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25th Infantry Division Association Forum

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25th Infantry Division Association Forum
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Anybody Remember?

I was in cu chi 3/4 cav 25th infantry from approx february 1970 until approx june 1970...i can remember being assigned to base camp(after first being wounded 3/70)just outside cu chi,I was walking point dropping genades in possible underground cave holes and spraying our perimeter as ordered with my M-16. While walking point the time finally came ,the smell of death! I knew what was near and soon came accross and top torso of a human and about 10 feet away was the legs and other remains,it was a wake up call for me. Now I knew this was for real! But shortly afterwards while on a Personel Carrier in the field I was wounded by a land mine.To me, at the time it was like gods way of saying ok now you can rest up for a while(really my thought at the time) After blown ear drums and several lacerations I was on a medical profile . I was hurting ,but still ambulatory and greatful..I volunteered to be "CQ" runner for 30 days for midnights. During which i answered phones, performed various other duties,listened to arvn radio, sent letters home and listened to alert after alert,most nerve racking of course ,the red and orange alerts.I also remember the cu chi px,bought my future wifes engagement ring ,a camera and a huge 50 pound pre-boom box Aiwa radio,cassette. i also remember the bar , club dancers and slot machines there. One of the many horrifying things I remember was a helicopter that went down a maybe 50 yards in front of me while in the PX lot. It went up and as quick as that (at approx.150 feet in the air) , then it dropped down full force and exploded..... I was there with a few buddies and we all ran to the site, but 2 soldiers were lost! As far as names go, the only name I can remember was a guy named "Daw"(last name) ,a great guy and friend while there. I can remember occassionly smoking pot at night on base camp (paronoid as hell) afterwards. Always wondered how the guys would smoke so much (grass) in the field....I also remember an abundance of a(drug) called liquid speed,vials so easy to get from any little kid ,like a can of soda,remember that for a dollar G I! The speed(drug)did come in handy back when i worked as a CQ runner back on cu chi base.
After a month or so we packed up form cu chi and headed for the highway to Cambodia. This of course,somewhat way before the Nixon announcement back in "the world". I remember a long stay at the black virgin mountain,the kight shows were eery and almost entertaining. Constant back and forth firing from our artillary,tanks,30 and 50 cal guns...
Eventually we crawled along and entered the Cambodia border. It was like entering the times square of viet nam, people were all around,obviously more healthy,there were power lines,many store shops and cars..It was almost like I left the problems behind. But as time would have it , 7 days later in a convoy,my track was hit by a huge mine(again as the first time never really hearing the explosion,just the ringing ears and looking down the round at my track turned around ,left trachanging off and confusion,weapons firing and feeling like a weird calm. The medics came over , cut mu shirt off and treated my open wounds,and called in a chopper. I waited so long and then i was hoisted up when it arrived.By the way, i had my pay in my jungle shirt when then cut it off,but i the weird calm state i was in i didnt mention it or give a crap......During thid hit there were many personnel,tracks helicopters Several prisoners were taken in by us as i saw the blindfolds,handcuffed and rpg and ak47 weapons collected.Still confused and having breathing problems i flew to a field hospital,now i was feeling worse becomming a flying target,but we arrived. Shortly after (maybe 3 days) I was tranported to yet another field hospital (at night by chopper) this was the highest my fear level reached so far, for sure I knew we were going to be shot down. After ,this i eventuall ended up in Tan Son Nhut Air Base hospital. I was given yet another purple heart and 2 bronze stars...After a week or so I was flown to Japan hospital on the airbase. I do remember the "NEW" C141 landing at that airport, almost a debut flight.
HOPING TO STIR UP MEMORIES FROM SOMEONE ...THANKS