Charlie Battery 6th
BN 27th Artillery
Phouc Vinh, South Vietnam
Sep 1968 to Sep 1969
I served in the ammo section when
I first arrived and in about two weeks was transferred to the Exec
Post as a Battery Recorder. In mid July 1969 I was assigned to the
Recon Sgt slot where I remained until I went home in September 1969.
I worked for the Chief of Smoke as recorder. The Chief arrived in
country about the same time I did. We left Vietnam about the same
time. The Chief was looking out for me. He was asking folks to
extend and when he came to me I told him I was thinking about
another 6 months extention. He said, “no, you’re going home when I go.” After
going home to Fort Sill, where he also went, he continued to assist
me and my family. Times were financially hard with a new baby that
was born in November 1968. The old Chief of Smoke would drop me a
few bucks every now and then. He was a great guy. He passed away in
1983. He had retired as MSG.
SGT Christopher and I were close friends. We played music
together in Phouc Vinh. We stay in touch till this day.
1LT Solomon was kind of stiff and
didn’t like us southern boys playing them guitars. One day he came
to me and asked if I thought he could learn to play. I told him sure.
We purchased an old guitar in Phouc Vinh village and I taught him
the cords and soon he was playing. He was very smart and knew how to
read music. I played by ear and didn’t know how to read music. He
mellowed and we became friends and he was then transferred to F
Battery 16th Arty as the new Commander there. When he transferred he
went on R&R to Australia and bought a Slim Whitman album and sent it
to me. I haven’t been able to find him since Vietnam.
I
retired from the Oklahoma Army National Guard as CSM in 2000.
|