Photos US Forces

XMAS IN ‘NAM – Marine Corps holiday decor during the Vietnam War. Talk about stockings hung with care, look at how wonderfully full-of-stuff this snapshot is: Christmas tree, Santa Claus, stocking, tinsel, centerfold, sidearm in holster. It’s like that moment in a bad war movie when the director cuts to Vietnam to the screaming sounds of Hendrix. This pic says “Welcome to Vietnam!… and Merry Christmas.” (13th Marine Artillery, Alpha Battery)

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Dan Evans ©Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, December 24, 1970: Just in from the field, soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry relax at a landing zone near Forward Support Base Jack before moving on to Camp Evans for a Christmas treat of a shower, mail call and a hot meal.

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"Lieutenant Colonel Charles Calvin Rogers, commander of the 1st Bn, 5th Artillery, was at Fire Base Rita on Halloween to let his beleaguered artillerymen know they had not been forgotten. In addition, his helicopter had brought mail and candy – it is hard to say which was more welcome.
LTC Rogers was a career artilleryman and considered command of the 1/5 Artillery as the pinnacle of his career. His battalion was not only the oldest artillery unit of the U.S. Army but also the oldest continuously active unit in the entire Army.
He was scheduled to depart for a staff assignment in two weeks. This Halloween trip served as his farewell visit as well as a morale boost."........


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An American paratrooper fires his M60 machine gun at enemy snipers hiding in wood shrouded caves on in Vietnam. The paratroopers from the 101st Division's 2nd of the 17th Cavalry are operating in a heavy jungles area, one mile south of the DMZ. The 101st now has units operating in the DMZ area to take up the slack from the departure of U.S. Marine units from the area
Stock image, Oct 14, 1969

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Late April 1975. Vietnamese civilians try to scale the outer wall of teh US Embassy in Saigon, hoping to get a place on one of the helicopters evacuating Vietnamese allies of the US.

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Private First Class Russell R. Widdifield of 3rd Platoon, Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, takes a break during a ground movement 25 miles north of An Hoa, Vietnam, 1969.
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U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines move out on a platoon-sized sweep, supported by tanks during Operation Prairie II. Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, May 16 1967. The battalion suffered a sustained KIA rate of 26% in Vietnam, earning the nickname "The Walking Dead".
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Commissioned in late 1944, used as part of the landing fleet at Okinawa in 1945, and then fairly quickly decommissioned in mid 1946, LST-786 was renamed USS Garrett County in 1955. The ship was recommissioned in 1966 as a Patrol Craft Tender (AGP) and served in/around Vietnam from 1967 to 1971 as a base for river patrol boats and and light attack helicopters. It was then transferred to South Vietnam as RVNS Can Tho in 1971, escaped to the Philippines with the fall of South Vietnam, and is now still in service as BRP Kalinga Apayao in the Philippine Navy.

USS Garrett AGP-786 Co Chien River, South Vietnam, June 1968
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Quick war story relating to 1/9... I'd stood night bunker watch and after sleeping, I went to the gate at Cam Lo to get my laundry. Local families would do a standard GI bag for around $1 MPC. While shooting the breeze with gate guards, we saw a Marine walking our way on Rt. 9. Which was odd - you NEVER failed to stop and offer a ride to walking grunts.

He said he had waved such offers away feeling he "needed to get acclimated" to Viet Nam. Fresh off the plane at Dong Ha, he still had his heavy stateside fatigues. Also "ripple sole" boots instead of jungle boots... literally bullet proof glasses... and seemed to be about 3 fries short of a happy meal.

After slugging down 1/2 gallon of water, he asked directions to Rock Pile where he was assigned to 1/9. It was next post west on Rt. 9 where 1/9 did take disproportionate casualties. He was told to catch a ride without fail since he was heading into "Injun Country". He agreed but left humping quite a load. Hopefully a vet there would take him under his wing & show him the drill.

May God grant he survived and made it home all right.

One of the memories of that unhappy place forever in my mind.



U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines move out on a platoon-sized sweep, supported by tanks during Operation Prairie II. Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, May 16 1967. The battalion suffered a sustained KIA rate of 26% in Vietnam, earning the nickname "The Walking Dead".
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04 Apr 1971, Lost In Thought? Lang Vei, S. Vietnam: Cross hanging from his neck, GI of the 1/5th Mechanized Division, sits atop his armored personnel carrier with head resting in hands. Lang Vei is the western-most American position near the Laotian border.

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