P-training

[frisco-kid]

Preparatory Training. When a paratrooper was assigned to the 101st in 66-67, after processing in, drawing equipment, etc. at Phan Rang he was sent through P-Training prior to being assigned to a company and sent out to the field. I don't know if this continued after the rest of the division started coming over in late '67. I left in JUN67.

This was a 1wk course, like a mini AIT. He was taught alot of the tactics used out in the field. How to walk point; be a point slackman; how to set up different types of ambushes; how to be on a LP or OP[Listening Post or Observation Post], etc.. The biggest lesson, however, was how to do a CA, Combat Assault, from a chopper. This wasn't taught back in the states in AIT. All of this was puncuated with PT, running, and most of the training exercises being done with full rucks, so it was also getting climatized.

The 101st and the 173rd Abn. Bde. are the only 2 units that I've heard of running a P-Training course. Did any of you other troopers have this in your unit?

[DMZ-LT]

It was gone by 70 , Tom. I went straight to my platoon with the 101st

[Gimpy]

Before the 9th Division headquarters were moved down to Dong Tam in the Delta in 68 (? I think that was late 68) we were located at a place called "BearCat" in 1967 and early 68 not very far from Long Binh. We had P-training there for a few days, sometimes about a week or so depending on the urgency for the "replacements" to get out in the field. Most of the training took place outside BearCat in some of the surrounding rubber plantations. Not a "nice" place to be, it was SUPPOSED to be "training"--BUT..........we actually ran into "Charles" a couple of times while there. Scared the livin shit out of us FNG's!

[frisco-kid]

Can't beat those live-fire exercises. Little intimidating when it's bein' laid down on you, though.

[frisco-kid]

Yeah, I figured as much once the whole division got over there.

[Andy]

In November of ?67 2nd B. of the 101st arrived in Cu Chi. We did not like them and had good reason. No one ever gave them instructions on negotiations. Price of street ladies went up to $5.00 or more! That was went someone put up a sign over the E-Club that read, ?No Bird Shit Allowed?. A very bad evening to be a young kid with an attitude. Have you ever been hit with an e-tool in front of an e-club?

They did do a lot of jumping jacks and air borne shuffled all around camp. They did do air assaults but at least at first, only after the area had been swept by the 25th ID. One idiot Captain lined his men up, still in the bush, to march, you know like Fort Gordon marching, to Ann Margaret Gate. They got ambushed as they were coming out into our sight. Bad, very bad. The entire unit was cherry and I do believe they did what we called ?play war? for longer than a week. Course not being at Cu Chi very often, could be wrong.

The 25th and an in-country school that was 3 days long. It wasn?t mandatory. A good friend of mine arrived at Cu Chi on Feb. 15th and was shot in the chest on Feb. 16th ?68.

Hey Gimp, did I every tell you about going to Dog Tag? Spent a week there one night. But I did manage to "find" an orange chair in some NCO Club. Hell, they were charging us $.50 for a rum and coke and I didn?t like being ripped off. When we parked the next night I put that chair on the rear ramp of our APC, looking all urban, sipping a drink form a real glass (stole that too). Ah the envy that chair created.

Stay healthy,
Andy
PS. Hey Tom, sort of came out of the cave yesterday.

[Gimpy]

"Dog Tag"? Dong Tam"? Whatever you want to call it...........I never got to set foot in that HQ. Our Regimental HQ was at a place called "Tan Tru" upriver from Dong Tam a good ways. we flew over it (Dong Tam) a few times heading to god knows where! It was a man made Island in the middle of the river. The Corps of Engineers spent a few months "dredging" sand from the river bottom to construct this place..........at the time it was supposedly the largest man made Island in the far east. Didn't spend a whole lot of time at Tan Tru either. After we left "BearCat" in July 67 I got to stay two (2) days and nights at Tan Tru before heading out into "indian country" at a little village called An Nhut Tan (we called in "Onion Town" cause it smelled like rotten onions!)-----it was A/company , 2nd/60th outpost not very far from the Cambodian border near a place called the "bowling alley".....which was about 6 or 7 miles long area of rice patties between two rivers and swamps on each side of the rice patties. From the air it looked just like a long bowling alley! It was just a company sized outpost and we were kind of on our "own" out there all by our lonesome! This is where I got hit in November 67. Three nights after I got wounded one section of our perimeter was overrun and we lost about 12 guys and no telling how many wounded. Just so happens one company of the 3/39th was only about 5 miles away at the time and they were flown in ASAP and saved their asses! Saved a lot of "scalps" from the locals that night! Met up with a few of the guys that were there that night after I got to Tokyo Army Hospital..........they said it was hand to hand and pretty rough until the 3/39th came roaring in from the south!

Needless to say.........I never heard of a stupid ass decision to put one "Company" out there by themselves that far from "home" again! Our Company CO was a freakin glory hound and "volunteered" us for that little diddy. Stupid son-of-a-bitch got a lot of good men KIA. A couple of my old buddies told me he came to the MRFA reunion (2/60th, 9th Div) in Kentucky a few years ago and BARELY got of town in time before someone wasted the bastard! It's a good thing I didn't go that year........he probably wouldn't have made out without at LEAST some physical impairments similar to those that cause a few of US!



STILL a "pissed off" Gimp after all these years! Anger "management" does help somewhat however!

[frisco-kid]

Andy, none of what you said surprises me a bit. Just like a bunch of Americans showing up in a foreign country, throwing money around, and inflating the price of ummm.....female companionship . As far as being smacked with an e-tool, well, that sign may as well of said "YOUR MAMA WEARS COMBAT BOOTS AND RIDES SHOTGUN ON A GARBAGE TRUCK." I'm guessin' the only reason they used e-tools was because they didn't have any firearms :ek: . Lucky it wasn't the 1st Brigade .

You're right about the whole outfit being cherries. Up until then the 1st Brigade was the only brigade in-country. Got there in JUL65. Plus, to make 'em even dumber, there were alot of legs in the 101st back at Campbell by that time. They were in the process of of becoming "Airmobile," and later "Air Assault." That Captain was probably a leg .

Glad to hear you're coming out of the cave a bit. Musta' been the SOX drawing first blood . Give me a call tonight if you see this post. Every time I call you, I get the voice mail.

GO RED SOX!!!!, my friend.

[splummer]

The same thing happened to us in Hue. As soon as the 101th moved up to ICorp , female companionship went up from 300 to 400 P's to 6 or 7 dollars american MPC. I think thats where the phrase 'war is hell came from.'