What did you do in the Military?

[larryfulkerson]

Thomas Harvey and I are playing Pacific At War, maybe you've seen the AAR. Anyway, somehow it came out in
convesation via email that I was in SouthEast Asia from November 1970 to August 1972 in one capacity or another
and I had some pretty awesome experiences. I started writing a book about it about a decade ago, before I forgot
everything and after the sixth chapter the bad feelings started to come back so I had to quit writing. But you guys are
welcome to read what I've written if you'd like. It's about the experiences that our protagonist has as a Spectre
Gunner. It's fiction but everything that happens in the book happened to me or somebody I knew. All the names are
accurate so I need to redact this bad boy one of these days. Can't have the real names in a fictional work.

You guys may not be interested in what a Spectre Gunner does but Thomas acted like he was interested so I thought
maybe one of you guys might like to read it too.

Just truncate the dot txt off the filename and unzip it.


EDIT: I'd be interested in hearing about the experiences of some of you guys in the Army. Post something please.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a free wallpaper for you guys.

[rhinobones]

Everyone who treasures our history and experience in the Republic of Viet Nam needs to read your story. I remember our conversation in Tucson years ago . . . thank you for sharing. We're lucky, and glad, your name isn't on the Black Wall of granite.

Regards, RhinoBones

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Here's a free wallpaper for you guys.

Onboard a C-160 back in May 1992... heading to an AMF Exercise, place called Otterburn, Northumberland.

Only 'battles' I fought were ACW re-enactments.

Klink, Oberst

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: rhinobones
Everyone who treasures our history and experience in the Republic of Viet Nam needs to read your story. I remember our conversation in Tucson years ago . . . thank you for sharing. We're lucky, and glad, your name isn't on the Black Wall of granite.

Regards, RhinoBones

Funny you should mention the Vietnam monument. There's a name on it that I know personally. When I knew him he was a two-stripper
and his name was Charles Frederick Fenter. On the monument I noticed that they have been promoting him along with his peers
since he's missing. Officially missing. I went home to Tucson,AZ on 17Dec1972 on emergency leave and Freddy was my roommate
and he and I helped each other out from time to time. I knew him well.

They tell me that his plane was hit in the wing root on the left side which punctured the fuel manifold that runs through there and
it ( the JP4 ) gushed out into the fuselage until the crew on the cargo deck was ankle deep in jet fuel. They turned off everything
electronic they could reach including the lights and started to RTB ( return to base ) and they made it as far as somewhere
over Thailand and the cargo hold crew was standing on the ramp in the back with their parachutes on and had been ready
to jump at any time for about a half an hour or so and then witnesses on the ground say that the aircraft was all of a sudden
a large fireball. They know all this because of somebody who survived it. I like to think that Freddy was flying my mission.
I used to think about it a lot. But you just go on with your life.

EDIT: Hey Rhinobones dude. As I recall you were in the Marines. You must have a funny story or some kind of experience
you'd like to share with us. How about it?

EDIT2: I found a copy of a picture I took in December of 1972 of Charles Frederick Fenter.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink
Onboard a C-160 back in May 1992... heading to an AMF Exercise, place called Otterburn, Northumberland.

Only 'battles' I fought were ACW re-enactments.

Klink, Oberst

Is that really what you looked like back then? Ruggedly handsome? I'll take a look around and see if I can't
find a photo of me somewhere and post it.

[larryfulkerson]

It's not a picture of me way back when but I did find one from about 6 months ago. My hair used to be blonde and now it's white.
I'm going to be 65 years old on the 21st. Hey, that's tomorrow. Good timing.

[r6kunz]

Thanks for posting.

I was in-country in Combat Operations Vietnam #10-11-12. If you look carefully at hex 86,157, the last turn of #11, a few pixals in, that me getting hit. Just a flesh wound.

I was there as a young infantry captain, adviser in An Loc district.

Cheers,
Rob K

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: HPT KUNZ
Thanks for posting.

I was in-country in Combat Operations Vietnam #10-11-12. If you look carefully at hex 86,157, the last turn of #11, a few pixals in, that me getting hit. Just a flesh wound.

I was there as a young infantry captain, adviser in An Loc district.

Cheers,
Rob K

Much coolness ensues. How about a war story? Thanks for your service.

[rhinobones]

Hey Rhinobones dude. As I recall you were in the Marines. You must have a funny story or some kind of experience you'd like to share with us. How about it?

My original Nam orders were for the 3rd MarDiv, but somehow I ended up with 1st MCAS Iwakuni as a ground radio tech MOS. Recon units were planting sensors in Laos and drew on us to provide radio guys to operate and maintain the PRC-25s. The unit I joined had the call sign Rhino. As I recall some other units had call signs of Zuni, AHole and Baby.

Had two good inserts and then the third went all bad.

In Iwakuni people would go missing for a couple of weeks and then return. Fortunately we all returned. However, we were never officially in a combat zone, so no ribbons and no medals. No "In country" time.

I never saw a Specter fire mission, but I did see a bit of Huey night time fire support. The Huey fire looked good, but ramp that up to the Specter level and jezzz . . . you must of left a ton of brass on deck. Mighty fine work ... yes mighty fine work you did to support the troops on the ground.

Every Marine and GI that had your support praises the AF gun ships.

That's a heart felt "Uh'Rah" from the Corps.

Regards, Rhinobones

[rhinobones]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

It's not a picture of me way back when but I did find one from about 6 months ago. My hair used to be blonde and now it's white.
I'm going to be 65 years old on the 21st. Hey, that's tomorrow. Good timing.

65, not bad for a Nam Vet.

[larryfulkerson]

... you must of left a ton of brass on deck....

You know with all the high tech stuff the air force had, what with lazer range finders and invisible particle beam weapons
and so on, wouldn't you know they had snow shovels mounted inside the plane to use to gather up all the spent
brass on the floor of the plane. Whenever the pilot let loose with a burst from the 20mm there would come all this
spent brass flyiing out of the exit hole and spill all over the inside of the plane around the guns. You had to be
careful of your step until you got it all gathered up. We had 55 gal. barrels painted red to put the brass in.

[rhinobones]

a burst from the 20mm there would come all this spent brass flyiing out of the exit hole and spill all over the inside of the plane

Spent shells are hot, don't touch, they burn the skin. 20mm shells make bigger burns than 7.62 NATO shells. Bottom line; spent shells burn skin.

Spent shell's only burn in training . . . in combat it's not a factor.

[sPzAbt653]

I was never in the service so I apologize for posting here, but I wanted to thank you guys and to wish Mr. Fulkerson a Happy Birthday

[rhinobones]

Larry, let me be the first to wish you a "Happy Birthday".

U'Rah

From the Corps to the Air Force

Spatz beat me to it, let it be my pleasure to be #2.

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: HPT KUNZ

Thanks for posting.

I was in-country in Combat Operations Vietnam #10-11-12. If you look carefully at hex 86,157, the last turn of #11, a few pixals in, that me getting hit. Just a flesh wound.

I was there as a young infantry captain, adviser in An Loc district.

Cheers,
Rob K

I thought back then you already were a 'Doc' or a medic, Rob... Kinda like Hawkeye really

Klink, Oberst

[Rodwonder]

Happy Birthday!!! And thanks for serving!

[r6kunz]

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink

ORIGINAL: HPT KUNZ

Thanks for posting.

I was in-country in Combat Operations Vietnam #10-11-12. If you look carefully at hex 86,157, the last turn of #11, a few pixals in, that me getting hit. Just a flesh wound.

I was there as a young infantry captain, adviser in An Loc district.

Cheers,
Rob K

I thought back then you already were a 'Doc' or a medic, Rob... Kinda like Hawkeye really

Klink, Oberst

Herr Oberst, it took a while to get promoted to Hawkeye-
I had a rather convoluted military career: Commissioned out of Texas A&M; Ft Hood Inf- Plt Ldr; Baumholder Germany- Wpn Plt Ldr, Bn S-3; Ft Bragg-JFK Special Warfare School; An Loc, Vietnam- District Adviser; Grad School Madison, Wisconsin and there Troop Commander of an Army Reserve Armored Cav Troop; then Company Commander of A Co, C Co and then Combat Support Co of 2/111 Inf Pennsylvania National Guard, then XO of the Bn. Next Medical School and Bn Surgeon before moving to a Field Hospital (we packed for Desert Storm, but did not deploy). Finally a Hawkeye. I also completed non-resident Command and General Staff College at one point.
cheers
doc

[larryfulkerson]

Thanks for your service dude. A long and distinguished career and a leader of men. I'm
impressed. Duly.

[Oberst_Klink]

While we're at it... here's one from some pointless reserve exercises where they put me, a 40ish bloke with some pimpled kids... still E-6 (StUffz) and the Btl.Cdr. was even younger than me.

Klink, Oberst