Wow

[Andy]

OK boys and girls, it?s time for one of those history lessons. In 19 hundred and 67 Christopher (Andy) Columbus(czyk) first discovered Vietnam. Arrived at Tan Son Nuht and took a bus to Camp Alpha. When they told me the barbed wire on the windows of the bus was to prevent grenades from being thrown in, I?ll admit, did get a little nervous.

To Bobby McNamara and General Westy, Thanks For The Memories. How could I have lived without sitting in the cupola of an APC? What kind of person would I have become without taking the point in the Iron Triangle? How could I drive thru the streets of Boston without having ridden door gunner on a Huey? Why would I have gotten married without dealing with the working girls on Tu Do Street? My God, it will be the 35th anniversary of my first Purple Heart in 38 days!

Yes, this is an anniversary. 35 years ago! It seems like just yesterday I was listening to Dad and Uncle Joe and Uncle Chet talking about the Big One, WWII (God bless all three of them). How could it be 35 years ago? I can?t imagine me being that old. What the heck happened? Did anyone else get old? Those Were The Days My Friend.

I may have a drink today. Come to think of it, I may have two.

Stay healthy, stay young,
Andy

[xgrunt]

I'm holding up a shot of Jose Cuervo Gold and saying'Here's to you Andy, may you stomp the VA's arse over their stupidity, and live a long life enrichening me with your thoughts and friendship" your Brother Frank

[splummer]

The wire on the bus windows made me a little nervous at first too. I've driven though the streets of Boston and I think being a door gunner on a huey or driving a pol tanker throught the Mang Yang pass, is much safer.
Steve

[DMZ-LT]

Last year when we were camping there was a lot of groaning going on when someone would sit down or stand up and I said , man we sound like a bunch of old men. Sid looked around and said , we ARE a bunch of old men. Sure got here in a hurry. I'd be honored to join that toast to Andy along with Frank and another toast to all the old men that made it home and those young men who didn't. Welcome home

[Packo]

is my Purple Heart day. It will be nice to be in Mass in a couple of weeks. We'll drink a toast to all of it. As for getting old???? Not me, I'm still a 19 year old Paratrooper, I just don't know who the hell that old guy is I see in the "picture" above the sink every morning. He gets in the way of my shaving.

Babysan Packo (and still beaucoup Dap!)

[phuloi]

I have always thought of all you guys as you were 35 years ago...until someone posts a picture,or heaven forbid..I look in the mirror.I toast with you and to you,Andy,and each and everyone of us.God bless. ..Griz Van Winkle

[xgrunt]

makes me feel old is that I can only ride the Harley for 8hrs a day unstead of 12 on a road trip. In my heart I'm still a 19 year old team leader who learned to walk point and take care of my people. Nothing else I've done in my life has really counted except that intense brotherhood.RIDE {LIVE} HARD- you can rest when your dead.[COLOR=skyblue]:D :D :cool:

[ArtySgt]

Got my Purple Heart on Aug. 7th, which is as i'm sure you know....Purple Heart day. Could have done with out that one. I hope all goe's well for you sooner rather then later. God Bless.

[Andy]

Splummer - You didn?t care for driving in Boston? Lots of people check their horns to ensure they?re in proper working order. Many drivers like to wave at you without using all their fingers. Straight streets is a lot like the phrase Jumbo shrimp, but what?s wrong with that? You just have to forget about being a defensive driver and go on the offense like everyone else. When in Rome?.. Or Boston?

DMZ - We aren?t Really old. It?s just that we use the phrase, ?I used to do that?, more often than our kids.

Paco - We will drink a toast but not until we have that long delayed crabapple fight. And you thought I forgot! And it won't be on any damn bridge.

Phuloi - Your right, the drinks are more for the ?other guys? than for ourselves. On special days our thoughts always go back to them. (Well, that?s what I tell my wife.)

Frank - Never really cared for that Mexican idiot-in-a-bottle stuff, thanks for the gesture. Man, you bummed me out! Started thinking about riding a Harley for 8 hours then stepped back and thought about Eight Hours. I don?t think there is anything I?d want to do for 8 straight hours, not even sex. OK, it?s official, I?m old.

ArtSgt - We worked with The Red One a couple of times. Where were you located when you got hit? I recall some of your guys who were in the One Quarter Cav that got in a hell of a fight in the Triangle, lots of dust-offs. We were once down in your Division's A.O. around Dog Tag for about 3 weeks. They gave us a great deal on some water front property.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Packo]

Why do you think I got Doc Fred with me. This time we're gonna out number you guys! Fred just got back from humpin' the Shenandoah Valley to get ready for this. Forget.....Hell!

J.E.B. PACKO

PS, can't get crabapples or sticks through these damn airports. With the north's industrial might, do you think you can loan us some? This time we do have shoes, though, so Doc and I are avoidin' Gettysburg. Should have last time also.

[Andy]

"LOAN you some"? I think note. The Union always had a slight suply edge, why start a trend in the other direction? Oh, all right I'll get you some powdered apples.

Humping the Shenadoah??? I'm still recovering from humping a trip to the mall last week. Maybe Fred could be the ref.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Keith_Hixson]

Hey Splummer,

I was asked to take a Col. to the Air Port in Boston. I probably did that 4 or 5 times. Driving in rush hour traffic is terrible. Narrow crowded streets, tunnels, those rounds, etc you had bad roads with big pot holes. You have to be aggressive to get anywhere in Boston. This Colonel sat in the back seat, he must have been old school. I weaved in and out traffic, driving like the locals. When I dropped him off at the Airport he said, "Son I was in the infantry in WW II, I was in Korea, and I've been to Vietnam, but riding with you is the only time I almost wet my pants". I took it as a compliment, I could drive those streets of Boston as well as a local, but I am sure it was a reprimand. I didn't say a thing but thought, "Sir, If you don't drive like that we'd still be going round and round at the first round."

Of course I had good training. I use to drive the bay shore freeway in San Fransico, and the freeways of Los Angeles.

Keith;)

[SEATJERKER]

...JUST DON'T TELL THEM ABOUT THOSE SECRET NORTHERN CRABAPPLES THAT HAVE SCENT DETECTION OF DEM SOUTHERN GENT'S, THEY SMELL PECANS FOR 150 YEARS, AND ARE PINPOINT ACC-U-RITE EVEN WHEN THEY PUT UP THAT FLAPJACK SCENT DETERANT...
...them "rotary-ies" are easy, you just close your right eye, and don't look, It's kinda like "northern chicken" as you enter or exit, got one within a mile of my house only they call it a "traffic circle" only this on is elevated, so it's more fun when we play bumper cars here, one usually goes down the hill a bits when "it" loses...
.. have a couple for the"brothers, and your own aniversary" and be well
...Keith, you just might make it as a northerner if you can drive like that on a regfular basis......

[phuloi]

Back in my days of setting up stock cars out here in the west,we rolled into a track and one of the guys on the crew tells me that this should be a fun night cause the locals run a "Figure 8" race.The cars get strung out over the course after a while and the intersection gets plenty hairy.I`m sittin atop the war-wagon watching this silliness and he says"Ain`t this a gas?" "Not particularly" I say,"I come from Boston":D

[ArtySgt]

We were in War Zone C South West of Quan Loi. We were setting up a fire-base when the 101 N.V.A. Regt. decided they did not want us there. I'm not too sure who won since we lost four of our six guns but in the end we still held the paddy the next morning. Dust-Off had to land on a rice paddy dike to get us out, in the DARK, talked down be a guy with a PRC radio and a filtered flash light. Never forget that, what balls it took to land the chopper on such a confinded space in the dark with fire coming from all side's. Don't know if I should say this but the Dust-Off was carrying small arms ammo for what was left of the gurnts. God bless all you guys and gals.

[catena]

I am only a daughter.. I can't even get my dad to come on here and read anything *sighs*... But I too have learned alot from all you guys and gals..I thank YOU ALL for it..
love you all
Your friend and God Bless,
Tina Catena

[usmcsgt65]

What's a bus?

Didn't know the Vietnamese had an idea what a bus was.

[splummer]

I knew all along that the one finger wave was just an eastern welcome to Boston sign. I couldn't always figure out which cow path to turn on and wondered why everyone goes 20 miles over the speed limit there instead of only 5 or 10 miles over like in Minnesota. Mass. is a great place for a vacation, and I've been there 3 years in arow now since my daughter moved to Somerville. {May skip the year 2003, but would sure like to meet you for coffee or better yet a drink next time. ] I really think [and hope] your problem with the VA will be worked out. Take care.
Steve

[splummer]

I would have taken that as a compliment. Did you ever drive in one of the rotories in Mass. ? I have a real hard time deprograming my agressive driving after I get back to Minnesota. Here, they don't expect you to pull out in front of them and they give you that one finger salute if you do. Take it easy.
Steve

[MORTARDUDE]

Andy :

I am drinking a Coors light in your honor right now. I will pray that the f**** VA will correct the situation for you. Have attached an APC picture for you also.

Take care and may God Bless !

Larry

[Andy]

ArtySgt: It was ok to drop off ammo and then pick anyone up who wanted a ride, unless the chopper had a red cross painted on it. Of course Charles just used that cross as an aiming point for his .51s, so what was the point?
I know I've asked this question before but I'll ask you too. War Zone "C" in the dry season, do you ever recall the wind blowing? I swear I don't remember the lightest breeze when in that area. Except maybe for the wind you'd get from the wings of the bugs.

Splummer: Somerville Mass., on the banks of the lovely Mystic River, which incidently has not caught fire in the last three years, well not big fires. Haven't been there in years but they used to have some really great Italian places to eat. All owned by the mob if I remember correctly, nonetheless nice places.
Somerville is about 15 miles south of a place called Tynesboro the home of the Gentleman's Club. Nothing we would be interested in. But it was judged by Playboy as one of the top 8 strip clubs in the US of A. Not exactly like going to Boston Opera or the Pops, but the openings each season are wonderful (I'm told).
Oh yeah, those drivers, they weren't giving you the finger! They were letting you know that your Number One, same-same Saigon.

Mortor: Thanks for the pix, thanks for the memories. Those M113's appear to be in front of some yellow trees. Agent Orange perhaps? GET A CHECK UP! Hey, why didn't you have anything packed in the trim vains of those vehicles? Our drivers wouldn't start the damn things without a little frontal protection.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[ArtySgt]

No, can't recall ever feeling the wind during the dry season, strange when you think about it now. As for the medivac and the small arms ammo, lets just say that it's another story. I was just too glad to get the hell out of there, spent two weeks at the 93rd evac hospital and right back to the bush.

[Timothy R. Kuhr]

Sounds like preventive-maintenance - the more ammo, the fewer bandages you need. Or is that pre-emptive maintenance? Whatever - bring our men/women home.

[39mto39g]

Andys post

[Packo]

Do I miss Andy.

Ron, Thanks for digging through the ruins of time for these posts. I, like you, can't take anymore, but I read them all. I can't believe the dates on them.....seems like....yesterday.

"Seems like only yesterday I left my mind behind.
Down at the gypsy cafe' with a friend of a friend of mine...."


Good night brother Andy!

Talk at you soon.

Pack