Vietnam veteran reunite in Canberra

[Wazza]

Vietnam veterans, their families and friends from around Australia, will gather in Canberra for the re-dedication of the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial in October - 10 years after it was first unveiled. The Federal Government has contributed $50,000 towards the commemorative events planned for the weekend of 5-6 October. The weekend's activities will include a Dawn Service, Gun Salute, breakfast, March of Honour, Re-dedication ceremony, Reception and Ecumenical church service. In the lead-up to the weekend, the Chief of Army's Military History Conference will be held in Canberra on 3-4 October at the National Convention Centre. The conference theme is The Australian Army and the Vietnam War 1962-1972. For information about the conference, visit the VVAA's web site www.vvaa.org.au/conference. htm.

Many Unit Associations have organised reunions in Canberra during the weekend and the Australian War Memorial will stage a special vehicle display on 5 October. More information about the re-dedication events is available on the web sites www. vvaa.org.au/anniversary.htm and www.vvfagranville.org.au, or through State Returned Services League [RSL] branches.

Thought some of you might be interested - however it's probably a little late to book a flight. The Australian people seem to have a different opinion toward Vietnam Vets. - at least since the 1987 'Welcome Home Parade' and the creation of the National Memorial in 1992. In any case, you might find the web sites to be of interest.

[xgrunt]

Wish I could attend Cannaberra's to-do. This year they are celebrating our Wall's 20th anniversary and I am trying to attend that. But a big WELCOME HOME to our Aussie brothers.

[PHO127]

When I was with the 25th ID we had a small firebase south of Blackhorse not far from Vung Tau. Above us was a rock Quarry run by the Aussies Royal Engineers, on our maps we outlined the quarry and it was AO mouse. One day while visiting our Aussie neighbors, the LT told us that they were going to be replaced with a Mary unit. We couldn't wait for them to come in and speculation ran high as to the type of unit it was, just think an army unit named for the Queen. We figured it was a highly decorated unit from WW II, Expert jungle fighters and counter insurgents. MAYbe a super unit from their British SAS forces. RUMORS RAN RAMPANT AMOUNGST US. 2 weeks later we made a social visit to the quarry and found our replacement unit to be quite a suprise. It was a native New Zeland Maori unit. I did learn to play a digere do though.

Tan me hide when I'm dead Fred.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

I had one Aussie buddy and I don't know his name. We were patients in the 24th Evac in Long Binh in June of 1969. He was in the bed next to me. His APC had hit a mine and he had been temporarily blinded. We played Monopoly and I was amazed at how he could keep up with what was going on without seeing the game. I remember going to a movie at the hospital with him. It was the Beatle's Yellow Submarine. It was hilarious trying to explain to him what was going on in that movie. Blue Meanies? You will never know how grateful we Americans were for the Aussies and Kiwis. Welcome home, buddy. Tell your friends they are more than welcome here and we would love to talk to them.

PHO 127: Just get DMZ-LT to send me your hide when you died, Clyde, and I'll try. Fred

[phuloi]

I don`t suppose you and your mates will induldge and partake of any of that fine Aussie beer at your reunion..?Never met any of you lads in RVN,but had one hell of a good time with a couple of Kiwis at a Black Jack table in Las Vegas..Funny guys.Welcome home!

[Keith_Hixson]

We'll have a patriotfiles.com campout in Australia in January! Go and see all our Aussie buddies. Get the VA to sponsor it, James and Griz, Chris and Andy, the Eastcoast Psycho Vets, and all the regulars, David gets to fly first class! Probably have to write a grant but I think it could be done. Just need a good title for the grant. Need some help with that one.

Keith

[Wazza]

Originally posted by PHO127
When I was with the 25th ID we had a small firebase south of Blackhorse not far from Vung Tau. Above us was a rock Quarry run by the Aussies Royal Engineers, on our maps we outlined the quarry and it was AO mouse. One day while visiting our Aussie neighbors, the LT told us that they were going to be replaced with a Mary unit. We couldn't wait for them to come in and speculation ran high as to the type of unit it was, just think an army unit named for the Queen. We figured it was a highly decorated unit from WW II, Expert jungle fighters and counter insurgents. MAYbe a super unit from their British SAS forces. RUMORS RAN RAMPANT AMOUNGST US. 2 weeks later we made a social visit to the quarry and found our replacement unit to be quite a suprise. It was a native New Zeland Maori unit. I did learn to play a digere do though.

Tan me hide when I'm dead Fred.

[Wazza]

PHO127

Pardon my ignorance but what is 25th ID & AO mouse?? My memory is pretty well shot but I remember going to a small U.S. base to pick up spent shell casings - I think. But I don't think it was Blackhorse. I'll try and find out.

I met a lot of U.S. servicemen while I was on-tour. Mainly at Vung Tau, Saigon and Hong Kong. One Marine Sgt. I met at Ton Sonut??? [Saigon Airport] was Lawrence Pepper, 607 Nth Elberon Ave, Atlantic City New Jersey he wanted me to go AWOL and he was going to have me ferried by helio to Da Nang. Always wished I had gone. I guess I had no balls at the time.

So I tanned his hide when he died Clyde and that's it hang'n on the shed.

[PHO127]

I was the artillery officer for the 1st battalion 27th infantry. AO mouse was Area of Operations mouse. We covered the rock quarry for artillery fire so i would go visit and shoot in close defensive fire for them and teach them how to contact us for artillery support. My mind isn't so good about some of the hiway numbers but Blackhorse was Fire support base Blackhorse, It was a base for the 11th Armored Cav and had a battery of Self propelled 8 inch Howitzers in it.


Tie me kangaroo down sport

[11BRAVO]

Is this :


I met a lot of U.S. servicemen while I was on-tour. Mainly at Vung Tau, Saigon and Hong Kong. One Marine Sgt. I met at Ton Sonut??? [Saigon Airport] was Lawrence Pepper, 607 Nth Elberon Ave, Atlantic City New Jersey he wanted me to go AWOL and he was going to have me ferried by helio to Da Nang. Always wished I had gone. I guess I had no balls at the time.


http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache...n&ie=UTF-8</a>

The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans'
LAST PATROL
May 13 - 27, 1989




JEROME ANDERSON
U.S. Marine Corps
1967-1970 JACK BRONSON
U.S. Army
196th A2/1 LRRP PAUL BUCKELEW
U.S. Army
1968-1969
TOM DOWNES
U.S. Marine Corps
1969-1970 JAMES LEON
U.S. Marine Corps
1966-1967 RICHARD P. GOUGH
U.S. Air Force
1963-1967
ROBERT GREER
U.S. Marine Corps
1968 JOSEPH C. LEO
U.S. Navy
1970-1971 ANTHONY C. NICORVO
U.S. Marine Corps
1966-1967


LAWRENCE PEPPER ????????
U.S. Marine Corps
1966-1971


HENRY ROSSI
U.S. Marine Corps
1967-1968 WILLIAM K. STARRETT
U.S. Army
1967-1968
GENE TIMMONS
U.S. Marine Corps
1965-1967 1486 FROM NJ
All Branches of Service
1957-1975 ROBERT VARGA
U.S. Army
1967-1968


The 'Last Patrol' is symbolic of that last mission or patrol just before leaving the area of operations for rotation back to the 'World'. The speed with which an individual left Vietnam, which was virtually overnight, might have resulted in that final good-bye left unsaid, a debt unpaid, or left a sense of loss as you flew home in a 'Freedom Bird'. These, and a hundred more reasons, left many veterans without a sense of closure when they returned home.
The idea of a New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Last Patrol was created by Bill Caubet. Bill was one of the members of the NJ Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Committee that would evolve into the Memorial Foundation that would go on to build the NJ Vietnam Veterans' Memorial over the next 6 years.
The mission: bring the 1486 names from New Jersey that are on the national memorial in Washington, DC back to New Jersey, a trek of over 230 miles that would take 15 days.