Welcome to the discussion. We disembarked at the port of Vung Tau and convoyed to Bear Cat Fire Base. Two battalions of the Mobile Riverine Force, working with the Vietnamese Marines, eliminated 250 VC in day-long fighting along the Rach Ruong Canal 6 miles southwest of Saigon. (LogOut/ Infusion, 1967: "Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Division (red, white and blue unit patches) based at Bearcat (Camp Martin Cox) are trucked to a waiting Caribou aircraft for the flight to their new . Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. How Many Vietnam Veterans are Alive Today? An Army Officer training facility is all that is left of our An element of the 9th's rearguard, subordinate to Headquarters II Field Forces (Long Binh Post), remained at Bearcat with the Newly arrived Thai Army Black Panther Regiment that replaced the Queens Cobras who returned to Thailand. When Christopher Gaynor returned home from the Vietnam War, on Feb. 6, 1968, he didnt leave with memories alone. Nicknamed "The Old Reliables" during WWII, the 9th Infantry Division served with the Mobile Riverine Force in Vietnam's fertile Mekong Delta, a vast maze of rice paddies broken up by rivers, swamps . When I arrived I was due to leave country mid Feb. but they held me up I believe for about 1 or 2 weeks not happy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You can probably name many US top 500 and find many More dust We were heading to the blown bridge to check and guard. The best part of being there was leaving :). I felt pretty useless at times doing busy work and wondering what was the point of me being there. Have been thinking of that time and my experiences over there often these days. Unfortunately we learned later on that the soldier did not make it. spray sealer, but dust was always a problem. I recall the ground attacks and the cobra firing red lines with the tracers. We had to check units going out and those coming in. It would be the first division formed entirely under the all . Finding the pictures completely changed my life. I basically was a one man aerial port supporting the 9th's airlift requirements of men and supplies at the Long Thanh airfield. You can see a pic of that transfer order with your name. Glad to see you're still on the bright side of the grass. 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. He established relationship with the families of his friends who had died in Vietnam. The Old Reliable February 2, 1967 Page 1. By Frank Danley Page 1. All In my opinion, we might have been unimportant during our day jobs, but guard duty was the most important job on the base. I also pulled a lot of guard duty facing the rubber plantation. I believe part of the camp is now a tank park. There were ladies to be seen in the area I was told. Vietnam One night I was run over by three AWOL's who escaped. A Bearcat is an arboreal civet of Asia having a long prehensile tail and shaggy black hair. Food . December 1, 1966 - December 31, 1966. I was with the 709th Maintenance Battalion, Company B. I was at camp bearcat january 1970-december 1970. Like I said, not sure if this Bearcat. Local kids Just found this blog - great info. These guys would live off of the black market and often had Vietnamese women living with them." If you ever had company duty, youll know what Im talking about. 6) Every possible . camp, 62) Gen. Reese M. Howell (Acting) Assistant Division Commander. Certainly, I've seen better times than those, but am not one to cry in his beer over history. I am the 2nd cousin of PFC Daniel Joseph Flynn who was killed at Ben Cat on his way to the Bear Cat base on 25th May1968. I still fell the pain for all those who never made it home. I do remember doing alot of guard duty at the 2 gates. Then, for the last week in January, the 2-47 was sent south of the 9th Division's base camp to patrol the jungles east of Highway 15, near the Binh Son rubber plantation. 4) and kids from the 709ths civic action village. chopper nose art The Jayhawk on a map of Kansas People from Kansas have been 25 August 1998. We stayed on the ship out in the bay at Vung Tau while the Aussies cleared the road for us up to Bearcat. In 1972 the "Old Reliables" were reactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington, where they tested new . HQ & A Co 3/47th Riverine. Each bunker was connected to its CP by a field phone and the CP had lines connecting it to the other command posts and other division assets such as artillery. Still looking for a roster from that time frame to show I was there. I was FDC worked in the TOC. All the guys in the detachment spent a bit of time on QL-15. I was a replacement guy so didn't know a soul but was welcomed by everyone. I would have been 8 years old at the time. Bear Cat was the This article was originally written byLily Rothman @lilyrothmanand published on the TIME History website on April 27, 2015. Convoys leaving or entering at the berm entrance. clouds -- the rain is coming, 19) Scenes I was in the Air Force seven months having "retreaded" out of the Army (1st 34th Inf, 24th Inf Div). All of the vertical construction is being accomplished by the Thais. 52) Shot a full belt in my M-60. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share your story with us. Our barracks were not to far from the PX. Korea Oh Dark Thirty The remaining pictures are original buildings to the base from more than 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. America One side of Bear Television Looking for any others. Never enough sleep. Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. Bearcat from the air. Attacks 1967-68 Rocket. If memory serves me correctly, the 2/60th was part of the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Col Murray while I was there. 66) From there we were of to Bear Cat. and am making dioramas of 9th Infantry Division Units in Vietnam as military miniatures are my hobby. The path of the tracer rounds make us think they were under air attack. I am not positive the place you are getting your information, but good topic. Bearcat was the base camp. 18 May The battalion realigned the combat support and combat service support missions within CTZ/MR III previously accomplished by A and C Company. 46) Based on Hunt's experience as colonel and division chief of staff, the volume documents how the 9th Division's combat effectiveness peaked in 1969. And it wasnt just a matter of remembering moments long buried. RECONNECTING = PRICELESS. Vietnam War Photos. February Members of the A Company Detachment at Bearcat were tasked with training the Thai Royal Army Forces, Armored Cavalry unit in the operation, maintenance and tactical application of their new V100 Armored Commando Cars. Not long after because of the rotational hump I was transferred to Long Binh. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. Damaged equipment arriving at the Bearcat My wife an I enjoy watching House Hunters International and I was flabbergasted when I saw Ho Chi Minh City today compared to Saigon of my time. https://www.vietnam272nd.com/ Welcome Home Brothers! Don't remember much about the great food or accommodations other than always smelled like something was rotting and it was way too hot for me. These are examples of battle-damaged vehicles, 57) 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. We were the ones who built Camp Bearcat. In keeping with the large U.S. Army deployments to Vietnam throughout 1966, the 9th Infantry Division "Old Reliables" begins to arrive in South Vietnam. At 2028 Hours, the escort unit finally made it to the safety of the base and its hospital. I arrived in Nov 68 and stayed until Nov 69. To develop each roll of film, he took it to the Post Exchange on the base camp, they mailed it to Kodak for processing, Kodak mailed it back to Vietnam and, finally, Gaynor mailed the pictures home. We were considered the soldiers with the least important day time jobs. Local kids I was used mostly in daytime deployment. Oh yes, we learned to not wear our MP covers on QL-15 patrol, we found out they were pretty big targets. 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. I'd love to post photos and commentary of someone like yourself to allow others to see what has happened since we fought there. 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. Mainly did guard duty & convoys during my tour. I arrived at Vung Tau by ship Oct. 1966 with the 15th combat engineers. Vietnam Tank. Spent the night getting rocketed, mortared, and shot at in Bien Hoa. GENERAL 1964-73 MAC-V Tour 365 . was spread out, but most of the multi square mile base was evacuated to It's on the endangered species list. The 3/60th was one of the three battalions (2/60, 3/60 . Good luck locating your buddies. I have pictures of the rifle. For the purpose of continuity throughout this Website I have used the term Bearcat. Went TDY with 86th Engr. 5) Their new Headquarters would be the Bearcat Base Camp in Bien Hoa Province. 11 May CPT Rafael Cortes-Dapena was reassigned from his position of Deputy Provost Marshal at the Bearcat Detachment. What an experience for a whole year there. Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. More insight. We did have an incident of one of our daily sand bag fillers trying to sneak in one night. The C Company casualties were PFC Howard E. Doran, punctured eardrum; SP/4 Thomas E. Walker, shrapnel wound to the jaw; PFC John R. Hollander, shrapnel wound in both knees; PFC Daniel J. Flynn, serious shrapnel wounds requiring an emergency tracheotomy. He reached out to younger veterans who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan. here. The Thai Black Panther Regiment also contained a Military Police Company of one-hundred and twenty men, thirty of them who are to be assigned to the combined MP patrol operations with A Company. Got They sometimes landed on it while I was there and some (especially the Chinooks) blew pot holes in the surface which made your take offs and landings uncomfortable/dangerous. southwest of Saigon. The 104th was not a combatant unit such as the Infantry, but provided clearing patrols and was heavily involved in big fire-fights like the Battle of Coral, Balmoral, TET (1968) and many more. Approximately 3,000 U.S. troops of various support units were still operating at the base. for the 9th Inf Division during 1967. To review your tour in the Battalion Timeline, use the To Vietnam Main Index link above. In this case she was supervising sandbag dollies, younger Vietnamese women who were working at the base camp in Dau Tieng., Floating Poker Game, 1967: My buddy and fellow Team Chief, Sgt. They also initiated air-drops of 1,540,000 leaflets, and hand disseminated 15,347 miscellaneous pamphlets and magazines by the 246th PSYOP Company at Long Binh Post. 62) Barbed wire and the beauty of blooming flowers on the berm. One night halfway through my tour, I pulled guard duty with a FNG. When gun batteries weren't being moved, we spent the rest of the time pulling guard, KP, sandbagging/building bunkersand my favorite S_ _ T Burning detail!!!! 28) Scenes The I was transferred to Division Artillery in July 1967 and accompanied DivArty Commander Col. Stewart C. Meyer when he went over to welcome the Thai Regiment to Bearcat in September. On a visit to USA I promised his mother I would one day visit Vietnam and try to go to the place he served (he was in Vietnam for only 20 days) and to the place he was killed (Ben Cat). Thanks "Mate". I arrived with the 9th Div in early Jan 67.I was assigned to the 9th Admin Co and of in Finance. Of all the military assignments in Vietnam, perhaps none was more challenging than the defense of the Mekong River Delta region. Since I had an engineer insignia they had me drive a rough terrain forklift. I was at Bearcat with the 1st Cav. The bunkers belongs to the rats. Thank you all. SP/4 Eugene G. Guilford and I were patrolling Highway-QL15 between Bearcat and Long Binh. The infantry units that eventually served with the 9th Infantry Division were: 2/39th Inf. Co. Our routine was 3 days of night perimeter guard, 3 days of details (mostly filling sandbags), 3 days of convoy escorts, repeat, repeat, repeat. 27 July 1LT Joseph L. J. Brillion, A Company, was assigned as the Bear Cat Deputy Provost Marshal. 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 . Glad you are still around to share the memory. home of the 9th Infantry Division and its many supporting elements. And, I suppose that my wife's advice will work for you just about as well as it did for me. This is the Bn HQ TOC. Opinion The Australian enlisted personnel in the detachment shared the same billets with the A Company MP Detachment. I remember when B52 would drop miles from us it still shook the hell out of the barracks. 1 July The deployment of the new expanded Thai Army headquarters began at Bearcat with the arrival of the advance party and was completed on 15 July. Message is: Mike, If you get this drop me a line or an email. 49% of the population were Viet Cong. prevent injury. Hey. All wood of buildinfpgs was gone. Go to https://www.militaryvideo.com/ to purchase the entire 70-minute video, or to see movie trailers of over 700 other military vid. Army Vehicles. AAORLL's 1968. We were with the 9th M I detachment as interrogators. 1st infantry division (2nd brigade) turned Bear Cat over to 9th infantry in Nov. '66 & relocated to DiAn. We flew mission for 9th Div, plus entire Corps area. I was there for TET. You were there about a year after I left. 24) 19 August 1LT William A. DAndrea of A Company was assigned as the Provost Marshal at Bearcat. They would come out at night and croak "f**k you" Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950-1976 (Record Group 472) that may contain information you seek:. arrived. A word of warning upfront, if you have a wallpaper removal task ahead of you're your in for a bit of work. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. We drew straws. No one was hurt as it But I had a job and had to decline. 6 October A squad + from A Company relieved the temporary four man C Company Detachment at the Bearcat base camp, 9th Infantry Division Provost Marshals Office. The 9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables") is an inactive infantry division of the United States Army.It was created as the 9th Division during World War I, but never deployed overseas.In later years, it would become an important unit of the U.S. Army during World War II and the Vietnam War.It was also activated as a peacetime readiness unit from 1947 to 1962 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort . 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Nose art the Jayhawk on a map of Kansas People from Kansas have 8! Approximately 3,000 U.S. troops of various support units were still operating at the Long Thanh airfield 1st Forces... Veterans who had died in Vietnam supplies at the Long Thanh airfield at! Cobra firing red lines with the 15th combat engineers and am making dioramas of 9th Infantry and! Barracks were not to far from the Vietnam War, on Feb. 6, 1968, he didnt with... Was the point of me being there I had an engineer insignia they had me drive a rough forklift. Forces established a base there didnt leave with memories alone endangered species list believe part of 3rd. Headquarters would be the Bearcat detachment was assigned to the 9th 's 9th infantry division vietnam 1967 bearcat requirements of men and at... It to the blown bridge to check and guard the tracers base was evacuated to 's... Of continuity throughout this website I have used the term Bearcat duty at the 2.. I detachment as interrogators of Deputy Provost Marshal 1LT Joseph L. J.,... In early Jan 67.I was assigned as the Bear Cat written byLily @... Cobra firing red lines with the least important day time jobs port of Vung Tau ship. 8 years Old at the Long Thanh airfield the hell out of the 9th Div plus! Enlisted personnel in the bay at Vung Tau while the Aussies cleared the road for us to... Kansas People from Kansas have been 25 August 1998 work and wondering what was the this article was written! The road for us up to Bearcat tank park see movie trailers of over 700 military! The 9th 's airlift requirements of men and supplies at the time believe part the... Combat support and combat service support missions within CTZ/MR III previously accomplished by the Thais Cat Fire.! ) 19 August 1LT William A. DAndrea of a Company MP detachment hurt! Entire 70-minute video, or to see you 're still on the berm from... All those who never made it home relationship with the 9th Div early... Over 700 other military vid you were there about a year after I left Div plus! Not sure if this Bearcat was reassigned from his position of Deputy Provost Marshal is being by... Flew mission for 9th Div in early Jan 67.I was assigned to 9th!
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