Corporal Mike Riorden was the Ontos Commander, although everyone called him Rio, like the city because his roots were from somewhere down in South America. The Ontos crew loved the Ontos, and I was almost certain their love had little to do with the machine’s armor or its armament. They got to ride wherever the thing was going, and they always had a place out of the rain to clean up, dry out and hang together. Rio, and two privates named Panda and Sentry comprised the whole crew. Panda drove, Sentry loaded the 106mm recoilless rifles, mounted three to a side on the exterior, and Rio was the gunner. In spite of my hesitation at how the crew might react to my rather suicidal ‘straight through the heart’ plan, they took to it like ducks to water. Panda, a strange gangly kid from Kentucky, who chewed tobacco or whatever else he could get a hold of, (I suspected the Betel Nut but said nothing), was also the mechanic because the smallish but dependable GM six-cylinder engine required constant attendance. It ate oil, spark plugs and for some reason, air filters, all the time.
“It’s supposed to hit thirty miles an hour,” Rio said, “but if Panda takes the rev-limiter off, empties the thing out, and pulls the guns and ammo, he says it’ll hit forty or even a bit more. Can this piece of the bridge across the river handle ten tons, and is what’s left of the thing flat enough to make the run?”
Your writing has become the catalyst to make me remember things. With this segment it is SSG John Rogers teaching “his lieutenant” to employ the 106 RR. He was the consumate professional. I am sure he is long gone now….but I remember him. I still love him.
This week I read Patton’s Panthers….the saga of the 761st Tank Battalion…”Come Out Fighting”.
From Henry V: “That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day…..we few, we happy few, we band of brothers—for whoever sheds his blood with me today shall be my brother. However humble his birth, this day shall grant him nobility.”
Thanks Jim,
~Hutch (Col, Infantry U.S. Army Ret )
Thanks for the compliment of my writing motivating you to recall things that might need recalling.
I much appreciate such well written and meaningful quotes too…
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim in reading and re-reading your chapters from the beginning I have come to better understand the total complexity and demands placed on leadership to make the daily life or death decisions in combat even if tempered with some luck at times. Not every company had leadership as capable as you and the Gunney thus I cannot understand our military brass sending in officers & men to “on the job training” where you learn by dying as Big Daddy stayed. Your writing is phenomenal, thanks
Thanks David, it is such a pleasure to read such words of understanding.
The Gunny and I, with help from some of the others, were a bit talented in many areas
and were able to bring those talents to bear under the worst of circumstance.
Easier to say now, all these years later, than it was along the way…and while I was there.
Thanks my friend,
Semper fi
jim
I read each chapter, about once a day, not wanting to miss a word, or moment, til the next chapter. Each time I re read, I may pick up a tid bit or two, of detail, like direction in the valley, relationship to the river, fire bases etc, but I never spot a mis print!!!! I am pretty good as a reader and writer, but I get LOCKED IN to your writing!!! As real as can possibly be put in print. I bet a dollar if you, mid paragraph, switched to some other language that I do NOT know, I would still read through and not even notice!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I will be buying multiple copies for some of those I believe need to have this literary experience.
I don’t think I could have written that about my own work. I don’t see the effort as being what the audience sees, hears and smells. I just go there and I’m back.
I don’t have the fear but I feel it nearby, not like the living thing inside me when I was really there. That helps me feel my way through and about that awful, horrid
and brutally beautiful valley of no return. I write more for this audience now than I do to tell the story, I never knew or had any idea that there was a need
for this kind of descriptive effort at getting it right. Defining right. What did it mean and what does it mean today? I cannot thank you enough, of course.
I do not read many compliments as significant as this one. Thanks ever so much. I shall write on tonight because of it…
Semper fi,
Jim
James, I put your critique up on my personal Facebook page. I couldn’t help it. I hope you approve!
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Precious James, chronicler of historic events, horrific and unimaginable. The average person goes about their day with relative ease, while a silent few walk amongst them, imprisoned by memories, psychological and physical.
My great “moment” of fear is reading your first three words in your response to my comment. “A combat veteran”, which I am not, and horribly may have come off as being one? To be an imposter of what I am not, ESPECIALLY a veteran, combat or not, is like the unpardonable sin to me, but I am sure with so many that you are personally responding to its just an oops!! So, I am over the panic of being “found out” and just want to say thank you for your humbling response to my comment.
I am COMPELLED to continue to write to you because of what I am, and strive to be better at.
You sir, volunteered or were drafted as were many a bit older than me and were sent to Vietnam. In the same sentence in your response to my comment you used the words brutal and beautiful describing the valley of no return.
You used the words see, feel and smell that place and the senses are as real today to you and MANY OTHERS as they were 40 plus years ago!!
Enter the Chronicler, as the Gunny, a calling not just one who was sent.
A gunny in my humble carpenter/framers opinion, is one who has experienced quite a bit more than others and steps up to provide the best possible outcome, success and survival of all. So, James the chronicler by calling, preach it!!! Notice I did not say teach it.
You are ministering to those who need, not another prescription to cover, but UN cover!!!
I grew up on Long Island NY and it was tues. Sept. 11 2001. I noted immediately 911 and the relevance. A few days later I could not find any flags anywhere, all stores were sold out, so I tried one last stop at the lumber yard I frequented. As a construction site supervisor, I was friendly with the counterpersons and asked when they may get some flags in. Mark shrugged his shoulders and said he had no idea.
I looked past him, out the window and saw my red Jeep Grand Cherokee. I turned around and went to the paint section. I loaded the counter up with red, white and blue spray paint, painter’s paper, masking tape etc.
He looked at me in shock as he knew I had a red jeep and said, “no way Jimmy, that is permanent paint”. I looked at him and said, this has been a permanent change to the world as we know it.
A few weeks later, while in an auto parts store, I saw out the window someone stop along side my “flag” jeep. He was NYFD in dress uniform. This was very common to see all over the area for weeks, with memorial services for so many. He came in the store, and I noticed him looking around as I was trying to blend into the place since he looked possibly pissed off that I would disrespect the flag or something. He walked over to me with reddened swollen eyes and asked, “is that your jeep?”, I had to say yes. He grabbed me in a bear hug that pressed my lungs empty! He wept “thank you, you have no idea how important that is”.
He then said, “I turned to the right, my friends turned left, they got crushed and I am here wanting to know why I am alive and they are not”.
So precious brother James Strauss, fellow American and leader and mentor to many whether you can believe it or not, bring us there to the best of your ability please so that those of us who have NOT been there can feel and not forget, and those who HAVE been there can once again feel and not regret.
James, I apologize for indicating that you were a combat veteran back from Vietnam. That was my fault, not your own, and you are as genuine an article as comes along out here in this
phenomenal world. You are a man who understands without having had to go through it to get it. You walk among other very rare men. Trump, Bush, Cheney and so many more men really have
no clue and make no effort to have a clue. You are not of that ilk, that ilk so many of us who severed out in the shit find pretty damned disgusting. You are also gifted in being able
to write what you really feel, and the length and depth of your comment here is certainly proof of that. I want to thank you for giving me even greater motivation to go on because the
writing is not easy, and few would really understand that. in fact, it gets ever more difficult as I approach the 30th day. And I’m not too sure about the writing of the book about when
I got hit and the long trip home to not arrive at home ever again either. But I have men at my side and in my mind…and you are one of them. Thanks for being along…
And thanks for everything you know I am thanking you for.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
I came to read the comments but I so moved by your conversation with J that I stopped. I have never read such beautiful deep insightful words spoken by friends to each other with such deep understanding, love, and care for each other’s souls. My heart is so touched by this open display of true friendship of kindred spirits.
Praying for you J and James and knowing without a doubt that God loves you two so very much.
James, God is talking to you through J. J’s words are Gods words to you.
God Bless you both.
Just a pebbler
There ares some rather extraordinary people writing on this site. And even the regular men and women are quite something. I answer all of my own comments (Chuck sometimes writes edit stuff replies) because of
the ‘draw’ the people writing comments stirs inside me. I just cannot not answer almost all of them. I usually get about two hundred per segment, which is time consuming. I am happy to get comments and much enjoy
the back and forth but I’m kind of glad that I don’t get a thousand! What would I do then? Be like Prince Harry who does not want all the attention he’s getting.
Good luck Prince, because that’s not going to change. Anyway, thanks for noting my conversations with J. He’s quite some guy and veteran in his own right. His condition is fetching and poignant as he awaits
a time when he will not be with us anymore. I write to that and him as a man and a vet and somebody who truly seems to care about me…like you. We don’t get that many in life and I would not be me
if I did not respond to that.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Amen to that Nancy!
Wow and damn ,man I’m not sure how you keep this stuff straight in your mind , but I’m glad you can , enjoy your writings. I at times don’t want to read , but force myself , I fined that kind of weird too, damn I ‘m drawing a blank so this is all. Thanks !
Thanks Bill, for coming on here to write about what you feel and also the compliment to me and my writing. It’s easier to keep something straight if you went through it, although sometimes the detail
can be difficult, especially when I look things up and they just don’t seem right in the portrayal on Wikipedia or the Internet in general. for example, we never called the little C-ration can opener
anything other than a can opener but modern reference has it as a P-38 which I believe but cannot true up from my own experience. Is it me or what?
Thanks for the comment here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim,
We called the can opener a p-38 in the Army, but the Marines probably had an older version. Maybe a p-32?
Dave
I only heard about the designation after I got back. Nobody in the field that I was with called it anything
but a can opener. Just the way it was. P=38 is a cooler name for the very necessary and useful little thing.
Semper fi,
Jim
The 3 Ontos I saw firing in Okinawa had a 50 cal rifle on top of the 106’s and it fired a tracer round to the target. The ones I saw there would fire and the tracer would be about half way to the target and the 106’s went off, don’t remember seeing a 30 cal machine gun though, but I was not a crew member.
The .30 could be easily detached and brought into the crew cabin. The short fifty-caliber guns fired less powerful cartridges than the machine gun but the round was specifically designed to have
exactly the same trajectory as the 106 round that would fire it. Only tracers were made for this special series of .50 caliber guns.
Semper fi,
Jim
Damnit…. I’m betting on Gunny or Nguyen getting the credit for putting your ass to the ground. Will find out soon enough. Gotta love the Ontos. Those things were one wicked little piece of hardware. Saw a demo while at Ft Sill using flechette rounds. Not something you would like to be at the receiving end of. It will also be interesting to find out who came down that chute behind you. The Gunny knows. On the ege of my seat awaiting your next edition! Semper Fi
Thank you so much Jack, for your usual kind and complimentary words. I am about to resolve another cliff hanging mystery.
Semper fi,
Jim
I fear that it was a concussion from a mortar or rpg that put you face down into the mud, or maybe it was Jurgens.
Well, the next segment will be up on Monday, as promised, and you will then know.
Thanks for the anticipation and the compliment wishing the body of your comment…
Semper fi,
Jim
Good article,I was interested because I had a friend that spent his 26 month tour as an Otos driver, he drove it off the landing craft at Chu Li in 65 I think. He told me his had been powered by an GMC 454 engine and without the governor it could reach a speed of 50mph. He was nearly killed by road bomb, known today as ied. Why he spent 26 months in country, because he had to make up the 2 months in the hospital.
Yes, a bunch of the Ontos were retrofitted with Chrysler 351 V8 engines. The original was a six and underpowered.
We had the six. Thanks for bringing that up. I got the data from wikipedia…
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim,
Just a small quibble. I never saw an Ontos in my time in the Valley in ’68 and ’69, but your description of the transmission as an Allis Chalmers piqued my interest. I worked for an Allison Transmission distributor for 35 years and an internet search tells me that the Ontos was built by Allis Chalmers with an Allison XT-90-2 transmission. Allison was a part of GM at that time. I served with B-2/501st Inf, 101st Abn.
Thanks for that tidbit Dave. I did not really research the Ontos much when writing here. I knew about Allison transmission from the Dodge trucks
but not really much more. Thanks for the ‘quibble’ help…
Semper fi,
Jim
Each time I read each section of this adventure , I feel as if my efforts while in combat , were worth the nightmares ,sick feelings , PTSD and then all the great accomplishments that we made !! Again I thank you for writing and your sharing Sir!
You are most welcome Don. I am on the next segment for the first of next week.
My rigorous new schedule in order to better keep continuity going…
Semper fi,
Jim
Another insanely good chapter! I wonder with all the firepower brought down on them how many (hundreds of thousand) NVA vets walked around the rest of their lives just broken.
I publish my segments in Vietnam for the current Vietamese e, and it is amazing how many ‘likes’ I get every time…
Semper fi,
Jim
Damn….
Another of your great one word compliments with meaning and force Tony!
Semper fi, and thanks…
Jim
it always takes me awhile to unclench my jaw after reading a chapter, this one was no different…Great writing sir…
Thanks, Al,
I am humbled each time I post a new chapter from the support shown.
Semper fi,
Jim
Other than what has previously noted, Ican’t add to or subtract from this outstanding installment.
Love all of your work.
Thank you “Junior,” a word I don’t take as negative as I once did.
Thanks for the compliment and for being here to read this stuff….and like it….
Semper fi,
Jim
WOW, one of the better on the edge of your seat cliffhangers in the series. I don’t think you’re wounded yet, too many days to go. I bet Gunnie or Nyguen tackled you/pushed you down to get you out of the line of fire.
Thanks for the compliment of your writing on here Jim and you attempt to figure it out ahead of time.
Next segment, of course, will reveal all….
Semper fi,
Jim
At Gunny’s suggestion you decided Panda was to drive the Ontos across the river, but then refer to Rio as the driver ???
Your writing is riveting, the situation you were in is nearly impossible to wrap my mind around, and the energy required to put it on paper must be massive.
Thank You.
Yes, have to fix that part Tim and appreciate your help on being part of the editing team.
Semper fi,
Jim
From which book is this story? I’d like to order it and maybe all of the series. Great writing! Please email me the details.
Third book, the third ten days, Jim. Not published yet.
I am writing segment by segment and putting it up on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
I do not care that you have so many critics making corrections of minor issues as written.
I do like the “big picture” of what is going on, what is happening all on the fly as it happens!
This is exactly how things unfold in seconds and the tension is real.
Great !
Thanks for being along for the ride and don’t be too harsh on my editors. They mean well and are doing well for the finished product.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another great read.Hell of a story.
Thanks Daniel, I am working away on the next segment right now in order to try to write one per week.
Semper fi,
Jim
I was cheering too LT. as the Ontos made it across . A very riveting Segment ,Thanks and Semper Fi
Yes, thanks Roger. I wasn’t at all sure that the little heavy pig of a thing would make the jump but it did without much trouble,
as described. The Ontos proved to be a wonderful combat device and was responsible, like our artillery and the Skyraiders and Puff for
our very survival.
Semper fi,
Jim
Only saw Puff once. If not for Puff that one time, I’d not be here 50 years later.
Yes, supporting fires could and did mean just about everything when we were dealing with an enemy
as well equipped, motivated and pervasive as the NVA. I will never forget how many guys in the rear
saved my bacon time after time while I was out there in the shit….and they are not quite so lauded
for those efforts except by a few of us who will never forget….
Semper fi,
Jim
Good read Lt
Thanks, Ron
Share with your friends.
Semper fi,
Jim
Riveting.
It is going to really get tight soon, Glenn.
Thanks for your support
Semper Fi, Jim
Good to see you back in the saddle and kicking mud! That quick cold bath will certainly perk you up, if it doesn’t shock the body. I remember a lot of cold showers in the NAM.
Doesn’t the Ontos have a 50 caliber on top? That could certainly have given your troops some good cover support and it loads from the inside.
My guess is that either Gunny or Nguyen pushed you down and out of sight of the snipers.
No, the Ontos had no fifty. Our Ontos had a .30 Browning but the exposed position was terrible to shoot from, and if it had been manned many
times, like in the last segment J, then the gunner would have been dead right away. The thirty Browning is a great machine gun but the penetration
in the jungle is nothing like that of a .50. Thanks for the comment and I so happy to see that you are still kicking!!!
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
I am happy to be kicking also, might even get a chance to see how your story turns out. LOL.
Semper fi my friend, with you all the way.
J
YEs, since you have me on this one segment per week regimen! I am working away and most happy you are
sitting or laying there and reading it.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Still sitting and walking around for as long as the Good Lord Allows. He has been good to me and for me, as I draw closer to Him each day. At the end of this journey, I will take a little R&E and be off onto my next assignment.
Semper fi my friend
Why do I picture you as this aging character of such elegant but rough presence and magnetosphere?
I do, you know. I picture you reading the work and considering after you’ve read it, maybe looking out a window
or simply against the wall.
Your own thoughts and life experience being brought into focus and attention directed to my own tied to your own.
Complex explanation there. You are special. I just know that, and I thank you for being
special in my life…
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Thank you James for the kind comments. As I await my final days on earth to come to fruition, I do have a lot of time to contemplate not only my life, but others as well.
Having spent twenty years in the military, my memories of the troops I served with, are vivid and endearing. They are also very sad memories, when recalling the tragedies of war that I witnessed and the effects they had on my fellow comrades.
My desire is to reach out to those whose lives were drastically changed through war and to tell them that they are still special people in the eyes of their Creator.
Their lives were dedicated to a noble cause for both the nation and their loved ones. It was the cause for freedom, liberty and the right to believe in their chosen faith. The latter, being the most important to our Creator as He wants them to return to Him for their just rewards!
James, you are among those whom the Lord is reaching out to and are equally loved by Him. His eyes are upon you as He awaits for you to return the love that He has freely given to you. Don’t ever forget that!
I have not forgotten the Lord J.
New to me, this kind of semi-active conversation that is seemingly so one-sided.
I have prayed for you.
You don’t need my prayers, I know, but still…there they are.
I have come all this way through so many close calls it is not likely I got through on talent and luck alone.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways but sometimes I so do wish he’d just say something, even if it was only to tell me that I’m an idiot.
Thanks for your care and your constant watching regard…
Semper fi,
Jim
Another gripping chapter Good job
Thanks so much for the motivation and support Arthur.
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim,still on edge. Never a easy move!
Thanks Mike S, and am so happy to have your continued reading and support.
Semper fi,
Jim
Thanks for staying with us, Mike
Semper fi,
Jim
Great turn around time on this segment. Thanks. It is good that you have had some rest in the Islands. You have been going hard at it, for an old man… Dave.
Was it Panda that drove the Ontos across the bridge? Or Rio as originally planned and written?
Thanks Dave. Yes, I do write a good bid, not including on the comments here!
Thanks for the compliment and writing your own comment here….
Semper fi,
Jim
“We can’t pull the guns and ammo,” I said, going against my own plan. “The guns way about five hundred pounds each.”
Please change “way” to “weigh”.
Great writing.
Noted and corrected Harry
Thank you
Semper fi,
Jim
Another gripping chapter. I’m ill at ease with what your last sentence portends even though I knew you wouldn’t get out of the valley unscathed.
Minor typo : ““Jurgens has his Marines ready,” the Gunny said, moving his body around so he could get as his cigarettes.” Change “as” to “at”.
Thanks Bob, Noted and corrected.
semper fi,
Jim
Why all the concen wig grammer and spelling? Although proper is better, it’s not easy when writing with intensity and emotions, particularly when the mind races faster then the fingers. If worried, proof read, otherwise keep on writing…loving the action Roy
IT is natural for people to spot the mistakes invisible to the writer in rereading the work. It is also good to point it out here
because Chuck and I can fix before it goes to print. We don’t have professional editors standing by. You guys are it!!!
With great thanks.
Semper fi,
Jim
I was worried the Ontos would end up like the tank, overturned and useless but once again it seems your fears worked out for the best – so far !!
On the edge of my chair once again James !!
SEMPER Fi
Thanks, Bob,
Appreciate your support.
semper Fi,
Jim
Another nerve racking read and can’t wait till the next one. Had two brothers in Nam ,both Army and I was a Seabee ,72-76 USNMCB1.Nothing but respect for you all.
Appreciate your support and many thanks to your brothers.
Share this story with others.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another breath holding chapter LT. All I can say is that God Damned River. Semper Fi Sir
Appreciate your comment and support, Mike
Semper fi
Jim
I know of no 6 cyl Ontos to be in country. All were converted to Chrysler V8. Most specs have the Ontos at 9 tons combat loaded. The side armor on my machine is 1/2″. I was a grunt, but I rebuilt an Ontos as a civilian and owned it for 18 years. I just sold it 4 weeks ago.. Good writing. SF Mike
Appreciate your attention to detail Michael.
Yes, a Chrysler 361 cubic inch V8 engine was introduced in the 1960’s.
However, of the 297 vehicles initially accepted by the Marines, only 176 were converted between 1963 and 1965 to this standard.
So we were blessed with the good old SIX
Great segment. Keep it up. Semper Do.
A couple more typos:
“I noted that (the) Rio”.
“the Gunny said, moving his body around so he could get at (as) his cigarettes.”
Semper Fi, hate this damn auto correct.
Always appreciate your input and support Hunter.
Corrected.
Semper fi,
Jim
“The guns way (Should be weigh?) about five hundred pounds each.”
We could move the stuff at night but there’s no working (way?) to get the guns back on the Ontos in the dark,—
Sharp eyes, Mark.
Corrected and thanks.
Semper fi,
Jim
Anticipation is building! Worried about you Lt
It will be getting a bit tense.
Appreciate your staying with us and share with friends.
Semper fi,
Jim
“The guns (way) about five hundred pounds each. Should be weigh. As usual I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting for the next instalment.
Thanks, Terry.
Corrected.
Semper fi,
Jim
Gunny: sentence, “get as his cigarettes’ should be “get at his cigarettes.”
Another great piece of writing, maybe for me the best chapter yet.
Thanks for your support, Robert.
Noted and corrected
Semper fi,
Jim
Dang you for leaving us hanging like that! Lol great read, now I’m truly excited for the next chapter!!! Semper Fi my brother!
It is getting a bit tougher to near the end.
I really appreciate everyone supporting this story, Johnny
Semper fi,
Jim
GUNNY TURNED SO TO GET “AT NOT AS HIS CIGERETTS” .
Thanks and corrected.
Semper fi,
Jim
Outstanding writing. I don’t know how you do it but can’t wait for the next installment. Keep it going James
It isn’t getting any easier, David.
Thanks for your support
Semper fi,
jim
Last paragraphI ” I placed my hand tightly around the end of the grip and felt a slight bit of warm return to my body. I looked at the field of mud in front of me.” (warmth).
Another riveting chapter.
Sharp eyes!
thanks for noticing, Tom
Noted and corrected
Semper fi
Jim
Two very minor type-o,
Jurgens has his Marines ready,” the Gunny said, moving his body around so he could get as his cigarettes. (At not as, his cigarettes)
I noted that the Rio had somehow torn out his seat and replaced it with ammo boxes. How many extra rounds the Ontos now carried (that the Rio, remove “the”)
Good job. The first time down the chute you were solidly covered in mud. Very little mentioned of your condition after the last trip.
Appreciate your support and sharp eyes.
Noted and corrected
Semper fi,
Jim
Great instalment again…and you left us hanging…breathless cause we were running with you and sliding down the rope…now the wait for the next instalment…
Not over yet.
Appreciate your support, Mark
Semper fi
Jim
“Jurgens has his Marines ready,” the Gunny said, moving his body around so he could get as his cigarettes. “They’re ready to disassemble the Ontos guns and get them tied up for transport across the water.”
Get AT his cigarettes.
Check if possessive marks for Jurgens’ and Ontos’ are needed.
Glad to have two chapters come out at the old pace, before you became so popular.
Keep it up LT.
Always appreciate your input, Bob.
I think we corrected.
Semper fi,
jim
Thanks for getting us all across that river. Now, did a grunt take you down to the better safety of the mud, or have you had a .762 change your anatomy? Those questions have me instinctly returning to this page daily hoping for that early post. The lock in you have on us through the use of words continues. Thanks LT
Yes, I did find the comment and yes, I should have approved it but I try to answer every comment on here…and I’m kinda proud of that.
Thanks for sticking with me all the way Poppa…
Semper fi, your friend,
Jim
“The river ran down the center of the valley, and had come to run right through the center of my life..”
I know that if you close your eyes in the quiet time before dawn you can hear that river, see it clearly in your mind, you can even smell it…that distinct smell of everything it carried as it roared through your life..the flotsum, the blood and the dead…the entire war, and everything in it was flowing right there in front of you…..and yet when you jumped right into the middle of it….you remembered just how good it actually felt……even for just a moment..it was good….in a way, 50 years later….it sorta sums it all up…..life’s a bitch aint it?? Semper Fi
Water remains a restorative to me to this very day and most of that came from its origins in that awful river.
Thanks for the kind words and the constant never-ending support Larry.
Semper fi,
Jim
Why do I suspect that force that knocked you to the ground was gunny once again telling you to get your ass down.
Because you have the good instinct, Jb.
Thanks for staying with us.
Semper fi
Jim
Paragraph 6 “The rain didn’t seem to change much to us, as it fell ceaselessly down upon.” Fell and down seem to be redundant. “The rain didn’t seem to change much as it fell ceaselessly upon us” Loving the read, descriptive to the Nth! Semper Fi 🇺🇸 60’/66’USMCR
Thanks Reb,
Noted and Corrected.
Semper fi,
Jim
And the smell of the mud!!
Never goes away, Blair.
Thanks for your support
Semper fi
Jim
Was hit Sept 22 1967 First Marine Div 2/5 hotel co. Booby trapped mortar
I hope your wounds have truly healed and I so much appreciate the support.
Semper fi,
Jim
“Tell (then) that we attempted contact,” I answered, after almost a full minute. Change to (them)
I wasn’t sure if I was the only man left in the company who had any experience aiming and firing the Ontos’ 106 rifles, but that machine was the company’s only (think) capable of real close in covering fire that was going to provide any real security for any of us.
Change to (thing)
What a riveting installment with a big cliff hanger at the end. I was worried the Ontos would of slipped off the bridge crossing at speed.
Appreciate the comment and the sharp yes.
Noted and Corrected, Pete.
Semper fi,
Jim
Thanks for telling this compelling story.
Appreciate the opportunity, Bob
It has been on the top shelf since 1970.
Semper fi
Jim
@machine was the company’s only think capable of real close”
… only thing …
Noted and corrected. Thanks, Bob
Semper fi
Jim
Oh, I hope that “force” was a Gunny! I’ll be in my walking shoes, pacing until I hear back. Love it, hate it all at the same time. Take care of yourself, Lt.
Thanks, Walt.
You are a true friend.
Semper fi
Jim