Jan 15th 1968

[Bill Farnie]

Keep it comin' Ron. This is great stuff.

[Robert Ryan]

Didn't know about TET until 16 days later at 3:10 a.m. Jan 31, 1968.

[39mto39g]

Ok
The morning of the 21st, we (duster) got word that the Arvn patrol didn't come back. As I swallowed I looked Geassy ( bunker partner) , The Oh shit, was on both our faces. I never wanted to be inside the wire of any camp more than that night. POP, and a flare would light up about 1/2 mile dia. Nothing, and off in the distance, boom, Boom, Boom Boomboom, tat,tat,tat,tat, Bop, bop bop bop Boom. All night long. The only time you could get any sleep was in the day time, But it wasn't really sleep, it was more like awake with your eyes closed. My radio was turned down as low as I could get it and kept the phone pressed against my ear so as to not let any noise out. around 2am every night there was this faint, "sitrep negative, break squelch twice" and I would Click click back at him.
Daylight was a painting sent from GOD. Finally, I could blink.

Ron

[phuloi]

"Daylight was a painting sent from GOD. Finally, I could blink."
Great line, Ron. Brought back memories of peering out into the darkness all night and only blinking when a bug got in your eye.

[Stick]

Night time in the towers was scarey, especially during a full moon. Feb. 2, '68 there was a full moon and there weren't no friendly fire goin' on that night in QuiNhon. In a tower you have an 8 ft. by 8 ft. space an you're 35 feet up with nuthin but sand bags ta hide behind and when a sand bag get hit with your unfriendly neighbors 7.62 it goes flat. We heard all 'bout Tet on the radio and didn't think it would ever come to the town that had the "Red Beach R&R Center" but on Feb. 2, 1968 it damn sure did. 600 feet down the road from Red Beach was "...hit Beach" at the east end of the airfield runway.

[Robert Ryan]

know about them towers I was in Tower#1 on guard duty at 3:10 a.m. Jan 31st 1968, when all hell broke loose. Didn't know what was happening until I saw green and white tracers coming my way. I was a real FNG TET 68 was the first time I came under fire my first tour in Nam.

[39mto39g]

Will have to go an look at my letters for info on Jan 23 to Feb 2. I remember a few things but the things and exact date I'm not sure.
I know that the Arvn sent out 2 more patrols (3 in all) the second didn't come back either, the 3rd went out with Mortars walking in front of it, About 1/4 to 1/2 mile out there was a bunch of small arms fire and then nothing. They didn't come back either. No more patrols sent out. We had very little arty support, seems they needed it several miles east. Mortars from the SP forces camp was about it. I was next to one hellofa defense weapon. Resupply was a experience. The pilot would set down and wide eyes would say there are NVA west of here. Thanks for the info there ski king, can I get a lift to were ever you are going?
It would get dark and God would go, Shhhhh and then cold would set in.

Ron

[39mto39g]

Ca-plunk
A case of hand held flares was dropped off at my position. I opened the box to find 24 silver flares. I took one out of the box and shot it off. It went about 200 feet in the air and lit. for about 15-20 seconds.
These things, to me, were just about worthless. First the shuusssh and smoke stream when you shot it would Identify your location. and then just as you got to a place you could look out, the thing would go out. You would have to take a chance and shoot about 5 or 6 of these off to get any real effect.
Anyway. The blanket of darkness was pulled over us and we did not fire any hand held flares off. I gave the rest to the Green Berets.
Tomorrow I would venture out and set Claymores.

Ron

[39mto39g]

Jan 26 1968
Mail call, and ammo drop.

The duster got a load of 40mm today and along with their load we got mail. It was 25 degrees in Chicago today and mom had to have her sidewalks shoveled.

The Duster received some fresh ammo so they would shoot their guns.
The duster has to be loaded from the outside of the tank, it gets loaded in 5 round clips. so it gets close to dark and the duster commander decided he is going to have "practice"
bop, bop, bop, bop, bop,bop,bop,bop,bop,bop. 10 rounds in about 3-4 seconds, Both guns smoked and crackled with heat. That night would be another quiet long night with no threat except for the long distant Boom, Boom from kha Shan.
I want the snow

Ron

[39mto39g]

Around the 25th Lang Vei started to receive refugees from the village of Khe Sanh that had been over run by NVA a few days earlier. On the 27th there was a Huge amount of people coming from the west that went to Lang Vei. The Duster commander found out that they were Laotians and were telling the duster commander that an enemy tank\infantry force had overrun their camp. Let me say that again, a TANK/infantry force. We had no wire in front of us, just 75 yards of dirt then tall trees. I don't know what them SF guys are going to do with all those no combatants, There had to be 1500-2000 walk up and knock on the barb wire. They scared the cprappoly out of me when they appeared out of the woods.
And if that wasn't enough excitement we then took a couple mortar rounds, just to loosen every on up.

Our Father, who art in heaven, was being said by more than a few that night.

Ron