Rt 9 - Page 2

PHO127 · #11 10-24-2005, 07:12 AM

From Dong Ha to Khe Sahn was every kind of wrecked, destroyed and burned out vehicle you could imagine. As 9 came out of the valley from Vandergrift to KS it made a loop south to KS village then up to KS base then over into Laos. If I remember correctly the first village in Laos was Tchepone. LT and I fought a day long battle on the 25th of March 1971 NE of Khe Sahn where the engineers were building a cut thru road called red devil hiway that would cut off the south loop and give a more direct way into KS Base. Soon as I finish the research and get all the Data in one place I'll make a post on it. I can tell you that I took 28 casualties leaving KS to Vandergrift when we pulled out. Truly a valley of death.

39mto39g · #12 10-24-2005, 03:16 PM

Remember this place?
At least this is what it looked like from a chopper in 1967

Ron

PHO127 · #13 10-24-2005, 04:37 PM

Never flew over it in a chopper and wasn't there until end of Jan 71.

DMZ-LT · #14 10-24-2005, 06:39 PM

Some times it was a dream. From the hills I could watch the planes come in and watch the NVA arty hit the runway from Laos. I watched PHO get hit many a time . I was glad to be in the bush , almost. Peace Brothers

39mto39g · #15 10-25-2005, 01:25 PM

PHO127 · #16 10-25-2005, 03:36 PM

Lang Vei.

frisco-kid · #17 10-25-2005, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by splummer I've been looking a lot at maps today. I think the road by Dak To in 11Corp was QL-14. It must have been a few hundred miles south of R-9 by the DMZ. I was never on QL-14. The closest I ever got was R-19 going to Pleko and Anke before our company moved up to Danang by LST's then to the Hue area around Feb 1968. We were on so many roads, I guess I really can't remmber where they were paved and where they weren't except for Danang.

Steve, you're right about QL-14. James and I rode it when we went back. I don't remember where we picked it up, but we took up to Ban Me Thuot, Pleiku, and Kontum. It goes to Dak To and beyond. Paved all the way, but I think it turns to shit not far beyond Dak To. We doubled back on it to Pleiku to pick up QL-19 to get to Qui Nhon. Went through Anh Khe and over Mang Yang Pass. Once again, all paved.

In '66 operated around Dak To and, later, around Kontum with the 101st. QL-14 was all dirt that I saw of it. In '68 escorted convoys from Cam Rahn to Ban Me Thuot. Dirt all the way.

splummer · #18 10-26-2005, 02:43 AM

I got some movie pictures of our convoys on QL-19 and one of the passes. Hey my daughter moves your way tonight.