MACV Team 1 – Hoi An
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 1 located in Hoi An.
MACV Teams
Military Assistance Command Teams Vietnam
MACV Team 1 – Hoi An
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 1 located in Hoi An.
MACV Teams 
I was researching my grandfather, Major Melvin William’s military history and saw that he was Deputy Senior Advisor for Team 1 from June 1970 until January 1971. Is anyone familiar with or remember him?
Hi, text Andrew Martinez at 805-284-6386 because he might could help you.
I was an Operating Room Advisor, HM3 Roger Emmick from Feb – May 1968. I have very few pictures of that civilian hospital or the unit I was attached to. I believe I replaced a corpsman who had been killed – not sure how. I was stationed at NAVSUPPACT Hospital Danang before HoiAn. Any info or pics would be appreciated. I’m now 75 and the memory a little rusty.
My father was in MACV Adv team 1 SFC Edward C Davis he got to Vietnam in Aug of 68 and got to Danang I believe on the 16th of August he was at Hoi An ,he started in the 30th Arty then went to the 44th Arty ,I am looking for anyone who was there and served with him I,he was also in Tam Kay and Quang Ni .He left Vietnam in June of 69.
Tom Heinecke — I was with team 1 in 1970 . I was a !st Lt, Engineers —- any one there then ???
I was with I-28 at Hai Van Pass Hoi An was our province Hqs. 1970 till 1972.
My grandfather Frank Gomez.SFC MACV Team1.
Died August 23, 1968.
Anybody know him?
My uncle (Don Pollett) served in 65-66 and I ran across letters home as I was going through my grandparents house cleaning things up. Don’s return address showed Marine Security Detail, Advisory Team #1 in Hoi An. There was also a blue patch in the same manila envelope, looks like it’s a blue “S34” with what look like wings above the numbers. Anyone here who might have known Don and/or who recognizes the description of the patch? Curious as to what it represents…
Hi! A newspaper mentions my father being stationed here in 1966. His name was Brian Begg, Special Forces, Sniper Scout, Green Beret, 101st Airborne, MACV, etc. Would anyone happen to remember him or know where one could go for more information? Thanks all!
I was assigned to Thuong Duc Sub-Sector, Quang Nam Province. with MACV in June ’68. The incident occurred a couple months before, but a friend I kept in touch with for over 50 years witnessed the incident. SSG Turner was in the Special Forces Commo Bunker during a VC attack on A109 SF Camp. A shotgun fell off the wall in the bunker and killing him almost instantly. My friend and I discussed this several times over the years. He recently passed away. I do not know any information regarding a Line of Duty Investigation. Dwight Zimpel SSG US ARMY dwighthz2002(at)yahoo.com
I would love to see pics of the MACV club Danang. Met my wife in Danang 1971 while stationed with the 84th Engr Bn
I have some pictures of Korean and Philippine performances on stage. I lived at DaNang Hotel and my generator shop was next to the ARVN 3 Star General. My tour was 68-69.
I have around 400 pictures of travels around I CORP. Most of my repairs were house calls to MACV subsector camps. Had alot of Black Cat and Otter trips.
I have to dig pictures out of the computer.
Hello, John, and Welcome Home! You do not know me but I had Vietnamese friends who worked at the MACV Officer’s Club in DaNang, when I was there from April ’70 to April ’71. You don’t say that your wife was there, but Inwish to ask,bas I never have been able to find out anything about them. Thank you! — Woodie in Texas
Woodie, I was stationed at DaNang Hotel 6/68-6/69. Was a generator mechanic 52D20 that attended many Subsector locations.
I noticed some photos of the entertainment at the club.
If you want me to email what copies I have , I will be glad to send.
Here is my email address, Harvey: covanmydaiuy@yahoo.com. Thanks again!
David, I was with your uncle when he was killed. Please get back to me at 4th.cav.man@gmail.com.
My great uncle who was KIA over there (I never met him) was part of this unit. SFC Merlin Vroman, I’ve been in the Army for 17 years now and just now realizing how much of a badass he was. It humbles me each time I do some training and think of the level he reached with this unit. I can say I appreciate every member of this unit and I thank you for your service. You are heroes and thanks are not enough. I appreciate your service, thank you.
I was serving with your father when he was killed please email me at 4th.cav.man@gmail.com.
Bill
That should have read your uncle . . .
Walter Horn
I was attached to MacV Team 15, April 1968, with the 37th Sig Personnel. I was also at the Hoi-An East Location. April 69 – Feb 71. Then attached to 1/5 Mech Inf Quang tri for Lam Son 719, from their attached to 101st at Camp Evans and Eagle for Lam Son 720. On returning to Da Nang the 37th Signal Bn had been changed to the 14th Signal Company. I still made many trips to Hoi-an until my departure i=the 27 Apr 1972. At one time while I was attached to team 15 I was recalled to Da Nang (Air Base) and was in charge of all of I-Core Communications.
Hi my father, James Arthur Long, SFC, died February 14 1971 in Vietnam. He was a ranger and his military records indicate he was assigned to the MACV, Team 1 Advisor group starting in October 1970. He was at Fort Campbell in Kentucky prior to being sent back to Vietnam for his second Vietnam tour. Did you meet or know him while you were there?
To Hamilton McDonald I was with the 29th CA in Hoi An from April 6 to March 1970. I then joined the platoon at the MAC/V in Hue for a year.. I have written a memoir some of which contains my work in Vietnam. In 40 years I have worked as a senior Public Health Advisor in 35 countries, most are not on anyone’s bucket list. The memoir is called “Life in Dark Places”. Also Richard Galli wrote a fictional account of the platoon in Hue called “Of Rice and Men”. The advisor called Paul Gianelli is actually I copy of me, except I was crazier than that
I was FMF Corpsman with Alpha battery 1/11,105s Nov.68-May69 at HoiAn.Would like to know which Marine units were there,always thought H2/5, but no.Anyone know about ‘friendly’ accidental frag deaths,May69?
What was the name of Major that came from Officiers Club management to HoiAn in 68-69?
Make that July 1968 to Feb 1969. Can’t type.
I’m (Lt.) Mike Hogen – I was with MAT I-3, Team 15, out of Hoi An from July 1969 to Feb 1969. Looking for any info on our team leader Cpt. Bradbury, or our medic, Sgt. Carter. Also any info on our vietnamese counterpart, Dai Uy Thuan.
For Mike Hogan; Capt Larry V Bradbury seems to be living in Port Angeles WA. He’s 83 yrs old now, Does this age fit with your capt? Contact me, bill Schwindt in Portland OR
C322Locate@aol.com
When I was at Hoi An (12-67 to 11-68), there wasn’t a Civil Affairs team. I believe they were housed at Danang MACV Hqs.
Al what is the link to purchase your book? I have searched online but can not find it. Thanks.
MACV Tm 15 Hoi An with 2nd AA Plt 29th CA Company February 1969 to mid-August.
Terry:
It should be listed on Amazon. com under the title “A Genuine American Citizen Soldier”.
Al
Thanks Al. I will look it up as soon as I get home.
Rick Hast and I are trying to piece together his tour of duty with Charlie Company, 4/31 196th Brigade Dec 68 to Dec 69. In the Spring of 2014, we stayed in Hoi An while venturing out to LZ West, various places where he saw combat, especially in August of ’69 and to the Village of Hiep Duc. Rick recalls that there was an American Advisor(s) with the RF and PF units and an ARVN assigned to Hiep Duc but stayed on LZ Karen. The Mobile MACV Advisory 5-man team was led by Captain Brown, Charles Burgess was also on the team. A two-man team from the 196th LIB’s Civil Affairs Company, Sergeant Jay Goodwin, and Specialist Four Bill Carroll, both former infantrymen from the battalion. Major James K. Allison, Ocilla, GA, 4-31st Infantry’s Civil Affairs Officer said that there are plans for roads, school and hospital for Hiep Duc. The village below LZ Karen, Dong An 1 & 2 aka Tin City was attacked in May 1969. Anyone with any information regarding the team on LZ Karen would be helpful. Thanks much, Ken Hughes, US Army Nov. 67 to Nov. 69. email colk8f90@gmail.com
Good evening,
Can anyone recall Capt. Erman “Mink” Newman. He is my grandfather that was killed on a mortar attack on Aug. 12, 1966. I believe the attack was on the building for which he worked. He mortally wounded by schrapnel after approx. 6 months in country.
BDQ ADV TEAM TD 1, ADV TEAM 1, HQ, MACV ADVISORS, MACV
West Point graduate 1957
.I was a Marine LCpl/Cpl with the security element at Adv Tm 1 in Hoi An from Jul 66-Aug67…I was initially at the MILPHAP compound and eventually moved to the main compound. When the attack to free the 500 prisoners happened I was part of the manning of the back tower in the main compound. I do remember the monkey at the main gate—pretty mean sometimes. Good memories of the Bn scouts from 1/1 up the road, especially ‘Short Round’ ( with 1/1 Bn scouts) whom I had met when he and three friends were on their way to Marine boot camp at Parris Island in Aug/Sep ’65 and we were on a train to Washington, DC where they continued on and I left (accompanied by 2 younger brothers) to go to may parents house in DC. Little did I know I would be in boot camp at PISC 5 months later. I do remember Ed Johnson as he basically replaced me billet wise and I heard of his death in Sep when I was stationed with Guard Company at the Boston Navy Yard Marine Barracks.
I am Ed’ s younger brother Bill.
You ended up at Boston Navy Yard
Charlestown, MA , Ed’s hometown.
hey mike, i’m steve johnson. i was there from nov 1966 to about june or july 1967. i was tranferred to a line unit golf company 2/7. it was quite different. i served w/david duda (rip about 2yrs) sgt matlock a guy named durham
I was a Corpsman with the MILPHAP team from May 66 to May 67. I used to go out to the villages to provide medical care. I was an HM3/HM2 back then. I may have a picture of you with other Marine guards at the MILPHAP compound.
please share your pics. I was one of the marines doing security at the macv compound. I am the one who broke my ankle and had to wear a cast’ my email is shjohn717@gmail.com. hope to hear from you soon. thank you’
Hi Steve, I was an HM3/HM2 during the same time, May66 to May67. I went out in the villages also Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera back then so I don’t have pictures to share. My e-mail address is Winniedad@aol.com If you have any pictures you could share I would appreciate seeing them. I can only remember a couple of names.
Was the MILPHAP Army, Navy or AF?
MILPHAP team in Hoi An was Navy. We had Marines for guards.
Thank you. I am putting together an article on MILPHAPs a little known effort to help the Vietnamese people.
Tom Burch was the sole MILPHAP member that I knew in Hoi An 69-70. He now lives in West Virginia.
Thanks
Thanks SgtM Bayer, when I arrived in DaNang on 5 Nov1967 I Corps HQs MACV was known as Advisory Tram 1 and stood that way until I left on 4Nov 68. Just saying. I worked with the Vietnamese at the TOC in Da Nang the entire year. Like your idea just reporting what I know for sure.
Ryan Faulkenberry
Cpt USA Retired
Did you meet Capt Donavan or LTC Grasso?
Harvey
I served as Assistant G3 Air Advisor in I Corp TOC from July 67 to Jan 68. I have a picture of the I Corp Advisor Team if you are interested. I also have some movies of the I Corp Headquarters. I was a Bn ADV to 2/51 ARVN Regiment from Feb 67 to July 67. My e mail is hammcdonald@gmail.com.
Capt Benjamin H McDonald
Was Frank Martin there at that time?
Hello and Happy New Year to all my MACV Advisors on Team 1 1967-68. I served as Asst G3 Air Advisor on Advisor Team 1 from July 67 to Jan 68. I have a photo of Team 1 taken some time during this time if anyone is interested.
Regards, Ham Benjamin Hamilton McDonald Captain (Retired) E-mail: hamiltonmcdonald@comcast.net Mobile: 404-667-1779
>
I would be interested. I also have a picture of my grandfather and others doing some R&R on the beach and under a parachute
MACV Teams,
Thanks for the website, it brings back allot of memories … some good, some bad … but a part of our lives.
I have a suggestion; ref MACV Team 1 & 15 were both at located Hoi An … Team 1 before 1968, Team 15 after 1968 … per many comments.
Thanks Again,
David W Bayer
US Army Special Forces
SGM (Ret)
Good luck , if you go the guide knows.
Does anyone know the street address of our compound? I will go there in March 2020. I was there several times and once the compound was turner into a children’s play ground and Province HQ was a hotel. The last time I went both disappeared. So I need the address.
I updated the information but not sure if it took.
Paul J. Giannone
3002 Bartlett Circle
Hillsborough, North Carolina, 27278
404-661-4629 (Paul Cell)
770-815-4026 (Kate Cell)
huntgia@bellsouth.net
I was in Hoi An last year, and will be there again this Nov.
The Provincial HQ buildings are a luxury hotel these days. They’ve done a lot of renovations over the years.
10 Tran Hung Dao St.
Hoi An Vietnam
PHONE (+84 235) 386 1445
Thanks for the dedication
Ref Team 15 … I found some letters I wrote to my brother during Sep 68 thru Apr 69 while I was at MACV 15 compound in Hoi An (next to Quang Nam Province HQ) and then at “Hoi An East” (the beach) with the 2nd ROK Marines (Blue Dragons).
Our mailing address was:
US Army Advisory Team #15
MACV Drawer #18 Hoi An
APO SF 96337
Hey David W. Bayer. I lived at the MACV Team 15 compound next to Quang Nam Province headquarters from February 14, 1969 to mid-August 1969 when I was transferred to the Hoa Vang District headquarters compound just south of DaNang Airbase. I was in the 2nd AA Platoon 29th Civil Affairs Company while in Hoi An and was on the Quang Nam Province Agriculture Advisory Team.
Hi Terry,
We were both at Hoi An for about a month .. I went out to Hoi An East in mid March 69. Prior to that my hooch was the GP tent next to the back guard tower, generator shed and old well.
Thanks for your service.
David
Terry, when you were in Hoa Vang District, did you know MACV Navy Corpsman Bob Haley by any chance? If so, would you please email me at rpiper1160@gmail.com.
Who was the SP5 that used to drive a 2.5 truck that was busted because he didn’t salute a Korean officer. I had to go to HoiAn compound sent on Sunday overnight to repair compound generator, went back to states Wednesday. I believe some of the problem originated with Major Jones messing with generator. He blew lights out in compound, I had adjust governor to get it to hold a load.
Harvey,
It could be Bob Beeler, but he was a SP4 busted at Hoi An and sent to Chu Lai. He was busted again there while he was a “water buffalo driver” hauling water around the base …he was caught letting his pet monkey swim in the water! He was then a permanent guard tower guy, but got in trouble for calling in movement in the wire and cracking up his M60 just as the Chu Lai officer’s club started a dance/show …the base went on alert and the club shut down. Bob was biker drafted from Sacramento and said he wanted to leave the Army just as he came in; a E1 Private. He was really a good guy, just different humor/attitude … also a great mechanic, he could fix about anything.
DWB
I remember him coming to MACV generator shop in DaNang. He disappeared and they told about problem with Korean officer.
I used to catch shit about not saluting the general’s car. I used to ask why I should salute a SP 4.
I am David Bayer ….I was assigned to MACV Team 15 from Sep 68 to Sep 69. Worked at Hoi An compound, at Hoi An east or west (?) with the ROK Marines and at Bo Mung (?) up by Monkey Mountain. I had a break in service after 1st enlistment, then went back in to SF and retired as SGM/E9. I was at Hoi An during Tet 69 .After 50 years, I remember some of the names mentioned and a few others …I can’t remember the SA name, but the SEA was MSG/SGM Korn, we had a wild Major as Chaplin, Gus was still at the bar, Bob Beeler was the generator guy, Al Downer was with the Seabees, Kimo (?) was my bunker buddy who pissed on a generator. I went on several convoys riding a M60 on Beeler’s 2 1/2…the Chaplin went AWOL during R&R in Japan … Fitzgerald was at the RD House …
David,
I was at Hoi An from Dec 67 to Nov 68. I was in charge of the Black Cat flight mission for the team. John Kritete replaced me. I have recently had a book published, “A Genuine American Citizen Soldier” and it listed on Amazon and book stores. It is my memoir of my time with MACV and my personal struggles to obtain the U.S. citizenship.
Al Navarro
Hi Al,
I think I remember you and riding with you out/back to the LZ a few times …I certainly remember the movies on the back of a shed and the “PX” connex. I’ll look for your book.
DWB
Hi Al,
Your book arrived today. We have some rain forecasted for the next few days, so I will get it read.
Thanks,
David
David,
I’m trying to find out if there was a medical officer in charge of the medical facility in Hoi An. Do you happen to know or know someone who does. I don’t need a name. I was there in 72 as a SEAL advisor and am not sure. Thank you.
Bill
Bill,
I do not remember a med officer at Hoi An, just a NCO medic …. but that was 50 years ago and I could be wrong. The “med clinic” was just a couple doors down from the club/bar.
David
Thank you for your time and assistance. I’ve been chasing a Purple Heart award since I got there.
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Friend of 1969+ Jose Taylor ; USN ..NAD Team ,etc …a couple years earlier, a USN Medical Officer came from CAG-2 west of Hoi An for some E-Vacs …for DNK – Spec-Ops ,,,Toi Biet ; Co Van Phung Hoang …E-Vacs sent to USN Med.VAc at Marble Mountains .
Does anyone know the number of the MAT at Hoa Vang Sub-sector in 1969?
I am doing some digging to figure out what happened to my friends dad. His name was Lt. Col. John James Mott and served with the 1st Regional Assistance Command (FRAC), MACV Advisory Team 1. He died on April 29, 1972 during operation Easter. Were trying to figure out what his mission was that sent him out.
If you will email me at rworthin@q.com I can help you. I served two tours in Vietnam as a combat advisor (1966-67-68-69). I am a professional writer and have written several magazine articles and a chapter in a book on what advisors do. I produced a film titled Combat Advisor in Vietnam which has its national release on 1 March 2019. My latest book, Under Fire with ARVN Infantry was released in 0ct 2018. Your brigade is mentioned in my latest book. I am now writing my second book on combat advising in Vietnam, mostly special operations. For more info go to BobWorthingtonWriter.com. I was the senior advisor with the 3rd Bn 51st ARVN Regt in Adv Tm # 1. Bob Worthington
Hello Bob:
Your name is familiar. I was one of two Captains that were advisors to the 2nd Bn 51st ARVN in Adv TM #1 from Jan 67 to August 67 when I was assigned as Asst G 3 Air in Corps Headquarters. The other Captain was a Norman Lemieus. We had an Australian WO, Lofty Morran and a E6 who’s name I can’t remember. I made some super 8 films which I just had digitized and I think you might be in a couple of them if I am correct. I will try and contact you on your other e-mail address and I am interested in the books you have written.
Capt Benjamin Hamilton (Ham) McDonald
hammcdonald@gmail.com
Dear Capt. Do you by chance know what happened to my uncle? His info is below and looks like he might have served under you. Thank you for your service.
Justin Turner
SSGT USMC
SERVICE OVERVIEW
Name John Harold Turner
From Butler County, Kansas
Born March 12, 1942
Death May 20, 1968
War Vietnam War
Rank Staff Sergeant
Specialty Infantry Operations and Intelligence Specialist
Branch US Army
Group MACV, Advisory Team 1
Cause Died through non-hostile action, accident
Location South Vietnam, Quang Nam province
I know exactly what happened to John Turner.
I knew John when I was stationed with him in Seoul in 1963-64 in the UN Command Honor Guard.
I researched the circumstances of his death including interviewing two people who were there when he was killed.
I sent that information to at least one of his family members a few years ago. I still have all that information and would be glad to send it to you.
Ed Toussaint
Potomac, MD
etoussaint44@yahoo.com
We had a Staff Sgt on our 4 Man Team with 2/51 ARVN Regt but I don’t recall his name. When I was transferred to Asst G3 Air Advisor in July 68 the Sgt was still with the Bn Team. I can send you a picture of the Sgt I served with if you give me an e mail address.
Regards,
Ham
hammcdonald@gmail.com
Happy Veterans’ Day to all the MACV Advisors!
What was the name of the Major that was in charge at the Officers club in DaNang and moved to HoiAn. This happened in Spring of 1969. His office was used as a shortcut to get to other side of building . When I repaired generators I would see him at G4 going away parties.
I am looking for anyone that would have known my grandfather, SFC Charles Green. He was in Vietnam from Sept 65’- Sept 66’ his DA Form 20 states “USARPAC-Vietnam” and during this time was awarded the Bronze star under the authority of “GO1306HQMACV”. From what I have gathered from old pictures, his commander was CPT Rylaud (could be spelled wrong, it was hard to read the back of the picture). If there is anyone that remembers him, or can point me in the right direction as to which location he was with I would be extremely grateful! Thank you all so much!
i suggest you take whatever information you have on your grandfather (DD214, Form 20, copies of orders for citations, etc.) and visit a county service officer, your state’s veterans representative, or a VA counselor and hopefully they may be able to track down your grandfather’s service.
MACV was an organization that was scattered all over Vietnam, from the headquarters in Saigon to small 3-4-man teams in provincial areas.
I was with team 1, Hoi An, Quang Nam province, 11-67 to 11-68.
Good Luck.
Thank you so much!
Joe, so far it looks like only you and I are from Tamky.
Back in the late 60s, Tam Ky was part of Quang Tin province, so it was not part of the Quang Nam province advisory teams.
Later, when the NVA took over after 1975, Quang Tin was absorbed by Quang Nam province and Quang Tin was no more. The menu does not show Quang Tin at all. It shows a team 12 but no location.
Team 12 on the site will be updated to show Quang Tin. Thank you
I was out of Tam Ky also team one ,i see tam ky is not posted ??
When I used to go to to Tam Ky Jake’s FACTS were there with their spotters.
Hello,
First time here. I was attached to the MACV Team in Dien Ban for most of 1969. I was with Civil Affairs in Hoi An. Looking for anyone who may remember me. George (Jerry) Jones Spec 4/5. Tall, brown hair, blue eyes, from Pittsburgh, Pa. Can remember some names: Sapp was the RTO, Scott was a medic. Major Graham was the CO, but he was KIA, and replaced by Major Philllips. Hope to hear from somebody.
I used to go to there in 68-69. Was stuck there a couple days while the town was taken over. The day of arrival the Koreans almost blew our Black Cat out of the air. That night we were mortored a couple times. It didn’t take long to repair the generator, but we finally took a USAID truck to Hoi an.
I was in Hoi An with the 2nd AA Platoon 29th Civil Affairs Company as an Agriculture Advisor from Feb. 11,1969 to mid August 1969 at which time I was reassigned to Hoa Vang District as a Refugee Advisor. Where you with the 29th Civil Affairs Company? Paul J. Giannone, Ken Foley and Cpt. Joseph V. Ace are some I remember. I have a group on facebook called 29TH CIVIL AFFAIRS COMPANY VIETNAM. If you were in the 29th I would like to invite you to join us.
Joe Ace was my CO. Don’t recognize any other names at the moment. I did a lot of work with Spec. Gregg, he was a translator. Some other names I remember in CA were Durbin & Ferri. Arrived in Danang in Nov. 68, the 51st, 52nd, and 53rd CA platoons. Each platoon was 6 men, CO, XO, 2 NCOs and 2 enlisted. I was with the 52nd. Never saw or heard of the other 2 after we landed. Lt. Beadle was the CO at the time. How do I go about joining the 29th CA Co?
Paul J. Giannone was a Public Health Advisor with the Platoon. I communicated with Cpt. Ace last month. I remember Durbin, If you are on Facebook at the top of your profile is a white box type in 29th Civil Affairs Company Vietnam. It will bring up a box with blue lettering. Click on that and it will take you to the Group page. Hit the Join it will bring up some questions to answer {I have them to keep out trolls and those that did not serve in the 29th}
Ask Ace if he was operations officer Hoi An Advisory Team 15 Jan to May 1970. That’s the way I remember him when I was a duty officer in the TOC then.
Dick I will email him but I am not going to expect a reply back. Have not received any back from the last 10 I sent or the phone calls I have made.
It looks like you came later, but did you ever hear anything about David Parks ? This would be late June, 1967. He was supposed to be in the 52nd in Quang Nam.
Where you in Dien Ban when the VC took over the town and mortored us in the compound that night?
Hi Harvey,
I can remember coming under mortar fire during the Tet offensive in Feb. 1969, but no rounds landed inside our portion of the compound. There was also an incident in June or July of 1969 when the VC were moving in and around the town. One of the MACV members, SFC Long, went out to call in artillary, but unfortunately was killed. Other than those incidents, things were somewhat peaceful.
Jerry
I was a visiting generator repair guy. I’m trying to remember who my partner was. Two guys I traveled with were killed. The whole day started bad when I asked the pilot to take me to Dien Ban first rather than Hoi an. It was foggy and when we came in from the Korean side they almost put a round through the chopper, could smell the smoke in the chopper. When we walked into the compound I was rained on by empty shell casings. That night we were given our positions in the bunker. I had back door and was told if they got that far it was all over. We were mortored a couple times and went to bunker.
We got out to Hoi an on USAID truck.
This could have been February/March 69.
Hello to George (Jerry) Jones, my name is James Price, and I was just reading your info about being part of the MACV Civil Affairs team in Hoi An for most of 1969. I left Hoi An in May of 1968 and thought by chance that you may have been my replacement. I was a MACV (Team 1) Spec 5 when I left. I performed MEDCAP missions in the villages and refugee camps around Hoi An as well as accompany the 3rd Marines on their combat missions to recover refugees.
James Price were you with the 29th Civil Affairs Company?
To George (Jerry) Jones, yes, the 29th Civil Affairs Company. When did you first arrive to Hoi An? I was just leaving when my replacement came in, but I don’t remember his name. He was a young guy, rather tall with fair skin and brown/blond hair. That was probably mid to early May of 1968. If I remember correctly, just before I left they organized a small convoy for a one day trip from Hoi An to Da Nang. They asked me if I wanted to drive a jeep, but I decided not to go. Instead, my replacement drove in and on the way back the convoy received a few rounds from a quick VC ambush. No one was wounded, but I think the jeep took a couple of rounds. I think Lt Elliot was still there when I left, he was my CO. Does any of this info sound familiar?
Sorry, didn’t arrive until Nov. 18, 1968. Not sure who that could have been.
Hello James. I am Steve Hagan. Was SP5 on 41st Civil Affairs Team 16 attached to 29th Civil Affairs serving in Hoi An. I was in Hoi An from January to December 1967. You and I were part of the same team under Lt Gary Morgan. As I recall, you were involved in a jeep accident on an operation is Quang Tri shortly after you joined the team. Team 16 got sent from Hoi An to Quang Tri for about a month for a big refugee resettlement operation. Would love to connect and talk about old times.
Steve, great to hear from you. Hope you are doing well. Yes, I remember Operation Hickory in Quang Tri. I had just arrived in country when they took me off my flight to long Bing (outside of Saigon) and sent me to Da Nang and from Da Nang to Ouang Tri where I met you guys. You are right about the jeep accident. After completing the refugee settlement, Lt Morgan wanted to take a drive around, and we wound up in a ditch. Are you still in NC? I eventually went to work for GSA up here in the Wash DC area. I retired a couple of years ago. Send me an e-mail at james.price442@gmail.com.
Hello James,
I was sent over with 17 others as 3 CA platoons. Never went out of the area, just took care of the refugees that came to us. Rather boring duty, but kept my butt safe. Nice to hear from you, welcome home.
Jerry
Major Graham may be a Kia I’m looking for. I am a former Marine station 2 kilos west of Hoi An in Vinh Dien village — more precisely in an outpost we called the Alamo. We shared it with a MAC-V team. During the final days there, the MAC-V commander left the compound to join a near-by combat group. He was killed on the outing. Could this have been Major? I’m currently building a file of kias I knew in Vietnam between August ‘68 to September ‘69. Thanks… P. Sewell
Hi Paul, Major Roger Graham was KIA on June 10, 1969. Very quiet man, almost seemed out of place in the military, but a good leader. I remember he was shot by a sniper coming out of a spider hole. It took a few hours to recover his body, VC had the unit pinned down. I was manning the radio back at the compound at the time. Tough day.
The Alamo …West or East, near the sea Alamo east was CACO 2-4-1 ?
East side of a bridge blown by Q -80 water sapper team ..?
I was attached to that MAC-V team when Major Graham was KIA. I helped coordinate the dustoff who came in to pick him up. The MAC-V RTO was with the operation and I was back at the compound on the radio. It was a sad day, Major Graham was a good man. Sorry I don’t have more details, after 50+ years, my memory is blurry at best.
MAT 16 was at Hiep Duc
I am writing a blog myvietnamexperience1968.com
50 years ago.
I served on hill 65 and was on air strip at Thuong Duc during July 68. I was with kilo battery/4/11 155mm guns.
I was a MACV Adviser at the District/Subsector HQ on the hill – A109. I was there from June 68 to Nov 68. Things were “interesting” that fall. I went back to the site in 2002. Not much left, broken concrete and sandbag remnants. The hill is overgrown with trees. The airstrip is gone. Highway 14b runs west south of the river to the Ho Chi Minh Highway (14) that runs parallel to the Laos/Cambodia borders. Nice bike ride to DaLat. 4-5 day ride.
I used to go to Thing Duc to repair the Macv generator. I was there during 68-69. That was an overnight trip. That place was one of the few that had trenches between huts. Only place where a chopper drop off was out of chopper and to edge of past.
I have a great sunrise photo.
I was chief radio operator for MACV Quang Nam Province from Jan 1970 to 29 June 1970. I was based at the MACV compound in Hoi An. In that capacity I did visit the MACV compound in about April 1970. My commanding officer was Major Carroll.
I was on hill 65 from January 1968 – February 1969. kilo 4/11 mess sergeant.
David,
My name is Bill Hill. I was a SEAL advisor during that time frame. I’m trying to find out who was in charge of the medical facility in Hoi An ( a Lt., Capt.) Was it a medical officer? Thank you.
Bill
I was at Thoung Duc in April 1970. MACV compound.
I heard it is has been planted over. We (kilo 4/11) we’re on air strip for 52 days, June – August 1968
I was at Hoi An from February 1969 to May 1969 with the 2nd CA Platoon 29th Civil Affairs Company living on the MACV Compound and worked with the Province Agriculture Advisor. I was there when Hoi An was attacked during TET 69 and am looking for link to information on it.
Welcome Home Terry. I was also at the MACV Compound from May 68 to May 69 with a Navy MILPHAP team. Im sure we must have passed each other at one time.
Thanks for the reply Bob. We probably did see each other. Do you happen to have any information on the attack on Hoi An during Tet 1969. Also did you happen to know Paul J. Gianonne, he was our Public Health Advisor with the 2nd Platoon 29th Civil Affairs Company from 1969 to 1970? If you do I am in contact with him. Have a great New Year.
Bob,
I was the air operations NCO (282nd Aviation Black Cats) for the MACV team at Hoi An from December ’67 to November ’68. I also worked the mailroom at the S-1 office, the PX connex container, showed the movies, was in the reaction force, and sometimes as needed went on patrols as the RTO. It was good to keep busy!
Trying to find someone who was in the Hoi an area on 04 December 1971. I am trying to collect information on a mission he flew in support of ground troops on that date. He was flying an F-4E Phantom II from the 421st Fighter Squadron from DaNang. The citation reads as follows; …under adverse weather conditions, heavy automatic weapons fire and imposing terrain scrambled to aid friendly forces in a contact situation. In fifteen passes Capt. High delivered his ordinances precisely on target and allowed the friendly forces to be safely extracted from the hostile location…”. He passed away before my wife or boys could meet him, so I am writing a book about his life. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am looking for anyone who served with my relative, Captain Robert F. Woodhouse, Jr., “Woody”. Trying to learn more about his service with MACV Advance Team 1, and his death/helicopter crash in Thua Thien province on July 7, 1970.
Any information would be most appreciated.
Chris — Please contact me about Bob Woodhouse, Jr., R.I.P. Woodie M. at covanmydaiuy@yahoo.com
I have corresponded with a few MACV Team 3 members since reading the book “Hue 1968” which chronicled the Tet offensive there.
But I would like to hear from those MACV Team 1 members that were there during Tet 68. I am a little foggy about all the action that happened during that time. I remember the rescue of the German nurses,, the VC using group of civilians to hide in as they came down the street bordering the south side of our compound, some medevac trips to the airfield, and the ROKs moving in to blunt any major attacks.
I am writing a second novel and want to include a chapter about the Tet offensive in Hoi An. I do plan to fictionalize the novel, as I don’t want to make it a historical book like Hue 1968..
Al.
Thanks for the info.
I do have the complete file on John Turner’s death. Right now I am in Europe traveling until mid-May with only my iPad. I can send you some previously sent email if I have your email address. You can email me at etoussaint44@yahoo.com and I’ll send you what I have. In May I can send you more stuff.
Thanks,
Ed Toussaint
Ed,
When I met SSG Turner, he was wearing a 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) patch on his jungle uniform shirt. He mentioned that he had been down south but I forget if he said when and where.
Do you have a copy or can you get one about the Army report of his death at Thuong Duc? I would like to see what they said. I have heard of other reports from our MACV team when there were casualties and the Army did not give out complete or factual reports.
Al
That was my uncle. I would love to hear the REAL story!
jdturner333@yahoo.com
Hello to Charles Burgess, MACV advisory team on LZ Karen, tried to respond to your email but I was blocked. My email address is colk8f90@gmail.com my cell is 513-502-2052. Looking forward to chatting about the events on LZ Karen and Hiep Duc Valley. Anyone else who sees this could forward to Charlie for me, thx Ken Hughes
I am writing in hopes that someone remembers serving with my father, Samuel A. Morrow. He was in Vietnam 1969-1970 (2nd tour) and was assigned to ADV.TM#15 (HOI AN) Hieu Duc District. I have a picture of him dated 25 July 1970 standing between Colonel Young and Capt. Gilbert receiving his promotion to Msgt. Thank you for your time and not enough words to express our gratitude for your service.
I was stationed in hieu duc from 68-69. When I rotated back to US me and capt klinger left the same day. I may have known your father for a short time, but, it is hard to remember names after all these years. I have been trying to find someone I was stationed with to no avail. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
I remember Capt Klinger from Hieu Duc. I believe he was from Andover NY. I recall he and my boss had a disagreement over us leaving to repair a generator at 5 pm. Col. Grasso got involved and we drove out next day.
Also drove back on the oiled road once.
Must have just missed you at Hieu Duc … I was there as MI advisor from Aug/Sept 1967 til transferred to Hoi An as TOC officer June/Aug 1968 …. TET Offensive In Jan. 1968 was interesting time … Remember well when our radio operator, Doug Ott from St. Cloud, MN was KIA in summer of ’68. A very sad day. Would like to reconnect with anyone who served there at same time or may have overlapped. I have names of all on Hieu Duc team during that time.
Thanks Dwight and Al;
Two people verified that the body was that of John H. Turner. SSgt John D. Beurer and Capt. Allen M. Walton.
Turner’s body was escorted home by SSgt Donald L. Wilson, who may have been stationed with Turner at the Presidio in San Francisco.
Thanks, Al.
But is there any chance Ha could mean Ha Thanh, a camp located only 3.7km away also on the Song Vu Gia River?
I am sending this information along to John’s grand daughter, who is very interested.
Ed
I don’t think so. As I said, all advisors for Quang Nam province were assigned to Hoi An. Even the mailing address was listed as Hoi An (HA). For example: SSG John Smith, Advisory Team #1 (HA), Danang, RVN. Danang was the MACV HQs for all the I Corps provinces. All the mail would come to Danang first, then broken down from there to the different provincial HQs. No matter to what subsector team SSG Smith was assigned to, the mail would come to Hoi An first, then broken down by team location. Then the mail would be put in pouches with the different subsector names and taken to them by helicopter. It was the same for mail going out from the subsectors. It would first had to come to Hoi An, then put in mail bags and then sent to Danang. It was a slow process but that’s the way it was. We didn’t get mail every day
and sometimes I would get fussed by some team members because since I handled the helicopter missions, I wasn’t getting the mail out quickly enough.
Ha Thanh is the next ville East of Thuong Duc on the river. I arrived at the MACV Team there in June 68. Replacing another NCO who was there when the Turner incident occurred. His version of the incident is pretty much the same as Al Navarro’s. The incident took place in the Commo bunker, which I believe was shared with the Special Forces Team – A109. SSG Turner and another MACV NCO were manning the radio at the time. There were no Vietnamese present at the time. I visited the Camp site in 2002, there wasn’t much left to indicate we were there – some broken concrete bunkers, black top,and remnants of sand bags. It was pretty much reforested by then. DZ
Dwight;
I’m afraid I and a little confused here and It’s certainly my fault.
When you said in your post “I arrived there”, where was that.
Was it Thuong Duc where USASF Team A-109 was?
Or was it Ha Thanh where USASF Team A-104 was?
I have already tried to contact some USASF people who were at Ha Thanh and now I am concerned that I’m barking up the wrong tree.
Al Navarro said he put Turner on a helicopter to Thuong Duc. And that’s in Quang Nam province where Turner’s records say he was killed.
Ha Thanh is in Quang Ngai province. But he still might have been killed at Ha Thanh.
Sorry for the confusion
Ed Toussaint
etoussaint44@yahoo.com
Hi, There a number of “duplicate” locations in Vietnam, some places don’t exist as we knew them. If you go to Google maps (google(dot)com/maps ) and enter “Ha Thanh, Quang Nam, Vietnam”, you will find it just northwest of Highway 14B, on the North side of the Song Vu Gia River. And a few Km east of Thuong Duc village in Quang Nam Province. (some maps actually interchange the two????) Special Forces A Team A-109 and the MACV Team were located on the same hill just west of Thuong Duc Village. We shared the compound when I got there in June 68. But there was a “dust up” and we (the MACV Team) moved down the hill a bit, inside Thuong Duc District (Sub-Sector) HQ. Thuong Duc is now part of Dai Loc District. I have tried to put links to maps and pages on this page, but the administrators don’t allow links.
The university of Texas has a great map collection: “lib(dot)utexas(dot)edu/maps” should get you started.
I see by earth-3d(dot)com map that there’s a Buddhist temple or a NVA memorial on top of the hill now. I’ll have to check it out the next time I get out that way. The last time I was on the hill was 2002 and it was a “tree farm”.
I was out to the Dia Loc District about 4 years ago. It has really changed.
If anyone is interested, I go to Vietnam almost every fall and Hoi An is usually on my itinerary. The road the Thuong Duc is paved and it’s easy to get to. It’s about 50 km (30 miles) from Hoi An and takes about an hour and a half to get there in decent weather. It’s about the same distance from Da Nang Airport and the road is probably a little better. Email me if you’re interested or have questions.
Dwight Zimpel
dwighthz2002@yahoo.com
Do you remember the Son Thu Bon River at Hoi An. I was wounded by a land mine walking on a rice paddy 28 Jan 71. I was with Echo Co. 2/1 bravo 1st squad. Really pretty country that area was.
The Son Thu Bon River runs by Old Town, Hoi An. There are stores, and restaurants on both sides and a few hotels on the south side of the river. There’s been a lot of “tourist” development in the last 15 years. I’ve been going back once a year for the last 15 years. A lot of Vietnam Veterans retired to Vietnam. Cheap and warm – I mean hot. Australian Vets hang out in Vung Tau.
I went back 5 years ago. Started in Hanoi, Hue, Phu Bai, Danang, Hoi an, Siphon, and Cho Che tunnels. First time around I was every place except Hanoi and Cho Che tunnels. I used to fly over Marble Mt and wondered why we never had a road to Hoi an, now it’s there.
Hue was pretty familiar with and didn’t change all that much. As for everything else it was a shock. Hotel in Danang was site of Navy Exchange. Drove over Dien Ban on an interstate. I go to South Africa with the Texas family and grandchildren on a family tour in June.
I was at Thuong Duc for a couple of weeks in 66/67. The compound was Special Forces at that time. I helped evacuate Vietnamese troops after a short round (?) killed and wounded them. Not sure who the OIC was then would like to get in touch with him about that incident.
Thanks a lot. This is a big help.
SSG Turner’s family is very curious about his death. When you read the Army report, it’s very sketchy and they have been suspicious even thinking it might have been some sort of problem with his own troops, The information you gave will ease their minds.
On the form they list their location as “Ha”. Do you know where that was? I think “Ha” in Vietnamese means “Hectare” which is measure of land like an acre.
Ha probably means Hoi An since that was the capital of Quang Nam province. The provincial MACV headquarters and the ARVN headquarters of the 51st Regiment were located there. All the advisors assigned to Quang Nam province were listed under the main HQs at Hoi An even when they were assigned to the other MACV teams (subsectors) in the province. The newly assigned advisors first came to Hoi An and then based on their MOS and subsector needs, they would get their assignments. I would get a listing of assignments and made sure that the individual would be transported by the Black Cat Huey to his assigned location. Even within the same year of their tour, an advisor could be shifted to other subsectors or even assigned back to the HQs at Hoi An based on replacement needs.
On May 20, 1968 SSgt John H. Turner assigned to Team #1, MACV in Quong Nam Province (at Ha?) was killed when a shotgun fell and accidentally discharged. The incident happened in the barracks at 11:45am.
SSgt Turner, who was from Potwin, KS, had been at this location in Vietnam for about two months.
His remains were recognized by SSgt John D. Beurer and verified by Capt Allen M. Walton
I remember SSG Turner. He was assigned to the Thuong Duc subsector camp as a weapons advisor. He was a tall, blond., blue eye All-American looking soldier. He was on his second tour of Vietnam. I drove him to the Hoi An airfield and put him on a Black Cat Huey for the trip to Thuong Duc.
Yes, there was a fully loaded shotgun on the wall of the team’s bunker. There was a mortar attack and the men had taken cover in the bunker. What I heard was that a mortar had hit above the bunker, shook the wall area,, and the shotgun fell and discharged, hitting SSG Turner in the head.
That was a senseless tragedy, as were many in Vietnam.
Al;
I have recently spoken with Frank Newman, who was the USASF C.O. at Thuong Duc during most of 1968. His recollection matches yours. Frank is now an attorney in Elizabethton, TN. He was able to fill in some details.
One minor question. Your original response said that when you put John Turner on that chopper to Thuong Duc that this was his second tour in Vietnam.
That makes sense. I know he had returned from Korea in early 1964 and was stationed with the 6th Army Honor Guard at the Presidio of San Francisco. He reenlisted there in July of 1964. His last tour in Vietnam started in early March, 1968. So there is almost a four year gap between Jul 64 and Mar 68. Plenty of time to have been in Vietnam for a year.
But how do you know this was his second tour? Do you remember anything bout where and when his first tour was?
Thanks,
Ed Toussaint
Potomac, MD
Ed Toussaint:
I mention a bit about SSG Turner’s death in my latest book, A Genuine American Citizen Soldier (Amazon.com).
I changed his name as I did for all characters on the book.
Al Navarro
Al, I read most of your book,titled, “Provincial Advisory Team Vietnam” and found it helpful in understanding that environment where John Turner was killed.
I did a lot of research on his death including interviewing three people who were there at that time in May, 1968. Your info about his first tour with the 1st Inf. Div. was helpful.
Frank Newman, who was the USSF commander at the time described Turner’s death as just one of the many tragedies he saw in Vietnam. But for the family at home, the Army’s very sketchy description of what happened created a lot of unnecessary concern. They said that “things didn’t add up” and some suspected or imagined it might have been a fragging episode. In the absence of any better information, some let their imaginations run wild.
I think I was able to provide enough information to them to assuage some of these fears. His grandchildren seemed grateful to have a credible explanation.
The report read “killed when a shotgun mounted on the wall in Quarters fell and accidentally discharged”. It was described as “Non-combat related”.
What actually happened was that incoming mortar rounds shook the walls of the Communications bunker dislodging a shotgun mounted on the wall. An NCO was was sitting at the desk reached up and caught the barrel of the weapon as it fell causing it to fire. There was a peg or nail through the trigger housing that actually pulled the trigger. John Turner had the very bad luck to be just coming down the steps into the bunker when he was hit by the pellets from the shotgun.
Why this was listed as a non-combat death seems strange. It seems like it was a direct result of the mortar round. But, the person who filled out the report either didn’t know what actually happened or didn’t feel like expounding on it.
Hats off to you and your writing that records that increasingly distant time and place.
I have enjoyed reading about Hoi An. Some comments are about the past some about the present I enjoy them all. Thanks Dwight Z for comment about Macv Hoi An compound is now a 5 star Hotel. I was a radio operator in Hoi An from November 1971 through August 1972. I heard Jerry Kandalec from Muskegan Michigan died of cancer several years ago. Sgt Phoung one of the interpreters was KIA in 1972. Sgt Laird died in Helicoper crash on way to Danang. I heard it was bad weather and they crashed into the sea. I have not heard anything about LT May, Capt Riggle, LT Colonel Baker, SGT Sing, Sgt Towns Sgt Dailyor or Major Trapnell.
I was chief radio operator at the MACV compound from Jan,1970 to 29 June 1970. Major Carroll was my co and the other rto s were Medina & Backus(from Oregon)
Hello, everyone.
I am the son of Col. George O. Green, who passed away on November 19, 2016 at his home in Lawton, Oklahoma. In 1968, my father, then Major Green, commanded a U.S. Advisory Team at Phu Hoa Dong, about 15 miles north of Saigon I believe. On 4 June 1968, his compound was attacked by the 8th Battalion of the 88th Regiment. The 25th Infantry Division at Cu Chi offered air support in this battle. My dad’s SSGT was David Turner and his First SGT was Wiley Wasson. The ARVN platoons they advised were the 53rd and 54th. An account of the battle at Phu Hoa Dong was published in the September 1968 issue (Number Eleven) of “The Hurricane” magazine. I don’t know the number of my father’s advisory team and am hoping someone can tell me how to locate it, so that I might reconnect with those who served with him. After the attack, a few days later, his team relocated to Parris Tan Qui, a few miles north of Phu Hoa Dong.
Thank you in advance. Any assistance you can offer is deeply appreciated.
Terry Green
as they say OMG, hard to believe, left in Sep 67 to Ft Bragg.
Al,
Imagine you arranged to pick us up at Hieu Duc in Black Cat gunships when we were called to Hoi An for area meetings. Also rode Black Cat from Hoi An to Danang several times …
Jeff
Jeff,
The Black Cats were the slicks when we did the “Ash & Thrash” missions: transporting people, troops, and supplies. The Alley Cats were the gunships when we did CAs (combat assaults).
Sometimes, I also handled the cargo missions for the C-7 Caribous and C-130s flying in from Danang.
Where are you located in the States?
Al
________________________________
Located in Baltimore / Washington DC area …
Thanks, Jeff. Stay warm. It’s 80 degrees here in Texas.
MACV Team 1-15 Hoi An veterans:
Look up my website: patmacv.com for information on my fiction novel, Provincial Advisory Team, Vietnam. I used Quang Nam province and the MACV team at Hoi An as a backdrop to the novel,
I flew over the Thuong Duc camp several times in 1967 as Assistant G2 Air with MACV in DaNang. I am curious if my counterpart Major Dan made it out after the war. He was assistant G2 for ARVN at I Corp Hqs. It would probably be very difficult to determine this bit of info but I really was close to this officer 67-68. Thanks Ryan Faulkenberry 1Lt U SArmy
I’ve talked to a couple of people familiar with Thuong Duc over the years. The ARVN Commander of the site – a Col. – committed suicide as the camp was overrun. There a 1′ x 2′ plaque “commemorating” the “liberation” of the camp. The was a “re-education” camp in the vicinity after the fall of the south. I even talked to a former VC who operated out there. I’ll check around, information comes from the strangest places there. I think the spelling is Danh. Hoping to get a break in the weather.
Greetings,
I was a MACV adviser in two sub-sectors (districts) in Quang Nam Province from Dec ’67 -Nov 68. I was at Dai Loc from Dec 67 – Jun 68, and Thuong Duc (SF Camp A-109) from Jun 68 – Nov 68. Thanksgiving was the only day I didn’t spend in Vietnam. 3/7 Marines were located on Hill 37 just north of Dai Loc District HQ. I’ve been back to Vietnam 15 times since 2001. I’ve been back to my locations a couple of times – Dai Loc is really built up, there’s a big government administration where my hooch was. Thuong Duc is a tree farm with some broken concrete and remnants of sandbags. The Hoi An HQ complex is now the “5 star” Hoi An hotel.
I’m going to Vietnam in the middle of Nov 2016. Let me know if there is anything I can check out. The weather around Hoi An can be nasty in Nov, so we are staying loose on those plans.
My “Skype” name is ” dwighthz ”
I located my team interpreter a couple of years ago in Saigon. He and his family didn’t escape, but he, his wife and his 2 sons (I met them when they were little during the war) did OK, he teaches English – has done so since the country “opened up”.
I’ve only kept in contact with one fellow I knew in Vietnam. We chat occasionally. I have a Vietnam War Vet friend, who has lived in Vietnam for about 10 years – loves it. Will visit him in Vung Tau in Nov. There quite a few American Vietnam Vets living in Vietnam now, even more Australian Vietnam Vets (in Vung Tau). They even celebrate (locally) the Battle of Long Tan (18 August 1966) Although the Vietnamese authorities put a stop to the 50th anniversary memorial this year – 2016.
Again – let me know if there is any thing I can do for Hoi An MACV Vets.
Cheers,
Dwight Zimpel / SSG Us Army
I used to go to Thung Duc to repair the MACV generator 6/68-6/69. That was a sleep over trip. Only Sub Sector with trenches between buildings.
Dwight:
I was at Hoi An from Dec 67 to Nov 68. I handled the Black Cat missions and flew all over the Quang Nam subsectors. I visited Thuong Duc a few times when we picked up some recon teams that had gone into Laos. The Thuong Duc MACV commander I knew at first was a Puerto Rican Captain named something like Colon or Colungo, who was later replaced by a Capt. Jones.
Also made a few stops at Dai Loc and the Marine camp there.
I wrote a fiction novel with the MACV Team #1 as a backdrop. See my website: patmacv.com
Hi, I’ve been having trouble posting here. But I’ll give it a try anyway. I won’t go over my previous entries. Capt. Jones was there when I arrived from Dai Loc. We “cohabited” with the A-109 A Team there. There an “administrative” eruption with the SF people and we were banished down the hill to the local district HQ, where we lived underground. Things were pretty interesting in Sept-Oct 68. The village outside the wire was overrun one nite and the VC/NVA moved in. Tac-Air flattened the area, but there were still people interested in fighting when we moved in. Arc Lights were prevalent.
I was just in HoiAn in Nov 2016. I took a few pictures of the old Provincial HQ. I’ve been back to Thuong Duc and Dai Loc a couple times.
I was on radio watch at Dai Loc when the sun came up the morning of the Tet Offensive ’68. There had been a lot of “traffic” during the night, but it became apparent that it was a big deal when the helicopters and fixed wing started reporting activity in our area, Fortunately they by-passed us because they didn’t want to tackle the 3/7 Marines just north of us on the hill.
I was reminded of the Intel Chief in HoiAn – Major Leckey (sp?) by another S-2 guy. I was only in HoiAn twice to chat.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Cheers,
DZ
Al, Sent you an email. DZ
Do you remember the name of the hotel now in the Hot An HQ?
10 Tran Hung Dao St., Hoi An City, Quang Nam – Vietnam
Tel: (+84.235) 386 1445 – Fax: (+84.235) 386 1636
Thanks Dwight!
I spent all of July 1968 on air strip at Thuong Duc with kilo, 4/11 (155 guns) We toured the compound and saw Montagnyard ville.
myvietnamexperience1968.com
Greetings,
I was an Team Adviser from Nov 67 – Nov 68. I was an adviser at Dai Loc Sub-sector near Hill 37 (near 3/7 Marines) from Dec 67 to Jun 68 and Thuong Duc Sub-sector (with A-109 SF Camp) June 67 to Nov 68. I’ve been back to both locations a couple of times Dai Loc is still District HQ (changed a lot), Thuong Duc is a tree farm with some broken concrete and pieces of sad bags . I’ve been back to Hoi An about 15 times since 2001. The old provincial military headquarters is now the Hoi An Hotel. I think it’s government run, but I never never stay there. I’ll be headed back sometime after 15 Nov 2016 for a few days. If there are any requests let me know. I’ve only been in contact with one fellow Adviser Veteran. over the years. I did find our team interpreter 3 years ago in Saigon, He didn’t make it out in during the “boat people” days. He’s been teaching English since the country “opened up”.
Cheers!!!
Webmaster:
I had a book published this year titled “Provincial Advisory Team, Vietnam”. What are the guidelines for reaching out to the rest of the team members to tell them about the book or just list my website: patmacv.com?
Thank you,
Al Navarro, Team 1&15, Hoi An, 67-68.
Well, hope they get good service out of them. We didn’t use em much, wonder if they changed em from 60 to 50 cycles. I guess Vietnam is still on a 50 cycle network.
yes they do not throw anything away over there. There are still many old motorbikes from the 60s around with a million miles on them. You would not believe how many tourists there are in Hoi AN now. Most popular spot in Vietnam by far.
They do not speak English like when we were there. Dien ban probably wrong spelling is a spot under a major highway.
Hue I could find my way around, Hai Van pass French bunker had’nt changed too much. DaNang was nothing like I remember. Our shop was downtown and area no longer exists.
I think the bunker at Hai Van Pass was Japanese at least that was what I was told in 70,71 when I was there on MAT I 28.
I first heard about Black Sunday from a guy I saw at Ft Bragg in the PX. He had recently returned to Ft Bragg from Hoi An. I didn’t hear anything else for 40+ years until I found this site. I remember going out and test firing weapons at the river up from Hoi An. We would fire across the river as we were informed no good guys were in that direction. We were firing over the river and a Marine from the Kit Carson group came up to us and said that a marine recon unit thought our firing was VC and had requested fire support from 1/1. We promptly relocated. That was the last time I was involved with the test firing of weapons. I can only assume that when they were gong to the beach, that this was the relocated area for test firing.
Thank you. I didn’t remember his name.
I left Hoi An in Sep of 67 and returned to the states at Ft Bragg. I guess they improved their electrical capabilities by bring on a real electrician and generator repair person. We only filled them with diesel, and started them up. There were two 100 kw generators there if my memory is correct. Either two 50s or two 100s, can’t remember. My main function with them was to make my way over to them and flip the switch and start em up when the mortars or rockets came. Then I would make my way over to the ammo conex and hand out ammo. When that was empty I would go up on the roof of the adjacent building and cover the BAR that was there to watch between the two buildings adjacent to the ARVN compound. After I left the service I was hired by my local power company where I learned what a Kw actually was. I always told people my job in the Army was in power restoration. Retired after 40 years as a distribution design engineer. And I owe it all to Hoi An.
I was at the mouth of the Thu Bon river in March 2016 and came across a large US army generator dated 1968, looked in good shape.
When I repaired generators for MACV I used to visit HoiAn . There was a Major Jones who decided to crack up the voltage adjust and blew out all the ballasts in the compound. I was on the generator repair from 6/68-6/69.
One of my duties then, was to take care of the generators. Fuel, check oil, and to start them in the event of any emergency as during any attack we would use the perimeter lighting because the compound would drop the grid from the town. The generators were 60 cycles.On movie night, twice a week, we would have movies. The movie projector ran on 60 cycles while the town lights were the European 50 cycles. If we showed the flicks on town power the movie would run slow and Batman would talk funny. Anyway, I was always at at the movie, and The Germans usually came for the movies. Enjoyed talking to them and have some fond memories of those folks. Tks for the update.
I have been reading these messages for about a year now and this is only the second time I have seen Hieu Duc mentioned, but, never someone stationed there. I was there from august 68 to august 69., have not heard from anyone stationed there.
I used to go Hieu Duc during that time frame to repair the generator. We arrived one morning and the Koreans almost blew us out of the air. When we walked in empty shell casings were dropping from the chopper over head. That evening we did a couple trips to the bunker.
Can’t recall how many days we stayed but got a lift from a USAID truck to HoiAn.
I was stationed in Quang Nam province at Hieu Duc District / Sub-sector on a 10 man MACV Advisory Team. Was MI 1LT / MACV Advisor to an ARVN Lieutenant from August 1967 – June 1968, CO was Major Lolly. Hieu Duc was attacked by VC during TET Offensive January 1968 … At Hieu Duc we were near 1/7 Marines HQs (on Hill 10 I believe near Happy Valley) … made somewhat frequent trips into Danang with others on the team. Enjoyed a few good meals at Naval Officers Club, the White Elephant in Danang. I was transferred to Hoi An MACV Team as TOC officer for last 2 months of tour (June – August 1968).
Jeff Hider
Jeff:
I was stationed at Hoi An from Dec 67 to Nov 68. I was the air operations NCO (as a SP5) that mostly handled the missions for the Black Cat Hueys and sometimes other aircraft that flew into the Hoi An airfield.
Flew allover Quang Nam on some missions. Made a few stops at Hieu Duc and the Marines at Hill 55.
Al Navarro
Houston, TX
patmacv.com
________________________________
I Quang Nam province, it was Hieu Duc, about 10 miles southwest of Danang and was part of the subsector team oF Hoi An team 15.
Rick Hast and I are trying to piece together his tour of duty with Charlie Company, 4/31 196th Brigade Dec 68 to Dec 69. In the Spring of 2014 we stayed in Hoi An while venturing out to LZ West, various places where he saw combat, especially in August of ’69 and to the Village of Hiep Duc. Rick recalls that there was an American Advisor(s) with the RF and PF units assigned to Hiep Duc. There was also a Med Cap team that came to the village. Does anyone know if Hiep Duc was assigned to a MACV advisory team? Rick US Army July ’68 to ‘July 70. Thanks for your help, Ken Hughes, US Army Nov. 67 to Nov. 69. email colk8f90@gmail.com
I haven’t read anything else about the Counterparts reunion at San Diego. Would someone that went please say something about it. Any contacts with previous members of the I Corps MACV teams?
My name is Ray Ortiz. I served with Team 86 in III Corps August 1968 to October 1970. A good friend of mine was sent to a macv team in I Corps at the same time. His name is Ron Ball. Anyone out there know of him?
Daniel Coons:
Was that Danang Team 6 or Hoi An Team 1&15?
Jim Hillery:
Attached to whom? The ARVN 51st Regiment or another unit?
Al Navarro
I was in Hoi An team 15, attached as a sniper 68,69,70,71. Hoo ra
Hi Jim I was a radio operator in Hoi An from November 1971 through August 1972. I heard Jerry Kandalec from Muskegan Michigan died of cancer several years ago. Sgt Phoung one of the interpreters was KIA in 1972. Sgt Laird died in Helicoper crash on way to Danang. I heard it was bad weather and they crashed into the sea.I have not heard anything about LT May, Capt Riggle, LT Colonel Baker, SGT Sing, Sgt Towns Sgt Dailyor or Major Trapnell.
Mr. Murphy,
I was a Vietnamese SEAL advisor at Coastal group 13 from Feb.-June 1972. We used the Army Sector HQ in Hoi AN for support (air, intel, comms, vehicle). What was the compound actually called besides Sector to us? I’m trying to find some archived information on an incident where we were using an Army Huey (Unit?) conducting a VR over Cam Than Is. which took multiple hits and was grounded. I sustained injuries and am trying to obtain a Purple Heart that our OIC forgot to submit back then. I know the CO (Name?) of the base at that time was not pleased that we got the helicopter shot up after talking them into doing a low level VR. Any assistance would be appreciated. I probably talked with you on radio at one time or another while we were conducting operations as I always carried it in the field.
Thank you.
William Hill BMCM Ret. SEAL
Was Sgt Laird s first name Lester? I had a DI by that name.
I was MACV 1 out of Da nang 68-69. Anyone out there I might know? I was the radio operator for the team.
I was a generator mechanic at that time that traveled from DaNang to the Sectors, sub Sectors, and MAT teams in I Core. I used to see radio operators in the sut sectors and at HoiAn. I used to fly on Black Cats and Otters.
I was in Danang at MACV Advisory Team 1 from December 69 to June 69 when we had Tripod the dog. believe that I remember you.
I’m sorry to say Terry, that I did not know your dad. I did not arrive in Hoi An until March of 67. The next time I’m in DC which is up I 95 from me, I will look up his name on the wall.
Was wondering if you knew Captain Tom Sauble he was killed 13 March 1967 on the compound porch trying to contain an NVA assault. I believe his tour started September 66.
I was with the MILPHAP team when Captain Sauble was killed. We went to the MACV compound to help evacuate the wounded. Coming back from the helicopter, we had VC in the soccer field firing at the helicopter and the deuce and half going back to MACV.
I’m Steve johnson. I was one of the marines doing security on the MACV compound. I knew Capt Sauble. It was a very sad day for all. He was a great man.
I lived on the top floor of 9 Gia Long and was in prime viewing for the various rocket attacks during Tet. Also Spooky was a constant fireworks show. We had the whole clandestine community of CIA, Army, Marines and Air Force in one spot. A few really bad actors were present as well including an Army Captain, German, who had been in Hitler SS and would kill at the drop of a hat.
Ryan
I don’t recall Sgt Martin during my tour. I worked out of the ARVN I Corps TOC and lived at 9 Gia Long hotel downtown. My G3 counter part was Cpt Buddy Dent who lives in Augusta Ga down the Savanah River from me about 80 miles. He is a lawyer and stopped practicing because of dementia. He had forgotten me after all this time although we were around each other daily for a year. Goes to show time marches on.
After my replacement arrived I stopped going to sub sectors and toted the Vietnamese plumbers,electricians, and carpenters around to all the MACV buildings. We went to 9 Gia Long to do repairs. Our shop was on 4 Gia Long next to the ARVN Generals compound. If I was in town sometimes I would sell liquor at the little shack on that compound. There was an Army Major that was in charge and latter he went to Hoi An. We used to go to General Story’s and repair his air conditioner.
Ahhhh, yes nordic eye candy, it was difficult keeping your attention on the latest Batman episode.
Whoever is the webmaster for this site, I would like you to revert to the original way it was first set up, when the up to date entries first, instead of having to scroll all the way down to find the new update. Thank You.
Harvey:
Yes, the German hospital ship was called “Helgoland”. You can google “German Medical Staff in Vietnam War” to get further information.
I had forgotten the name of the ship but I remember that sometime around May ’68, after the mini-Tet, I sent a Black Cat to the hospital ship to pick up a US Navy advisor from Junk Fleet 14 and take him to Danang. There was no helipad at the time (might have been added later), so the chopper hovered over the ship and hoisted the Navy guy onboard and took him to the hospital at Danang’s China beach.
I have tried to remember the West German Catholic charity Medical group. If I remember correctly it was Maltisa Hepistan or something like that. They had a maltese cross on their vans. They worked with the milphap group or at the hospital there. They would come and watch the movies on movie night. Batman and Combat. They were eventually called back to Danang because of VC activity. They primarily helped the civilians. I remember the nurses were a bit of eye candy
Lovic,
I mentioned earlier that after Tet ’68, the German medical staff that worked with the VN at the Hoi An hospital were moved to Danang.
I tried googling the term “German Medical Staff during the Vietnam War” but didn’t get much information. They were called the Maltese Aid Services (MAS). MAS mainly worked in the city area in conjuction with the US Navy’s MILHAP (Military Provincial Health Assistance Program). In contrast to MILHAP, the MEDCAP (Medical Civic Action Program) was a U.S. Army mobile unit which visited outlying villages to treat civilians.
These medical programs were under the umbrella of the Agency for International Development (AID).
Again, due to increased enemy activity in Quang Nam province after Tet ’68, some of the medical programs were curtailed and relocated to the big cities (Danang, Hue,Chu Lai).
Thanks for the update. They had been pulled out after we had experienced some unpleasantness in 67. Looking at history I have thought the unpleasantness we experienced then was a dress rehearsal for tet thought I personally had gone to Ft Bragg at that time. They must have allowed them to come back and then Tet sent em back to DaNang.
Were they in the big Hospital ship docked by 1st Marine Division in DaNang?
Do you remember Ted Kennedy visiting the civilian hospital ? Maybe in early 68.
I was “scrolling” thru the posts here and saw your post. Kennedy came to Dai Loc District, Quang Nam for a “visit”. One of the few pictures that have made it thru my many moves, is of Kennedy and me on the District HQ LZ. I don’t think anyone was impressed.
Frank:
I was in Vietnam from Jan 67 to Jan 68. I was in the MACV Saigon Compound when TET started and we were unable to leave for 7 days to get out to Long Bin and Bien Wa to catch a flight home.
The last part was Gilfendeist, some very pretty nurses(blonde) but hairy legs
The German organization you are referring to is Malteser Hilfsdeinst. They had two operations in Hoi An. One was the medical team that worked primarily at the province hospital. They also had a group of teachers that ran a trade school in Hoi An teaching carpentry and masonry. Because of the site policy I will not include links but if you Google the name you will find several sites about the organization including a couple with a lot of photos of Hoi An, An Hoa, and DaNang from 1967 and 1968.
I remember that we took a Vietnamese women over to the German Hospital outside of An Hoa in Duc Duc District. They would take anyone – no questions asked.
+I was with MILPHAP N-2 in Hoi An when the Germans came there.Also helped medevac wounded personnel when Captain Tom Sauble got killed.
i think i remember you. we share the same first name steve. My last name is johnson and what i recall is you were kind of embarrassed about yours being hagan like festus on gunsmoke. hope all is well!
Today (January 30) has been touted as the anniversary of the 1968 Tet attack. But most people forget that the enemy jumped the gun in the Northern I Corps area. We (MACV Team 1 – Hoi An) were hit Monday morning, January 29, at about 3:00am.
At first, we thought it was just a local mortar attack. But later, when daylight hit and we found out that enemy ground troops were in the area, we called Danang for support. That’s when we found out that Danang was also getting hit and we had to fend for ourselves until support could be sent later. We held our own for about three days since lucky for us the enemy did not mount a total full force ground attack. There were just sporadic, small squad to platoon size attacks. The ROK Marines came in on the third day and cleaned them out.
Anyone else from Team 1 remember the Tet attacks?
I was at Da Nang with MACV Advisory Team 1 as Assistant G-2 Air Advisor when you we being attacked, Your account is spot on. Call me sometime and we will talk.
Ryan Faulkenberry 864-933-0218
Did Sgt Frank Martin work with you? He was my roommate at the DaNang Hotel. He had something to do with air strikes and we would share stories.
I will not be able to make it, but please, see if any members from MACV team 1-15 (1967-69) show up. Thanks.
I Drove to the very top of Hia Van a couple times to repair their generator. Driving up that road with my power wagon was a little scary.
I was out of DaNang and somehow fell under G4. My time their was 6/68-6/69.
Since this is the holiday season, I would like to hear from the MACV bunch about their experiences during the Christmas holidays. Since I was newbie at Team 1, Hoi An (less than 30 days), I had bunker duty for Christmas Eve 1967 (a Sunday night) and things were fairly quiet that night. There were a few sounds of small arms fire out in the village (could have been celebrations). I think we had a 24-hour cease fire but I am not sure. I was relieved around 3:00am and then got in a short nap until I had to report to the admin office NCO (SFC Fairbanks) for regular duty. We didn’t have much celebration during the day time, just exchanges of Merry Christmas with each other. Some of the higher ups (NCOs and officers) did get to visit in town with their counterparts (ARVNs) and their families. I believe LTC Jenkins and some of his staff went to the provincial palace and had dinner with the ARVN Colonel Tin and his staff. We had a regular dinner at the mess hall (could have been turkey). Later that night, we all gathered at the Hoi An saloon had a bunch of drinks and sang a bunch of Christmas songs. I think the more we drank, the more we sang. If my memory is correct, we got two or three mail bags full of Christams cards, but not until sometine around December 27-28.
Al, do not feel bad being the newbie and having to pull guard duty. I was there from Nov 1966 to Nov 1967, and I had to pull guard duty up in the tower Xmas Eve. Did they still have 2 guard towers in the compound, one in the front along the street and one in the back near the compound where they kept prisoners next door? At the back of the compound is where they built the new living quarters. We had to move for the moist part in the new ones, because where I stayed was pretty much demolished by several rockets that hit our compound. This was the night that they used the soviet made rockets that hit us so they could break out the 500 VC prisoners that was in the compound adjacent to us. That is the night that Capt Tom Sauble was KIA. He was in an outpost about a mile down the street from our compound. I believe it was March 13th or 15th of 1967. That was one hell of a night. That night I was manning the 60cal on top of the com/center. We kept getting yelled at by the guys in the rear guard tower to put more illumination, since they ran out. I will never forget, I popped one off and it headed toward the guard tower, they had to duck because it went right thru the tower. Afterwards it was kind of funny
Tom,
Yes, as I remembered, there were the two guard towers that were mainly manned by the USMC security forces. When we were put on high alert, then another MACV person would join the Marines in the towers. I did that a few times. I sure didn’t like being up there in the tower as I felt we were better targets for the B40s.
I also had to pull guard duty on New Year’s eve 1967.
Little did we know that 1968 was going to be one hell of a year. 1968 was the beginning of the end.
Tom, I just discovered this web site. We had overlapping tours with Tm #1. I was there from Jan 1966 to Jan 1967. I was the SA with the 3rd Bn 51st Regt from July 66 to Jan 67. Cpt Tom Sauble was a friend. He was in the 51st Regt Hq as a staff advisor. Before I left in Jan 67, I had heard a different story on Sauble’s death but since he was still alive in Jan, what I heard was wrong. Maybe it applied to another Tm #1 advisor in Hoi An. I was told Sauble was getting ready to leave Vietnam (maybe fall 66) and standing on his Jeep, watching an ARVN/VC or NVA combat operation was hit by USAF rocket fire, falling short. Did you ever hear this? Also did you ever hear about 2 and 3 bns/51st and the big battle at the Nong Son coal mines (up the Thu Bon river), NW of Hoi An? In this battle there were 1200 NVA troops and in the battle for both sides there were about 1500 KIA/WIA, it began on Monday 17 Oct 1966. Please email me at rworthin@q.com. Thanks Bob
How come there is no An Hoa listed. That was part of the Arizona Territory along the Son Thu Bon River? Echo 2/1 patrolled that area. The place was loaded with land mines. I know this because we found one chasing 8 gooks to an unknown island. Some where around Dien Ban. An old man and young boy wee taken in as POW’s after the incident. That happened 1-28-71 just before Lam Son kicked off.
An Hoa was a USMC base and also housed an ARVN 51st Regiment Battalion. The airfield there handled various crafts, up to C-130, it isnot listed because it was not a MACV Advisory Team.
The MACV Advisory Team was located at Duc Duc, about a click southwest of An Hoa. I flew to Duc Duc and An Hoa back in 67-68 when I was in charge of the Hueys from the 282nd Aviation Company (Black Cats) out of Danang.
Thank you for your kind words and prompt reply to me. I will continue to follow this great site as I do have many memories of Hoi An and the whole region.
Semper Fi
Dennis King
I heard thatTom was hit by rifle fire during an attack on his compound to release prisoners he had. Members of his team were evacuated for wounds that day.
Did you write a book on the 3/51st Advisor Team?
Captain Tom Sauble was a fighter. They say he saved several men at night and died on the porch on the compound firing until he expired.
Out team (Duc Duc) picked names out of a hat and my name was selected to go to the Bob Hope show in Danang. It was fun but it felt kind of strange to have that many soldiers in one place.
Lovic, do you remember the monkey that was chained to the bunker at the front. I remember the Vietnamese interpreter that use to come into the compound, would slap the monkey and run to where he knew the monkey would get jerked back. Saw him coming one day, went inside the bunker and loosened the chain. The interpreter came into the compound, slapped the monkey and ran. Was he shocked when the monkey jumped onto his chest and had half of his ear taken off. Best day ever. Also when I was there, Col Kane was in charge.
Yeah, I remember him in a cage right by the front gate. The marines, I think from 1/1 brought their monkey which was a female and put her in the cage with ours. Everyone was wondering if we would have a romantic interlude of some fashion. The female was amorous towards the male but he was not having anything to do with her. She would rub on him and he would beat her up. He was having none it. Don’t know if he didn’t like women or marines. I don’t remember the Col’s name. I hate to say it but I’m horrible with names but remember faces.
My dad was there most of ’66. He was kia 04NOV1966. I have pics of what must be that monkey! His name was Byron H Bushay (SSGT)
I was good friends with your dad. Also have pictures of your dad and our monkey. I was there the day he was killed.
Do you remember the bomb that was exploded in the barracks. This was the original barracks area that got hit by the rockets. The bomb went off but I don’t think anyone was hurt. Some workers had left it there. They questioned who and why as to the selection of the bomb location. The VC told the interrogators that he place it under the bed of a soldier who kept watching him so he couldn’t steal his radio. This thought just came to me the other night. I hadn’t thought of it in…well a long time ago.
Seaman 1st Strifle, who i worked with callet it the art of comshaw. I don’t recollect the specific instance you reference but I do remember that many were real comshaw artist. As we really didn’t have a direct supply chain we had to improvise to the best of our abilities. I remember we got food for the mess from the navy. ammo from the Arvn and other different items from all over. We got the truck and just never gave it back. Do you remember the Dodge power wagon that had the hole in it from the B40 rocket? We got a ticket from the Marine MP’s in Danang who said we should get it fixed. Capt. O’connell just told us to tear it up.
The DaNang PX is now a 5 Star hotel. Going back to DaNang and HoiAn was a shock. Hue was not bad, I could probably still find my way around.
The Special Forces had great equipment. When I traveled to Thun Duc to repair the MACV generator I would go to the Special Forces side and look at the new diesels.
Lovic, you stated about taking a vehicle from the navy. Were you there when we backed up our deuce and a half up against a green beret vehicle at the Danang PX and slid a generator from their truck to ours. We then hurried and got the heck out of there. That is what they got for leaving it unattended. Also when I was there, we had a black gentleman who was our cook. I do not know where he use to get steaks etc., but he did, and we ate pretty good.
I am sorry, I do not have any pictures of him personally. I have pictures of his outpost and the damage it incurred but I do not think the family would want to see them. I would have to try and find them, but they showed dead VC and the bunker that he was in, but like I said I do not think they would want to see that. I would also have to try and find them somewhere. I was Sgt E-5 when I left the military in 1969.
Actually Tom, one member of the family would like to see the photos if you can locate them. My email is marine55rick@yahoo.com.
Rick
Lovie, I was on the same convoy in the flood. The driver was following the telephone lines and then drove off of the road into a rice paddy. We had to have the marines pull us out. I remember losing almost everything that we had gotten at the px and also the bamboo pit vipers that were floating all over. My god, it is great knowing someone from when I was there. God bless you and Welcome Home Brother.
I have told that story about the truck that went swimming many times to people over the last 48 years. I had looked for years for some connection to me when I was there. It is an affirmation that it really did happen and I was there. Thank you so much for doing that and a welcome home to you. I had forgotten details of what had happened but you hit a memory when you said they were following the pole line and rode off the road. I was thinking it was a bridge or culvert. The VC really didn’t like the bridges that were built on that road. I thought some APC’s pulled yaw’ll out. Up until then I did not know that an APC could even float. I never could find anything about MACV until I found this site. I had been looking for decades. Oh! the first name is Lovic like a low vic. We drove a grey IH pick up and had a extra long 6 x 6 we had stolen from the navy if that stirs any memories. Thanx again for the update and welcome home brother.
I remember the night pretty well. I was at the front gate in the bunker facing the gate. We were manning the Browning 30 cal. when the one that hit the barracks just passed the latrine in the corner. Put a hell of a hole in the brick wall. Those 122 MM’s have a hell of a scream just before they hit. If you aren’t in a covered position you won’t have a chance to get down. Yes, I remember the trips to Danang, kinda like a weekly trip. I remember when the, I think it was the lead truck got swept away in a flooded river on the way back. The guys had purchased a lot of stuff at the AF px and it was gone. When they found the truck the locals had already stripped it, wheels and all. I was and am from Richmond, Va. If I remember correctly yaw’ll we’re late for the convoy back and the water was up and they tried to get through anyway. No one was lost or hurt, just stuff.
Thanks Tom! That gave me some good info and I appreciate you taking the time to send it to me. Since you served with him if you have any photos of him in Viet Nam I know the family would appreciate seeing them.
What rank were you when you left the Army?
Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR (RET)
Lovie, I use to generally be in the lead vehicle when we went to Danang for supplies etc. Do you remember when we had gotten someone new that when we hit the Cam Le bridge we would open fire over the river and scare the crap out of the new guys. Were you from Indianapolis or just around Indy?
Capt Thomas E. Sauble KIA March 13, 1967
I am looking for info on the operation were Cpt Sauble was killed. I only know it was in Quang Nam Province and he was awarded the DSC for valor that night.
Thanks!
Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR (RET)
Tulsa, OK
My name is Tom Brenneman. I was in Hoi An with Adv Tm 1 the night that Cpt Sauble was killed. He was at an outpost just outside of the city the night that we were hit with soviet made rockets at our compound. The Quang Nam province had a prison adjacent to our compound and held 500 VC prisoners. They were all broken out and our compound was hit pretty good. Capt Sauble was on the outskirts and was hit first before they hit the city. He was one hell of a person. It was not really an operation, since it was around 2:00 in the morning when we were hit. We had info come in that there was an estimated North Vietnamese Division that had surrounded the city. We were surprised that they did not go right over us. They just wanted the prisoner.
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I remember a night when the tanks came in and saved us. I remember the sound of them and people wondering if the vc had obtained tanks. There had been the use of a tank or tanks by the vc before this so there was some apprehension on our part if this was what we were hearing. We had recently been issued some LAW’s and we had them in at least one of the towers that faced the street. I remember that the next day, we literally had a party in appreciation to 1/1 for taking time out in their busy schedule, to chase off some vc for us. We had recently recovered field gear and webbing from some mercenary’s that were in the employ of the local CIA. I had a pile of it on the basketball court. You marines were still using ww2 type webbing that was thin and cut into your shoulders. I offered it to a marine officer to take whatever they could use. If I remember correctly you guys were happy to get the thick webbing that was not being issued marines at that time. As a army guy I always like to tell the story how the marines saved us when ever i’m in the company of x marines. I have always wanted the oppurtunity to say thank you. I was at a remembrance event a number of years and I was telling a marine I had been located in Hoi An and 1/1 was just down the road. He was quite definite that I was mistaken and that 1/1 was never there. Thank you for letting me know I haven’t completely lost my mind. I think I was in the bar that night. thanks again.
In September ’67 I was the FO with A/1/1 stationed at the Horseshoe just north of Hoi An. On two occasions we got the call in the middle of the night to load up on tanks and run down to the MACV compound to provide security. By the time we reached Hoi An the action was over or the sight of the tanks drove off the VC so we rolled over to the MACV compound and spent the night. The MACV personnel gave us a warm welcome and we had a few drinks at the bar. Had my first French 75 there and will always remember the conversation at the bar that night. Does anyone have the street address or the grid coordinates for the MACV compound? I understand it is now a small hotel.’
Same situation for me. I was in Team 15 Hoi An 1971-1972 in Hoi An. I never heard of Tra Vinh. I was at reunion and was told Team 1 and Team 15 both existed in 1971-72. Team 1 had head quarters in Da Nang and had advisors for the ARVN divisions in I Corps/Northern Provinces (Military Region1) and Team15 had Advisors for the Regional/Territorial Forces of Quang Nam Province. It gets complicated because Quang Nam was one of those I Corps Northern Provinces of Military Region 1. I read that during the Laotian incursion all the ARVN Divisions were in Laos and the only South Viets Forces in the Northern Provinces were the Regional/Territorial Forces.
Hi mike Murphy, I have had the pleasure of meeting you in North Carolina and Washington D.C. And hope to see you in San Diego this year. I know you’ve struggled with what I have told you. I was a ground radar advisor in 72, assisting in pushing back the NVA after the Easter invasion. I was MACV FRAC team 1. My last assignment was at Hia-Lang protecting the US Marine advisors command post. It was my sole responsibility to maintain the operation of the AN/TPS 58 radar system while in the field. I was school trained at Fort Huachuca Arizona, hand picked to Vietnam, and cross trained by Civilian advisors to diagnose the system if it failed in the field. I believe there were at lease three instances in five months that I made the call for replacement parts. Once we replaced the entire system. Juan Aguliar and myself left our site, down the road, climbed to the top of a three story building in the middle of the night (not sure what time, it was just dark) and had to use a flash light to have our Sargent set the known azimuth resetting the system. Juan and I were exposing our self to artillery or small arms fire. We were a beacon in the night, and did receive small arms fire.
That system was always operational every single night. If the system was down, we would probably have been over run. The U.S Marines down the road and ourselves would have been killed. In the after action report by General Howard Cooksey, page 20, he says there were 5 ground Radar sites. Hia-Lang is omitted. Not really sure why. Hill 55, hill 327, T-Bone, Out Post 56, Camp Evans and Hai-Land.
bruce here you forget hill 260
There is still some confusion about Team 1 and 15. Team 1 and Team 15 were one and the same. The number designation was changed sometime in 1968 when I was there. The listing of MACV teams on the right side of the page shows Team 15 as located at Tra Vinh.
Never heard of Tra Vinh and wouldn’t know where it was located. Also, there was never a Team 15 at Duy Xuyen. That was a sub-sector area of Team 1 (15).
I remember a small convoy coming from HoiAn to our shop in DaNang weekly. There was a Sp 5 on the convoy that didn’t salute a Korean officer and was busted. This was June 68- June 69.
When I was doing the convoys it would have been the year before. It pretty much was a weekly thing and the convoys were made up of myself and anyone else who needed to go. It was usually only about 5 or 6 vehicles from the different contingents located at Hoi An. We had checkpoints along the road where I would call in whenever we reached one and I would just say the call sign and checkpoint 1, 2 whatever. Still remember the last call sign (Freemont placket this is lethal barley, over, 48 years ago. Remember once when we received fire from the tree line and the guy with me SSGT Bozeman ran up the road to stop the rest of the convoy from coming further down the road. He left me setting in the cab alone and I jumped down into the ditch beside the road, two ARVN were in the ditch with me, (vehicle ahead of us had been stopped) neither had a weapon so they stuck to me. Some marines came up with a antos and returned fire. Wasn’t like you could turn around as it was a rice patty on each side of the road. Continued to Danang for a hamburger and a beer.
Hamburger and beer in the DaNang Hotel ?
there was an em club on the top floor, air conditioned. this would be in 1967 cold beer. we would all meet there and I would try to finish up whatever we were doing whether it was going over to the navy support facility, the arvn for ammo, air force px, etc. then get to the danang hotel before we had to meet up at the bridge to go back. Half the time we would not have enough time and miss out but a lot of the time we would make it. Once or twice we had to stay over and they would find a place for us to sleep. A couple of guys would make it up the street to #19 Doc Lop or Loup street. If the Marine MP’s caught you, well you would be in trouble. We had a Dodge power wagon that had a hole in it from a B40. They gave us a ticket once, we gave it to Capt O’Connell when we got back to Hoi An and he threw it away. Danang Hotel, top floor cold beer with hamburgers. chips, almost home.
I made a few trips to Danang on the supply convoy with SSG Austin, the supply sergeant, some SP4 RTO and whoever else was available on the deuce-and-a-half. Sometimes we would have an ARVN jeep in the lead with another ARVN 3/4 trailing us. My first time under fire was on such a convoy on December 15, 1967. We took fire as we headed north from Dien Ban on Highway 1. We pulled over and ran into a ditch and just hugged the dirt . It must have been a lone sniper, because after a few minutes, everything went quiet, except for a lot of hollering from the ARVNs. The RTO did call in for help and later a squad of Marines came by on foot, then rode with us to Hill 63(?), where we picked up another ARVN convoy to Hoa Vang. I remember we had to leave our weapons at Hoa Vang before going in into Danang. (stupid policy) That policy changed after Tet.
What I remember about the Danang hotel in 1968 was that one floor was an NCO club and another floor was for the officers and government civilians. I don’t remember how many floors the hotel had. There was an annex of billeting buildings across the road from the hotel
where most of stayed if we had to overnight. Yes, the club was nice, with beer, hamburgers, and other good stuff to eat, and sometimes there would be band playing, mostly Filipinos.
Later, when I took over as full-time Air Operations, I didn’t do the convoy anymore. Later, a SP4 Hatfield took over as the convoy leader, and SSG Austin stayed at the compound as the supply sergeant. Austin left around mid-68 and I don’t remember who replaced him.
Hatfield and I left Hoi An at the same time in November 1968.
I think Austin was my replacement. i remember the billeting house across the street. We would pick up people there sometimes. There was another MACV place on the right hand side of the street as you made the right past the hotel going back to Hoi An. Went there a few, for what I don’t remember. We never left our weapons anywhere when I was there. The Marine MP’s were picky and had stupid rules. Ticketing our power wagon, what dicks. When I got to Da Nang in March of 67 I took the place of a Sgt Witcraft. Really neat guy. He woke me up at the Da Nang Hotel at 0600 wearing a flak vest, helmet, M3 and a M79 with a strap on canvas carry of about 20 40mm M79 projectiles. I ask who the hell are you? He explained I was his replacement and we we were going to Hoi An. I tried to explain that Saigon had sent me to this hotel as my billet. We went to Hoi An. I was a E-4 but was taking the place of a supply Sgt. They billeted me with the NCO’s at Hoi An. This pissed off the NCO’s but I didn’t complain as I was still in shock of going to Hoi An. I was essentially the E4 supply Sgt and my replacement six months later was a Ssgt. and you shook my memory as I think it was your guy Austin. Chunky guy at the time I knew him. I kind of shocked him the first time we went to Da Nang on convoy. A portion of one of the bridges was knocked out, a bus was stalled and the convoy was a sitting duck. All the Viet traffic had us pinned in and blocked. I pushed the Bus off the road with my deuce and a half and threatened everyone on the bridge to get off until the convoy went over. He kind of thought I was an ugly American I think. I wasn’t gonna let us get stalled and become a target besides I wanted to make it to the hotel before we came back.
My mos was a company armourer and supply specialist so it was part of my job to keep the armoury stocked with ammunition and the small arms working. On occasion we would take the weapons out to test fire and make sure they were working properly. In the bunkers in Hoi An we kept m3’s with a around 10 extra magazines of 45 ammunition just in case anyone had to run to the bunker and did not have a weapon. when I got there they had been in there for a while and we were test firing the m3’s and discovered that the mags had lost tension and would only push up around three rounds and stop firing. I had to empty the mags and retension them so they would work properly. I remember the BAR position between the buildings with the thin corridor across the wire and the buildings on the other side of the wire. The BAR bunker was there to provide fire for anyone trying to come between the buildings. The browning 30 was at the bunker at the front gate. That was my position during emergencies. We would go out on occasion and text fire different weapons, including our own at different times, Sundays being a rest day when people could do pretty much whatever they wanted like basketball in the court of the compound. A group of us would go to a spot and fire across the river to a spot of land that we were told was a place where anyone found there was a big guy and we could fire away. There was a old french farm building and I remember putting m79 rounds through the front window and watch the dust lift off of the red tiles on the roof. On one of these occasions some marines from the Kit Carson group up the road came and told us to stop firing as there were some marines near there and they thought the fire was from vc and were going to call in artillery fire on our position. We never went to that location to test fire again and I can only assume that the beach was the new preferred location. I remember that the signal guys loved to do this and would go whenever I mentioned test firing. I was told at Ft. Bragg by someone of the bomb placed under the road killing the guys going to test fire weapons.. I also ran the convoys to Danang and they pretty much always had a deuce and a half when I needed one. We would run the convoys once a week to Danang and then go our separate ways to whatever destination we needed to resupply Hoi An. We would meet back up at the Danang Hotel for the return trip to Hoi An. Always liked that as it would give us a oppurtunity for a hamburger and a beer at the hotel. It was 48 years ago and it seems like it was yesterday.
Correction! I meant December 67 when I arrived at Hoi An. I was originally supposed to go to Hue but Danang MACV Hqs changed my orders.
The Germans were still there during the Tet attack on Hoi An on January 30, 1968. Two German nurses and a German doctor plus some Vietnamese medics worked at a small dispensary next to the main hospital. In the first daylight morning after the 2:30am mortar attack, some VC had moved in to the dispensary to get treatment for some of their wounded and took the medical group, including the Germans, hostage. I was in the reaction bunker when a Marine Major Oakley came and asked some of us to go with him, Lt. Colonel Jenkins and some others from the TOC. Myself, a Seabee, another guy (can’t remember name), went along with the group. We had to go up the road on foot past the Provincial palace. The location we were going to was about a 100 yards away but the going was slow as there was sporadic small arms fire from the buildings across the road. Remember, we were under strength from the ARVNs since it was a holiday and there was supposed to have been a truce, a lot of the ARVNs had left to be with their families, some away from Hoi An. When we got by the provincial palace, the ARVN commander, Colonel Tin, sent some of his palace guards to meet with us. I was carrying the BAR, which was my bunker weapon. I had left my M2 carbine behind. Later, I was to get a Thompson for my patrol weapon. Oakley told me and another man (SP4 Morris?) to stay behind by the provincial palace for rear security. The rescue of the medical bunch went well, but LTC Jenkins was wounded in the shoulder and had to be medevaced. The male German doctor also had been wounded (not seriouslybut the nurses and Viet medical people weren’t hurt bad. The Seabee and another U.S. had minor shrapnel wounds.
Later, we learned that the rescue team had come under intense fire from a VC machine gun emplacement. A SP4 Phelps (from the S-2) ran in the open for about 20 yards and threw a grenade that knocked out the machine gun and killed a few VC. Oakley covered Phelps by firing an M79 at the VC location. Some months later, Phelps got the Bronze Star with “V” while Oakley got the Silver Star. I think it should have been the other way around. At first, the rest of us who were not wounded were not nominated for any awards. Later, when LTC Jenkins came back, around March, he wanted to make sure that he got a Bronze Star “V” along with his Purple Heart, so he put in the rest of us for ARCOMs with “V”.
It was after the Tet attack, that the Germans were pulled out to Danang. I remember the nurses were good looking blondes but did not shave their legs.
By the way, if you don’t know, PAT Team #1 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its action during Tet 68. If anyone else can remember other details during Tet, please let me know.
I had not arrived at Hoi An yet, didn’t get there until early December 68 but I did hear about that incident. As I recall, there were some guys from the MILHAP team that were also killed. I guess we forgot about it because later
I also went to the beach with some signal guys and we picked up others at the Hieu Nhon. A Major Emery (Army) went with us. That’s when we were surprised to see the battleship New Jersey way off in the distance doing some firing of its big guns. We must have been some 10 miles away from the target area,but the ground still shook around us. We verified through the radio that our location was okay but still decided to leave anyway.
I remember that night very well. We had to take the wounded to the air strip on the hoods of the jeeps. Thank you for letting me know his name. I still have the pics of that area we took the next morning. It is hard to believe it was that long ago. Do you remember the name of the German hospital group that were there at that time. If I remember correctly they were pulled out after that night. Maltsa hepastence or something like that. They rode around in VW buses.
I repaired generators at the Vietnamese basic training camp on the way to Hieu Duc and just past the Brig. Sometimes go to POW camp on China Beach.
I enjoyed the information about Quang Nam Province from Al Navaro. I was a radio operator in Quang Nam Team 15 Hoi An in 71-72. I visited a lot of those places that Al talked about. I worked with the guys who lived in those subsectors (Districts). Glad to know I did not make up all those names. I did hear a story of why the name was changed from Team 1 to Team 15.
The story goes that early in the war Team 1 had advisors for all the Vietnamese forces in the northern provinces. Then someone had the idea that Team 1 would keep responsibility to Advise the Vietnamese ARVN Regulars in the Northern Provinces however new teams were created to advise the Vietanmese Regional Forces in each Province. When I was in Team 15, Hoi An assigned advisors to the Regional Forces of Quang Nam. Team 1 still advised the ARVN Regulars in the Province. Other Teams were created to advise the Regional Forces for the other Northern Provinces.
My memory was helped by researching information I received from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001.
They sent me some unit reports for the MACV teams in 1968. It wasn’t very thorough but helped me to remember other locations in Quang Nam. Strangely, a lot of info was classified until 1987. Also, I was also able to get some of the unit history for the 282nd Aviation “Black Cats” (slicks) and “Alley Cats” (gunships) from October 1965 to January 1971.
You should be able to contact NARA for any information you need. I believe there is a small charge depending on what you are asking for.
If you need any other info, let me know.
That’s a lot of info to remember after over 45 years ago. We would go on ops and mostly I wouldn’t know where we were because it didn’t matter. Thanks for the spelling lesson. As soon as I saw Hieu Duc I remembered that’s how it is spelled. Googled it once and the hill isn’t there any longer. Thanks for the reply. I just discovered this site today and already two replies. Hope you are doing well and thanks again.
I was in Vietnam from November 67 to November 68. I was stationed at Hoi An, which was the MACV headquarters for Quang Nam province. I was in charge of the Air Operations from Hoi An, mainly the Black Cats Hueys from the 282nd aviation company out of Marble Mountain in Danang. Usually, the new guys would come fly in on a Black Cat and I would pick them up at the airfield and take them to the Hoi An MACV compound. They would get their assignments and those that were assigned to other advisory team subsectors, I would get them there by the Hueys. Hieu Duc was located southwest of Danang. Hoa Vang was the closest subsector to Danang (2 or 3 miles). On the east side of Hoi An was the Hieu Nhon subsector, close to the China Sea beach. South of Hoi An was the Que Son subsector. Going west from there over the mountains, there was the Duc Duc subsector which was next to the An Hoa Marine base. North from there was the Dai Loc subsector next to another small Marine base. Further west, by the mountains close to the Laos border was the Thoung Duc subsector, There was a Special Forces camp nearby and they trained the Montagnards to make incursions into the Laos area. Another subsector about 5 miles west of Hoi An was at Dien Ban. There was another subsector just south of Dien Ban, Duy Xuyen, but only ARVNs patroled there since the area was deemed too dangerous for an advisory team. There was a MAT (Mobile Advisory Team) at Moc Bai, nearby to Hill 65, an Americal artillery firebase. At Hoi An, the main ARVN force was the 51st Infantry Regiment with the 1st and 4th battalion station there. The 2nd Bn was around the Hieu Nhon area and the 3rd operated somewhere between Dien Ban and Dai Loc. The 37th Vietnamese Rangers also had a base camp close to Highway 1 north of Dien Ban. There was a ROK Marines base camp just north of Hieu Nhon. They saved our asses at Hoi An from being overrunned during the Tet offensive. At first were MACV Advisory Team #1, but later our number was changed to #15 (why, I never found out. I heard there might have been a USMC team #1 and that’s why we were renumbered not to cause confusion.
That’s mostly what I remembered but I have started doing more research for a possible book later.
If anyone has more information, please letmeknow.
al… my name is charles wolfe . myself and gary meddaugh were the usaf contingent in the mac-v compound in 67-68 we worked coordinating fac aircraft ,artillery missions,naval gunfire, ranch hand, and assisted in downed airmen rescue missions. headquarters was IDASC in danang.would like to chat with you if you have the time 406-261-9585
I was in Vietnam 6/68-6/69 and flew on Black Cats to Hoi an and Otters to Tam Ky and Quang Nai. We crashed into the Paddy down by Quang Nai. I would also fly on Otters to Hue. It I had to go to a MAT Team I would fly on Air America. To get an Air America flight I would have to see a Major at CORDS in DaNang. Two of the SeaBees that worked with me crashed flying on an Air America plane and were killed.
My roommate worked at IDASC and had something to do with fighter stricks. His name was Frank Martin.
Sgt. Charles Wolfe USAF…..A BLACK SUNDAY. It was late 1967 and things were relatively peaceful in the mac-v zone of operations. I was working day shift in the TOC bunker. Soon several army guys from the signal detachment came in asking if anyone wanted to go to the beach to test fire some weapons. they had a deuce and a half and a half dozen guys. I couldn’t go because i was on duty. sure sounded like fun though. They evidently had been going out every sunday. i wasn’t aware. Anyhow, late afternoon brought word that all six individuals were KIA.When the details were disclosed we found out that “charlie” had rigged an unexploded 250lb. bomb to command detonate as they passed by , enroute to the compound. I remember 3 names and the rest are lost. Maybe someone can help out. sp.Povlock,sp. Williams, and pfc.. Hood. it was a terrible loss and the personell in the compound were in shock and disbelief. A valuable lesson , that falling into a routine could get you noticed by the wrong element and very ugly things could happen. I made sure i never did the same thing at the same time twice. R.I.P. boys….
Just discovered this site. Brings back a lot of memories.
I was SP5 assigned to 41st Civil Affairs Co attached to MACV Team 1 in Hoi An from Jan to Dec 1967.
We were in the habit of taking all the crew-served weapons to the beach every Sunday to test fire. Sunday, November 12′, 1967 was my 21st birthday. That day 6 members of the reaction force (all from 37th Sig) took the weapons in a 3/4 ton truck an headed to the beach. They did not make it. They ran over a culvert. VC detonated a bomb in the culvert. The 6 great men who perished that day were:
SGT Golar Junior Williams, Team Leader
SGT Sylvester Stanley Sagan
SP4 Joseph Paul Candiano
PFC James Gary Hood
SP4 Daniel Edmond Klos, Jr.
SP4 William Lee Nulph, Jr.
I have visited their place on the wall many times in the years I have lived here in the DC area.
Steve,
I was the marine ncoic during the time the six men were killed. I bunked with one of the sgt. who was schedule to leave Vietnam within the month that he ewes killed. I’m trying to find the one solder who got off the truck right before it left for the test firing. I wonder if you might remember whohe was because he when into shock when he heard the truck had been blown up and all the men killed. Thank you for your information. I have always wondered what became of him..
Sorry, but I don’t remember the person you are talking about. I was working all day that day on re-sandbagging the TOC bunker. I remember that we were in the mess hall having lunch when LTC Redd came in and told us what had happened.
Just discovered this site a few days ago. Posted additional information about BLACK SUNDAY. What I posted never appeared on the site. I assume I did something wrong. If this gets posted I will add the information I have about Team 1 and Hoi An.
They wanted me to go with them but for some reason I didn’t.I have their names written down somewhere…
I was assistant later senior at Moc Bai in ’69, MAT I-11. Never heard the hill called 65. It was LZ Baldy to Americans, Nui Que to the Vietnamese. Americal’s 196th LIB was there for much of ’69 before Vietnamization sent the unit home, though troops with time left were dispersed elsewhere. We missed their good artillery and all the good scrounging since the RF-PF supply system was a bad joke.
They were replaced by the 7th Marine Regiment whose artillery wasn’t as good and the scrounging became outright stealing because they weren’t so willing to supply us with food, fuel and ammo. In first half of ’70 I was night duty officer in the TOC at Hoi An. Later I doubled up on delivering new radio codes to outlying MATs, some far beyond any other American unit. G-d knows how they survived without supply. The MACV compound then occasionally got mortared but nothing serious. The compound’s buildings were said to have originally been built by the East India Company. The town’s harbor was a stop on the “Silk Road” made by sail from Europe to China for hundreds of years before the.American war.
Hu Duc was not my favorite place. I had to drive out from DaNang to repair shelf inflicted problems on their generators ie playing with the adjustments and mixing up the spark plug wires. One time we stayed too long and had to drive back to the shop on a freshly oiled road. That ruined the Captains paint job, our 1946 Power Wagon was ill. I remember a Captain Clinger and an SFC who thought he was a repair genius.
I traveled to all the Sub Sectors that had generators from Quang Naig to Hue.
Can anyone help me. I was in Nam Aug 68 to Aug 69. I think my headquarters was in Hoi Anh, but, I was only there once for a couple hours. I was stationed in Hu Duc(?) about a thousand yards from the base camp of the 1/7, 2/7, 3/7 Marines (they rotated). Hu Duc was just a small hill. There was a company or maybe a plattoon of S Vietnamese, a Marine CAP HQ (4-5 Men) and our Macv team (about 6-7 of us). I carried the prc radio. As I have read in the comments it does not mention any of the smaller teams like mine. Is anyone familiar with Hu Duc?
Sp 4 Lovic Davis I was there from around March 67 to September 67. Served 6 months there. The signal pod if I remember correctly had the only air conditioner in Hoi An. it was right by the rear tower. I Worked with a Sgt Witcraft,(was his replacement) Ssgt Bozeman and two seabees. At different periods of time of course. I remember the 122mm rocket that hit the barracks. Not far from the monkey cage. Put a hole in it big enough to drive through. My officer was Capt. O’connell. I remember a tall black guy army specialist who was with the signal unit. He climbed up on the roof of the rear barracks one night and brought me some additional ammo and support. We were watching the corridor between the two buildings on the other side of the fence between us and the arvin. There was BAR just below us. It was a defensive bunker there to stop infiltrators coming between the two buildings. I heard he was killed by a mine. I wish I knew his name as he came up on that roof when I was alone there. I never thanked him. We went down off the roof and went with the wounded that we carried to the airstrip that night. Don’t remember it all but like I said I never thanked him.
Tom Brenneman: I originally came into Danang to the 37th Signal Batallion. Upon arriving there the Sgt Major stated that one of us three guys would have to be assigned to Adv Team 1 in Hoi An. I drew littlest straw and went down via convoy to Hoi An. I remember once on the Cam Le bridge, it was to shock the new people and open fire in the middle of the bridge. Upon arriving I was met by Col Kane. This was November 1966. I worked in the com center which was heavily barricaded. I remember the marine detachment that manned the gates, and the monkey that was chained to the front bunker at the main gate. Could that monkey chug a can of beer. We were hit, when the NVietnamese had surrounded the town and our compound to break out the 500 vc prisoners that were adjacent to our compound. We were hit by Soviet made rockets supposedely the first time they had been used in Viet Nam. We lost a Capt Sabel(sp) at an outlying area during this attack. I remember one marine by the name of Dave Duda, and a Sgt Black. I wish I could remember more. There was a soldier from around the Indianapolis area that ran the VHF building. I was there from Nov 1966 to Nov 1967.
I am trying to locate Any information on my grandfather Green, Charles R. All I have is a picture of him from 1966 with a MACV patch. I also know he received the silver star in 1966.
Heather, If you have not already done so, you can request a copy of your grandfather’s service records from the National Archives. This will give you lots of information including his assignments in Vietnam.
The records are stored in St Louis. But the form you need to request them can be downloaded from the national Archives web site.
Hey Tom, I’m steve johnson and i was with marine sec det in hoi an. I maned the guard towers from nov 1966 to about june 1967. i was transferred to golf co. 2/7. what a culture shock! How were you able to stay in hoi an? hope all is well.
Good Evening Sirs,
I will start by thanking every one of you brave men for your service. I am trying to locate background on my father and the military records are of little help. His dress uniform has the MACV patch on the shoulder and I don’t know much else to turn to as a starting point. Is there a ‘General Comments’ area on this site I have not found? His Zippo says Vietnam 68-69-70??? His name was Teddy Bob Blizzard (from Texas) and all my searches have run cold. Any search advice would be welcomed. He died when I was too young to understand what ya’ll had to go through. My name is Austin- thanks in advance: Austin_Blizzard@yahoo.com
When did Hoi An change from MACV Team 1 to MACV Team 15? I was in Hoi An MACV Team15 in 1971 1972. Col Baker was CO for advisory Team 15 Quang Nam. We reported to Chords in Da Nang.
Mike Murphy
U S Army
Sp/4 RTO Hoi An
1971-1972
I was assigned to MAT I 27(I think)at Hai Van pass and Hoi An was our higher HQ’s in 1070. I think in 1971 our team was disbanded and I was sent to a District team in Dia loc.Don’t remember the team designations we had a MAT team also and I wqas the only medic for both teams. I remember the District team leader was a Maj. who was a ranger from Georgia.
Black Cat brought me down from DaNang. Our shop was down town. This was in June 69.I recall the Col.at the compound being a little anal.
seaman Strifel and I were sent across town in Hoi An one night to get the generator in the CIA compound going, they were afraid of an attack. this was in 67. Maintaining the generators at Hoi An was a part of our jobs.
there in 1967, we kept M2’s in the bunkers with extra mags. We took the M2’s out for a test firing once and the mags had been in there to long as they would only push up around 3 rounds and quit. the tension in the mags had gone. We had to retension the magazines, and check on them periodically. There were two sandbagged towers with 60’s and a couple of law’s in them. Now this was in 1967 and things may have changed by 1970. The marines were a integral part of the MACV team. Oh! was the monkey at the front gate? Nasty lil guy. The marines from , think it was 1/1 brought their monkey who was female to the MACV monkeys cage. Don’t know what the problem was but he didn’t like girls or marines. Or he could have been a swish.
I remember the 100 kW generator surrounded by wire. They sent me there with 2 days left to repair a problem. They were concerned about an attack that night.
I remember a main building with a small kitchen, couple of offices, a radio room and a small common area – one shower(?). Small out building – no windows, 1 bunk bed and a single door. Two bunkers out back – one with a M2 and one with a M60. I was there spring 1970 – does this sound right for Team 1 Hoi An ? I was on loan from the Marines –
ssgt Bozeman, Strifel, ssgt you speak of does not strike a chord. then again I don’t remember many names. that distresses me as I would so like to remember the names. Sadly I remember faces while names leave me
Did you know of a staff sgt by the name of Hillery in Hoi An ?
Some of those names sound familiar since I was in Hoi An from Dec 67 to Nov 68. But I didn’t keep in touch and I would know how to contact them other than the U.S. Marine command.
I remember the marine security team in Hoi An. I was there from May67 to Sep67. There were also some Marines just down the street at a navy milphap team. A marine security team member was killed there trying to stop a VC sapper group from overrunning the place. His sacrifice alerted everyone and the sappers were stopped though they did get into the wire and do damage. Supposedly the VC thought it was a soft target and were looking for drugs they said. Sorry time takes it’s toll and I don’t really remember the names. I remember the marines coming to our rescue at Hoi An and relieving us. We were under siege for a couple of days and the local ARVN went on vacation and we were alone. All this was around August of 67 but again dates ran together. You guys were great and your friends down the road at. It was 1/1. I remember the marine camp was one big sand pile, no shade. Wish I could add more. thanks again
Mr. Davis, thank you for your reply and thank you for your service. I understand the fog of time, my memory isn’t all that clear anymore either, but I appreciate hearing from someone who “lived the dream” as we all did when we were young men.
LOVIE…. The marine who lost his life defending the compound down the street from the mac-v compound was a good friend of mine named Johnson. he didn’t even have time to put his boots on. His work with the M60 on top of that bunker took out several sappers who turned out to be local kids. The one who i believe killed my friend lay crumpled up in the doorway to the bar. I took his Ho Chi Min sandals right off his dead little feet and have them to this day. I think Johnson was looking down giving me an attaboy. His best friend, Cpl Murray and myself lost a great friend that night. As for the gooks, they left town in a huey net nice and neat……Sgt. Charles Wolfe USAF
since you were there when I was. I left in September of 67. Worked with a Capt. O’Connell, SSgt Bozeman, Seaman Strifel seabee, and another seabee. A SSgt came in as my replacement in September but I can’t remember his name. My memory has faded and I can’t recall other names. Gus the bartender who would hide under the bar whenever we had an alert. He didn’t speak english or he said he didn’t, I always called him vc and he would grin and shake his head. I had been in the 1st Cav for the previous year and extended thinking I was going to MACV Na Trang.. When I got to Saigon they said Na Trang did not have a place for my mos, How about Da Nang (young stupid) They told me it was a nice quiet place on the beach with a bar and girls. I just wanted to go home and I finally made it, through a lot didn’t. The best people I ever knew were in Hoi An.
Lance Corporal Edward Lee Johnson, USMC was killed defending the province hospital compound on 27 August, 1967. He was affectionately known to almost everyone in Hoi An at that time as “Captain America”. Vietnam Wall Panel 25-E, Line 52.
steve…sorry, the names don’t have faces much anymore. i’m sure i would recognize you in a picture taken back then. i want to thank you for cpl johnsons full name and the date he died. funny, i can see him clearly still. he could whistle louder than anyone ever. myself would go downtown hoi-an unarmed and give the girls at sally’s what for and return to the compound in the early dawn hours. that was a period of unofficial truce. the vc were seeing the same girls. also i want to thank you for the names of the 6 signal guys who never returned on black sunday.i had 2 of 3 names correct.thought povlock was amongst them fellas, glad he wasn’t. take it easy and give me a hoot if you want.
Thank you for his name. I was there the morning after, when we came over from the MACV compound to the Milphap medical unit. I have a picture of his bunker on top of the building where he was killed. I remember standing where his body lay under a blanket. I had forgotten his name. Thank you. I left in September of 67.
I had pics of everything,threw them away when I got home.
That was L/Cpl Johnson that was KIA.I was part of the MSD…….August 27 1967
Anyone here from the Marine Security Detachment at Adv. Team 1 Hoi An? I was NCOIC from April ’68 to June ’69 and I’d like to find out if any of the guys are on board. Let’s see, there was Smitty, Coley, Murphy, Davenport, Pfeiffer, Grajiola, McPhail, Thomason, Thompson, Green, Woodard (the dog handler), Montalban, Armstrong, Hopkins anyone I missed? Also there were two marine staff sergeants not in our group their names were Fitzgerald and Warner (also known as Pineapple). Anyone here know any of these names?
Thanks,
Jim
I was NCOIC there before your time.Davenport,McPhail and maybe Green I knew.
Any details on the reunion in April would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bill
bstoner3@yahoo.com
Cool. We both knew Gus and the beautiful cook everyone wanted. You never know we might remember more as time goes on. By the way I am going to a counterparts reunion in April. in Washington DC. Those reunions always stir up memories.
Don’t remember Lucky but there was a cook, quite attractive, that everyone was trying to nail. She had what some said was a intended suitor in the local Arvin who watched over he.
that’s him, probabley was a colonel in the local VC underground
Do You remember a guy named Lucky. He wanted to marry one of the cooks but rotated out before he could talk her into it. In 1972 he returned to some assignment in Da Nang. He borrowed a jeep and went to Hoi An. He told the girl he came back to marry her and take her back to the US. She said she needed a couple days to think about it. Next day the jeep Lucky had borowed was blow to pieces. Explosives probably planted by one of the South Viets. They recorded it as one jeep destroyed by jealous lover. The cook said no to the marriage and Lucky went back to Da Nang and never returned.
Yes I remember now com biec means don’t understand. I wonder if Gus was replaced by Shirley and moved to janitor repairman. There was an old skinny guy worked as a janitor and did small maintenance like fixing water leaks and painting. I can not remember his name but he spoke broken English always had a grin on his face, always messing around causing trouble in a fun way. He was probably smiling because he might have had the biggest paying blue collar job in the city of Hoi An.
I misspoke with Gus’s comment when I ask for more Ice. com biec was don’t understand which he said when ever I ask if he was vc. His remark for more ice was “hetro fini nook da” which i assumed nook da was for frozen water. Hopefully they all survived, hell Gus could have been a vc all along and he and shirley are working at one of the hotels in Hoi An today.do what you have to do to survive.
The only bartender’s name I remember is Shirley. She was beautiful. The rumor was she was part French. I do not remember her real name. I hope she somehow escaped retaliation when the North took over in 1975.
Different terminology for similar operations. We had near a group of marines who had vietnamese working with them called kit Carson scouts. We also had what was referred to as regional forces / popular forces which could be referred to as national guard / town militia. RF/PF. We jokingly referred to them as ruff puffs. We would relocate Viets to armed hamlets and arm the locals for self protection. Remember the viet bartender in Hoi An we called him Gus. When I would ask him for some ice for a drink he would always say cum biec which assumed was vietnamese for no ice. He had a concrete box under the bar where he would climb in during mortar attacks.
I wonder why they changed the name from Team 1 (1967) to Team 15 (1971-1972) in Hoi An. Just to clarify when I was in Hoi An Team 15 supported the Vietnamese Regional Forces sometimes called Territoriary forces, They were kind of like our National Guard. They lived and fought in Quang Nam. Rarely did they fight in another Province. The Regular South Vietnamese Army divisions operated in any Province that needed them. In 1972 we need them and they sent the 3rd ARVN Division during the Easter Offensive. I remember the convoys to Da Nang and Chords HQ at theDaNang Hotel. Most of the time we met up at the US Air Force Offficers club on the airbase. It was called the Gunfighters club.
We reported to Da Nang and it was called Team 1 Hoi An. We always enjoyed the convoys to Da Nang because after we obtained whatever we were sent there to get the different vehicles would meet back at the Da Nang hotel. They had a air conditioned club on the top floor with cold beer and hamburgers. We always had a opportunity to get a couple of beers before the ride back to Hoi An. we had check points all along the road to and from Hoi An and we would check in with the prc25 our progress. We changed the call signs once a week. I still remember the last one and that was over 48 years ago. Fremont placket this is lethal barley over……
Remember the air strip well. The graves all on the side of the strip. always wondered if the psp on the airstip was laid over graves. If I remember correctly Duc Duc was overrun while I was there in 67, though there weren’t any American Casualties. It is hard to believe that there are 5 star hotels in Hoi An now.
When I was in Hoi An. Nov 1971 to Aug 1972 the Team was called MACV TEAM 15 Province Quang Nam and we reported to Chords in Da Nang
sp4 Lovic Davis assigned to Hoi An in March 67 to September 67. Was in the 1cav for a year prior to this. I had taken the 6 month extension and was under the mistaken assumption I was going to Nha Trang. (quiet, air conditioned, beer, hamburgers). I worked for Capt O’connell, advisor. I had taken the place of Sgt Witcraft (one crazy guy) when he went home. I did the convoys back and forth to Da Nang every couple of weeks, was in charge of the generators. Think it was 2 100kw if my memory is correct. Kept the inventories of ammo and weapons updated. Worked with two seabees e4 and e3 one was a plumber the other an electrician. We three worked together keeping Hoi An up and running. Would sure like to hear from seaman Streifel the electrician. Like you said we e4’s pretty did what we were told to help the advisors. went home after Hoi An to Ft Bragg. heard that Hoi An had some difficulties during Tet and never heard from anyone or anything again until I found this page.
Mike Murphy:
When were you at Hoi An? I was there from 12-67 to 11-68. I started as a radio operator at the TOC, did a few patrols, then was assigned to the air operations, mainly coordinate the Black Cat helicopter missions all over Quang Nam province and other locales.
Al Navarro
Hi Al Navarro
I was in Hoi An Nov 1971 to Aug 1972. I was Spec 4 radio operator in Duc Duc. I worked for Major Trapnell until the Duc Duc District advisory was shutdown. When I was in the District only Mjaor Trapnell and I were there. If their was a need for an American Captain or LT then one came out from Hoi An. That happen if and when we got an Eagle flight. (Huey’s and Cobra’s). After Duc Duc I worked in the TOC in Hoi An. Sometimes I was sent to the airstrip to coordinate the admin Helicopter we got for the day. Many times the Navy SEALS from down the road asked for a Visual Recon (VR) using our admin Helicopter. Several times that VR resulted in Helicopter coming back with bullet holes. Maybe that is what you referred to as Black Cat helicopter missions. I remember we called that tiny airstrip Hoi An International.
Sub sectors, I know what they are now, it is just that the terminology was not used in 67. We were setting up those places when I was in Hoi An. I only did 6 months there and went home. Was at Ft Bragg the rest of my time in the army.
From 6/68-6/69 I repaired generators from Hue to Quang Nai. The Navy did Quang Tri. I traveled the sub sectors that were camps of advisers of only about 6 guys from Major down to a Sargent, I did camps in QuangNai, Tam ky, Hoi an , Din Ban, Duc Duc, Queson, Thun Diuc(not a good place), Hue Duc, Hia Van pass, an ARVIN Regiment,the Basic Training camp, the POW camp, camps around that had numbers,MAT teams that were somehow connected with the CIA. For MAT team support I had to go to CORDS in downtown Danang and a Major would send me on Air America. Usually flew on Otters to Quang Nai and crashed once. Too bad I didn’t get frequent flyer miles. We were in a compound next to the Vietnamese general in charge of I Corp.
Hello Harvey Coles and Lovic Davis
I was a Spec 4 Radio Operator in Hoi An which was Province HQ for Regional Forces of ARVN (Army republic of Vietnam). The Province was made up of several Districts. A good comparison is: in the USA we have States divided into Counties. The mission of the Province team in Hoi An was to advise and assist the Vietnamese (VN) (Colonel on down to Spec 4). Obviously the Spec 4’s were not Advisors they were support for the Advisors. I also spent time in the District of Duc Duc. I think you guys refer to them as sub sectors. The Districts had a senior Advisor of a Major assigned to the VN Major and so on down ranks.
I don’t know what a sub sector is. I was stationed in Hoi An from March 67 to September 67. I worked for a Capt O’Connell. I had served previously in An Khe with the 1st Air Cav for a year as the armorer for HHC 1st Air Cav. I was being transferred to Germany and took a 6 month extension, which allowed me to choose a location in VN. I was supposed to go to Nha Trang but kinda got snookered to go to Da Nang and ended up in Hoi An as a replacement for Sgt Witcraft. The two generators at Hoi An was one of the things I was to look after. I can only assume when you say sub sectors you are referring to locations like Duc Duc which we visited on a regular basis. My main contribution to the effort in Vietnam was to put modified carter pins in M16’s that didn’t work anymore. As we could not get firing pin retaining pins for the M16’s, this got them working again.
Were you in a sub sector?
Scott,
My tour in Vietnam was from June 1968-June 1969. At that time the generator shop was located on Le Loi in DaNang. We would fly out by Black Cat to HoiAn and transfer to another chopper other transportation to sub sectors in that zone. When we traveled to TamKy , QuanNai, Hue, and Quang Tri we flew on Otters. If we had to go to MAT team camps we traveled on Air America. We lost two guys on an Air America crash. I crashed once in an Otter in Quant Nai.
We were the generator shop for MACV in I Corp.
Thanks, I had always wanted to know. Yeah, i couldn’t believe the pix of 5 star hotels and such in Hoi An I saw on the net.
When I arrived after Tet HoiAn did not look bad. Hue was a mess. We would land in the Citadel that had bulldozed planes and choppers around the edge. While repairing in one of their sub sectors I met a guy and asked what unit he was with. He was from the mortuary digging up the mass graves looking for Americans.
You mentioned DucDuc the first think I think of was the French bunker. They kept the generator there.
DienBan is a cross roads of interstates now.
.When I returned last year DaNang and HoiAn were not recognizable. A little depressing.
Hoi An is a beautiful place I go to alot as I live in the Philippines. The people there have been tailors for over 500 years and got the best suits I’ve ever owned there a few years back.
Harvey, I was in Nam May ’68 to April ’69 as a 1st Lt. I saw the mass graves outside of Hue. I think it was in June but can’t put a date on it for sure. I may be able to later by reading some of the letters i wrote to my wife. The best estimate at the time was about 2000 but later on I heard that it had risen to over 3000. I went out with Col Adkinson and a Major. I saw a hundred or so bodies that had been uncovered but not removed off site at each of two sites. I think the Brass wanted for as many as would witness the atrocity. These were in no way connected to the mass murder that occurred in Hue itself.
Chuck
My mos was 76Y30 Small arms repair. or company armorer. They added two seabees to work with me in Hoi An. One was an electrician, the other a plumber. We helped each other in our respected functions or mos’s. We did the convoys back and forth to Da Nang and the maintenance of the infrastructure of the Hoi An compound. We installed the fuel container near the generators because before us we just manhandled 55 gal drums of diesel. After we were surrounded for a number of days the 55 gal drums were not enough to keep the lights on. Funny but after I left the army in sep68 i went to work for the local power company in virginia where i stayed until i retired. Still remember my first job at the power company in Hoi An. My replacement was an e6 also but i cant remember his name. I have always wondered though, what happened to Hoi An during Tet. I was back in the states then. I sometimes think that the attacks on Hoi An and duc duc were a prelude to Tet. Duc Duc was over run from what I remember. I remember the black cat but we also got some support from the marines flying those H34’s. When I was there we were still using M2 carbines, M3 grease guns, thompsons, BAR’s and browning 30’s though we had law’s
long time ago but it is like yesterday
I repaired generators from 6/68-6/69. The team had 2 seabees and 2 Army. My mos was 52D20. I was a draftee that went to generator schools for 8 months and went to Vietnam a SP 5. I worked with 6 Seabees while I was there. We had 2 that were killed in an Air America crash and two that could not get along and they were returned. I crashed once in Quang Nai in an Otter.
Hoi An was a transfer point to the sub sectors and Mat teams.
I will not forget HoiAn. My replacement was in an E6 and had spent 16 years at generator schools and could not repair the 100kw at your compound. I remember it very well. The generator would not stay on line because it would surge. With about 3 days left I had to go repair the generator. I guess something was going to happen and they wanted the generator to operate. It was a 2 minute job that involved adjusting the droop adjustment on the governer. Drank in their bar that evening and Black Cated it back to DaNang the next day.
Went to Hoi An last year, no more dirt streets. There is a road past Marble Mountain to Hoi An now. The Navy PX is a 5 Star hotel.
yes, I was that SP5 Navarro. I was in charge of the air operations and drove people back and forth from the airfield as I coordinated the different missions.
The SP5 Navarro that served 2nd brigade 5th infantry Division 1964 ?
No, MACV Team, Hoi An, I Corps, 11-67 to 11-68.
I remember my call sign the from the last field operation I was on too. Malay cattle, malay cattle, this is malay cattle mike two three, mike two three, over. Malay cattle, I have a car report: from buick, up 2.0, right 1.5, over. Good copy, this is malay cattle mike two three, out. We captured two NVA on that operation and engaged a small VC unit. We were out about two weeks from base camp at Phu Tuc in Phu Bon Province.–former 1 Lt. Infantry, Samuel C. Garrison. Are any of you all on http://www.togetherweserved.com?
I am still looking for a Black Cat patch pitch and a special forces patch from advisorty team , thank you see ya
I see a lot of patches at the VA hospitals around Boston. There is a military history museum in Sacramento that sold patches I had never seen before.
When my son and I were fishing in Texas I saw a black cat parked in front of a VFW. Used to fly on Black Cats to Quezon, DinBan, Duc Duc and ThunDuc. Tamky and Quang Nai sub sectors were Otter and then chopper’s.
Crashed in an Otter near airport in QuangNai maybe someone else was there and remembers.
I was there from May 67 to Septermber 67. Worked for Capt. O’Connel, Ssg Bozeman, Sgt Witcraft, Seaman Strifel, and another seabee. We worked with supply and ran convoys to Danang to keep Hoi An supplied. Sgt Witcraft, one crazy guy, carried a M3 and M79 with about 40 rounds in a canvas bag. I have been looking for some information on Team 1 Hoi An for years. I had been with the 1st Cav for a year and extended. Transferred to MACV, thought I was going to Nha Trang, They tricked me into Danang and then Hoi An. Sp4 Lovic Davis Loved going to Danang and we would meet at the Danang hotel where they had cold beer and hamburgers befor we would tie up on the outskirts of Danang for the ride back to Hoi An. I still remember my last sign on for the check points along the road to Hoi An. Freemont placket / Lethal barley over.
Did you ever stop at the MACV generator shop down town.?
Back then I was in charge of the generators at Hoi An. Whenever an alert was sounded I was to make my way to the two generators and start them for the perimeter lights or when we had movies (batman & combat). Think it was two either 50 or 100 kw diesels. Long time ago. Seaman Strifel was a seabee and he could fix anything electrical. Once when we were in a bind in Hoi An. We had been attacked and were kind of surrounded for a few days. Strifel and I had to make our way over to the CIA compound. (they never admitted they were CIA, though we would try to get em to.) Their generator would not start and they did not have any perimeter lights. He and I were ordered to go there and fix their generator. I couldn’t fix it but Strifel did. I just went along for the ride to keep him company. We did get the lights on and came back to the MACV compound with no problems. It was awfully quiet for what I remember. So as to your question. I probably did though I don’t remember any specifics other than getting parts and fuel for the generators. I have Strifel’s pic that was taken in the bar in Hoi An. Oh! the bartender was Gus. Whenever I ask for more ice he would say cum biac or some such Vietnamese phrase for no ice. I kept telling him he was VC, he still would not give me more ice.
Cum Biac means I don’t understand
I would like to hear from Gilbert C. Valdez a Team 15 Hoi An member from 68/69
If there is any thing else that you decide to tell me I’m always very interested. Thank you for the kind words.
All i will tell you he was a damn great solder, and was like myself dispatched on some very seceret asignments on a need to know bases only. Hope this will help some.
Does anyone remember SFC James Vernon Lloyd? He was attached to ADV TEAM 1, HQ, MACV ADVISORS, MACV Army of the United States. He died on October 5, 1970. He is my Uncle that I never got to meet. I would love to find someone who knew him that might be willing to talk to me about him. I only want information that you are comfortable talking about. I assure you that I will not try and dig into horrible memories. Thank you to each and everyone who has served our country. My email is holiman1@hotmail.com.
Thank you,
Jason Holiman
HM3 (8404) USN
Does anyone remember a GySgt Paul Spears USMC on Team when Team 1 was North around Phu Bai (?)
BStoner:
If you can, take pictures of the area of the old MACV compound in Hoi An. Also, Marble Mountain area south of Danang.
Thanks,
Al Navarro
Team 15, 1968
Hi Al…wilco if you can give exact location or send a Google map with marked spot. Things have really changed, with some locations just vanished. Others reverted to other facilities or taken over by mil authority.
Best, Bill
Sent from my ASUS MeMO Pad
MACV Teams wrote:
> a:hover { color: red; } a { text-decoration: none; color: #0088cc; } a.primaryactionlink:link, a.primaryactionlink:visited { background-color: #2585B2; color: #fff; } a.primaryactionlink:hover, a.primaryactionlink:active { background-color: #11729E !important; color: #fff !important; } /* @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { .post { min-width: 700px !important; } } */ WordPress.com Al Navarro commented: “BStoner: If you can, take pictures of the area of the old MACV compound in Hoi An. Also, Marble Mountain area south of Danang. Thanks, Al Navarro Team 15, 1968”
Marble Mountain no problem
Sent from my ASUS MeMO Pad
MACV Teams wrote:
> a:hover { color: red; } a { text-decoration: none; color: #0088cc; } a.primaryactionlink:link, a.primaryactionlink:visited { background-color: #2585B2; color: #fff; } a.primaryactionlink:hover, a.primaryactionlink:active { background-color: #11729E !important; color: #fff !important; } /* @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { .post { min-width: 700px !important; } } */ WordPress.com Al Navarro commented: “BStoner: If you can, take pictures of the area of the old MACV compound in Hoi An. Also, Marble Mountain area south of Danang. Thanks, Al Navarro Team 15, 1968”
have a pic of the HQ in Hoi An taken from the air. Taken in 1967.
HI…..would love to see the picture. Maybe I can match it up with what I saw during visit to Hoi An in April. Also, I’ll try to sort out photos of town and Marble Mountain and put up in Flickr or some other program if anyone is interested. Cheers, Bill
Are you the Navarro SP 5 who used to drive me from the MACV compound to the air strip? I was a generator repair guy and Hoi An was my transfer point.
I’ll be in Da Nang and Hoi An from 12-18 April, 2014. If anyone wants me to track something down I’ll give it best shot.
Bstoner3@yahoo
Team 87 68-69
I was there at the times you specified.
My how hard would it be for me to have in my collection a a black cat patch???
Before i die i just want to say i was put in for the congrestional medal of honor, but because i did not suck ass just right i dont get it. That is all. see ya later.
I Corp Advisory teams were all over and i was in and out of most of them, from 1 days to 2 weeks. I never new the assignment until the las minute.
In 1968 US Army Advisory Team 1 was the I Corps advisory team stationed in DaNang.Tm 2 was with the 2nd Division and tm 3 was in the North with the other division. Tm 1 had elements stationed all over I Corp.
Would like to hear from anyone who was on the MACV Tm 1 compound at Hoi An during Tet 1969 Feb-Mar. I was living there as a member of the 2d Platoon 29th Civil Affairs Company..
I was in Hoi An Team 15 from August 68 to Aug 69 serving as Black Cat helicopter coordinator and other duties such as RTO, laision for allied operations ,etc. Met Al Navarro at a convention of the 282nd AHC “Black Cats” last summer. Great to see Al again. Hope to meet more of the team soon!
I was a generator mechanic that used to fly through HoiAn on Black Cats.
One time when we got on the chopper in DaNang I asked the pilots to drop me off at Din ban on the way to HoiAn. That was a mistake, first the Koreans almost made use krispy critters with their artillery (could smell the smoke in the chopper). When we landed there was a chopper directly over the compound firing its mini gun into the town. That night they told us we would be attacked. We ended up being mortored a couple times. After a couple days were traveled to HoiAn in a UNSAID truuck.
I was at Hoi An at the time you mention. Sp/5 John Kriete
What times were you there i new of someone name kelly dont recall the last name though..Nice hearing from someone from that unit.. have a great christmas…
Hello. I was an advisor with MACV Team 1, and I operated out of Danang (Touraine). Some subordinate units I advised were in Hoi An, Hue, and Quang Tri City. Gerald “Geraldo” Kelly
I was a sniper in Hoi An Team 15 from 5th special forces, but there were a lot of other places i put as well through out all of Viet Nam. I thank God every day for just being alive.
Am looking for anyone who served with my uncle Captain Thomas E Sauble macv team 1 adviser KIA march 13, 1967. Have read his DSC citation but would like to know what kind of person and soldier he was, and if anyone was there the night he was killed in battle
my name is Ronnie Reesor, I served with captain sauble a very fine man I was in a squad of
men trying to reach his group, but could not reach him in time because of enemy fire,
seven men in his group got out all of them wounded in some way I am sure he was the reason they got out. my squad put them on medevac helecopters getting them clear of danger. as they cleared, enemy fire pinned us down for hours before getting out.,we got lucky we never got a scratch. I was proud to serve with him, and you have reason to be proud of this great man.
RONALD J. REESOR
Donald I served with your uncle for approximately 5 months before he was killed. He was at an outpost in Hoi An approximately 2 miles down from where our compound was. After the attack that night, we had to wait until morning before we could go out and rescue anyone. By the time we got there your uncle was KIA. We hated to see that because he was one hell of a man, a friend, and an officer. I got to Hoi An in November of 1966 until Nov of 1967. Our compound was hit for the 1st time with Soviet made rockets. Our compound was adjacent to the prison where they had broken out 500 VC prisoners. We took a lot of damage to the compound, but no KIA’S. Your uncles outpost was hit prior to ours and we could do nothing at the time, since we were under attack and could not get out of the compound. I miss your uncle.
Donald, I just found this web site but I served with your uncle in Vietnam but was not with him when he was killed.
I was team 1 Tam Ky 1967-68 3/4 APC troop with Capt Norwood
Al Navarro
I served with Team 1 in Hoi An from 11-67 to 11-68. I was the air operations NCO who was in charge of the Black Cat Hueys that were assigned to our team.
Have attended several reunions of the 282nd Aviation Company and met several former pilots and crewmembers that flew into Hoi An and to other subsectors in Quang Nam province.
Just returned from the last reunion in Kansa City (June 13-16) and met my replacement in Hoi An (John Kriete), who I hadn’t been in contact since I left Vietnam.
It was a real good experience to meet John after 45 years.
Thank you Alberto.
I have read your post for a couple of years now and you made your way around fixing generators for MACV. In 67 I was assigned to MACV working for a Capt McConnell as the G or S4 adviser. One of my duties was to keep diesel in the two 50 KW generators at Hoi An. We used them for the movie and perimeter lighting. When ever we came under attack I was to make my way to the Generator shed and turn them on in case were were disconnected from the Hoi An lighting. Not being electrically trained I was a quick OJT. Funny but I ended up working for a electrical utility after the army for forty years. Anyway, two CB’s were attached to me, one a electrician Seaman first Strifel and another fellow. Since they knew about electirix and such they took the lead in such matters. We eventually installed a large container for fuel so we wouldn’t have to tote around 55 gal drums as much. On one such occasion, I think it was after the MILPHAP compound had been attacked, the spooks lost their generator. Seaman Strifel and I were delegated to cross over town in a jeep to see if we could get their generator running. I was along so Strifel would not get lonely and to be his shotgun. We or I should say he fixed the generator. I held the flashlight. and got them back on line, lil electric utility talk there. Anyway, to my question. Did you do the generators for the spooks as well as MACV. Always remember them as they carried these nifty keen 9mm Belgian sub-machine guns and they like to hang out where the German nursers were. at the Milphap bar, lucky for them, another story. Jus curious as it was a long time ago and I remember it like yesterday, riding around Hoi An in the middle of the night avoiding Charles and fixing spook’s generators. Would love to talk to Strifel again. Great guy, for a swabbie.
I traveled to HoiAn many times. There was a Major there who cranked up the voltage adjustment and destroyed a lot of electrical equipment. At the generator shop in Danang I attended my going away party, immediately after my Major told me I had to go to HoiAn to repair the generator. It was surging and dropping off line. I guess what pissed me off is my replacement a 16 year Staff Sargent had no clue and didn’t even go with me. Long story short I repaired in about 5 minutes and stayed over night. Two days later in Saigon going home.
Alberto….I’d be interested in any memories you have of the attack on 3 Jan 68 and the Tet Offensive. Writing a book on Tet 68 in Da Nang….thanks and take care
Tom
Tom Pike
COL, US Army
ltcpike@gmail.com
The night before the attack on I Corps Hq,the CO.4thACR (Arvin) called a platoon of APC from 2/4 Troop in Hoi Anh and along with the equipment from the Regmtl Hq formed a Provisional Cav Troop. When the VC attacked I Cops HQ they were met with intense fire from the Cav. The Cav along with a Ranger Bn made a sweep toward the sand ramp killing 198 VC. They were all laid out on the Helo pad near the river. The provisional troop remained until late March/early April