September a battery of 15 HAWK missles were deployed to Hill 55 were it provided coverage for the Vu Gia River Valley. Did we meet during the time between your arrival and my departure from An Hoi ? years of 1970-71. Plan. Drop me an email on namwartravel@gmail.com, I spent nearly a year at the Liberty Bridge , Phu- Loc (6) area . Liberty Bridge 1 was built by the US SeaBees in the 1960's it was the longest wooden bridge in southeast asia. Those 175s would rattle our teeth. The battle raged for five hours, during which the Marines threw back four attack waves. All that remains of the old bridge are pilings. Several of his classmates from Corps School had already deployed to theater with Marine units and Ray too wanted to do his part. I have pictures of that day and the day after. until 0400 est. A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic "Doc" of Liberty Bridge Liberty Bridge on the Thu Bon river near An Hoa, Vietnam 1968 - Pinterest Marine PFC Dan Bullock, the youngest American serviceman killed in action in the Vietnam War died at An Ha on 7 June 1969. Thank you all for your service. We did a Medcap at the orphanage the day before. Over the years the base grew and incorporated large Marine units as well as a 1000 meter runway able to take the large C130 transport aircraft. L knew the people i arrived with but he was the first to take us and show us around and draw M16 and other gear. I arrived at An Hoa on 25 January, 1967. Harvey 3/5, Operation Meade River was right out side the wire surrounding Hill 55, 7th Marine Regiment Headquarters. We were young, dumb and lived on borrowed time. 68-69. it was just down from a fire support base across road from a ville. as the Marine build up began in VietNam, Hill 55 eventually became a Command Post for various Regimental Commands I wish I could figure out where it was. He was a Staff Sgt. If you read this message, I would like to talk more about the FSCC. I came to visit the vendor shed sometimes and remembered there were a nice big ship docking near the liberty bridge. [2]:209 It was decided that a bridge would be built to shorten the route. They thought some guy was to get General Discharge for drugs when MACV canceled the Its hard. It crosses the Monongahela River and intersects Interstate 579 (the Crosstown Boulevard) at its northern terminus. and HQ Co. 1st Marine Regt. With recon for 1 month on top of some mountain top with a 1st Lt. forward observer to watch over a big valley that had been cleared out, to call in arty if we spotted anything. The bridge had been sought by motorists for two decades and on opening day, March 27, 1928, a mile-long procession of cars were present to mark the event. We always argued that the other guy had it worse. Qung Nam Province I looked in one of your tanks,as you were in the road facing the Que son Mts. Never saw a hospital. Janes Graham, a very bold and capable leader. So many memories of An Hoa, I was the 2/5 Bn Armorer from May thru December 69 at AnHoa. . Who was the architect of the Liberty Bridge? That all changed on the afternoon of June 2nd. 1969, a Marine combat base at Phu Loc 6 near An Hoa, A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic Doc of Liberty Bridge, Strategic I was with Mike 4/11, a 155mmSP battery in late 68 to May of 70. Do you remember him? I ended up in Hue City, where I got hit for the third time during my tour of duty. I have a neighbor who fought with the Marines near An Hoa in 69. Their initial task was to provide security for the Da Nang airbase. Background [ edit] I ran the 2/5 Battalion Aid Station, and I got to do some medcaps in the surrounding villages. I know Like Harris.SF. Concrete bunker built by the French during the 1950s. Liberty Bridge (Pittsburgh) Liberty Bridge, Zagreb, the first divided highway bridge in Zagreb, Croatia. Only 25 kilometers west of Hoi An it is a half day trip for those who are interested in discovering a legendary US Marine Corps base. Going though some of his papers and found his Navy Achievement Medal with a V . I was there March69 when Phu -loc 6 was over run. One time a few of the nurses walked through our area and I just stood there and gawked. Elements of the 3rd Marine Division were the first Marine units that operated in the vicintiy of Hill 55 beginning in 1965 The force of the explosion knocked me head over heals, and knocked me unconscious. Its been a while and I dont remember the exact dates but those are approximate. from Aug76-Sept1980. Arizona Territory, Vietnam Topographical Map - Battle Archives I have good and bad memories of my service in the area. Casualties and losses. Some of the most remote wilderness still left on the planet. Photo By Andr Sobocinski | I think we called it the Rocket Capital of the World, lol. The An Hoa Combat Base was first used in January 1966 during Operation Mallard as the Marines needed a firebase in support of the operation. I heard sometime later that in total they had killed 32 NVA before the hedgerows came alive with automatic weapons fire. I Served at An Hoa with 2/5, in January 1967 to 15 January 1968. On December 13th, a Friday, we left for the mountains to begin Operation Taylor Common. But Kinh was with us now and was a very good asset. 344 Liberty Bridge/Total length Jack L Murduck kia 3/1 comm plt. There are groupd travels but they tend to only stay at one location for maximum a day. Intro MCB 4 - Ken Walden 1967 DaNang Vietnam Deployment Camp Hoover Liberty Bridge wyotexas USA Ron Reel 2.37K subscribers Subscribe 402 views 1 year ago MCB 4 - Ken Walden 1967 DaNang. Had a pet monkey who helped keep the rats off us at night. Seabee History - Vietnam - Navy Where is the Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh? life-and-death struggles. The one Seabee Ican remember had handlebar mustache and was nicknamed Gunsmoke. It is one of the most convenient ways to see one of the large combat bases and understand a bit of how the Marines fought during the war. A bridge guard threw frag at something in the water. Hey Ronald ( Doc). Wade. I was in An Hoa from 12 /69 to9/70 when we left for LZ Baldy Was radioman for E 2/5 and one of last Marines to leave AnHoa We could hear B52s coming our way on our way out. I want to cross into Lao from N.W. Your email address will not be published. Liberty Bridge was constructed and located at coordinates AT 923532, in Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province. Service: Navy. Vietnam: America's Deadliest Days, 1965-1972 covers some 80 battles. Driving around these areas will give you a good idea of how the war was fought in this very strategic part of the country. I remembered some solders didnt pick up laundry services. On 7 May Company A 1st Battalion 7th Marines relieved one Company from 2/7 Marines and Company K 3/7 Marines was added to the operation. AC-47 gunships held back the PAVN/VC while a platoon of Marines mounted in amphibian tractors, with tanks and helicopter gunships escorting, attacked east from An Hoa to reinforce the hamlet and bring an ammunition resupply. 58 captured. He left the field alive but traumattically wounded. The 2,040' "Liberty" bridge built by CB 4 over the Song Thu Bon river in 1967. His battery commander later related that when you were as tall as Ray, had a southern drawl and were serving with the Marines you know youre in for some rough kidding. For the general traveler there are certainly reasons to visit the area. There was a stone monument built at the spot. I went through four operations while I was in Vietnam, including the Durham Peak and Pipestone Canyon operations. I went through four operations while I was in Vietnam, including the Durham Peak and Pipestone. Ahhh the Memories!!! We would not have allowed this to happen if we had been there still. I was assigned to H&S 2/5 in An Hoa from July 1967 to December. E. Muir was killed when he stepped on an explosive device while on the Hill. The bridge, in the heart of Quang Nam province about 25 miles southwest of DaNang, was built by the . Finally, my image of An Hoa can be put to rest after seeing all the changes to the former combat base. 1st Marine Division Operations There was a visible sign of better times in Quang Nam province when, on 30 March, the 825-foot Seabee-constructed Liberty Bridge was opened across the Thu Bon river just south of Dai Loc. Rock Hill SC I am happy you made it out. I saw them once in the mess hall. Set us up on rifel range to scope our weapon. He was walking up to the gate and I was telling the boy to put the can down because he wasnt allowed to come in with the can. and take off for parts unknownprobably Marble Mountainthats where we convoyed to that same dayI believe The Map page has a map, of Hills 65, 37, 25, 52. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and sent overseas, where he stayed for more than 15 months (earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart). Today if you Google David Robert Ray you will come across a portrait showing a gangly, smiling youth in service dress and a Dixie Cup hat. Operation Taylor Common was a search and destroy operation conducted by Task Force Yankee, a task force of the 1st Marine Division supported by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), southwest of Hi An from 6 December 1968 to 8 March 1969. In his junior year he left school to join the Navy, enlisting on March 23, 1966. She had a jeep willy pulling a trailer to bring the goods out in the morning and bring the unsold back home in the afternoon. My dad was there that night Dan bullock was Kia. A man sent to take her and her family to resettlement, again. He served as a platoon leader is there organized travel available to an hoa, liberty bridge area or go noi island. I was short by that time. 69. I was there from Oct 76 to Mar 68 An Hoa and Phu Bai untill med evacked out of country. 704 791 2768. I also worked in 5th Marines COC This mission covers another insert near at Liberty Bridge, which I believe was near the base at An Hoa. We never slept when in from the bush. The doctors and nurses would regularly eat in the 5th Marines mess hall. Cpl David Paul Bagwell (rank when i was discharged 1970) Bulkeley, John. By days end 36 of the Marines were dead. On June 9th ,1968 we caught the 90th NVA Regt off guard, as we had camouflaged so well & moved at night when the NVA lest expected Marines on the move & foufgt a successful battle at An Bang 3 village area killing 80 NVA by body count, & collecting 100s of enemy wpns. We visit the remnants of a bridge formerly constructed by US Marines in an area of high conflict during the war between the US and Vietnam.These videos are possible thanks to all the servicemen who have posted information on the web about Liberty Bridge and places like this all over Vietnam, including detailed maps and personal accounts, photos and other information. and was wounded on July 4, 1967 by a mortar. Was part of the LSU (Logistics Support Unit). In the act of saving this Marines life Ray ultimately sacrificed his own. My mom had a vendor shed on the north side of Liberty Bridge selling soft drinks and souvenirs during the period. Yes, the German hospital was outside the gate on the way up to Liberty Bridge. I went in as a private and got out as a staff sergeant. I know he was stationed at An Hoa in 1967. On January 31, 1968, South Vietnam exploded from North to South. My father and his crew were awarded the Bronze Star after that. Despite the heavy fighting, friendly casualties numbered only three Marines and a PF with minor wounds. Let me know OK? Bad night at The Bridge. An Hoa Valley, Qung Nam Province. Other than boot camp at MCRD San Diego I spent my entire 4 year tour at Camp Horno with the 1st Marines. Tom I First Force Recon and our compound was right by the artillery battery. The road is still there so possible to travel along. Ha! I was in W battery 2/11, FDC. Did make it to the Goi Noi Island; bad place! SEMPER-FI. There were 28 of us We built our camp from scratch replaced the runway and-started with the rest of the base hospital-chow hall I extended for 6 month leaving in December of 68. It was built to enable the Marines to move men and material across the Song Thu Bon south to An Hoa or to a jump off point for Operations to be conducted on Go Noi Island. Not sure how true it was, but do know that for the next three days/nights we lit up the valley with air strikes, 175mm Cannon and even the New Jersey firing from the Gulf. I have a picture of your gun with the round in the air My dad worked in the SVN administration office below the french fort, hill 37. from Nov 69 to Aug 70. I remember that like yesterday. I was glad to be in Force Recon as a Radio man 1969. From April to September 1967 Seabees of MCB 4 built a 2,040 "Liberty bridge" (T Do bridge, now is Giao Thy bridge) over the Thu Bn river for this purpose. So many orphans killed. I remember you ,Webster , Star ,Gunny Flanagan and the Lee Marvin fellow but not his name ,he was a kick. When he started coming in, he had a Coca-Cola in his hand and was making like he was drinking it. Taken at Hospital Corps School San Diego, Calif., in October 1966, it is a heavily cropped image that conceals the fact that at 66 Ray towered over his classmates and he typically shied away from getting his photograph taken. I didnt start learning english until 6th grade. Now 66, Frew is a public speaker and philanthropic volunteer who lives in Sarasota with his wife of 35 years, Anita. The NVA had escaped into the Que Son mountains. TogetherWeServed - Sgt Steve Bosworth His name was Kinh. A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic "Doc" of Liberty Bridge I was in LSU-1 2\5 . When was the Liberty Bridge built in Pittsburgh? Hue would be just East of the A Shau valley border with Lao). That area was known to us as Dodge City located about 10-12 miles South of Danang. Motor scooters and pedestrians still cross on ferries. Medal of Honor: David Ray. - Camp Comamajo Press That night the orphanage was mortared and VC in our lines at An Hoa. Could you be him? Also on the map is the area known as "Dodge City." Created/Published: 1965 Scale: 50,000 Dimensions (Width x Height): 22.6x29.2 I watched the firefight from our trench line. I dont have any of the information you seek but, I would like the same info, if you come across it I hope we can share it. My father, Ken Nielsen, just passed. Because us being Americans would Never, Ever do something like that! Thanks for your service Don and Welcome Home Brother !!! South of the west end of the runway are remnants of concrete structures, perhaps command bunkers. The Battalion worked at the Da Nang Air Base and Con Thien. 2/5 left for Hue and we thought we would be overrun.
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