Christmas Day
Christmas Day 1967 somewhere along the river northwest of Ben Luc. A Co,
5/60th Inf moved from Binh Phuoc aboard M-113's Christmas Eve to Ben Luc.
There we mounted a single "Mike" boat and floated up river to a place where
we were to interdict sampan traffic that night. When we got to our overnight
location we were 26 strong, including the three of us in the FO party.
We sat up in a triangle position, had an M-52 at each corner, and an M-60
at every other position long the legs. Charlie lobbed a couple of rifle
grenades at us, and we called the 2/4th Bn FDC for some steel on targets.
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Wet Season: Soggy going!
Sometimes as elements of the 5/60 moved up the highway toward Tan An, they
were diverted to assist other units who needed reinforcement. As the M-113's
moved through the paddies, invariably one would get stuck, sucked down onto
their flat bottoms. We had to call a tank retriever at Tan An to pull the
track(s) out so we could proceed. Anal sphincters got real tight as we sat
there, unable to move. |
Delta Battery
Delta Btry, 2/4th at Tan An. Battery was M-102 105-mm howitzers not seen
a lot in the region. Unit had 4 tubes and platforms to sit above the waterline
in the middle of rice paddies during the monsoons. What a thrill that must
have been for the boys at Cai Lay in 1967.
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Incubus
A Co, 5/60 Inf (Mech) preparing for an Incubus mission. Companies of the
5/60th Inf out of Binh Phuoc escorted convoys from South Siagon toDong Tam
as the 9th ID moved is base of operations south. Companies picked-up convoys
which were escorted from Bearcat to south Saigon by MP's. Each company was
reinforced by the M-42 Twin 40mm platoon which was attached to the 5/60th. |
What's the holdup?
A/5/60 leaving the hardpack for the wet and wonderful paddies north of Camp
Robert Bethune (Binh Phuoc). |
Ron Van Dyck
That's me. Probably when I was XO of B/2/4, about 145 pounds and holding. |
