Cacti Vietnam Photos
John Kelly B 1/35 1968-69
13 Oct 68 – Morning. View s-West from LZ Mary S. Cambodia in the distance. This hill (Hill 705 – Chu Goungot){YA765327 #6536 IV} is 8 km NW of Duc Vo)
13 Oct 68 - in Chinook, view SW
13 Oct 68 - In Chinook, view SW
20 Oct 68 - LZ Joan. 1/35 mess hall ran out of plates
20 Oct 68 - LZ Joan. PFC Larry Webb (W.Va.) improvises a plate – mess hall was often less than adequate
22 Oct 68 – Late morning. LZ Joan, Duc Co. B Co marches to awards ceremony, SP/4 Palsgrove in front on left.
22 Oct 68 - LZ Joan. SFC Freitas on detail – mess tent of BBtry, 1/96 Arty (towed 155 How.) at right. From my hootch
23 Oct 68 – Early afternoon. LZ Joan – my hootch – home for 2 months. I was on left. SFC Freitas was on right.
27 Oct 68 - LZ Joan, Duc Co. Sunset, Bravo Co. CP silhouetted. Radar antenna to right. From my hootch.
29 Oct 68 – Morning. On airstrip at Duc Co, waiting to CA to LZ Lost. 3rd Plat – foreground. 2nd Plat Rt Background (beyond fuel cells). 1st Plat – on road Front – 1st Squad, & Sgt Joe Farmer (standing, facing left)
29 Oct 68 – Morning. On airstrip at Duc Co, waiting to CA to LZ Lost. My 24th birthday. Travelling “light”!
29 Oct 68 – Afternoon. In a slick on CA to LZ Lost. LZ Joan & Duc Co barely visible to left (next to helmet) – H’way 19 visible in center, beyond is airstrip.
29 Oct 68 – Late afternoon. Moving from LZ Lost to Night Location – 3rd Plat of B Co. 1/35
30 Oct 68 – Morning (early). Clearing a 1-ship LZ at the night location, so chow could be brought to us (lunch). Later, we left here & walked back to LZ Lost, where our equipment was. This LZ was cleared by hand – no tools – trees were pulled down by people climbing up & pulling them over, as here. SP/4 Freidman in tree – SFC Freitas at far right – SP/4 Bonds, far left, Sgt Moore, next to him, PFC McGinnis, back to camera
30 Oct 68 – Afternoon. LZ Lost. Troops near CP waiting for lift which never came – we chased enemy from here to LZ Chief, 4,000 m. West.
3 Dec 68 – Morning. LZ Karen Ann. CP group in center of perimeter
3 Dec 68 – Morning. Halt on trail to allow cross-trails to be checked
3 Dec 68 – Morning. A halt during sweep to allow squads to check out cross-trails. SP/4 Freidman, machine gunner, & SP/4 Malley, RTO. Trail we were following runs to left rear.
3 Dec 68 – Morning. On sweep West from Karen Ann – before crossing rice paddy. SP/4 Bonds in center of photo
3 Dec 68 – 0800 hrs. Crossing a rice paddy West of Karen Ann.3rd Plat.
3 Dec 68 – 1100 hrs. Moving across ravine. Hilltop in rear is spot where we ate lunch, after crossing rice paddy
3 Dec 68 – Noon. Lunch break on open hilltop. SP/4 Malley & SFC Freitas prepare chow
3 Dec 68 – Noon. View North from hilltop. RTO’s radio & rifle in foreground
3 Dec 68 – Noon. Lunch break on an open hilltop. SP/4 Malley relaxing
3 Dec 68 – Early afternoon. 3rd platoon on march along a road. Picture taken from power pylon East – troops on break.
3 Dec 68 – Afternoon. 3rd platoon. In tea plantation. Power pylon in foreground
3 Dec 68 – Mid-afternoon. Company CP [passes 3rd Plat. In tea plantation. Capt J.R.Tower in left front (grinning). RTO PFC Drukenbrod to his right, FO Lt Jackson to his rear
6 Dec 68 – 0800 hrs. Moving from night lager on West slope of Chu Gol. In bamboo (out of sequence- probably should be 4 Dec 68 – going down Hill 708
4 Dec 68 – Afternoon. Hill 708, taken from across valley from West. We ate lunch on that peak, and spent all afternoon crossing the deep, steep, densely overgrown valley.
Probably SFC Freitas
5 Dec 68 – 0800 hrs. Ready to move from night lager, for another long day.
6 Dec 68 – Noon. On tanks after 4-day hump through hills. 2nd Platoon on tanks in front. PFC Lind sitting on gun in foreground.
6 Dec 68 – 1730 hrs. At the Oasis. Four days of dirt & whiskers.
7 Dec 68 – 1330 hrs. In Huey waiting to CA from airstrip at Plei Djereng. Village of Plei Djereng across runway. Note chainsaw-
23 Dec 68 – 1700 hrs. LZ Mary Etta, view from S. end, outside wire. 3rd Plat sector. 3rd Plat CP bunker to right of NYS Flag. Chu Grok in extreme background – dark, steep hill
23 Dec 68 – 1700 hrs. LZ Mary Etta. View NW from 3rd Plat CP bunker
24 Dec 68 – Afternoon. LZ Mary Etta. Chaplain Dystkowski playing Santa Claus. Flew around to different LZs with donated gifts to pass out. Protestant Chaplain & he went to different places for better coverage.
24 Dec 68 – Afternoon. LZ Mary Etta. Chaplain Dystkowski’s Christmas presents. Lt Jim Jackson (artillery Forward Observer) & PSG Freitas
24 Dec 68 – LZ Mary Etta. 3rd Plat CP bunker. Malley (later Hoelle) & doc Martin lived in left side, SFC Freitas & I lived on right
25 Dec 68 – 1500 hrs. LZ Mary Etta. 1st Squad, 3rd Plat., Co. B, 1/35 Inf. Standing on bunker. L.to R. – Gamble, Leake, Arceo, Winstead, Carlson. Standing in front Caycedo, Bryerton, Austin, McGinnis, Bonds, Zimmerman
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