Feb 20, 1968

[39mto39g]

The 101st has been guarding the road from Phu Bai for a couple days. We hooked up with them and walked toward Phu Bai, I have no Idea why we stopped but we are stopped on the road and this is where we are staying?
We have orders to regroup with our BN, The LT didn't say when.
This whole area is such a cluster, but a good cluster, as we are not in Hue and are being resupplied. The nights are still long cold and dark and no sleep.
The engineers are loosing some people, snipers and mines. Those 101 engineers are the best.
Thank whatever God you pray to for truckers, without them bringing 81 ammo there would be no way to keep chuck away. I don't know how many rounds there mortar teams have shot. but you can't see there pit anymore for all the black cardboard tubes.


Ron

[splummer]

Dear M and D
I've been over hear almost 2 months now. I haven't heard many news reports but from what I see they are exagerated a lot. We have more troups over hear than they know what to do with.All you see is soldiers. Mostley American Korean and S. Vietnamise. They just don't go into it full scale and get it over with. The VC are all over, but don't get many chances to do anything in most area's. They seem to be afraid of us and after you are over here a while you can see that we are winning. Only thing is were doing it on such a small scale. It could take a long time.
Steve

[39mto39g]

SP
Any two week period of that war and we could have been sitting in Hanoi with the New Jersey tied to the dock, If they would have just let us.

Ron

[splummer]

I looked up an old letter to see what I was doing around Feb 20th. I think I was in Danang at the time. The news back home must have been talking about how we were getting our butts kicked. [Just like now] I was really bitter a lot of years with our government for sending us over there and not letting us win. It seemed like such a waste.

[39mto39g]

I remember that on Feb 25th, The Marines declared Hue secured? I wondered how they did that, I found out latter that the Marines hooked up with 2/7 cav and cornered what was left of the NVA in the SW corner of the Citadel, and that was the end of that. after Hue most of the Marines were south of Phu Bai, as I recall. What unit were you with?

Ron

ps. Letters to home are an eye opener, reading them 35 years later.

[Robert Ryan]

February 20th 1968, the two click patrol we would do around our compound get serious after TET, and we definetly didn't look at as a walk in the park anymore. Much more vigilant and much more alert to our surroundings, had passed by three hooches that we paid never mind to, and now were cautious when approaching them. TET changed everything my first tour in Nam.

[splummer]

My unit was the 585th transportation company. [One of the guys has a web sight with our history and etc. [ google search] My first month or so in 1968 we were under the 8th trans group and main job was convoys from Quin Ohon to Anke and Plieko. In that short time, since we never had a day off I must have been in 20 to 30 convoys on QL-19. My company moved up north to the Hue Phu Bie area in Jan and Feb. Someone said we were attached to the 3rd Marines. I assumed that they meant 3rd Marine Division but wonder if it would have been 3rd Marine Amphie force or something. I didn't see any army units then, and it was before the 101st came and settled at Camp Eagle. We were in a lot of convoys with the 7th Marine Mortor Transport. I think they were a baltalion size unit. Some time after Tet maybe April or so most of the Marines were pulled back south towards Danang. Then more army trans companies came north and we were under the 39th trans battalion. I was never in an army division. I have a lot of respect for most of the Marines we were with. They were just like us, only different.

[39mto39g]

Slum
I have no idea what Trans unit it was bringing all that 81 to those 101 guys, But I'm sure they would say thanks, 3 or 4 times.
A steady 81 for about 3 days (day and night) was what kept the VC and NVA from making a end around on the Marines in Hue.
That and the fact that the 101 owned the road. (1) north of Phu Bai. I don't know how you guys did it, but glade you did it.

By the way. The cav was all over north of Hue, and the 101 was all over south of Hue, Next time you drive a 2 1/2 ton truck full of ammo , maybe open your eyes , would be a thought.

101 made some nasty contact around that area around the end of Feb. and lost some really good guys. A couple of those body bags were mighty heavy and that wasn't because of their weight.

One of several times when the Body bags were stacked on the helicopter.

Ron

[splummer]

We didn't drive 2and a half ton trucks we drove 5 ton tractor trailers. They held 10 or 12 pallets of amo, probably 10 times more than a duce and a half. I know the first cav and 101th were there after tet started. My company started moving near Hue before tet and to my knowledge before those Divisions came. All I saw were Marines at first.

[39mto39g]

Slum
I don't know where you got you info but it's kind flawed. The Cav was all over the area north and west of Hue before and after TET, and the 101 was around the Phu Bia area and moved to Hue when Tet started. yes there were a lot of Marines in the area, but I would put money on it , that there were more Army personnel in the area than Marines. Army guys just hide better.
Hell, there were more ARVN in the area then Marines.
Don't get me wrong, the Marines did one hell of a job, but, most of their fighting was in the New city of Hue, The ARVN were the main fighting unit on the other side of the river and wall.
All those pictures of Marines going down a road in Hue that all the building were blown up, is because the ARVN had already been there.
Personally, I think the ARVN sucked, But In Hue they did real good.
And , The Marines were some brave, Brave, guys for going across that bridge. I couldn't imagine doing that.

And lastly, I can remember those square cab big trucks. Hauling one of those full of ammo is , Stupid is not the right word, , But it's close. and Thanks.

Ron