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Congrats to Larry on a Bronco win in Super Bowl 50…..
Ty,
I got your book a few moments ago! Nice! I’m not sure I can forgive what Jane Fonda did and I know I will never forget it.
My Best
Ken
My thanks for the purchase, Ken. I feel the same way about Hanoi Jane. I hope to see you and the others at one of the next reunions and would be honored to sign your copy. Plus, thanks for all you did for me in Charlie Company.
By the way guys the cross of gallantry award for the unit is a general order so it won’t appear on anyones DD214. It is a cross of gallantry with palm and can only be worn as I stated earlier.
I was awarded the Purple Heart at the hospital in Chu Lai and I also had a copy of the orders…..But they never put it on my DD-214. …..A couple of years ago I sent in the paperwork and was issued a DD-215 which included the PH….They also sent me a new medal with my name engraved on the back….Nice…..I did not expect that but it was very welcome because the original medal was stolen in a burglary about 30 years ago…..The DD-215 did not have the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry on it but that’s OK.
The Vietnamese cross of Gallantry that Ty refers to was a unit award so all assigned to the unit for what ever the designated period was can wear it on the right hand side of the front of the uniform. I have and individual award of one which I wear at the bottom of my other ribbons on the left side of the uniform. The air medal can be awarded for 25 operational flights in which exposure to enemy fire is probable and expected.
Thanks, Ken. You’re a wealth of information, friend.
russ–when i left the 82nd-we had paperwork about our air medal status. never saw anything from the 196th.
As I recall, most of us were also qualified to get Air Medals. I remember checking in to it because we were going on so many CA’s and other 11Bs were getting them. I think we had to log 25 CA’s and I remember logging more than enough. Nobody wanted to hear it in the rear…… more work for the REMFs. And I don’t think we really cared too much about medals back then. In fact I remember liking Snagglepuss’s idea of building our medal displays in a clear toilet seat when we got back home. That sentiment has changed of course, but we were some angry dudes.
Russ, I know those of you who were in the bush with me are entitled to an Air Medal. I got one and was 2 CA’s short of a second one. I’ll help any of you I can to get one.
Thanks Ty! Hope you find it.
Years ago I checked mine and sent in a request for an update. Like Chuck, I received another set of my original medals .
However, I also got a DD215. This included a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (which we are all qualified for) and a Presidential Unit Citation (again, for all of us).
A little over a year ago, one of my Nam Brothers ask me if my DD Form 214 was correct and I told him I guess so that I had never looked at it since I got it. He said his was not correct and it is important to have them corrected because this is what you leave behind to your loved ones and if you ever apply for any kind of VA services. A DD Form 214 is supposed to be the complete, verified record of a service member’s time in the military, awards and medals, and other pertinent service information, such as promotions, combat service or overseas service, MOS identifiers and record of training and schools completed. I checked my DD Form 214 and it left off several things. Has anyone else seen this or corrected their DD form 214?
Over the years I have tried to get mine corrected. Like yours, I was missing several medals. When sending them the update request, I even sent them copies of the award certificate which has a picture of the award or medal. I have not had much luck with them. I only have the general orders for one medal which is an ARCOM. The last time I contacted them they sent me a whole new set of medals for what they show. It is very frustrating.
If anyone happens to come across any general orders with my name included, please let me know.
Chuck, I actually did find some old orders recently that you were on. When I made E-5, you made E-6. I hope they got that right on your 214. Now I have to go digging to find mine. I don’t think I’ve ever really read it.
Ty, did you leave FL?
I left Florida about 3 years ago, Bill. I bought a home in Missouri in 2014. Been to several states checking out programs for my adult autistic son. Fact is, I am still looking around for better programs.
Gary Evans: The 70-71 group reunion will be in Gatlinburg, TN at the Clarion Inn and Suites. Check in is on May 18 and check out on the 22. To get the special rate of $112, reservations must be made by April 25. Call 800-933-0777 and tell them you’re with the Charlie Company 2/1 Group. Or, find an RV park and just show up at the hotel! We already know 2 are coming, but not staying at the hotel. Lonnie Thurston and “Ti Ti” Tucker.
Heck. EVERYBODY come. Maybe we could finally get away from having 2 separate reunions.
It’s a “balmy” 32 in Springfield, MO today.
Ty:
On my way to Fort Devens (and C 2/1) from Los Angeles in 1965, I had car trouble just before I reached Springfield.
I was driving a rare English car and a front axle spindle was cracked and getting worse.
I limped into town and was approached by a Springfield cop.
I am sure that my active duty status helped, but my experiences in your town could not have been better.
After a Sunday in a motel parking lot removing the axle, a local machine shop spent Monday working a miracle repair.
The police arranged all the transportation I needed and everyone else went out of their way to help me.
The first cop asked where I was going and when I said Fort Devens, he said what I thought was “Air, huh?”
I said “No, Army.”
“No, he said, Ayer. That’s where Fort Devens is.”
I hope Springfield is still a great place.
Only going to 68 today in West Palm Beach Florida. A little different than PA
The patch issue probably boils down to whether you served with the 196 LIB when it was a separate Brigade or when it was a BDE in the Americal Division. Some of the Boat People can probably verify that. Nice sunny 31 degrees in Chicago area today. Ground Hog said Spring is right around the corner.
Love you guys!
My copy of Tys book will be in the mail today
My prayers go out to the families of Kirby and Berry medics assigned to C/2/1 KIA on 2 Feb 1970! This was my first taste of death in Vietnam. RIP brothers!
I believe the answer to shoulder patches from any division is yes. In my case the orders to Ft. Lewis upon coming home came through the 82nd. To clarify, I meant any division served in while serving in VN.
Another shoulder patch question. Did you guys who transferred in from another division that left Nam get a choice of patches when you left?
Ty,
The Army allowed you to wear your choice of patches from combat zone. I could have worn any of 3 and chose the 196th till I retired, in 92. I will be buried in my uniform with the 196th patch. (Not soon, I hope)
Rick, I always thought you guys who were denied leaving with the unit even though you had many months to go, got the shaft. Should have been allowed to go and be thankful you got lucky. Of course, that is not the military wisdom.
Hi Ty,
I can’t imagine the Army giving you a choice on anything, but I don’t know the answer. In my case, when they pulled the 82nd out of Nam in late 69, I had 3 months in country; not enough to go home with them, so I was transferred to Americal. I think you’re allowed to wear your last unit’s patch on your right, and current unit on the left. When I came back to Lewis in 70, I was assigned to the 3rd ACR, and Americal on my right was a no-brainer. And for some reason I’m thinking we had to wear the Americal patch instead of the 196th on our greens, but not sure on that either.
Hey, Russ… too bad you couldn’t have got lucky and had a REAL early out.
Ty,
The only one I found did not have you as an author but O’Brien. Is this the correct one?
Ty told me that he was writing under the nom de plume H Duckworth O’Brien. This is in honor of two of the men in my company who have died. For those of you who do not know them, Robert Duckworth was killed in a car accident a couple years after returning home and Dwight O’Brien was a combat casualty. Their names also represent all Vietnam Combat veterans who died after coming home or were combat casualties in the war.
Yes, that is my nom de plume. It honors 2 Charlie grunts. Bob Duckworth, killed in a car wreck a couple of years after returning home and Dwight O’Brien, a combat casualty. To me, they represent all Vietnam combat vets who died after returning home or in combat.
Thanks TY
Based on 1 lb per year I fought in every conflict since WW II.
After checking with Larry, I decided to post the following:
Everyone may know that I have written a paperback titled, A GRUNT’S LIFE ILLUSTRATED. It’s available on Amazon.com under this title. Not trying to pander to anyone. It’s good to take to a reunion to have all sign your copy. Just mentioning it.
There is a copy in the mail to me as we speak….
I love the closet theory the women would really like it. If you break it down by the year I only gained 1 lb per year since Nam.
That doesn’t sound to bad.
My dress green uniform has the 196th patch plus overseas bars and my Sp5 stripes. It was issued at Ft. Lewis when I got home. It fit until I stopped smoking, unless hanging in the closet causes shrinking.
My dress uniform has the 196th on it. I am sure Clay is correct in thinking a army coat shrinks hanging in the closet or my shoulders got wider. It’s got to be one or the other no other way to explain it.
I just checked and I have a kaki shirt and my dress green jacket. I was amazed at just how much closet shrinkage there has been to them. What an interesting phenomenon. Now that I think back, over the years I had noticed that with belts and trousers…… I just never put two and two together.
Wally,
Gave my dress greens away within a few years of returning. Gave away a pair of my boots to my brother-in-law.
Up until 2015 I had a pair of boots & field jacket I used in the winter outside. Gave them to my cousin last year because from the time he was little until today he thinks I am the best because I was in the infantry. He lost his Dad in June, 2015. Has always collected Army stuff. Also thought it was time to give it up.
My field jacket which I was issued when I got back in Nov, 69 had a black 196th patch on one arm & an Americal on the other along with my Spec 4 rank in black. Name and CIB( which I wore with pride) in black with Army on the front.
I don’t remember having a choice of patches for my uniform.
So I went in the closet and looked mine has a Americal patch.
How many of you guys still have your dress uniform? Mine doesn’t even come close to fitting.
70-71 reunion in may does anyone have any information on it I may go and stay in Pigeon Forge in my camper.
bill–uhhhhh–don`t forget so was gardner a ring knocker–he had a grunt dig foxholes for him, among other disabilities.
I did not have the pleasure of knowing Capt Gardner. Have heard stories about about him on this site!
dang–living in AZ. this time of year, i didn`t see any of the snow some had–and am glad of that. am keeping busy with the usual around the house/yard stuff. dang shoulders are getting older. got back to older comments ok. ty harper has a short book about nam on amazon–under the author name “duckworth obrein”
did i mention–sunny and warm here today.
Mr. Cook,
Blizzard last weekend but 65 today. Go figure!
P.S. My son-in-law is a “Ring Knocker”: Coast Guard Academy”
how do we get back to previous comments ?
any new news on reunions this year ? have heard of 2.
beginning of FEB.70 when we lost 2 medics and hillbilly of 1st platoon. yea,memories.
SR,
The two reunions you may have heard of are the 70-71 group meeting in Gatlinburg TN in May and the one that Terry and Louise Roberts are hosting in Seattle in early SEP.