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Jim
Don’t forget Dem and Does…. Yose guys is used da most. let us not forget to insert the “F” word about 3 times per sentence.
Jim!
So true.
To Bill Beckum: Sorry man. Port Jeff is only 10 miles from me but you have to be born here to have the New Yawk accent. Joisey is pretty close but it aint nuttin like Brooklyn where they have boids and terlet bowls. If a Brooklynite gets an “oil” lite on his dashboard, he buys a “kort of earl”
and in NY or NJ, nothing is ever “yonder” However, like cousin Vinny’s “yutes” there are plenty of friends among youse guys and I am glad to hang out wiches.
Proceeding with our Florida reunion, Sat, Feb 11 at Ft DeSoto Park, near St Petersburg. RSVP appreciated.. Post here or call Ben at 712-790-1333.
Jim,
Did my basic and AIT at Ft DIX. Early 80’s I lived in Port Jeff on Long Island and Mahopac in Putnam county north of NY city. Never did learn to talk funny.
OK Tooch,
Enjoy your Superbowl Win! At least the team that beat Greenbay and SF other than themselves went on to win.
LT I had to sweat a little,but I am sure enjoying it. I’ll be at the parade in NYC tomorrow with all the other screwballs. Tooch
Hi Short Round. No, I don’t remembe him and I’m sure if we met we would have recognized each other’s NY accents right away! There was one guy in Charlie (I’m pretty sure it was Charlie, but earlier I had been occasionally assigned to other copanies so it is kind of confusing in 40+year old memories) who was from Long Island (where I am, about 30 miles from me).
Chuck. Yeah to your memories. I was yelling incoming and Captain Hines wisely corrected me since he figured it out already. Man, that was bad.
infantry–did you know a frank freeman from E-2/1 MORTARS , from brooklyn n.y. ?
Guys,
This tragic event comes up every year which is good. We all have our remembrances of the day and some differ. By the size of the hole left in the hardpacked jungle red dirt I belive we felt it was maybe a dud 155MM round. The hole was approximately 3-4 feet across and 2-3 feet deep. It wasn’t very much of a hill but I do recall track tread imprints all over the thing. The Booby Trap was I’m sure intended for tracks not humans.
If this is the time I am thinking it was, the hill was not too far from Hawk Hill. The explosion was near the top of the little hill. We all hit the ground and people started yelling “Incomingâ€. There were no more explosions. I recall seeing one guy lying there and I thought he was half in a foxhole and his upper torso slumped over on the ground. I crawled over to try to help him but when I got there he was torn in two. I didn’t know who he was because the heat from the explosion turned him dark and curled his hair. We all figured it to be an anti tank mine.
I always remember it as the “Two medics.” both in one moment and, luck of the draw, me and a guy named Danny (don’t remember last name) had just decided not to go to that spot to set up our hooch. There were two spots on the hill. One was in the shade but would be a mess if it rained (i believe it was monsoon season or close). The other was in the sun but wouldn’t have been so bad in rain. We decided on one. Those two medics came up thehill right behind us and took the remaining spot and a few seconds later, me and Danny were thrown about 10 feet back and covered with you know what. I found the one who was still alive for a little while, and although I don’t consider myself to be a ptsd guy, i have had one really bad flashback of that event.
As i recall, it was thought to be a 250 or 500lb. bomb booby trap designed to take out a tank or apc, their combined weight in the same spot set it off. No shrapnel whatsoever-lucky for me and Danny again or we would have been on the list too.
As i recall, we had been on that hill recently and used exisiting spots that had we had already set up or cleared, leveled whatever. Stupid/lazy I guess. Danny and I were lucky and those guys are gone.
Jim, I remember that incident,in fact I helped put what was left of them on the medivac. It was a bad scene.Tooch
R.I.P. hillbilly—42 yrs today. his parents are still alive in etowah, but health is poor.
SR,
I will never forget that day as it was my introduction to the Gore of War. RIP brothers!
R.I.P docs kirby and berry–42 yrs today–a booby trap on a no where hill—.
Hey Tooch or is it Tuch? Anyhow, fellow New Yawka, right? We were in Charlie at the same time for awhile.
I don’t know for sure if this will help but the VA hospital in Northport Long Island (NY) is where I go occasionally for eye tests and stuff. Coincidentally, my son’s brother-in-law is the public relations guy there. He is an army vet. I think he spent about 6 years in the 1980s; no combat experience but seems to be a really dedicated to helping vets, even though he is in the ivory tower. His name is Joe Sledge. If you contact him, you can tell him my name (which is the same as my son’s of course) which he will recognize. Or, it may be that the PR guy at whatever hospital or facility is nearest to you, if its not that one, may be just as useful. I suspect if you go to the VA website, you can eventually drill down to find an individual if you have his name. Good luck.
Jim Intravia aka “Infantry”
Hi Jim. It’s TOOCH; amazing as it may be, I got that nickname when I was about 16 years old, and it’s still with me. I have gotten some good advice from the guys and am moving forward. I have my first appointment at a vet health center here in Jersey next Tuesday,and will continue from there. Thanks for your help. Mark
The annual Florida reunion will be held Saturday, Feb 11 at Fort DeSoto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde. That is St Petersburg area, Tampa Bay. Potluck style, informal, open to all interested. Yet to work out details of time and exact place. Wanted to give all here some lead time to work out travel plans.
Watch for updates.
Thanks for the advice guys. It’s much appreciated. GO GIANTS!!!!!!!
HEINZ–POSTED ON THIER NEW LABELS—THANKS TO VETERANS—COOL
Tom,, Scroll down in the notes. Gary C. posted the info you will need on the WI reunion in May!
“Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!”
If so, where is it?
Dammit! I tried to answer Tom again, twice, and now it tells me that’s a duplicate comment!
I’ve tried twice to post a response and it just disappears.
Can almost bet #10 from SF will be looking for another job!
Haven’t heard anything about a get together in Wisconsin. Anything happenin?
sry to hear about Dan—–talked in st. louis
Well, I guess I don’t have to watch the superbowl this year! I vote we tar and feather number 10 from SF and then run him out of town on a rail. Nice job of giving away your team’s shot at a Superbowl A**hole.
Hi Tooch…I forgot to mention that there is a website called “Veterans Benefit Network” that is dedicated to helping Vets navigate the system when they have a claim….there is much helpful advice and they have a special forum on PTSD.
SR
What Grant are you referring to? The Green Bay running back or someone else? Got about 4-5 inches of white fluffy snow so it looks real nice outside. Hope all is well with you and Jan. Any chance you might come up to Sister Bay WI and visit with us?
Mark: When you say you applied for benefits, I assume you mean a disability rating, right?
If so, what did you send along with your claim form? Very often, claims are denied because the Veteran failed to adequately prove his claim. While the VA is legally obligated to give you the benefit of the doubt, the burden of proof still falls upon the Veteran and nobody else.
My email address s in the roster and I’d be happy to offer my advice if you’d like. I’ve shepherded more than one Veteran successfully through the claims process and would be more than happy to help you too.
Tooch, this can be a very long process, or not. Depends on how you approach it. My recommandation is GET SN ADVOCATE. Do not trust the VA to look out for your best interests. In the Seattle area I used the VVA. I found out later the American legion was the better way to go, much more aggresive. They will help walk you through the process. Never ever sugarcoat your experience, the old Viet-Nam mantra “It don’t mean nothin'” does not apply through this process. Everybody’s experience will be different. I applied in April of 2005, many physical and mental evaluations later in june 2011 I was declared unemployable and therefore 100%. Several letters from friends and family helped, especially the one from my squad leader, Ben Buehler. Never give up, you deserve it, you earned it . Good luck brother’