[White Oak]

This photo is of Paul Foster(CA) he carried the Battalion Radio to always keep us in touch with our headquarters at LZ Center.The green towels were to keep the straps from cutting into your shoulders and the two ends were used to keep wiping the sweat out of your eyes.Wrapped up in the poncho were batteries,they were wrapped up and easy to get to and most important they balanced good there.Everybody carried the same weight,Everybody.Instead of a radio the rest of us had to carry claymore mines,trip flares,grenades,20 fully loaded magazines,extra M-60 ammo,some carried M-72 LAW,or carried ropes, machetes
.Now that was some of the stuff we had to carry to fight.We also had to carry two canteens of water,C-Rations for 4 days,air mattress,poncho liner and I'm sure I'm leaving something off.Most of the guys with me carried a personal box,it was a m-16 ammo box that was waterproof.At night you could open your box and read your letter again,keep your camera and film dry and writing paper and even above dry socks,dry Toilet Paper!This we would all get in a pack and try to stand up.Before we straighten up or try to we pick up our last item,our weapon.I would guess the weight at 60 pounds.Several of our medic's didn't carry weapons but made up for it with extra supplies.Paul was in our squad and carried the radio,when a old timer went home he got the battalion radio.I have mentioned that we make a perimeter every night.In the middle of this perimeter the Company Commander(Captain) and his CP(Command Post) dig their hole and sleep,It's the Captain,the Head Medic,the captain's radio operator and his(Paul) Battalion Radio operator.The forward artillery officer and his radio operator also sleep here.Paul was loyal to his platoon and always filled us in on what was going on,he listened to the Battalion move.