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Jim, Kham Duc was on the Laotian border. It was several kms west of Tam Ky. There were battles there in 68 and in 70. It was in a valley with the mountains surrounding it.
You can pick any area in the whole country and find a series of battles fought over several different years in the same locations and with the same outcome: We won the battle, but the enemy wasn’t defeated. It just defies logic.
One of this week’s Medal of Honor recipients, Santiago Erevia, was recognized for his actions near Tam Ky. He was in the 101st Airborne and was in the area in 1969.
At the time of the war, Tam Ky was in Quang Tin Province. Just to confuse things, it is now the capital of Quang Nam Province,
Besides the action in 1970 described by Larry and the one with the 101st, there was a huge armor battle there in 1968.
Reports the 1968 and 1970 events use the term Pineapple Forest and would appear to have been on the coastal plain between Tam Ky and the sea.
I am confused by Larry’s note of 11 km west of Tam Ky. Was there room for that distance? Was Cam Duck hill #173 173 meters high and also west of Tam Ky?
That series of battles in the same area over three years seems another indictment of the failure of leadership to learn from history.
I will not be upset if no one else thinks these questions are important.
Jim:
All of my information for the location on this came from the Coffelt Data Base and not anyone’s memory. The rest of the information came from the duty officer’s log. Any errors or omissions, if any came from these two references.
Carl,
According to the details Larry has on it I would say I don’t think so. Apparently we were in the Pineapple Forest which was West of Tam Ky.
Thanks for the details. Were you in Que Son valley when this occurred?
I also remember that on that MARCH 29th incident there were others hurt sr was on the radio and got e-1 airlifted -I was one of the last because didn’t know had been hit till took the radio off my back I also got to meet with the doc who took most of the shrapmetal out and greeted me when I awoke with Shure to glad to see you–lost you a couple times there///later the col came in and that was why we had go to wearing the full helmet instead of the liner…..Mr. Harper want to thank you for all u do to maintain this site for all the fellow vets/family ……..
Lt I was in the group coming behind you –we had just reached the clearing when the explosion went off……
Carl,
We were operating as a company and moving late in the day with no real place to overnight. My platoon was in the lead. When we came upon this little hill we were told we would night lager there contrary to good reason as it was used previously. Our illustrious leader, Chicken Man Gardner told us we would overnight there contrary to the pleading of folks like Ben Buehler. I was told to go up and check out the hill so myself, Chuck Missar and several others went up to investigate. We found nothing suspicious so I went back over the hill to guide the troops up on the hill. After several minutes there was a loud boom with black smoke arising from the other side of the hill. When I went to investigate I found carnage with my platoon sgt David Walden lying there with virtually no legs, my Kit Carson(leg blown off) SSG Johnnie Pearson(leg blown off and Lurch and Pancho badly wounded. It was a US bouncing betty antipersonnel mine and I know I had walked all over that area before we bought the main body up(Thank you God). The second one that continued the carnage was in a trench and when we fragged the trench to clear it someone triggered it. It killed Wayne Peagler(Como Sgt not FO as Larry’s log said). He was the furthest one away from it who was hit. He was sitting on the ground and took schrapnel to the juggler and bled out. The injuries to others listed in the log were accurate. That was one of the most terrifying nights of my tour. We had a Spooky I believe on station all night to provide illumination as we were all afraid to move. The next morning as I am told we move single file off the hill and I don’t remember anything for at least several weeks after that. RIP brothers!
I know it is early but the yearly headache has arrived//u all have a great day//larry some of the spam may be from writing a post and it gets back for some reason like a misspelled e-mail///just trying to help…..
Yes Carl….It was a couple of booby-traps……two men killed and about 15 others wounded including myself….Usually every year I remember the incident but this year I did not until I read your comment….May Peagler and Walden rest in peace..
Thanks Bill.
According to the Americal website Sgt Wayne Donald Peagler and SFC David Walden were killed on March 16, 1970 by mines in the NDP. Anyone rmember the details of their deaths?
Carl:
Here is the notes I have on the 03/16/1970 incident:
Date: 1970/03/16
Location: Quang Tin Province 11 km west of Tam Ky. This was at Cam Duck hill #173 and some details as to the Pineapple Forest incident.
UTM grid: BT199238
Major group: None
Event: Mines in NDP
Killed in event: SFC David Walden was killed when he sat on a booby trap at 1756 hour. At 1852 hour, a bouncing betty was set off and Sgt Wayne Peagler was killed
This was at Cam Duck hill #173 and some details as to the Pineapple Forest incident.
SFC David Walden was killed when he sat on a booby trap at 1756 hour. SSgt Pearson , Johnnie B, Sp-4 Connell, William F, PFC Martinez-Torres, Eduardo were wounded. Two were extracted by evac and two by Rattler 12.
At 1852 hour, a bouncing Betty was set off and Sgt Peagler, Wayne D. (forward observer) was killed. There was 10 wounded in Sgt. McKinney, Danniel L., Spc-4 Gregerson, R, E-8 Silverman, Sidney R (Top Sgt), Spc-4 Dunn, Charles V, Spc-4, Laflame, PFC Descoteau, William J. (a medic), PFC McColley, Steven H. ( a medic), O2 Kotula, Mitch. (No rank given) Dixon, D.J., Spc-4 Jensen, D.A., Spc-4 King, G.A.
Also killed was Kit Carson Scout GA. Also wounded was VN Interp Cuoc.
Hey Larry,
When we were in Vietnam we would have loved to eat that Spam!
Today I updated addresses, so if you see any errors or omissions let me know. Also if you need the password email me larryharper at CenturyTel.net.
Wow, does the web site get a lot of spam that gets filtered out and never appears in the discussion pages. But sometimes there is one that is ok in with all the spam crap. I emptied spam two weeks ago and today it had 1,328 more in the filter.
I just read on another website that Ken Burns is looking for material for a documentary on Vietnam….Some of you guys may be able to find his address and send in stories or photos. His Civil War documentary was outstanding.
Tooch….Yes…big goldfish in the lobby and the stars in the ceiling and the plush seats…very elegant……Andrews Avenue was real bad in the 70’s, but yes it is not so bad now.
Thanks guys. Trying to talk Kay into a small plane tour from Fairbanks to McKinley. She says no. I can barely get her on a big plane. I found a place in Fairbanks that offers the best view of the mountain. It is suppose to be clear there while we are there. Plan on doing the University while there plus a couple of other things. I will appreciate Spring when we get back.
Hey Brother Beckum,
I was stationed at Ft. Wainwright for 2 and 1/2 years from 78-81. It is a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live their permanently. Make sure you go to the University there and see their gold display it is awesome. When we lived there it got down to minus 56 degrees one day. Our Bn Cdr had us do PT outside everyday except when it got colder than minus 55. The minus 56 was the only day we didn’t do outside PT. You might be able to see Mt, Mckinley not covered by clouds. Have a great time as the Northern Lights are awesome up there!
Tooch…..Just a few blocks away….Andrews Avenue between Fordham Road and 183rd Street…..I went to Tolentine Elementary and High School. We must have gone to the same movie theatres when we were kids…..Loewe’s Paradise on the Grand Concourse and the RKO Fordham…..The neighborhood went downhill with drugs and crime in the 70’s and the families that could afford it moved out….. Ironically it is now mostly Vietnamese immigrants …..Bill Beckum…. Haven’t you had enough of the cold weather?…..Just kidding….Enjoy the vacation.
Bill, I was up in that area and my old neighborhood this past summer. It’s not as bad as you may think. When I was a teen, I hung out on Fordham and the Concourse by the recruiting stations. And yes, I did go to those movie theatres. Let me see if I can jog your memory a little . At the Loews paradise, do you remember the goldfish ?
Bill, where in the Bronx did you grow up. I am from 183rd. st . and Davidson ave. Tooch
Well, if we all get together it will take a wide angle lens to take the photograph.
My wife and I leaving tomorrow for a week to Fairbanks, Alaska to see the northern lights. It is on on bucket list.
Happy St. Patrick’ Day to all…..Both my parents and my wife’s parents were born in Ireland and we grew up in a neighborhood in the Bronx that was mostly Irish…..I am looking forward to Irish music, corned beef and cabbage and Murphy’s Irish Stout….Tooch. Gary and Bill…Don’t feel bad…..I am 6′ 3″ and 315 lbs.
Gary,it does mean something. I have two closets full of clothes that I can’t get into. I’m 5′ 6” , and am now 220 lbs. I lived the majority of my life under 150. I was 127 in Nam.
Just think of it as a good opportunity to donate. đŸ˜‰
1964 180 lbs
1966 190 lbs
1968 210 lbs
1969 173 lbs
2014 265 lbs Ops!
It don’t mean nuthin’, does it? LOL
Ugh. My son and I took two of the grandkids down into the woods today to teach them how to shoot. I let my eldest grandson, age 11, wear the jungle fatigue shirt I wore home from Vietnam. He could get in it, but he couldn’t button it!
Was I really so skinny when I came home that an 11 year old can’t wear my shirt? Yes, I’m afraid so. That was 100 lbs ago!
EEEEEEEK!
Bill,
Thank you for your well written words. I, too hid it all deep within myself. Didn’t talk about it to anyone. I had the nights where I couldn’t sleep, and, still today, I will not sit in a restaurant with my back to the door. When I hear a helicopter, I go right back there.
I just recently realized that there might be something to this PTSD thing.
Just remember that the Military are the ones that hate war the most.
Thank you and you are welcome.
Guys,
I came back to my wife and never protested or talked about my service to anyone. I hung up my uniform and buried it deep. It came back to haunt me over 35 years later.
We did our best under trying circumstances and like old men of past wars we honor our wounded and dead.
marc tucciarone writes:
” Be bitter and angry at the vets who came home from nam and protested the war; knowing it only extended the conflict and more of us died.”
I don’t think I have ever heard this sentiment before
I did come home and I did protest the war to the best of my ability.
I did it to shorten the war and keep more lives from being lost.
I continue to this day to protest war.
I tried to organize a demonstration on the campus of the little college I went to after Vietnam, but didn’t find much interest. I was thoroughly against the war by then and thought the whole thing was a monstrous lie and a completely futile waste of lives.
Of course, this was 1971, long after we’d decided to leave the war unfinished and men were still there, still fighting and now dying for even less. I thought then the same thing I think about Afghanistan now: If you’re gonna get out, get out. Don’t drag out the leaving and cause even more soldiers to die for nothing.
I understand what your sentiment was at the time, but understand this: We did not lose the war, the American people did. General Giap and Uncle Ho knew they could not win military, and were willing to lose ten of theirs to one of ours to achieve their objective which was to get the American people so against the war,that we would pull out. The whole purpose of Tet was to show that regardless of what Macnamara said, the war was far from over. Think on this; how long did it take for them to decide on the shape of the table in Paris,and how long did the negotiations go on?
Gary, pleased don’t be pissed at me, I left blood over there twice, and the a good portion of the best part of me. If you don’t want others to be your spokesman, then do it yourself. You are a very articulate person; put together a blog .
Oh, I’m not mad at you. I just get irritated at non-Veteran’s telling us all how it was.
I’m reminded of a guy I met in Illinois when we went up there to meet Allen Gray’s family and hold a memorial service at his grave. A bunch of us were sitting around the hotel commons area the night before, just hanging out and visiting with Allen’s brothers and each other.
A stranger sat down at my table and introduced himself. He’d overheard us talking and wanted to know what it’s REALLY like in the Infantry. He’s always wanted to know.
I asked him how old he was and he said, “65.”
“Did you go to Vietnam? ” I asked.
The answer was, no he did not. He was in college at the time and had a student deferment.
I’m sorry to report that I wasn’t very generous or kind to him. I basically told him he’d had his chance to know what it was REALLY like to be in the Infantry, but had pussied out. I suggested the best thing he could do was to get the fuck away from me, right now. He wisely did.
People like that get on my nerves, and especially when they tell me how much they admire us and honor us and blah, blah, blah. And, even MORE so when they want to tell me how much they “love” our country.
Gary, if you are going to be bitter, leave out some of those names. At least they are trying to help our vets. Be bitter and angry at the vets who came home from nam and protested the war; knowing it only extended the conflict and more of us died. If you want to be angry, here are some names: Harry Reid, John Kerry, Chuck Hagel, Obama ,etc. Get my drift ?
No, fuck ’em all. None of them have earned the right to be my spokesman.
It doesn’t bother me that someone avoided the war. That’s their right. What DOES bother me is when they wrap themselves in the flag many years later and try to define patriotism to include their own past, their own failures. That irritates the hell out of me.
And, I could add some other names too. Like George Bush and Dick Cheney and a whole host of evangelical preachers who seem to think God and Country are somehow intertwined. Get my drift?
Gary,
Three great grand kids. Was your first war, WW II or Korea with three great grand kids. Hope I live to see mine. With my wife, I can’t afford the grand kids. Look out if we see great grand kids. Most people don’t know this but my single wife single handily turned around the “Great Recession” of 2008.
Naw, we just got an early start, I guess. Out eldest grandkid is now 25 and the three great’s are hers.
I’m actually one of the youngest around here. I won’t even turn 65 until June.
Hey Gary,
To everything you wrote I say a great big HOOAH!