I landed in Viet Nam in November 1970, it seems so long ago.  I came from Ft Polk with a one week leave and then off to Oakland to board a Seaboard World Jet for Nam.  I had orders for the 1^st Calvary Division.  I was a 91A, PFC medic.  I stood in line processing in and they asked if anyone could type.  I raised my hand, and I ended up spending the next 5 weeks sitting behind a typewriter processing people in and out.  But the inevitable finally came and I was on my way in a aircraft (I believe the called it a Hurkey Bird) to Camp Gorvad just outside of a town called Phouc Vinh.

I helped out on a couple of sick calls and did some hands on training with field medicine and IV’s.

New Years Eve day 1970-71 will forever be etched in my brain.  It was my first day in the bush. I hooked up with my new Platoon and I was to spend one day with their current medic and then he was going to be the CP medic.

It was an operation based on information that American prisoners were being held at a camp near Dau Tieng.  Everyone was anxious to go. We flew by Chinook to Dau Tieng where we loaded on Hueys and combat assaulted into a green LZ. Then we got hit real hard by god only knows what.  Maybe NVA maybe just Charlie, it wasn’t a pretty site.  Especially to a young 19 year old FNG who had to crawl forward and help sort out the wounded.

That day went by so fast. Spotter planes shot Willy Peter rockets to mark the target. Jets and choppers came and bombed and strafed, and bombed some more. Bullets and RPG’s were flying everywhere.  That day I also realized you could see a B-40 when it flies. Dust offs came and went more then could be counted. The shooting stopped and then it started again, the whole day had gone by.  I went through 5 packs of cigarettes and tagged at least 10 grunts who weren’t in my platoon. But I didn’t know, because it was my first day and I didn’t know anyone.  I wasn’t really scared, I didn’t have time to be scared, the wounded just kept coming. I remember LT. Walker. Though I knew him not, his body passed through my arms on his way to the evac chopper. I remember he was the worst with a severe head wound.

Then they said it was to be a cease fire that night because of New Years. Waves of helicopters came to take us out.  There were piles of rucksacks on the ground that they set on fire.  I guess you might say we got our asses kicked.  I don’t really know.  I had the blood of 10 or maybe 15 different men on me. 

I was on the last wave out. My cherry was broken.  That morning I got on a chopper and I was 19 years young.  That evening as we flew away from Tay Ninh Province I was 19 years old.