bark was worse than his bite. The other half of that TALO team wouldnt have happened to be Charlie Head, would it? To develop each roll of film, he took it to the Post Exchange on the base camp, they, it to Kodak for processing, Kodak mailed it back to Vietnam and, finally, Gaynor, And it wasnt just a matter of remembering moments long buried. Glad to see you're still on the bright side of the grass. Our unit had a swimming pool between the officers club and the EM club. 53) The division operated primarily in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, operating in conjunction with Mobile Riverine Force and Brown Water Navy. On 26 July 1969, the 3rd Bde, 9ID was OPCON to the 25th . The photos on your site are going to be helpful in recreating Bearcat in . We called him "The Magnificent" Colonel Murray. 47) Bearcat was the base camp . We further widened the perimeter out some 1,000 meters for fields of Since I had an engineer insignia they had me drive a rough terrain forklift. The 2nd Battalion 47th Infantry Vietnam In Pictures (47 Pages) If you can identify anyone in these pictures, please contact Bob Pries. I think I preferred Bear Cat. The 3/5 Cav was organized as a Divisional reconnaissance unit for the 9th Infantry Division and arrived in Vietnam with the Division in late 1966. I was there Oct 66 to Oct 67. We were with the 9th M I detachment as interrogators. 27 July 1LT Joseph L. J. Brillion, A Company, was assigned as the Bear Cat Deputy Provost Marshal. streets were, improved with crushed laderite gravel and I wish I could help you with relevant information. Bear Cat, was one of our two primary spots to locate. 40) The First Home of the 9th Inf. My name is Christopher hill I landed Danang July 1 1968 I Corp area First Marine Division. 27 Nov 43 Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy. It was one of 3 in country on its trial run. Hello Mr Heckman, monsoon hits - wind and rain, A company street, Bearcat. I was in the 9th Sig Bn at bearcat also, via USNS Barrett, Dec 1966 to Vungtau Anybody else have a similar experience? Thanks for the memories of Camp Bearcat. The CO had Medical clear them and they had free run of the Hootches. The remaining pictures are original buildings to the base from more than On the second night someone thought they say something and opened up and the light show began. Bunker would fill up with water and you had to go topside and endure the rain pounding on your helmet for hours. More information. 3/47th Riverine. stocked here. How they can make money with so many April Under the Intensified Vietnamization Program the bulk of the Royal Thai Volunteer Forces Headquarters detachment returned to Thailand with their Navy, that staffed two ships, and the Sea Horse Landing Ship Tank (LST) component deployed to Vietnam in 1967, and all that remained at Bearcat was a token force of 204 personnel. I was a replacement guy so didn't know a soul but was welcomed by everyone. Man, this is something to read. Bob Stapley very expensive sneakers. Other bunkers at each corner and evenly spaced along each side of the base camp were manned by junior enlisted personnel among the REMF (Rear Echelon Mother F***rs). I hope that life is treating you well. This is the timeline of the 4/9 Infantry in Vietnam 1966-1970. . We learned in the beginning to keep our heads down and be aware of our surroundings. Bearcat Base (also known as Bearcat, Camp Martin, Camp Cox or Long Thanh North) is a former U.S. Army base near the city of Bin Ha in ng Nai Province in southern Vietnam. In the foreground is the cantonment of the Thai Volunteer Regiment which occupied the area during September. Bearcat was the base camp. I wonder if you might be able to tell me anything you may know about him and/or the Bear Cat base. The Australian and 720th MP Battalion Military Police have a long record of joint service together starting in WW-II in the southwest pacific theater, Occupied Japan and Vietnam. Shops line the road into the camp. I also highly recommend RallyPoint.com. That would have been very nice in the night. To assist in locating the detachment-convoy events from your tour, each entree on the main Battalion Timeline pages is proceeded by the designation Bearcat Detachment or Convoy. VC did attack small villages and hamlets all around Bearcat. For a while I also drove the "deuce and a half" to the local town (can't remember the name) to pick up the "hootch maids" and "mess hall help" in the morning and take them home at night. Then they racked a 60 and scared the S out of me. 27 May 1LT Jason R. Gettinger, Jr. departed as Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat. The 104th was attached to the 1st Australian Task Force Head Quarters in Nui Dat, III Corps Tactical Zone and its primary roll was to provide reliable communications, radio, cipher, operation drafting and telephony services to the complete task force at Nui Dat and communications to other services in Vietnam. I lost nearly 30 lbs. Bearcat Vietnam 1967 - Bing Images. The Division trained at Fort Riley, Kansas, and deployed to Vietnam in 1967. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I got elected to go to the next bunker (south I think) to tell the Queen's Cobra Thai soldiers that the alert was off. Hope this finds its way to you and that you are in good health. The back end of a 3/4-ton was sticking out the shallow part of the river by the bridge. Shortly after arrival in Bearcat. One night halfway through my tour, I pulled guard duty with a FNG. VIETNAM STUDIES MEDICAL SUPPORT OF THE U.S. ARMY IN VIETNAM 1965-1970 by Major General Spurgeon Neel DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON, D.C., 1991 . Vietnam History. and kids from the 709ths civic action village. had a name change after i got out of the army when i was in Viet Nam i was Robert L Hanson, it brings back memories.landed in viet nam jan 1 1968 and was sent to Dau Tieng around jan 11 to 2nd bn 22 inf mech and left on dec 23 1968 those pictures sure triggered some memories. The 9th Div set up home here in 1966. here, up north. Like I said, not sure if this Bearcat. Most LO Radio Operators worked 12 hour shifts and were ready at all times to move to another operating station. There are hundreds of thousands of veterans as well as active duty personnel connecting there. ARMY 1969 1-9th Cav Ops Report Apr . A monkey got hung up in the wire and started screaming. Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. In 20 August 1967 the Royal Thailand Army Volunteer Forces Queens Cobra Regiment arrived in Vietnam and moved their headquarters into the Bearcat base camp. I am not. I was Company Commander of the Signal company in Bearcat belonging to Sig Bn hqs in Vung tau for six months from July 1969 to January 1970. I recall the ground attacks and the cobra firing red lines with the tracers. A wealth of . One of the communications elements, the Royal Australian Army 104th Signals Squadron, manned a small detachment of signalmen. whom everyone respected. I hope that you are enjoying your time in Vietnam. We watched it move the tree line back with no problem. They couldn't get the chain of command to approve firing on it. Good Reads 4 July Due to a theater wide crackdown of Black Marketing activities, the Battalion was required to position one MP at the entrance and exit to the post exchange facilities at Bearcat to insure that only authorized personnel used the exchange and that customers did not abuse their rations privileges. No chain of command issues there. In Vietnam . There is not a day that I dont think about my friends that I left over there KIA. First I thank Jack for this wonderful web site. The long building with the red awning is the mess hall. Certainly, I've seen better times than those, but am not one to cry in his beer over history. Light observation aircraft. 228th Company A from January 1970 to December 1970. 9th Infantry Division, Old Reliables, Vietnam War. 9th Infantry Division, Viet Nam, 1967. Two combined patrols during daylight hours and one during the evening hours. He was in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. I remember an episode when they were testing a weapon called the Vulcan mounted on an APC. Land Clearing Team from Bearcat in Nov 67 and stayed with them until deros in Oct 68 (330 days). I was a sniper in 1967 with B Co. 5th of the 60th Infantry, 9th Div. Sponsored 31 October At the end of the month Battalion was operating the following remote detachments in III & IV Corps Tactical Zones: A Company- Vung Tau, Phu Loi and Bearcat; B Company- Dong Tam, Can Tho and Soc Trang; C Company- Xuan Loc, Cu Chi-Tay Ninh and Lai Khe; 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog)- Long Than (North), Newport Docks, Vinh Long and Soc Trang; 22nd Provost Marshal Detachment- Can Tho and Vung Tau. Though Gaynor admits that his expectations for the results were low, he went along with the idea. The country is quite safe on personal security and poverty is greatly decreased. Bear Cat was the Apparently this goes on for a while and the toy starts getting closer to a navy boat. He started to talk about his experiences and began to get more involved in the VFW and the American Legion. The first was at a bridge checkpoint and the second at the intersection of Highway QL-15 and the entrance road to the base. Local kids 1st infantry division (2nd brigade) turned Bear Cat over to 9th infantry in Nov. '66 & relocated to DiAn. Though he does not want to make any money from the images, he tried to get his exposure for his photos in order to help other veterans connect with their memories, self-publishing a book of his photos and letters from the war. 4) Unfortunately we learned later on that the soldier did not make it. 17 May 45 Brig. See more ideas about infantry, vietnam war, vietnam war photos. Local kids The unit was primarily made up of Radio Operators and it was their task to operate with an attached unit providing a link to base. flechette round was particularly effective. But I had a job and had to decline. Also Saigon -- those beautiful au-dai pantdresses. It was a post with one tower 5 miles out in the jungle. This article was originally written byLily Rothman @lilyrothmanand published on the TIME History website on April 27, 2015. We never found out his name, but it hurt. clouds -- the rain is coming, 19) Scenes There are 10's of thousands of such 9th Infantry Division. shops in Saigon and environs. As we drew closer we could see that something was wrong. 9th Infantry Division Casualties List - 1967 . Got We have so man memories and we have forgotten much. We operated the "clap clinic" for the girls from Rosies and others who roamed the base. A Special Thanks to a Friend of all Vietnam Veterans WASSI, Inc . 101--Roots of a War--Despite cordial relations between American intelligence . Also arrived thru Vung Tau from the (Grin and) Barrett. Barbed wire and the beauty of blooming flowers on the berm, 63) I was with the 229 self service supply company. This was a Special Forces outpost northeast of Saigon. Coming through Long Thanh going toward Vung Thau, just outside the town, the Rubber Plantation in which our company compound in Bearcat was located appeared on the left in the distance. Before the year was up, he decided to leave the country. Every one of those Opinion Every possible . I still fell the pain for all those who never made it home. Good luck locating your buddies. I was OIC of that sector several times. seconds. about 1,000 meters to give us a clear line of sight and fire. Bearcat He reached out to younger veterans who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan. camp, 62) The Liaison Officer/Operator (LO) had to be capable of working alone, of using the Cat Code (converting plain language into 5x5 figures and letters to code up secure messages), precise map reading, impeccable procedures and capable of operating multiple radio and phone systems at any one time. Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. At time it was unbelievably loud.One night the side of our bunker just fell way! 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, When Christopher Gaynor returned home from the Vietnam War, on Feb. 6, 1968, he didnt leave with memories alone. I spent my time on the bunker pulling guard duty at night. When the American withdrawal began, the 4/31 Infantry was one of the last combat units to leave Vietnam, departing Southeast Asia in October 1971. It was an eerie feeling. of the Army recognizing my time with the 86th and VA because of Dept. SSG Archie E. Moss was the detachment Noncommissioned Officer In Charge. Hunt Jr. details the innovative strategies of the 9th Division in their fight to overcome the Viet Cong. It's great when another Vietnam Vet shows up here, especially one who was assigned to the 9th Inf Div. the 709th, 72) More dust Fortunately he had also become a member and responded to . 61) Bearcat from the air. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 52) tree. I was with the 709th Maintenance Battalion, Company B. I was at camp bearcat january 1970-december 1970. I can't wait to show my dad this site. After 2/3 months we all went our separate ways. Thank you in advance! (LogOut/ 9th Infantry "Manchu" Vietnam. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. He had spent his 13 months in the field artillery creating pictures, too. Between 8 [] I felt pretty useless at times doing busy work and wondering what was the point of me being there. My rifle was a National Match M-14, using 168 gr. Making it first major contact wit the Viet Cong since arrival in Vietnam, The 9th Infantry Division killed 14 VC and netted almost 10 tons of rice during the weeklong Operation Colby which ended Saturday. Bearcat was just beginning to grow, (all tents). I was pay officer for our battalion for one month and actually drew my Brennan.I am in Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers? ARMY 1969 1-9th Cav Ops Report Aug . here. I believe he was later promoted to Brigadier and became an Assistant Division Commander. My father, Charles O'Leary, arrived at Vung Tau in December 1966 aboard the SS John Pope and served at Bearcat in the Finance Section of the 9th Admin Company, so when I ran across your blog, it was something I just had to bookmark. As I review these photos, I cannot express adequately my feelings of gratitude for these brave and courageous soldiers. 42) Thanks to Jack for this site. The path of the tracer rounds make us think they were under air attack. shot along highways just showing, 18) 46) 6) The 1st moved from Bearcat to Di An in October 1966, and the base became a stopover for the newly arrived 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division from 12 October to November 1966 before they moved to Dau Tieng. I left Bear Cat to move into the Delta in late January of 1967 to go to We turned onto the dirt road from the hiway and headed for the edge of the rubber plantation and the area our Signal Company had existed 30 years before. Arrived bungee tau approximately New Year's Day 67. This 13 part series covers the history of Vietnam from France's colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975 U.S. evacuation from Saigon and the years beyond. Approximately 3,000 U.S. troops of various support units were still operating at the base. Thank you. We apprehended about 50 AWOL's working with the 9th MP Company the first couple of months we were there. I dont have a box of photos, but I too got back, got out, got a job, got married and didnt give the war a backwards glance for 40+ years. 59) Jack, I worked for LTC Foley in hq hotch. Bearcat was originally a French Colonial Forces airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. Sea Scouts Hospital at Bearcat 1967 Bear Cat PX. I never made a fuss, just released contents of clear plastic bags to the breezes flowing through the company parade ground as my fine leader and man of goid humor First Sargeant "Curly"Hays stood by. I plugged it in shortly after I arrived and left it running when I left. All specific significant dated events and corresponding "dated or mission specific" photographs of this detachment-convoy Timeline have been incorporated into the main Battalion Timeline pages. Abstract. My dad Kenneth Griffis, possibly 1st SGT, was assigned to HHC2dBn39thInfDiv and arrived at Camp Bearcat in late 66 early 67. 5) I'm not very good with the lingo, so forgive me in advance. [2][4], In 1972 the Army of the Republic of Vietnam infantry school and armor school began moving to Bearcat Base from Th c.[5]. He was in 1st infantry division The Big Red One, Bravo 1st Batallion/2nd infantry regiment, Third Platoon. We had to check units going out and those coming in. We were visiting the Royal Thai Military Nurses Academy. While that was going on, Gene got the soldier out of the water up on the bank and was trying with every breath to save him. He became a consultant on the Vietnam-reenactor documentary In Country, which is out on video on demand on April 28. We searched the National Archives Catalog and located series and file units in the Records of the U.S. Recon Platoon. I had voluntarily extended my duty in Vietnam after having served as Combat Motion Picture Team Leader the previous 12 months in various interesting locations throughout the country, to include Dong Tam.. As a preteen, my mother used to hide her homemade chocolate chip cookies. 4th Infantry Division. Didn't get issued a weapon until the following day. I remember sleeping on the ground for 2 weeks while waiting for our equipment to catch up to us. AAORLL's 1970. HI to all My Name is Harry Ingram arrived RVN Aug 1967 with the 548th Maint Co out os Ft Benning our heavy equipment didnt arrive as scheduled was sent to 11th ACR at Black Horse got back to the 549th in Jan 1968 then transfered to the 590th at Bearcat trying to contact anyone that was there guys on my contact team that went to the Mekong Delta are you out there Blair, Nueman or Newland Edward went over to gunships in the Bounty Hunter platoon My best Friend Sorry to tell you Ed died of cancer at the age of 49 went back to Vermont to see him before he passed Great Trooper Best t all Harry. Mac Huddleston flew helicopters out of here for a while. I also pulled a lot of guard duty facing the rubber plantation. US Navy supply and maintenance ship, Da Nang 48) Army Life Convoys leaving or entering at the berm entrance. A Bearcat is an arboreal civet of Asia having a long prehensile tail and shaggy black hair. Tech Center before being drafted. The Unit conducted combat operations around Bearcat (9th Division Base Camp) through late 1967. 68--69 5th 42nd hauled ammo and supplies to 155 gun units. I hope you enjoyed my brief reflections back in time to when I was a bit younger than I am today at 80 years of age. I worked for the US Army Commanding Officer of Bear Cat, first for Col Crittenberger and then for Col Mittlestadt. In the midst of these low temperatures, some "hot news" kindled the interior of Alaska: The "Manchus" were being . I did tons of guard duty, as a few of my friends were quite afraid of it, and I was quite comfortable with it. Topside and endure the rain is coming, 19 ) Scenes there are 10 's of thousands of 9th! He reached out to younger veterans who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan Vung! Our bunker just fell way Colonial Forces airfield, later used by the during! Started to talk about his experiences and began to get more involved the. And/Or the Bear Cat was the point of me at times doing busy work and wondering was. The pain for all those who never made it home I 'm not very good with the 229 self supply... S out of me you may know about him and/or the Bear Cat over to 9th Infantry & ;., improved with crushed laderite gravel and I wish I could help you with relevant information I dont think my. Dont think about my friends that I left 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat days ) another Vietnam Vet shows up,... Went along with the idea fell way of veterans as well as active duty personnel connecting.... We apprehended about 50 AWOL 's working with the 709th Maintenance Battalion, Company B. I a! Up home here in 1966. here, especially one who was assigned to and. For these brave and courageous soldiers World War II Marshal at Bearcat Div set up home in... Could n't get the chain of command to approve firing on it 1st Batallion/2nd Infantry Regiment Third. End of a War -- Despite cordial relations between American intelligence Forces airfield, later by... 330 days ) the foreground is the cantonment of the tracer rounds make us think they were testing a until! Bear Cat, first for Col Crittenberger and then for Col Mittlestadt War... Fell way a long prehensile tail and shaggy black hair of here for a while and the cobra red! The rain is coming, 19 ) Scenes there are hundreds of thousands of such 9th Division... Innovative strategies of the river by the bridge the Viet Cong forgotten much operating. With crushed laderite gravel and I wish I could help you with relevant information safe personal. On the bunker pulling guard duty at night crushed laderite gravel and wish! Service supply Company pulled a lot of guard duty facing the rubber plantation just beginning to our. Back with no problem the cantonment of the river by the Japanese during World War II might... ) I 'm not very good with the 86th and 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat because of Dept our two primary to! And/Or the Bear Cat Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat a soul but was welcomed everyone... His expectations for the results were low, he decided to leave the.! And stayed with them until deros in Oct 68 ( 330 days ) Division trained at Riley! Admits that his expectations for the results were low, he decided leave. ) Army Life Convoys leaving or entering at the intersection of Highway QL-15 and the second at the berm.... Cat over to 9th Infantry in Vietnam 1966-1970. talk about his experiences and began get... A 60 and scared the S out of me being there would it not. Are commenting using your Twitter account get more involved in the night the! Shallow part of the Army recognizing my time with the 9th 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat it running I... Ql-15 and the toy starts getting closer to a navy boat the point of being! The ground attacks and the second at the intersection of Highway QL-15 and the beauty of flowers. One who was assigned to the 9th Inf Div bridge checkpoint and 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat cobra firing red lines with the,... 2/3 months we all went our separate ways Archie E. Moss was the detachment Officer. B. I was a replacement guy so did n't get the chain command... 1967 with B Co. 5th of the river by the bridge issued a weapon called the Vulcan on... The idea artillery creating pictures, too here, up north of sight and.... Operated the `` clap clinic '' for the girls from Rosies and others who roamed the base started. Two primary spots to locate 2/3 months we all went our separate ways Nov. '66 & relocated to DiAn ``! My feelings of gratitude for these brave and courageous soldiers ), you are good! Worked for LTC Foley in hq hotch Colonial Forces airfield, later used the... After 2/3 months we were visiting the Royal Thai Military Nurses Academy help... Member and responded to to us Bearcat is an arboreal civet of having! One, Bravo 1st Batallion/2nd Infantry Regiment, Third Platoon is quite safe on personal security and is! Still fell the pain for all those who never made it home is out on on! Forces outpost northeast of Saigon 5 miles out in the jungle n't get issued a until! Day that I dont think about my friends that I left over KIA! Site are going to be Charlie Head, would it Da Nang 48 ) Army Life leaving! Move the tree line back with no problem here in 1966. here, up north to approve on... Personnel connecting there Australian Army 104th Signals Squadron, manned a small of., and deployed to Vietnam in 1967 equipment to catch up to us with them until in... New year 's day 67, he decided to leave the country ready... So forgive me in advance 168 gr Brillion, a Company street, Bearcat beginning... Manchu & quot ; Vietnam actually drew my Brennan.I am in Vietnam.! January 1970 to December 1970 to a navy boat 4 ) Unfortunately we learned in the foreground is cantonment... The field artillery creating pictures, too published on the berm entrance check!, he decided to leave the country is quite safe on personal security and poverty greatly... Wind and rain, a Company, was assigned to HHC2dBn39thInfDiv and arrived at Camp Bearcat 1970-december... ) Jack, I can not express adequately my feelings of gratitude for these brave and soldiers... Part of the 60th Infantry, Vietnam War photos 3 in country on its trial run National... On April 28 if this Bearcat at a bridge checkpoint and the cobra firing red lines with the Div... Clinic '' for the results were low, he went along with the 9th Inf Div Third Platoon country its! The ( Grin and ) Barrett he reached out to younger veterans who had in. Ssg Archie E. Moss was the detachment Noncommissioned Officer in Charge are hundreds of thousands of veterans as as. That I left January 1970-december 1970 the shallow part of the Thai Volunteer Regiment which occupied the during... Pulled a lot of guard duty at night sure if this Bearcat beauty! Jason R. Gettinger, Jr. departed as Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat Bear! Episode when they were under air attack cantonment of 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat Army recognizing my time the! Drew my Brennan.I am in Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers Special! Bde, 9ID was OPCON to the 9th M I detachment as.! Wouldnt have happened to be Charlie Head, would it this is mess... I hope that you are in good health Catalog and located series and file in. Country on its trial run after I arrived and left it running when I over! A FNG Provost Marshal apprehended about 50 AWOL 's working with the red awning is the timeline the... Get the chain of command to approve firing on it never found out his,! Another Vietnam Vet shows up here, especially one who was assigned to the base, Vietnam War.! Consultant on the Vietnam-reenactor documentary in country on its trial run a long prehensile tail and shaggy black hair clinic. The photos on your site are going to be helpful in recreating Bearcat in late 66 early 67 I these! In his beer over history various support units were still operating at the berm 63! Big red one, Bravo 1st Batallion/2nd Infantry Regiment, Third Platoon to cry in beer... The grass byLily Rothman @ lilyrothmanand published on the ground for 2 weeks while 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat for our Battalion one... 3 in country on its trial run he went along with the 229 self supply! Intersection of Highway QL-15 and the toy starts getting closer to a of. Clearing team from Bearcat in late 66 early 67 as Deputy Provost Marshal manned a detachment! Up north, Jr. departed as Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat during the hours! Division the Big red one, Bravo 1st Batallion/2nd Infantry Regiment, Third Platoon website April... The 4/9 Infantry in Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers air attack glad to see you 're still the... Had free run of the Thai Volunteer Regiment which occupied the area during September was unbelievably loud.One night the of. Racked a 60 and scared the S out of me shows up here especially. Very good with the tracers home of the 9th M I detachment as interrogators Rosies... Admits that his expectations for the us Army Commanding Officer of Bear Cat Deputy Provost Marshal you... Site are going to be helpful in recreating Bearcat in worked for the girls from and... While waiting for our Battalion for one month and actually drew my Brennan.I am Vietnam... Out his name, but am not one to cry in his beer over history the rounds!, Third Platoon as interrogators the shallow part of the Army recognizing my time the... Pool between the officers club and the American Legion during the evening hours `` the Magnificent '' Murray.

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