Dad's Pics From Vietnam '68

[Nefaro]

A war buddy had sent him some instant camera pics, many years ago, from back then. 

The polaroids naturally discolored over the decades, so the quality isn't amazing and the old scans I found weren't the greatest.  Apologies.



**Many of these are from the aftermath of the Defense of Dong Ha, which happened in May, 1968.  When BLT 2/4 Marines, and a battalion of the Army's 196th LIB, got in a big head-on fight.  Blocking the 320th NVA regiment's (plus VC and artillery support) advance, from across the DMZ, on the 3d Marine HQ at Dong Ha .

Most of the pics are from the then-ruined village of Nhi Ha.  You can see how the place had been flattened by days of earlier fighting.**


Getting dug in, with claymore wires run out.  (not in the ruined village, but after relocating post-battle)





From aftermath of battle:  distant airstrikes in background
hint:  those aren't trees in the background, at right.  Boom.  You can see an bomb in the process of exploding near the center.  Stick of them.




After being airlifted out of Nhi Ha, via chopper.  Used to be a village, now a collection of artillery craters.
Dad's army unit was quickly dropped in, by Marine helicopter, to take & hold this village.  After failing to push through 2/4 Marines, the NVA tried to flank around their East side, through this area.  But those in command suspected the move, and brought in the only immediately available battalion from Chu Lai to block it.





Another ground view of the area





One of the nearby Marine M-48 tanks sent to support the defense.  I recall the Old Man saying he had to send a couple riflemen to pull a crew out of one, which got hit & knocked-out by B-40 rockets during one of the night attacks.








Haircut time.  Earlier or later than previous photos iirc.

[Sir Slash]

Great pics Nefaro. My brother was in Vietnam too. Thanks to all the brave vets who served so nobly there.

[Atilla60]

Great pics indeed. Thanks for sharing

[bayonetbrant]

Those are awesome - thanks for sharing O0

[Bison]

Great photos Nefaro.  Thanks for posting.

[Greybriar]

Nice photos. Thanks for sharing them.

Was your dad in the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry?

[Nefaro]

Nice photos. Thanks for sharing them.

Was your dad in the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry?

Yes.

Charlie Company.



Edit:  I know that one or two of his squad mates were interviewed for Keith Nolan's book on it, and he was mentioned by name two or three times therein. 

[Nefaro]

Nice photos. Thanks for sharing them.

Was your dad in the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry?

Speaking of... he's mentioned, here, in your link.

Harp was in position with a Private Pope, whose M-60 machine gun consumed ammo with equal vigor. Harp ran back several times during the firefight to grab M-16 bandoleers for himself and extra machine-gun ammo belts for Pope. 'Pope's gun literally glowed red,' Harp said. The air was hot and dusty, acrid with gunpowder. The heat was sweltering.

Pope, the M-60 machinegunner.

Although he told me that he had made E-5 by that time, so he was a little miffed about being called a Private.  ;D  Just mis-remembered by the storyteller(s) I'm sure.


Told me about an NVA attack coming, at twilight or nighttime I don't recall, in which he first thought he saw trees moving.. stopping.. and moving again.  Since they were told there were no friendlies out there, free fire.  So after firing the M-60, and seeing these trees falling - and shooting back - it got pretty hot for awhile.

Said they were out there so long, with numerous attacks, that he had to get used to eating C-rats around all the rotting corpses lying nearby in the equivalent of a 'No Mans Land'.  Also that some NVA soldier had been harassing them with a captured M-79 grenade launcher, which had been pissing them off.  Didn't notice he took a piece of shrapnel in the ankle, likely from that M-79, until a day later when his foot had swollen so much they had to cut the boot off.  Then he told them to "stick their Purple Heart" somewhere I won't mention, due to the bad rep regarding paper pushers in the rear getting them handed out like candy "for falling off a truck".

[JudgeDredd]

Great pics Nef and cool stories. Love that M48  O0 

[mirth]

Awesome stuff, Nef. Thanks for sharing.

[MetalDog]

Those are great pics, Nef.  Thanks for sharing!   O0

[Gusington]

Great shots and story Nef!

[Nefaro]

Happy to share.  And thanks!

Had nearly forgotten about finding these scans on an old external drive awhile back.  The Memorial Day festivities reminded me.  :bd:

[Arctic Blast]

Really good stuff, Nef. Thanks for sharing that.

[bbmike]

Really good stuff, Nef. Thanks for sharing that.

+1.  O0