really bad about it. We had been on KP together for 8 days and he never said a word to me about what had just happened to him. He knew I had his job, I am no sure of that. I contacted him on stand down and discussed what happened and told him of my regrets. He told me he knew he made a huge mistake leaving the base. It was all OK. We became close friends. He did not survive the war. It was a tragic real story of changing places.

I rarely share this story but what can you say about what fate awaits you in life?. The loss of that friend was very difficult for me and the circumstances of his loss were really tragic yet he saved several other people's lives.

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Star Member SCantiGOP (6,077 posts)
13. The war was such a waste

I spent my college days knowing that I would have to go in as soon as I graduated (#3 in the draft lottery) but the draft ended my Senior year.
My best friend from 1st grade on didn’t have the grades to get into college and thought the Marines sounded like “fun.” He was killed on the day I was taking my last final exam Freshman year. I have a 32 year old son named for him who is as liberal and anti-war as you can get.
I don’t believe in heaven but seeing him again would be the highlight of the afterlife.

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bluestateboomer (384 posts)
15. Glad to hear your story.

You were ahead of me just a little. Fifty years ago, on November 7, 1967, I was being inducted into the Army. I got to Viet Nam in July and was very lucky to be involved in supporting the troops rather than actually fighting all the time. I have never supported that war, but I do honor the men and women who put their lives on the line for their fellow soldiers. I'm glad we made it back.

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Star Member Glorfindel (4,703 posts)
18. Hi, TheMastersNemesis! 50 years ago today, I was in Nha Trang, RVN, eagerly looking forward

to going home (remember the term DEROS?). I was there December 66 to December 67, as a secretary/stenographer, MOS71C30. Like you, I had taken typing, but also shorthand, plus I had a Top Secret clearance before I was drafted, having been accepted for employment by the FBI.

I worked directly for a Colonel, who was the Assistant Chief of Staff, G2, for the IFIELDFORCE area of operations, which included the central highlands and therefore the 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile (we weren't allowed to call it Air Cavalry or Air Cav. - everything was very formal at a corps-level headquarters). Anyway, whenever a big shot, such as General Westmoreland, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, or the President of South Vietnam came for a visit, the band from the 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile would be brought in to play for them, invariably beginning with "Around Her Neck She Wore A Yellow Ribbon."

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I'm very glad you made it back safely and have had such an interesting and rewarding life.

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TheMastersNemesis (8,510 posts)
25. Familiar With Nha Trang. I Was 11C40 Infantry 81MM Mortar. Could Not Be Classified As Clerk.

As my story reflects I was take OUT of the field about 4 1/2 weeks after I arrived in RVN. I ended up leaving as a Sergeant rather than a specialist. Army would not reclassify you as a clerk if you changed jobs and were infantry. No matter it did not effect me negatively. And actually a sergeant is a slightly higher grade command wise as a specialist even though the pay is the same at grade.

Nha Trang was a good base to be on. I believe a lot of air strikes emanated from Nha Trang there being an AFB there at the time that supported I Corp and perhaps II Corp.

I guess "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" was the Cav theme song. It was really a great Division to be in because of all the helicopters we had being airmobile. The story is that our, my commander, Colonel Runkle 1st Battalion , who died in the war in 1968 was instrumental in the development of the airmobile concept.

I really enjoyed flying in Hueys because with the doors open there was a great view and it really was very much like flying in WWI days with open cockpits. Very gentle ride unless you crashed LOL.

As you know as a clerk in such positions as ours you know just about everything that is going on at your level. You were Radar on steroids so to speak. So i imagine you knew and learned some very interesting things during the war.

 :thatsright: A 11C40 is a senior enlisted NCO MOS code- not an E-5 code that tMN says. Back then if you were a clerk you'd be a Spec5, or Specialist 5/E5 Same grade and pay as a SGT but not in a leadership position. BUT- the CAV being the CAV, who knows.

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2016 DOTY: 06 Omaha Steve - Is dying for ****'s face! How could you not vote for him, you heartless bastards!?!

Online Texacon

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2017, 02:38:25 AM »
Either I'm misremembering something or TMN told a story.

In one of those threads where the DUllards are saying the guy who stopped the Texas shooter was no hero, actually started by TMN himself, TMN is telling people what it's like to be in a firefight and how he knows the Texas hero was actually not a hero.

If someone cares to search for it, it would be interesting to read.

KC
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Offline SVPete

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2017, 07:21:05 AM »
eh...

Anyway- most of this tMN has told us before. ...
...

Is it just me mis-remembering, or does Nematode post this every 3-4 months?
If, as anti-Covid-vaxxers claim, https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2021/robert-f-kennedy-jr-said-the-covid-19-vaccine-is-the-deadliest-vaccine-ever-made-thats-not-true/ , https://gospelnewsnetwork.org/2021/11/23/covid-shots-are-the-deadliest-vaccines-in-medical-history/ , The Vaccine is deadly, where in the US have Pfizer and Moderna hidden the millions of bodies of those who died of "vaccine injury"? Is reality a Big Pharma Shill?

Millions now living should have died. Anti-Covid-Vaxxer ghouls hardest hit.

Offline dutch508

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2017, 10:02:18 AM »
Is it just me mis-remembering, or does Nematode post this every 3-4 months?

Memorial Day, 4th of July, Veteran's Day...
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Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2017, 10:56:34 AM »
Mortar feeder.  Apparently either able to touch-type or unable to hump mortar ammo on his back or hack combat, and so pulled into the orderly room instead.

The 1st Cav Division was always the 1st Cav Division.  The 7th Cav Regiment was just one of a dozen or so Cav REGIMENTS when the Army was actually organized so that 'Regiment' meant something operationally instead of just in a unit lineage sense.  IIRC Custer was actually a squadron commander, not the commander of the entire regiment (A Cav squadron being a battalion-sized org, for those unfamiliar with the oddities of Cav unit naming, the next lower sub-unit of a regiment).  There was never a 7th Cav Division AFAIK.
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Offline sneakypete

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2017, 07:52:45 AM »
Mortar feeder.  Apparently either able to touch-type or unable to hump mortar ammo on his back or hack combat, and so pulled into the orderly room instead.

The 1st Cav Division was always the 1st Cav Division. 

@DumbAss Tanker

I was in Jump School at Benning right at the time the 11th Airborne was activated at Benning to become the first "Airmobile Division". Being an E-2 at the time I was not aware of "army thinking",but I do know that somebody with many stars on his collar decided to leave the 11th ABN in Germany,and to bring the colors of the 1st Calvary Division from South Korea to Benning,and activate it as the "1st Air Calvary Division". PLEASE note that nothing but the unit colors and designation left Korea. The guys in Korea who had been in the 1st Calvary Division were still there,but now members of some other division that was unknown to me.

I graduated from jump school at roughly the same time the Army sent the 173rd Abn from Okinawa to VN,and the new "1st Air Calvary Division" was being populated,staffed,and trained to work as a unit with the new "airmobile tactics" to deploy to VN.

Everybody in my jump school class went to either the 173rd,or to the 1st Cav except for me and two other guys that went to the SWC at Bragg. I remember feeling sorry for the poor guys that went to the 1st Cav because they went through all the physical abuse of jump school,and ended up in a unit where they couldn't draw jump pay. At that time a Private got paid around 62 bucks a month,and jump pay added another 55 bucks to that,damn near doubling your pay. Looking back now I realize they probably got some sort of flight pay and didn't lose any money,but I didn't know that then.

I can't remember ever being around any 1st Cav bases or operations in VN,but we were sent to the 173rd base camp at Bong Song once to launch a snatch,or hit if the snatch wasn't possible,of a visiting NVA official if the local informer ever notified us he showed up,and after spending 4 or 5 days there waiting and watching the 173rd at their base camp,I stopped envying them. They were living like animals,while their CO lived in an air-conditioned mobile home brought in from the states. Being a large base the red clay roads saw a lot of traffic,and the dust was unbelievable. Meanwhile,the soldiers were living in large tents with the sides rolled up to allow ventilation,and sleeping on cots placed on wooden floors made from packing crates.

While there I witnessed what I later learned was the typical base camp "dog and pony show" . Evidently some unit from the 173rd had been in contact with a NVA/VC unit,and the CO was holding a press party after inviting the media there,and even having the soldiers haul in the bodies of the NVA/VC that were killed,and had them laid out for the tv cameras to see and record so it would appear the General and his staff had personally killed them. He held his little "look at me,ain't I great!" press conference,the tv cameras left,and the bodies were bulldozed into a mass grave they dug,and the General and his senior staff retreated to their air-conditioned officers club to celebrate.

Made me want to puke.
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Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2017, 08:07:36 AM »
The Army's still just as weird and the Generals still just as full of their own selves, SneakyPete, the stupid just comes in different flavors and with different labels these days...been out of it for five years now, but spent almost forty years watching them restock the shelves on that shit. 
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That here, obedient to their law, we lie.

Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting at least twice.

Offline sneakypete

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2017, 03:37:49 PM »
The Army's still just as weird and the Generals still just as full of their own selves,....

@DumbAss Tanker

I worked with SWC several times during the 90's,and from what I saw it was a hell of a lot worse then than when I was in uniform. It scares the hell out of me to think what it might be like now.
In the entire history of the world,the only nations that had to build walls to keep their own citizens from leaving were those with leftist governments.

Offline Zathras

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Re: tMN: I was Cav, bitches!
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2017, 12:43:57 PM »
You know, whenever I see a DUmmy post something like this, I remember something I've read here and elsewhere.

DUmmys lie...they lie all of the time.

This, I think, is a prime example of that saying.
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