Tom's Great Adventure - Part IV

[frisco-kid]

About this time 2yrs. ago, James [EXLRRP] and myself, along with our better halves, returned to Vietnam for the first time since the war. It was James's 2nd tour and my 3rd .

We landed at Tan Son Nhut, just like old times. We spent the first couple of days in the Saigon area seeing some of the sites; Cholon, the Cu Chi Tunnels, etc.. We were living large eating at great restaurants, shopping, and staying at the Grand Hotel near the Rex and Continental Hotels.

We then hired a vehicle, driver, and guide and headed for the Central Highlands. We spent the first night in Ban Me Thuot. James spent quite awhile in the area as a LRRP attached to the 4th ID. I had been there several times escorting fuel convoys from Cam Ranh Bay. We spent the next night in Pleiku. James operated as a LRRP in this area, also. I had never been there before. The next day we drove to Kontum, one of my old stomping grounds. James had never made it there. We had lunch there and drove back to Pleiku to pick up the road to Qui Nhon, going over Mang Yang Pass. We found a beautiful hotel right on the beach that we liked so much, we stayed 2 days there. We then headed out for Nha Trang going through Tuy Hoa, another AO I spent quite a bit of time in with the 101st. We spent the night in Nha Trang at another excellent hotel across from the beach. The next day we head out for Mui Ne, a beautiful beach resort area due east of Phan Thiet. As we drive down HWY. 1, now a beautifully paved highway, we pass by Cam Ranh Bay [lived there for 8mos. while on convoy security duty during my 2nd tour], Phan Rang [the main basecamp of the 101st while I was with them], Song Mao [another AO I spent some time in with the 101st], and to Phan Thiet [another AO I went to in early '67]. We spent 2 days in Mui Ne, our favorite beach area, before returning to Saigon to fly out the next day.

In November my wife and I are going back. My wife can't get 2 consecutive weeks off until then. Because it'll be the rainy season to the north, we're going to spend the time in the south. After spending a day in Saigon, we're going to Can Tho in the Mekong Delta [9th ID AO]. I've never been that far south. After taking a boat trip to the famous floating markets and spending the night, we're driving to Rach Gia to spend the next night. We'll get up early to take a hydrofoil boat to Phu Quoc Island. It's a large island in the Gulf of Thailand. It's currently owned by Vietnam, but has been fought over by them and Cambodia for centuries. During the war, it was home to a huge POW camp run by the ARVNs. It now has beautiful hotels along it's white powder sand beaches. After 2 nights there, we'll fly back to Saigon. That same day we'll hire a driver to take us to Mui Ne to spend 2 nights in one of the beautiful beach front hotels. We then head up into the southern Central Highlands to the beautiful mountain city of Dalat. I went to Dalat several times while on convoy escort out of Cam Ranh during my second tour. After 2 nights there, we make the drive back to Saigon. On the way we'll pass through Bao Loc in the southern Central Highlands. I spent some time there while on a small operation with the 101st. What I remember most about the area was a couple of beautiful waterfalls and very light contact with Charlie. I also went there several times escorting convoys. We'll spend that night in Saigon and fly out the next evening.

When looking for flights, we were looking for one with a long lay over somewhere in Asia. We found one with Asiana Airlines. Going, we have an 11hr. lay-over in Seoul, Korea. We plan on leaving the airport for a tour of the city. On the return flight, we have a 14hr. lay-over. Once again, we plan on leaving the airport and doing some shopping.

Unlike the first trip with James, this isn't going to be a soldier's return to the war zones that he fought in [although we do go near a couple]. It's going to be an exploration trip going to a couple areas that I've never been to before, and playing the tourist to the hilt with alot of beach time. Looking forward to it. So who wants to go cruisin' The Delta?

[catman]

Tom...sounds like you have a very go plan worked out. Have fun my friend, glad we finally met and was honored to shake your hand. You always have a place to stay in the "Northwoods", be well brother,

Trav

[phuloi]

Still can`t muster up any desire to go back.Wishing you and Kath a wonderful and safe vacation trip.
I have tenative plans to take Kati to Bavaria and surrounding environs in`06.

[82Rigger]

Frisco,

Just wondering about something...

When the 3rd Brigade of the 82nd shipped out for 'Nam, do you know if any of your riggers went over with you? I'm sure they must have, since the riggers did the air drops.

I had some friends in the 782nd support/maintenance battalion (the 82nd's riggers) but they wouldn't have deployed the whole rigger unit.

Did you know any of the riggers?

[Chas H]

Tom, you toured my old AO. Here's our accomodations at Ban Me Thuot East.

[Packo]

Frisco!

You know that Deb and I would love to acompany you two somewhere....just not there.

Now, someday, not only will we get to San Fran, but hoping to do the Normandy, St Mere Eglise, England, Scotland thing. But Vietnam....nope, just don't wanna go back. Also wanna see the Little Big Horn.

Pack

[frisco-kid]

Steve: I was in the 4th [of 5] serial. We left Pope AFB on 16FEB68. The riggers were in my serial, but it was just a detachment of the 782nd. I'm not sure how big. They weren't on my C-141. I was with B troop, 1/17th Cav at the time. As I recall, there was also part of 2/321 Arty, one company of 307th Eng, one company of 307th Med, and part of 582nd Sup. Could have been more, but I don't remember. Lot of yrs. ago. After the airlift was completed I heard that a plane landed at Chu Lai every 1/2hr. for a week.

Chas H: When were you at Ban Me Thuot? Who were you with? I was ascorting convoys into the Highlands from Cam Ranh JUN-DEC68. I seem to remember going to an aviation outfit there the most. My strongest memory of Ban Me Thuot was drinking in an EM or NCO club one night and got in a beef with one of our truck drivers; a long, lanky, Texan. I made some derogatory remark about Texas [Jaysus, those Texans are touchy], and he sucker punched me. I jumped up, picked up the chair I was sitting in and hit him with it. Broke one of his teeth. Most people around us only saw the part where I hit him anfd started grabbing me, while this big drink of water was starting to get up and come my way. I just knew I was going to get hurt. Some guys stopped him before he got to me. They sat us back down at the table and made us apologize to each other. The guy remained my friend the rest of my tour.

BTW, there's a water slide park where the aviation outfit was. Have a picture of it somewhere.

Griz and Packo: Totally understand, Bros. It's not for everybody. It was nice hearing from you yesterday Griz. I'll give you a call soon. Tom, sure sorry you guys aren't going to make it out here this year. Give me a call. It's your turn.

BTW, wasn't Doc Hal drinking beer out of the Little Big Horn ?

[Chas H]

I was at BMT end of Feb '68. We ( C btry, 7/15th Arty) drove down there from LZ English. We were out of town by about 20 kliks so no clubs for us. In fact we were resupplied by air including our 8" ammo; a whole lot of 'Hook traffic to do that.
We and an 105 SP btry dug in and supported Operation Plus for about 3 weeks.

[39mto39g]

I just couldn't do it, But clade you had a good time.

Ron

[exlrrp]

Tommy, Tommy Tommy
I'm proud to be a paratrooper just cause youre one.
Forget all these guys that don't know how to go somewhere and have a good time--who else but a real paratrooper is going to vacation in THE MEKONG DELTA!!
Well, I had a terrific time the second time and I'm going to have an even better time next time--Because I aint taking no women this time. These oold grannies clucking their tongues at awful stuff sorta cramp the style, you might say..
I can finally say I banged a white woman in the Nam now though, even though I had to take her there myself (and pay for it too)
Hehehehe, sorta hadn't planned to take women this last timne but once I get to getting generous with women, it can get out of hand some times. This next time I'm going just like I went the first time--guys only
NOT of course because I have plans to do anything licentious, oh no, wasn't even thinking about it, oh no, na no, of course not. You can get hassled for having a whoore in the NAm!! No fooling!! Not like the old days youre saying, and youre right!! Theyt don't even sell dope on the street anymore!!
Well the dang Commies have ruined the place, yr saying now but no, they actually have spruced up the place a good deal--any bomb craters left were used as fishponds. Did Tom say that old aviation base we used to stay in North of Ban Me Thuot is now a water slide Park?
Well,I still want to get to Hanoi, so I'm pretty sure going next year, start in Hanoi, take the Reunification Express to just South of the old Dmz, rent a Mercedes and xdriver and cruise the warzone throwing old piasters and MPC out the window at the deserving populace. The guide this time may be female but will have to meet certain physical criteria.
You know, being feted in style, reeling from one old Corps to another. This time I want to take the elephant ride through the Ia Drang and also get out to Ban Don Park, west of BMT-was there in both of those places during the war. Ban Don is what they used to call "Indian" country although I never saw no indians, just Yards. They say you can see exotic animals in Ban Don--this was where my pal Woody's team came face to face with the tiger. All I saw there was exotice mosquitoes but there'd be wild sounds at night that would stand the hair up the back of my neck-don't even WANT to know what they were.

Chas H: I was there in BMT during the time you were there, we stayed in the helicopter base north of town, the one they tuirned into a water slide park. Used to hang out sdowntown in the old International hotel--we stayed in the same place when we went back there but you wouldn' recognize BMT now, its built up and, of course, there's no war

Ciao for now--glad to see this site is up and running again
James