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Me_in_the_FDC.JPGThat's Me in the FDCWhat am I doing here? This office is too cluttered. Shoulda went to law school instead. Oh, that's right...I did that later. Hurdle took this photo. Note the story headline in the crease of the newspaper "Uneasiness Now". Wonder if they are referring to being in Vietnam? Jim Hurdle sent me this picture of me about 20 years ago. Most pictures one can either remember being taken or has some internal content to help recognize the where and when. Probably St. George, but I have no real clue since the CONEX moved while the interior from this perspective remained the same. I kept this photo in my office until I retired, and kept looking at it when I was bored or pissed off and would try to guess what that skinny young troop was daydreaming about.
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FDC-Hooch.JPGCot in FDC BunkerSitting on a cot in the FDC bunker at LZ St. George. Wasn't my sack. I was the newbie who got the stretcher held up by ammo boxes. My bed was unfortunately used for its intended purpose in November and that was the last use of it or my poncho liner.
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FNG.JPGNew Arrival shoots ratMike Medley, brand new FNG with one of the couple of lights on St. George (although the grunts kept trying to tie into our generator) and the ventilation "window" made out of an ammo box that could only be used during the day. While sitting out as the dummy during the ubiquitous Spades game that ran all night, I shot a huge rat running across the "window". It flopped out on to the charts throwing blood everywhere and then on to the back of the guy sitting with his back to the charts and from there on to the "card table" a/k/a computer desk. Never heard so much high-pitched hollering (not from the rat) until my daughter had her first pre-teen sleepover party at our house.
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Clint_Curry,_Sept,_1969.JPGPortable GeneratorSp5 Clint Curry (Deceased, 4/18) sits on the jeep that was used as our portable big radio generator at LZ St George that we lifted out on hip shoots. It was later totalled and dx'd with less than 100 miles on the odometer. A combat casualty.
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Best_Buds.JPGBest Buddies"FNG" PFC Mike Medley and Sp5 Clint Curry out next to the conex "window" and entry way into the annex. Must have been a day or two after getting to the battery at St. George since I have on a WHITE tee shirt. Can't remember even having a green one during my tour, let alone underwear or socks. Note that the sign reads "A" Battery in the background.
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Blown_Bunker.JPGLZ St George battle aftermathOne of the above-ground monsoon bunkers at St. George blown by the sappers. I think this and the next two photos were sent to me by Jim "Tex" Shelton since I was out of film during the aftermath.
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St_Geo_Bunker.JPGLZ St George battle aftermathAnother bunker at LZ St George destroyed by sappers in the battle of November, 1969. I think Sgt Jim "Tex" Shelton sent this photo to me.
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Gamble_KIA.JPGLZ St George battle aftermathThis is the spot on the gun pit where PFC David John Gamble was KIA during the battle on 6Nov69. (See "TAPS" - David John Gamble).
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Clint,_Hurdle_and_Burnett.JPGSp5 Curry, Sp4 Hurdle and Sp5 BurnettClint Curry, Jim Hurdle and Sp5 Bob Burnett outside the FDC conex at St. George, June '69. For some reason I have "Gorilla Bob" for Burnett, but we called him "Bullet Bob". He wanted to be a race horse trainer but those of us in contact have no post-Nam info on him. Hurdle was working on his PhD at Michigan and was one dissertation short of a doctorate in economics when the draft caught up with him. He had a stainless steel pot and spices and with a little C4 , found rice and donated c-rats he could make a great meal. I found him again 20+ years ago and he is now Dr. Hurdle. My undergraduate degree was economics and had finished 10 hours of law school when I volunteered for the draft a month before my number was up. Jim was a Samuelson economics guy and I was a Friedman disciple. We would have some great arguments. The XO loved to sit in on our debates, but had no idea what we were talking about.
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Clint_Curry,_LZ_Marianne,_1969.JPGSp5 Clint Curry (deceased 4/18)Sp5 Charles C. Curry, also known as "Clint Curry", at LZ Marianne, Sept, 1969. As you probably note from the photos, Clint and I were nearly inseparable from the time I got to the Battery. He was a short-timer who took me under his wing (ETS'd from St. George the morning following the fight). Probably the most fearless guy I've ever known. I believe he and Joe Sleevi were FO party together on Chu Pa. According to Clint, he was told to "ruck up" and fill in as FO with Sleevi as his RTO. He says he told Sleevi he - Clint - would hump the PRC 25 and have Sleevi act as the FO since Joe was most experienced. Clint got the Bronze with "V" on his last night in the field at St. George (I believe it was downgraded from a Silver recommend). When we hooked up after 40+ years (we had both moved to new states) he paid me the highest compliment I've ever received (of course we had been drinking beau--effing-coup beer), that if he could only have one person to cover his back it would be me.
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Clint_Curry,_Hooking_Up.JPGHooking up the CH-47Exciting task. Who wants to do it? Well, here's Sp5 Clint Curry volunteering to get under the mechanical beast. My notes indicate Clint was hooking up the howitzer for a hip shoot on LZ Cathy as it lifted off in Sept, 1969. The Advance Party discovered the proposed LZ wasn't ready and they used up all our C-4 cooking supplies to blow down trees. I still remember the lousy smell of those heat tabs....ugh.
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Hook_N__Go.JPGThar She Goes!One of our M-102 howitzers hooked up and lifting off for a hip shoot at LZ Cathy, September, 1969.
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