Back to Home Page
The Bonding of Warriors
The Early Years (1966-1967)
1968 thru 1971
After Viet Nam

The Bonding of Warriors

A Unit History

The Early Years (1966-1967)

by Winslow "Rick" Stetson

In September 1965, Major General (MG) George S. Eckhardt reported to Fort Riley, Kansas to prepare for the activation of the 9th Infantry Division. Known as the Old Reliables, the division earned seven campaign streamers during World War II as it fought in Africa, Sicily, Normandy and the Ardennes, suffering 23,277 casualties, including 8,550 killed in action. It was a division the Army could depend on and in March 1945, the 2nd Battalion 47th Infantry became the first Allied unit to enter Germany when it crossed the Rhine River on the Ludendorf Bridge.

General William Westmorland served with the 9th during WW II as the division's chief of staff and by 1965; he directed the massive troop buildup in the Republic of Vietnam. As the number of troops in Vietnam increased, so did the casualties. In 1964, the Army lost 147 soldiers in what was to become the Vietnam War. The following year the total would climb to 1079 with 234 of the soldiers killed in action during a four-day battle fought by the 1st Cavalry Division in the Ia Drang Valley. The war against a determined enemy was heating up and General Westmorland needed additional troops. The call went out to activate his old WW II outfit, the 9th Infantry Division.

The cover of the March 1966 Army Digest featured a painting showing soldiers standing beneath a 9th Infantry Division flag. The top half of the flag was red, the bottom half blue, with an octofoil in the center. The octofoil, which was the division's shoulder patch and often called "the cookie" by the soldiers who wore it, consisted of eight foils surrounding a white circle that in heraldic times symbolized a son being surrounded by eight brothers. The Digest's lead article was entitled, "9th Infantry Division Activated" and it traced the history of the Old Reliables. It also included a description of Fort Riley, a 51,091 acre post that dated back to 1852 when it was used by the cavalry to provide protection for the wagon trains heading west. Brevet Major General George A. Custer had been stationed there with the 7th Cavalry Regiment and until 1946; the post had served as the home of the Army Cavalry School. The post's leisurely-paced lifestyle, which in the old days had included Sunday morning horseback hunts, resulted in those stationed there to be considered living "the life of Riley." In 1966, the last official cavalry horse, Chief, still resided on the post and was listed on the books as official government property. The horse was tended to by a sergeant and enjoyed his own pasture while becoming a popular attraction for visitors to the post.

Fort Riley, according to the Army Digest, "had all the natural elements conductive to hardening men for combat - hot in the summer, cold in winter, rough terrain, and steep hills." Although the destination of the 9th was not announced when the division was activated on Feb 1, 1966, a hint of a possible future location was given during a visit by Army Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson who "likened areas of the post to portions of Vietnam."

The 9th Infantry Division was the first Army unit to be organized and trained for overseas deployment to a combat theater since WW II. When the 9th was activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on August 1, 1940, the division had over two years to train before being sent to North Africa in November 1942 as part of Operation Torch. In 1966, only seven months would pass from the time the first soldiers arrived for basic training to when the first division units would arrive in a combat zone and just one year from activation, the entire 9th Division would move from Fort Riley, Kansas to the Republic of Vietnam.

The Army used the draft to provide the privates needed to fill the newly activated 9th Infantry Division. The critical need was for non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and officers and many were assigned to the division from units in Europe and Korea. To meet the increased need for platoon leaders (2nd lieutenants) the Army had the Infantry Officers Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia and the Artillery OCS at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1965, the Army added a second OCS battalion at Fort Benning while opening additional officer candidate schools at Fort Belvoir, Virginia (engineers), Fort Gordon, Georgia (signal corps) and Fort Knox, Kentucky (armor.)

Winslow "Rick" Stetson was a member of the first infantry Officer Candidate School (OCS) class to graduate from Fort Benning in 1966. As he and his classmates walked across the stage to receive their commissions, many had orders for their first assignment, Fort Riley, Kansas and the 9th Infantry Division. Before reporting to Fort Riley, some of the new lieutenants, including Stetson, would complete Airborne and Ranger school.

When he arrived at Fort Riley in mid April, he was assigned as a platoon leader with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry. Preparations were already underway to receive the basic trainees who were scheduled to arrive in May. Barracks had to be prepared, lesson plans written, and firing ranges located. When the trainees arrived the week of May15, 1966, the division was ready.

A band played as the new privates stepped off the buses and they didn't even have to carry their own bags. Instead, they were welcomed with speeches, served a hot meal, and shown to beds that were already made. Stationary, stamped envelopes and pencils were provided and the soldiers were told they had to write home. Their company commanders would also write letters to parents saying that their "New Reliable," as the trainees were called, had arrived safely at Fort Riley. In Charlie Company, Stetson helped welcome 221 of the division's new soldiers. Most were 19 or 20 years old and only two had enlisted in the Army. The rest were draftees.

The company commander made it clear the men would see combat in the future but told them they would receive the best training in the world to prepare for it. When he issued his men their weapons, Stetson told them they had just met the best friend they would have in the military. The soldiers appeared to be a bit apprehensive but they understood why they were there and were eager to learn.

The new recruits were allowed to call home and many said the Army, so far at least, was not what they had been led to believe by their fathers and uncles. Everything was well organized, they had decent barracks to sleep in and they got enough to eat. One soldier was overheard talking to his mother on the telephone and saying, "We had fresh salad tonight with real cucumbers in it, just like you make."

On Saturday, May 21, 1966, Major General Eckhart presented the 47th Infantry its battalion colors in an impressive ceremony. Bands played, flags rippled in the breeze and jets screamed overhead at low level, as the colors were passed. The New Reliables, with just two days instruction in marching, did their best to handle their weapons and keep in step. The officers and NCOs were proud of their new soldiers. Their leaders knew, however, that a lot of serious training had to take place in the months ahead for these were the soldiers who would accompany them into combat.

After basic training was completed, the units immediately began Advanced Infantry Training (AIT). Soldiers requiring training in specialized areas such as signal or medical were sent off for additional schooling. The infantry AIT conducted at Fort Riley would prepare the soldiers to work together in squads, platoons and companies.

In July, Stetson and other 9th Infantry Division officers and NCOs received orders for Jungle Warfare School in Panama. By then, it was common knowledge the 9th was headed for combat in a tropical environment and Stetson's battalion commander, LTC Lucien Buldoc, told him he would be expected to give classes on what he learned at Jungle School when he returned. The first class he taught after attending the school was jungle hygiene and it was presented to the battalion's officers so they might, as his lesson plan stated, "Better prepare their units to live and fight in a jungle environment."

Shortly after returning from Jungle School, Stetson was transferred to Company E, 3/47th as the 106mm recoilless rifle anti-tank platoon leader. With Allied forces possessing complete air superiority over Vietnam, Stetson felt the chances of encountering enemy armor would be next to none and he was convinced he had been given one of the least important jobs in the entire division. He was especially envious of a non-Ranger-qualified friend who had been given command of the battalion's recon platoon. Nevertheless, he tried to make the best of the situation and began training his platoon in the art of engaging enemy armor.

Stetson's faith in the Army's assignment process was restored during the third week in October when he received word to report to division headquarters. There he was introduced to 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Edwin Garrison, an airborne Ranger qualified Infantry OCS graduate, who was serving as a platoon leader with Company C, 4/39th. The two officers were told they had been hand picked to help form a new unit the 9th Infantry Division was creating called a Long Range Patrol Detachment (LRPD). Similar units were operating with success in Vietnam and had enhanced the intelligence gathering capabilities of American units. They were instructed to begin an immediate search for volunteers and that the unit would undergo training in Panama before departing for Vietnam.

The 1st Cavalry Division had demonstrated the value of helicopter assets in locating and fighting an elusive enemy in Vietnam. It was determined that since the long range patrols would be inserted and extracted deep in enemy territory, a close working relationship with an aviation unit was essential. The decision was made to attach the 9th Infantry Division long range patrol to D Troop, 3/5 Cavalry. Major William Kahler commanded D Troop, 3/5 Cavalry. The aviation unit consisted of an aero scout platoon with nine OH-23G observation aircraft, nine aviators and nine crew chiefs; an aero rifle platoon with five U14-ID Hueys, 10 aviators, 10 crew chiefs and 10 door gunners; an aero weapons platoon with 10 UH-1C aircraft armed with XX-21 and M-5 weapons systems (mini guns and grenade launchers) 20 pilots, 10 crew chiefs and 10 door gunners; a maintenance platoon with one UH-ID aircraft, 2 pilots plus a crew chief, door gunners, and mechanics; a headquarters section, and an organic infantry platoon with 1 officer and 41 enlisted soldiers.

When Garrison and Stetson reported to the Camp Funston area of Fort Riley to meet Major Kahler, they found D Troop housed in WW II-era barracks. The bare wooden walls and dim lighting was a step back in time from the facilities the two officers had enjoyed with their infantry battalions in the Custer Hill portion of the post but they realized that with a two-week trip to Panama plus Christmas leave, there would not be a lot of time spent in the drafty barracks at Camp Funston.

Major Kahler wasn't sure what to do with the two young infantry lieutenants who had reported to him. The D Troop commander was in the midst of trying to make arrangements to ship his pilots, soldiers, aircraft and equipment overseas when he was informed that he would have to provide for a platoon of LRRPs. He offered an area where the men could be housed but said there were no aircraft available for training. D Troop's helicopters would arrive from Texas on December 1st and would be shipped to the West Coast on December 15th which meant that the operating procedures for the two units would have to be worked out once they arrived in Vietnam.

The two officers had to move fast to recruit new members as the unit was scheduled to depart for the Canal Zone on 16 November. They would have to recruit, interview and select their personnel in less than a month. When the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division formed a long range patrol detachment in Vietnam, 337 soldiers were interviewed and just 32 volunteers were selected for the unit. The 9th Infantry Division would select only volunteers but due to the limited amount of time, the officers would have to accept just about any soldier willing to volunteer for the long range patrol.

The word went out for volunteers. Dave Moss joined out of Ed Garrison's former platoon in C Company, 4/39th. Tom Lindly was an artilleryman and heard about the long range patrol from his first sergeant in the 11th Artillery. His job was to deliver artillery rounds and since his ammunition section had the most men, he was told to submit three names as candidates for the LRRPs. He was the only one from his unit to volunteer so he typed his own transfer request and hand carried it to the acting battery commander, then to the battalion commander, and up to division where it was approved. Lindly joined the Army in 1956 and had more time in grade than most of the volunteers for the unit. He was one of the few who did not possess an infantry military occupational skill (MOS). Mike Patrick graduated in the top of the jungle warfare class and was one of the first LRRPs to receive the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB). Bob Hernandez was a meat cutter before being drafted and would prove to be one of the top early team leaders. Ray Hulin was a cowboy from Texas and one of the first to make contact with the enemy.

When the interviews were completed, Stetson and Garrison selected 34 volunteers from a cross section of the 9th Infantry Division: 11 were from the 39th Infantry, 10 from the 47th Infantry, 9 from the 60th Infantry, and 2 from the artillery, 1 from the signal battalion and 1 from the 9th Admin Company.

The officers tried to incorporate the maximum amount of training into the brief period before the group would depart to Panama. Stetson emphasized physical training and required the soldiers to perform early morning runs before breakfast. The Kansas winter wind chill caused several of the men to become sick and the physical training was modified to insure everyone would be in good enough health to make it to the Jungle Warfare School.

When John Kennedy was president, he authorized the Special Forces to wear a green beret. Their black berets identified instructors at the Army's Ranger School. While undergoing training at Fort Benning, Ed Garrison noticed some visiting German officers wearing berets. He decided that the members of the 9th Infantry Division's Long Range Patrol needed a distinctive look. One day he asked Stetson if he thought the men in the unit could wear a black beret. Stetson gave him the go-ahead to design a flash for the beret. Garrison immediately drew one up and had it produced at a local tailor shop. The berets were an instant hit with the men who caused double takes wherever they went on post. One day Stetson was stopped by a staff officer and asked who had given authorization to wear the black berets. "No one," Stetson replied. "We just did it ourselves." The officer just frowned and walked off.

When it was possible to get a weekend pass, some of the men would load up and take an overnight trip to Kansas City. The group usually included Ed Garrison, two former members of his old C Company platoon, Dave Moss and Stephen Noonan, along with Thomas Kloack and Don "Squeak" Ferraro. To cut costs, they would all share a room in a hotel and then spend the evening chasing young ladies attending a local airline stewardess school. Early Monday morning, Stetson would have the group fall out for PT formation and he was always amazed how the men who had been on pass could manage to run and exercise when they had so little sleep over the weekend.

On November 17th, two long range patrol officers and 44 enlisted soldiers (11 were members of D Troop's aero rifle platoon) boarded a plane for a trip to Charleston Air Force Base. They were scheduled to depart on November 19th on flight UKA 14-79A for Panama. The brief layover in Charleston enabled the group to see the sights along the historic harbor and enjoy a couple of good meals before heading to the tropics. Their flight was on board an Air Force C-97 Stratofreighter which cruised at 225 knots over the crystal-blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. The Air Force crew was accommodating during the SV 2-hour flight and allowed some of the men to visit the cockpit to view the instruments and listen to radio traffic.

Jungle Warfare School Panama Unit Orders 63 2 December 1966

STETSON, Winslow A. 2LT 05329276 885 Jungle Expert
GARRISON, Edwin B. 2LT 05329645 930 Jungle Expert
BROWN, George R. PSG RA18660420 855 Jungle Expert
SHAFFER, Roland H. PVT US56425370 828 Jungle Expert
SMITH, Patrick D. PVT US53438230 775 Completion
SOUZA, John P. PVT US56425312 805 Jungle Expert
FERRARO, Don L. PVT US56428380 935 Jungle Expert
PATRICK, Michael P. PVT US55896492 926 Jungle Expert
ALVEAR, Alfred PVT US54381809 843 Jungle Expert
KLOACK, Thomas R. SP4 US55896495 928 Jungle Expert
CHEEK, Eddie W. SP5 RA14565399 754 Completion
JOHNSON, James W. PFC US53442647 732 Completion
HUGHES, David P. PFC US55841775 753 Completion
HILL, Richard L. PVT US56425421 734 Completion
SCOTT, Beldon L. PVT US51606579 734 Completion
MEEKS, James R. SSG RA14805621 874 Jungle Expert
MOSS, David B. PFC US53443037 870 Jungle Expert
HULIN, Raymond A. PFC US54386038 923 Jungle Expert
NOONAN, Stephen D. PFC US51604287 864 Jungle Expert
COX, John S. PFC US53440608 924 Jungle Expert
REESE, Sammy L. PFC US53432530 907 Jungle Expert
HERNANDEZ, Robert PFC US56424309 839 Jungle Expert
KULCAVAGE, Edward PFC US51571308 967 Jungle Expert
SPEAKER, Timothy D. PVT US51822878 842 Jungle Expert
LAPLAUNT, James D. G. SP4 RA17677773 815 Jungle Expert
PRAY, Vern L. SGT RA18639539 917 Jungle Expert
PITTS, Robert E. SSG RA13648016 850 Jungle Expert
KELLER, Norman A. PVT US51607068 869 Jungle Expert
OLTZ, Fred E. PFC RA16837657 854 Jungle Expert
ROSS, Stephen J. PFC US56410299 849 Jungle Expert
JENKINS, Freddie D. PFC US54381832 852 Jungle Expert
HERRERA, John SSG RA18225528 893 Jungle Expert
COONROD, Lawrence W. PVT US55846249 848 Jungle Expert
HOWELL, William H. SP5 US52666947 815 Jungle Expert
DIBIASE, Benny PFC US51607159 807 Jungle Expert
JOHNSON, Lon C. SP4 US55850458 890 Jungle Expert
JOHNSON, Billy R. SGT RA19597064 822 Jungle Expert
STENMO, John A. PFC US55643456 873 Jungle Expert
ZIGLAR, Kenneth O. PFC US52668913 831 Jungle Expert
HALSEY, Richard W. PVT US54800609 835 Jungle Expert
O'NEAL, Joe C. CPL RA54339392 837 Jungle Expert
ADAMS, Charlie E. SSG RA14438026 880 Jungle Expert
AMES, Gerald E. SGT RA11378084 878 Jungle Expert
ALSTOR, Joseph A. PFC US51600640 871 Jungle Expert
PRANGER, Paul F. PFC RA16643842 865 Jungle Expert
WALLS, Robert L. Jr. PFC US42676717 834 Jungle Expert

When they landed in the Canal Zone, the group boarded several military buses that would transport them to Fort Sherman, the site of the US Army Jungle Warfare Schoolspan>. The men wondered why metal bars covered the windows and were told it was for protection in case any of the locals decided to throw a brick at the bus. Tension between the Panamanians and the Americans had escalated and the soldiers were warned to be especially cautious around the local police if they visited the nearby town of Colon. Nicknamed "white mice" because of their distinctive white helmets, the police had a reputation for throwing American soldiers in jail for the slightest violations.

Fort Sherman was a beautiful, tranquil base located on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone. The Army had started jungle warfare training in the vicinity of Fort Sherman during WW II to prepare soldiers to fight on islands in the Pacific Theater. The 23,000-acre post had extensive training areas with single and double canopy jungle covering rugged hills, mangrove swamps and river tributaries. The soldiers were housed in large three-story masonry barracks with wide screened windows that allowed the sound of waves lapping the nearby beach to enter the sleeping quarters in the quiet of the evenings.

The soldiers were divided into five-man teams and began their two-week period of instruction by members of the school's Jungle Operations Committee. Classes were given on subjects such as jungle living, land navigation, and the identification of local plants and animals. Tropical fruits such as bananas and coconuts were tasted and the instructors even demonstrated how snakes could be cooked and offered samples of the reptile meat. The students were cautioned to be careful what they grabbed hold of when sliding down the side of a muddy hill at night. The region was covered with a palm tree notorious for its long, slender needles that would easily break off in the skin. Some of the soldiers would discover tips of the needles still buried just below the surface of their skin years after going through Jungle School, a reminder of their stay in Panama.

The students carried machetes and were shown how to chop down poles and use vines to lash them together and form a sleeping platform three feet off the ground and strong enough to support five team members. Palm leaves were thatched to make a roof that offered some protection from the daily thunderstorms. Late one night, a loud creaking sound was heard and then a thud as one of the sleeping platforms broke apart spilling a team onto the ground. Despite the increased chances of encountering snakes and insects, the exhausted men finished the night sleeping where they fell rather than rebuild their structure.

The survival instruction included a practical exercise on how to cook a chicken by burying it in the ground, covering it with dirt and then building a fire over it. Each team was given a chicken that they had to kill and cook. After the allotted period of time the coals were brushed aside, the chicken dug out and the feathers were easily pulled off the bird. The hungry team members enjoyed the tender and delicious meat for their evening meal. The next morning, however, the sound of a lone chicken could be heard clucking in the jungle. The men all wondered which team did not have the heart to kill its meal.

River crossing operations were conducted on the muddy Chagres River. A town once existed on the banks of the Chagres called Little America. It was a stopping off point for prospectors cutting across the Panama on their way to California in search of gold. The town was as wild as any in the Old West to include frequent shootings, but instead of burying the bodies, they were tossed into the river where they would be eaten by the crocodiles. The instructors relished emphasizing the part about the crocodiles and the reptiles were in the minds of many of the men as they were told they would have to construct a poncho raft and swim it across the river. They were divided into two-man teams where they cut and lashed poles together, bound a poncho on top and then removed their boots, trousers and fatigue jackets and placed them on their rafts. John Stenmo, one of the Doughboys in the group, watched as one of the LRRP rafts came apart in the middle of the river. With their clothing on the bottom of the river, the long range patrol team had to go through the remainder of the day's training, including a slide for life, wearing nothing but their boxer shorts.

Most of the privates going through Jungle School were spending Thanksgiving away from home for the first time. The Army always tried to ease the loneliness by having its mess halls go all out in preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. Even in Panama, the men enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings. When they were able to obtain a pass to Colon, all made it back to Fort Sherman in time for lights out and the local police detained no soldiers.

The NCO club would have bands play Panamanian dance music and several of the men jumped on stage to help play the bongo drums. With the beach just yards away from the barracks, it was inevitable that beer parties and cookouts would be held under the palm trees. The students thought Fort Sherman was one of the best-kept secrets in the Army but there were always subtle reminders that their fun days in the tropics were numbered. One was a haunting song by Jim Reeves that received a lot of play on a jukebox located in one of the barracks. Entitled "Distant Drums," it told of a soldier about to go off to war saying to his sweetheart, "Marry me, let's not wait. Let us share all the time we can before it is too late. Love me now for now is all the time there may be."

The men progressed through the course and accumulated points as they passed various tests. The goal was to score at least 800 points and earn the rating of Jungle Expert that entitled the soldier to wear a circular blue patch with a sailing ship on it under the words "Jungle Expert." Those scoring from 700-799 points earned a certificate of successful completion and anyone scoring below 700 received a certificate of attendance. A graduation ceremony was held at the completion of the course with almost all the group from Fort Riley qualifying as jungle experts.

Since they were just weeks away from departing for Vietnam, Stetson and Garrison had asked for and received permission to remain in Panama several days after the course was over for additional training. The tropical Canal Zone climate was much closer to what they would find in Vietnam than the weather back at Fort Riley and the jungle offered excellent opportunities for improving their patrolling skills.

One training exercise they planned was a night ambush. The officers split everyone into two groups with Garrison and half the men being dropped by truck about five miles from Fort Sherman. Stetson and his men were taken to a point somewhere in between. The plan was for Garrison's patrol to move down the road at night and walk into an ambush. Stetson arranged his men in an ambush position, set out his security, and waited. Morning came and there was no sign of Garrison's patrol so Stetson and his men hiked back to post only to find Garrison and his men already there. They had walked unnoticed right past the sleeping ambush patrol.

The men had worked hard in Panama and Fort Sherman's cadre had provided the group excellent support during their additional training. The jungle conditions gave the men a realistic idea of what to expect when they arrived in Vietnam. While they were in Panama, Special Orders Number 250 was cut back at Fort Riley assigning two officers and 33 soldiers to Troop D, 3d Squadron, 5th Cavalry for "deployment, rations, quarters and administration of military justice." When they returned to Fort Riley, however, 14 of the men decided to ask for reassignment back to their original units. Apparently, spending nights sleeping on the ground in the jungle (no platforms would be built in Vietnam) did not appeal to some as much as they once thought.

As the small, twin-engine passenger plane landed in Kansas, Stetson asked one of the stewardesses for her microphone and "welcomed" the passengers to "beautiful Fort Riley." He could see several soldiers in the darkened plane shivering while huddled under blankets. They had caught a tropical sickness and after being acclimated to the hot, humid climate of Panama, were about to be blasted by a bitter cold, four-degree Kansas night. Private First Class (PFC) Dave Moss was one of the sick passengers and would spend a week recovering in an Army hospital. PFC Raymond Hulin was another. Hulin was from Port Arthur, Texas and had ridden the rodeo circuit before being drafted. A quiet, true cowboy-type individual, Hulin was experienced in giving animal shots and had with him a hypodermic needle designed for horses. He filled it with penicillin and tried to convince Moss that he needed a shot. Moss politely declined the offer while Hulin injected himself in the hip. Within a day or two, Hulin was better while Moss was sent to the hospital.

Captain James L. Tedrick, a 27 year old armor officer from Casey, Illinois took command of the long range patrol in December 1966. He was a graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point) class of 1961 and came to the 9th Infantry Division from Fort Knox where he had completed the advanced course at the Armor School. Prior to that, he had served four years in Germany with the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment. His new unit would also be operating with a cavalry outfit (the 3/5 Cavalry) but instead of tanks and armored personnel carriers; his men would be riding helicopters as the primary means of transportation. Captain Tedrick was proud of his armor background and still wore tanker boots, distinctive by their straps that wrapped around the boot instead of laces. His West Point background gave him contacts in division headquarters that were useful in arranging accommodations for the unit once it arrived in Vietnam.

It was obvious to anyone passing by Fort Riley, Kansas in December 1966 that the 9th Infantry Division was on the move. Miles of freight trains with flat cars loaded down with tanks, artillery howitzers, dump trucks, and all the other wheeled and tracked equipment of an infantry division plus a seeming endless stream of CONEX containers (large metal shipping boxes) holding everything from tents to weapons. As the men of the long range patrol detachment prepared to head home on Christmas leave, the December 19, 1966 edition of the Chicago Daily News carried a photo showing soldiers wading ashore behind the American flag and division colors. The caption read, "MG George Eckhart, commander of the US 9th Infantry Division, leads a vanguard of troops ashore at Vung Tau, South Vietnam. The division, called "the Old Reliables," raises the number of fighting men in South Vietnam to 372,000."

While most of the division was transported by ship across the Pacific Ocean, the long range patrol divided into two groups to make the trip by air. Captain Tedrick flew ahead with the advance party leaving Stetson and Garrison in charge. Stetson's group departed early one cold January morning on an Air Force C-141 for the 30-hour flight to South Vietnam. Garrison took the remaining members of the unit the following evening aboard a C-130, a prop-driven aircraft that had been outfitted for medical transport. Litters that had carried wounded soldiers back to the States offered the men a place to sleep during the long trip. The men were fed seven breakfasts as the plane hopped from Kansas to San Diego, Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippine Islands and on to Bien Hoa Airbase in Vietnam.

The C-141, a four-engine windowless jet with canvas seats that faced backwards, flew a more northern route to Southeast Asia. The men were allowed to stretch their legs as the plane refueled in Alaska and then again in Japan. The C-141's cabin door had one small porthole-sized window that the men took turns peering out as they passed by the snow-capped peak of Mount Fujiyama. When the plane began its descent over Vietnam, the men again took turns looking out the small window to get the first look at the country where they would spend the next year. Down below, they saw lush, green vegetation along with rice paddies crisscrossed by small dikes. The patrol members knew that in a very short period of time they would be covering that terrain on foot.

The first sensation upon stepping out of the aircraft was a stifling blast of heat that caused everyone to begin sweating immediately. After some in-process briefings, the conversion of American dollars into military payment certificates (MPCs) and the issuing of their weapons, ammo, helmets, flack vests and web gear, the men were loaded into the back of a couple of two and a half ton trucks for the ride from Tan Son Nhut Airport to Bearcat, the 9th Infantry Division's base camp. The road to Bearcat was narrow and filled with numerous Lambretta scooters that would sputter about carrying either two Americans or five Vietnamese. They rode through small villages and past scores of children playing by the roadside. The patrol members stood alert in the backs of the trucks with their fingers on the triggers of their weapons which probably amused the drivers who had been in country for awhile. They did notice a jet dropping bombs on a distant target but the ride to Bearcat was made without incident.

When the patrol members arrived at Bearcat, they found the base camp to be a flurry of activity. Buildings were being constructed in every part of the sprawling base that was covered by a cloud of red dust. Occasionally, oil would be sprayed on the dirt roads to reduce the dust but driving on a fresh coat of oil was like driving on a sheet of ice. The nose was assaulted by various odors: from the oil on the roads to the JP-4 fuel of the helicopters. The worst smell of all was from the billowing clouds of foul-smelling dark smoke coming from behind the latrines where soldiers on a true 'shit detail' were burning the contents.

The noise level during the day was constant. The hammering and sawing of construction crews, vehicles, especially the clanking sound produced by the tracks of tanks and personnel carriers, and always the "whop, whop, whop" of helicopters taking off and coming in for landings. Occasionally, jets would sweep low outside the perimeter adding to the noise level. At night things would quiet somewhat making the sound produced by a nervous machine gunner opening up from his bunker at shadows in the jungle's edge all the more noticeable. Frequently, loud booms would punctuate the stillness of the night when artillery gunners would send harassing and interdictory (H&I) fire crashing into distant parts of the jungle to disrupt an enemy who liked to move at night.

When the long range patrol first arrived in country, the men were housed in General-Purpose (GP) medium tents with the three officers sharing a GP small. The noon meals were C rations and some of the boxes had dates on them going back to 1945. The living quarters were soon improved with the construction of shelters with wooden floors and sides with a large canvas tent thrown over the top for a roof. Hot and uncomfortable during the day, the living quarters became livable during the night when temperatures would drop. The men slept on canvas cots covered with mosquito netting. Usually, a single poncho liner was all that was needed to keep warm at night.

The LRRP officers were billeted with the pilots of D Troop and it served to strengthen the bond between the two units. Stetson bunked with pilots like 1LT Stan Koch who flew observation helicopters (call sign, Spooks); 1LT Jim Joyce and Warrant Officer (WO1) Gary Driggers, gunships (Crusaders); and WO1 Bob Chambless, slicks (Long Knives). The cots were pushed closer together in the back of the tent to leave space near the doorway that was used as a small sitting area. They built a bar, painted it red and in keeping with aviation theme, called the tent 'The Red Bar Inn.'

Soft drinks and Philippine beer was sold but before electricity was provided, each can was cooled by rolling it for several minutes on a block of ice. Once the tent had power, a small television was installed on the bar, a refrigerator was added, and as the officers returned from their R&R, an elaborate sound system was installed with tape deck, amplifier and large stereo speakers. The tent became a popular gathering place for several of the pilots even as an officer's club was constructed across the street. The enlisted soldiers also did whatever they could to improve their living quarters and many had sound systems to play their favorite music. One of the Doughboys would start every morning with Hank Williams blasting out in his nasal twang, "Hey hey good lookin, whatcha got cookin, well how about cookin something up for me?"

The day after they arrived in country, Garrison and members of his group including Moss, Hulin, Private First Class (PFC) Ed Kulcavage, PFC Stephen Noonan, Private (PVT) Don Ferraro and PVT Lonnie Johnson flew to Nha Trang to attend the MACV Recondo School. MACV Recondo School, operated by the 5th Special Forces Group, was one of the toughest, most realistic training programs designed by the Army. Located adjacent to an airfield in Nha Trang, the compound was bordered on one side by the South China Sea and on the other, by rice paddies leading up to jungle covered, enemy controlled mountains.

Special Forces combat veterans provided the instruction and the final exam consisted of conducting a recon patrol in the backyard of the enemy. The three-week course tested mental and physical endurance. The student's day began at 0500 with a 7-' mile march while carrying a weapon, full combat gear and a backpack containing a 25-pound sandbag. The march, conducted in one hour and 15 minutes, was followed by two climbs up a 30' rope ladder with the trips down on a knotted rope. After breakfast, training was conducted for subjects such as first aid where students learned how to give shots and take blood, map reading, land navigation, and extraction using a McGuire Rig (a long rope with a seat at the end that could hold three soldiers at a time as they swung high over the countryside while moving at a speed of 90 knots.)

Instruction was also given in patrolling techniques, adjusting artillery fire and the familiarization of both friendly and enemy weapons. All students were required to repel 120' from a hovering helicopter. The friction from the brake rope as they descended, would often burn through their fatigue pants leaving a scar on their hip as a reminder of their Recondo School training.

As the training progressed at Recondo School, the remainder of the long range patrol began to experience operations in the field. The 3/5 Cavalry helicopters were still en route so the patrol members hitched rides on a convoy of tracked vehicles. Stetson found a spot on the top of a tank recovery vehicle and felt a sense of awesome power while sitting behind a caliber .50 machine gun as the armored column picked up speed on the narrow country roads. Tanks and armored personnel carriers sped through villages as children ran to the roadside waving at the soldiers who would toss them candy from their C ration boxes.

When the Cavalry reached its destination, members of the long range patrol were tasked to help pull security. They manned defensive positions on the perimeter. A soldier, who had placed his rucksack on the edge of his foxhole, found it missing when the sun came up the next morning. A bold VC or perhaps a nearby villager had crept up to the position in the middle of the night and made off with a supply of food, water, ammunition and clean socks. The soldier was fortunate that his throat was not cut as he slept.

A mission was handed down for a long range patrol to perform overnight observation on a nearby road. The men walked out from their bivouac position and soon found the dirt road leading to a nearby village. The area was relatively open without a lot of concealment but the patrol did the best they could. A curfew was in effect and traffic was not to be on the road at night. Not long after darkness had set in, a man riding a motorized bike went sputtering past the position heading toward the village but it grew quiet after that. In the middle of the night, several members of the patrol were awakened by the sound of a man moving through their position. It was as if someone had stumbled upon the position by accident and was trying to move out of there as fast as possible. The remaining hours of darkness were spent in apprehension that the person would return with company but nothing further was heard. At first light, the patrol moved back to the safety of the armored cavalry's position.

It was on the same operation that the long range patrol suffered its first casualty. On January 29, 1967 one of the 3/5 Cavalry units had set up a near Phuoc Tuy. A request came for a long range patrol to be sent out from the unit's position to gather intelligence about enemy activity in the area. The patrol leader selected for the mission was Sergeant (SGT) Lynn Miles of Des Moines, Iowa who had celebrated his 20th birthday earlier that month. Miles joined the unit in country and the young sergeant had made a good impression with his enthusiastic leadership. John Cox was on the mission as were Bob Hernandez, Don Ferraro and Lawrence Coonrod. As darkness descended, the patrol moved out from the cavalry's perimeter. The men found a suitable spot to set up for the night but they immediately detected movement around their position.

SGT Miles whispered the situation on his radio and received instructions to move back to the cavalry's location. The patrol decided each member would throw a grenade and make a run for it while the cavalry opened up by firing high with their weapons. A tank crew was told to turn on a spotlight to serve as a beacon for the men coming in from the jungle. Cox said that as soon as the grenades were thrown, "All hell broke loose".

The patrol tried to remain together as they moved back to the friendly position but a quick head count revealed that Coonrod was missing. SGT Miles told Cox to get up on the tank and call a situation report back to the members of the long range patrol who were monitoring a radio. When one of the tankers told Cox he wouldn't allow a private to use his radio, Sergeant Miles climbed up and took the handset. At that instant, a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) round hit, knocking Cox off the back of tank. Cox was staggering to his feet when he noticed Miles laying a couple of feet away with a hole through his chest. The VC continued to pour automatic rifle fire and RPG rounds into the cavalry's position and the tankers returned with a heavy volume of fire. The firing suddenly ceased and the night became quiet. It was then that Coonrod came crawling in. He had been hit in the back. A chill went through the members of the long range patrol who were monitoring the radios. They heard the cavalry spell out one of the killed in action (KIA) as, "Mike, India, Lima, Echo, Sierra," the phonetic spelling of the Mile's last name.

Phillip Ponserella, the long range patrol's first sergeant, was livid at the loss of SOT Miles. Long range patrols were not designed to be used as listening posts for friendly units and he was upset that Captain Tedrick had allowed the patrol to be given such a mission. The patrols were designed to operate as their name indicated, at a long range and deep into enemy territory. The arrival of D Troop's aircraft would soon give the patrols the capability of operating far away from friendly units.

The MACV Recondo training proved to be so valuable that as soon as Garrison and his men returned to Bearcat, a second group was sent. It consisted of Rick Stetson, John Cox, Raymond Hulin, Tom Kloak, William Haas, Bobby Hernandez, Richard Hill, Freddie Jenkins, Ed Kulcavage, Don Lachowitz, Sammie Reese and Ron Schaffer. The Vietnamese holiday period, Tet, was going on when the next group from the 9th Infantry Division long range patrol reached Nha Trang. Colored paper, cut to resemble lanterns was strung between buildings. Firecrackers were set off at all times of night and day along with the firing of weapons by Vietnamese soldiers resulting in nervous flinching from the Americans each time a gun went off.

Soldiers from other American units and branches of the military as well as from Korea assembled to begin the training. They were introduced to their class leader, a Marine Recon 1st LT from Nantucket, Massachusetts who had been in Vietnam four months. He would later become killed in action and receive a Silver Star for his heroic actions. There were also several Korean officers from the ROK Tiger Division. One had attended the Korean equivalent of West Point and spoke English, French, German and some Vietnamese. Another had graduated from the Korean Army OCS. Both were excellent officers and said that when Korean units went to the field, they did not practice much noise and light discipline because they wanted to make contact with the enemy. The VC knew better and usually stayed clear of the hard-fighting Koreans.

The first day of the Lunar New Year, the men were able to taste real ice cream. That was a treat because the ice cream they usually got was made from condensed milk that gave it an almost unpleasant taste, the only benefit being that it was cold. At breakfast, the condensed milk was equally unsatisfactory and it would only serve to spoil an otherwise good bowl of cereal.

One night after the soldiers had gone to bed in their MACV compound barracks, explosions rocked the area. As a siren wailed, the students grabbed their weapons and ran outside to help man the perimeter. Planes circled the area dropping parachute flares that threw a flickering light over the rice paddies. Despite peering intently into the shadows, the men spotted no sign of the enemy. Finally, an "all clear" signal was given and the men went back to bed. The next morning it was revealed that VC sappers had penetrated the airfield, put satchel charges on some of the helicopters and then blew a hole in the gate as they left. Three aircraft were destroyed and three were heavily damaged resulting in a shortage of gunships to provide cover for the student missions.

The use of Vietnamese laborers on Army bases was a common sight throughout Vietnam. Vietnamese women would squat by a mound of dirt and fill sandbags while carrying on in animated conversation. Usually there was considerably more talking than filling and the rate seemed to be one sandbag filled for every 30 minutes. At Nha Trang, the Vietnamese were building a new mess hall at the Recondo School. Most of the workers were women, small in stature, which carried bricks in two baskets suspended from long poles balanced on their shoulders. They walked in a rhythmic motion so that everything swayed in unison. The carpenters were mostly men. They would squat on their haunches using only the most common of hand tools to make the doors and window frames.

Part of the Recondo School training took place in the South China Sea where the students practiced hitting the beaches in assault boats. During their occasional free time, the men enjoyed riding the waves on air mattresses although the water had a slight oily smell from the tankers anchored offshore.

The requirements for graduation from Recondo School were rigid. About half of all the students who entered the school did not successfully complete the course. The school was unique in that the final exam would consist of a student patrol in enemy territory. Mistakes would have far greater consequences than a failing grade. The Special Forces instructors, who accompanied the patrols and evaluated the student's performance in the field, watched everything with a critical eye. Hilan Jones, a large-framed soldier who would prove to be one of the best patrol leaders to serve in the 9th Infantry Division LRRP, was told he could never make it as a lurp because he was too clumsy and made too much noise. Most of the 9th Infantry Division soldiers who attended the school did well with some, such as SSG Emory Parish and SP4 Dennis Marble, receiving the distinction of being named honor graduates. Those who made it through the course were entitled to wear an arrowhead-shaped patch with the tip pointed downward, embroidered with a black V, and "RECONDO" in black letters across the top. It was a mark of distinction and when they graduated, the students were urged to go back to their units and live up to the motto of a recondo: "Smart, Skilled, Tough, Courageous, Confident."

D Troop, 3/5 Cavalry had received their aircraft and was fully operational by March 1, 1967. Prior to the helicopters arriving in country, Stetson was instructed to report to the airfield and meet two pilots from another aviation unit who would give him an orientation ride. As the operations officer for the long range patrol, Stetson needed to become familiar with the area where his patrols would be operating. When he met the pilots, Stetson noticed they wore their pistols in holsters that hung low on their hips like two gunfighters. He climbed in the back of the Huey as it cranked up and then rapidly picked up speed down the runway.

The end of the runway was marked by commo wire that a signal unit had strung high off the ground between telephone poles. Looking through the windshield, Stetson saw the helicopter fly right through the wire, hitting it just below the main blade. As the wire snapped past on both sides of the aircraft, the two pilots turned to each other, their faces petrified with fear. Stetson, who had visions of his first helicopter ride in country being his last, asked on the intercom if they were OK which seemed to snap them back to reality. They were fully aware that a wire strike is often a fatal mistake for a pilot. In this case, the only damage done was to the wire and it was later moved to a location away from the end of the runway.

In March 1967, a soldier who helped contribute greatly to the reputation and success of the unit joined the 9th Infantry Division Long Range Patrol. Master Sergeant Roy Nelson had been the operations NCO for the 3/5 Cavalry when the unit arrived in Vietnam. When the Cavalry supported the 1st Infantry Division as part of Operation Junction City, Nelson had a disagreement with the Squadron commander and he was reassigned to the LRRPs after the battle of Bau Bang. Nelson's impact on the long range patrol was immediate although he was not a typical first sergeant. He did not yell at the men to get things accomplished. Instead, he led by quiet example. He was the consummate NCO, always looking after his men and always seeing they had everything necessary to be successful in the field.

He volunteered for as many missions as possible, wanting to observe his young patrol leaders in action. He was instrumental in helping to weed out those not qualified to lead under combat conditions. His goal was to teach the basic skills of survival to every lurp who joined the unit. He stressed education, fitness and discipline. Nelson's constant reminder to his men was not to get injured by "doing something stupid."

Nelson's first mission was to take five men and guard a 01-E Bird Dog observation airplane that had gone down on a road leading to Long Binh. The night was uneventful and the next day a Chinook helicopter flew in and lifted the airplane out. It was a misuse of LRRP assets but Nelson had successfully completed the first of many missions and demonstrated he was a first sergeant who wanted to be leading his men in the field instead of from behind a desk. He would go on to lead some of the first long range patrols to operate in the Plain of Reeds and on Toi San Island in the Delta. Nelson saw to it that the men were completely professional while on missions but would allow them to blow off steam and relax in the base camp. It was a challenge to keep the men gainfully occupied between missions. To help with morale, the first sergeant allowed cookouts, beer parties, and rough and tumble games of "combat football" where he was knocked around just as much as his men were.

As the long range patrol became operational, a need developed for additional personnel. One of the men had broken both ankles while going through Recondo School. He was a patrol point man and was to have been first out of the helicopter. The tall grass made the LZ look deceptively close and he jumped out as the aircraft descended, still some 30 feet in the air. Replacements were also needed for Miles and Coonrod so a recruiting effort was organized. Representatives from the long range patrol would put on their camouflaged "tiger" fatigues, shined jungle boots, black berets, and visit the 9th Infantry Division Replacement Center in search of volunteers.

The replacement, or "repo depot" as it was commonly called, was where the division's new arrivals could acclimate to the tropical climate. They received classes on such subjects as enemy tactics, detection of booby traps and the importance of respecting the South Vietnamese people and their customs. On March 15, 1967, two future patrol leaders would meet at the replacement center. Private Johnston Dunlop was a 32-year old enlistee from Auburn, New York. Hilan Jones, 26, was a draftee from Thermopolis, Wyoming. Being older than the average recruit, Jones and Dunlop spent a lot of time together at the repo depot and became best of friends. Both were highly intelligent and competitive (Dunlop had been a champion swimmer while in high school). They were intrigued when just before departing for their respective units; soldiers wearing black berets gave a presentation on something called a long range patrol.

1LT Rick Stetson, Master Sergeant Roy Nelson, and Sergeant Bobby Hernandez represented the long range patrol that day. The LRRP recruiters told the new arrivals that they took only the best of the volunteers. Rank could be obtained faster in the long range patrol and they would wear the black beret. Most important, because they operated secretly in the enemy's backyard, the chances of becoming a casualty in the long range patrol would be much less than if they served in a line outfit.

Jones and Dunlop were impressed by what they heard about the long range patrol. They liked the idea of monitoring trails and observing enemy activity without being seen. The benefits of being a LRRP, which included two rest and recuperation trips (R & R), sounded good so they both volunteered. Stetson told them they would be notified in a couple of weeks if they had been selected. Dunlop was sent to an engineer unit. Jones reported to A Troop, 3/5 Cavalry where he would train to drive an armored personnel carrier.

It wasn't long before Jones received word that he had been picked to become a lurp and was ordered to return to Bearcat. At his first opportunity, Jones hitched a ride to the division's base camp on an armored personnel carrier. On the way, he passed an engineer unit building a bridge. There, covered in dust from head to toe and looking somewhat discouraged, was Dunlop. Jones yelled over to him, "I'm going to be a lurp." Dunlop shouted back, "Me too." They would soon be reunited as members of the long range patrol and achieve notable success as patrol leaders.

In April, members of the long range patrol were sent to Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province to work with the Special Air Service (SAS) of the 1st Australian Task Force as part of Operation Portsea. Soldiers who elected to take an R & R visit to Australia returned with glowing reports of the friendliness and generosity of the people in the "land down under." The members of Australia's Army were no exception. The lurps quickly took to working with the Aussies and especially enjoyed their excellent meals that included menus, tables covered with linen tablecloths, silverware and plates. Orderlies took the requests in the officer's mess and served delicious meals that were always followed by deserts or "sweets". It was a far cry from the C rations the lurps had been eating for lunch. The Australians were also excellent fighters who appeared to be calm in battle. When contact was made with the enemy, the Aussies attacked with every bit of firepower at their disposal. They were a good-looking bunch in their bush hats and were known for stopping what they were doing in the middle of the afternoon for a "tea time" break.

It was during Operation Portsea that a patrol led by Sergeant Raymond Hulin made the April 29, 1967 edition of the Army Reporter in an article headlined, "9th Infantry Recons Forced to Kill Four VC." The patrol had been monitoring a trail when a group of enemy soldiers from the 5th Viet Cong Division passed by. "After the first enemy force passed we waited for about ten minutes before the point man stepped out onto the trail to see if anything was coming," Hulin said. When the point man, SP4 James Elder, saw an enemy patrol ambling down the trail, he signaled Hulin. "He let me know we didn't have time to fade back into the jungle so we just froze and squatted down," Elder said.

Elder was behind a small bush only a foot or so off the trail while the rest of the patrol was positioned about ten meters further back The first member of the enemy patrol passed by without seeing the lurps. As Hulin reported afterwards, "He had his weapon on his shoulder and was looking at the ground. The second man stopped right in front of me. When he turned and faced me, it shocked him like he didn't know what to do.' Sergeant Hulin knew what he had to do and unloaded a magazine of ammunition into the man. The other patrol members fired on the remaining Viet Cong. "I just kept shooting my man until I didn't see him anymore," said SP4 Freddie Jenkins.

The patrol broke contact and moved back to set up a defensive perimeter as the enemy fired away with a semi-automatic weapon. Hulin called for extraction and as the patrol was lifted out, gunships swept the area with machine-gun and rocket fire. For his decisive action in leading the patrol out of danger, Raymond Hulin received the Bronze Star and was promoted to Sergeant E-5. It was proof that rank could indeed be gained rapidly for those patrol members who were willing to assume the responsibility of providing sound leadership.

Roy Nelson was in the command post (CP) at Nui Dat when word was received that Hulin's patrol was in contact. He picked some men for a reaction force and ordered them to "saddle up." When Nelson reached the pad, the Hueys were already cranking up. He looked in one of the helicopters and was surprised to see Jones and Dunlop, two of the "new guys" who had joined the unit that morning. They were sitting in the back of the aircraft trying to avoid the first sergeant's gaze. They had not been picked for the reaction force but wanted to help out as soon as they heard there was a patrol in trouble. When he saw them, Nelson knew they had selected a couple of good men to be lurps.

Garrison had helped instill a "can do" spirit among the original members of the long range patrol. The unit did not have its own table of organization and equipment (TO&E) so requisitions could not be made through normal supply channels. There were shortages in equipment and weapons so the men had to scrounge the best they could by "wheeling and dealing". 1Lt Garrison and Staff Sergeant (SSG) Cottrell were two of the best. When they first arrived in the D Troop area, the living conditions included few creature comforts. Garrison was determined to do something about the lack of electricity. He told SSG Cottrell to accompany him one day and they set off in a deuce and a half for a headquarters compound near Saigon.

Generators seemed to be in abundant supply and many were being used to provide power to the living quarters of the numerous generals who were housed in the compound. Garrison grabbed a clipboard and trying to look as official as possible, walked up to a warrant officer and said, "I'm here to pick up my generator". As the warrant gave him a puzzled look, Garrison continued, "That generator over there is the one I have on my list to pick up", pointing to a high-powered model intended for one of the general officers."

"But I am not authorized to load any generators", protested the warrant officer. Garrison reached into the truck's cab and produced a bottle of Jack Daniels Whiskey. "Here", he said offering the bottle. "This might help convince you to load that generator on my truck." A wrecker was located, the generator loaded, and Garrison and Cottrell headed back to Bearcat with the new piece of equipment. Once in the D Troop area, the generator was properly dug in and a generous amount of sandbags was built up around the sides and over the top providing both protection and concealment. The generator was well-received by the members of D Troop and the LRRP. It provided sufficient power to not only light the tents, but to keep a proper chill on the soft drinks and beer stored in the personal refrigerators.

The patrol members returned to Bearcat on April 17th after operating with the Australians. Shortly after, Ed Garrison accompanied a patrol and would observe while running as point man. The officers were turning over patrol leadership to the NCOs but, still went out whenever possible as the young sergeants gained experience. As point man, Garrison was to be the first one out of the helicopter. As he sat with his feet on the Huey's skids he noticed the LZ had been prepped by artillery rounds that had stirred up clouds of dust. It appeared they were about to touch down so Garrison jumped out while the aircraft was still 3-5 feet in the air. He broke his foot when he hit the ground and was evacuated to Japan. He was three-months recovering and would not return to the long range patrol. After his foot healed, he was assigned to Company C, 5/60th where he would excel as the executive officer (XO). His battalion commander was so impressed with his performance as XO, that he went all the way to General Westmorland to receive permission for Garrison to command a rifle company.

Captain Tedrick transferred to a staff job at division headquarters and left the unit in April. That left 1LT Stetson as the remaining officer and he commanded the unit from April 13-30, 1967. Then 1LT Donald Lawrence transferred from an infantry company to join the LRRP. Stetson and Lawrence had graduated together from OCS Class 1-66 at Fort Benning and had the same date of rank. Their class had graduated alphabetically and since Lawrence had walked across the stage before Stetson, it was decided that he would command the unit. The arrangement worked well as Lawrence preferred handling the administrative requirements of command while Stetson enjoyed planning the patrols and accompanying the men to the jungle whenever he could.

One of Stetson's patrols was known as "the great elephant hunt." Reports had come into headquarters that numerous elephant tracks had been spotted in the division's area of operations. The G-2 wanted a patrol to investigate and determine if the VC were using the elephants as beasts of burden to transport food, weapons and ammunition. The patrol members were selected; Rick Stetson, John Berg, Steve Ross, Marlin Mears, and Hilan Jones. The insertion took place with out incident. As the patrol moved out the next day, it was not long before the unmistakable signs of elephant tracks were visible in the thick bamboo. The patrol followed the wandering tracks but did not find any elephants.

They moved into their evening position and later that night, the patrol members heard the trumpeting sound of elephants calling one another from distant parts of the jungle. The next night, the patrol set up not far from the embankment of an abandoned railroad. They monitored the site but there was no sign of enemy activity. Sometime after midnight, the patrol was jolted awake by the sound of automatic weapons being fired from the other side of the rail embankment. It sounded like at least a platoon's worth of weapons was being fired on full automatic, seemingly right next to the startled patrol. The firing continued for at least a half minute and then it ended as suddenly as it had started. There was complete silence. No voices, no sounds of magazines being removed, just a "thump, thump" as each patrol member heard the sound of his pounding heart. The men remained on high alert until the normal sounds of the night convinced them that the VC must have been conducting a test fire of their weapons and had moved on. The patrol was extracted the next Day without finding the elephants.

Not long after that patrol, however, Stetson was in a Huey providing command and control for an insertion when he happened to look out the door of the aircraft as they returned to base camp. Standing by some trees, at the edge of a small clearing, was a mother elephant and her calf. He pointed them out to the pilots who banked the helicopter for a better look and more elephants were observed. There was no sign of enemy personnel, just wild elephants, annoyed at the sound of the circling helicopter, running and trying to hide in the trees. The pilots sent a message to the other D Troop aircraft that they had elephants in sight. In no time, a transmission came from division headquarters wanting to know the status of the elephants. It was then announced that the commanding general was boarding his helicopter to come out and take a look for himself. As the D Troop helicopters flew back to the airfield, called The Roundtable, a growing group of VIP's were seen circling the area looking for the elephants.

Elephants were not the only animals the patrols had to contend with in the jungle. Stetson was on a patrol one day in thick jungle when an object of some kind crashed through the leaves and landed nearby. The patrol members instantly froze with fingers on the triggers of their weapons while minds raced trying to determine what had been thrown at them. Was it possible a VC had tossed a dud grenade at them? Was someone trying to lead the patrol into an ambush? After waiting several minutes, no further sounds were heard and the patrol cautiously moved forward. Thump. Another unknown object landed close by. The men did not move as they kept weapons pointed to the front, sides and rear of the patrol. This time, Stetson decided to remain in place until the source of the noise could be located. Again, complete quiet. Then, in the triple canopy growth high above their heads, the men heard a rustling of leaves. They looked up and saw a group of monkeys swinging through the branches while staring down at them. The men breathed sighs of relief while shaking silent fists at the monkeys who were either defending their territory or amusing themselves by seeing who could hit a soldier with a stick.

The 9th Infantry Division established a base camp in the Mekong Delta called Dong Tam. The 600 acre base camp on the My Tho River was formed by dredging sand from the river bottom and depositing it on marshland. The world's largest dredge was used to perform that task until Viet Cong sappers planted explosive charges on the dredge one night sending it to the bottom of the river. Smaller dredges were used and the division soon had a permanent base in the Delta.

The division needed intelligence about enemy activity in the area and long range patrol members were flown to Dong Tam to meet with the Navy Seals. The seals were an elite and secretive group that had established a reputation for successful operations in the swampy Delta region. The Seals were known for specializing in prisoner snatches where they would stand in water up to their noses for hours waiting for the opportunity to grab a high-ranking prisoner.

The 9th Infantry Division placed units of the 2nd Brigade on board the USS Benewah (APB-35) the flagship of River Assault Flotilla One. The Benewah, a converted WWII-era LST, was first launched in 1946. It was modernized in July 1966. Included was a helicopter landing platform and accommodations for 1150 soldiers. The feature that made the biggest impression on the patrol members who visited the ship was that the troops slept in air-conditioned quarters. Another indication the Navy knew how to do things with style was the officer's mess where Philippine stewards made certain the tea glasses was never empty.

An instructor at the MACV Recondo School had told his students that a patrol leader always had the final approval for a mission. It was pointed out that if a patrol leader had been given an assignment that he considered too dangerous, he had the option of turning down the mission. When the assignment came down from division for the long range patrol to put a team in the Delta, a young sergeant was given the mission. He was taken on an over flight of the area and quickly observed that instead of lush jungle offering concealment the instant a patrol moved off the LZ, the Delta was nothing but wide open rice paddies. When the helicopter landed, the patrol leader said he would have to refuse the mission, as it was too dangerous. Stetson, the operations officer, knew it was pointless to try to force him to take the patrol as the sergeant's apprehensions could endanger the entire group. Stetson said he would lead the patrol and put in an immediate request to have the sergeant transferred out of the unit.

The patrol was deposited in the middle of a rice paddy at last available light. Instead of scrambling for the thickest clump of vegetation, as they would do in the jungle, the patrol tried to conceal themselves as best as they could behind a two-foot high rice paddy dike. They lay motionless, hearts pounding, imagining that every VC in the area knew exactly where they were. After a period of time had passed, the stillness of the night reassured the patrol they had not been spotted. The men were still uncomfortable at being so exposed but eventually they relaxed enough to resume normal breathing. The patrol was not far from a small river and sounds of motorized sampans could be heard moving throughout the night. Early the next morning, the patrol was picked up. They did not have a lot of intelligence to report but they had demonstrated it was possible to spend at least one night out in the open. Patrols operating in that area would later learn how to use the vegetation along the riverbanks for concealment and would go on to accomplish numerous successful missions in the Delta.

The network of rivers and canals around Dong Tam offered another means of inserting patrols, by boat. Toi San Island was in the middle of the My Tho River and it was a favorite location for the VC to fire at passing river patrol boats. The enemy was so prevalent that soldiers called the place VC Island. On May 9, 1967, the LRRP received a mission to put a recon patrol on Toi San Island. They would be inserted at last light by a Navy armored troop carrier that was armed with a caliber .50 machine gun, two 20mm cannons, and several deck mounted caliber .30 machine guns. SGT Raymond Hulin was to lead the patrol. Also on board were Stetson, the operations officer, a reaction team led by SSG Cottrell and the five man Navy crew.

Stetson peered through the growing darkness trying to locate a suitable spot to insert the patrol. The first site selected was not a good one. As the boat eased into the island, it was apparent that the water was too deep and the bank undercut giving the men no foothold when they would scramble ashore. The boat backed off and moved further down the island. A small clearing was spotted that had a gradually sloping bank and Stetson gestured for the sailor at the wheel to head the boat in. The troop carrier had a landing ramp in front but it was decided that dropping it would expose everyone in the boat to hostile fire. The patrol members crouched along a ledge that ran around the top of the craft, ready to drop over the side as soon as the boat got close enough to the island. The sides of the boat were covered with bar armor; long thin rods about six inches apart that helped prevent RPG rounds from penetrating the hull. The rods served as excellent hand and foot holds as the team members climbed over the side.

The point man was the first to leave the boat and waded into waist-deep water followed by Hulin, the patrol leader. The third team member was climbing down the side of the boat when one of the men still on the ledge whispered, "I hear voices." At that moment, automatic weapons opened up from the shoreline. Bullets pinged off the hull as the boat's operator threw the engines into reverse backing the craft towards the middle of the river. Another sailor returned fire with the caliber .50 machine gun while members of the reaction force sprayed the tree line with M16 rounds. Stetson took a quick headcount and realized they were a man short. He glanced down over the side of the boat and he spotted Hulin fighting to hold on to the bar armor. As patrol leader, he carried a heavy radio plus his weapon and all of his equipment and he was unable to hold on any longer, as the boat rapidly backed out into the river's current. SGT Howard Munn, a reaction team member who had been splattered in the arm by fragments from a bullet was manning one of the caliber .30 machine guns when he spotted Hulin in the middle of the river trying to shed his pack and web gear. Stetson shouted for the Navy personnel to stop the engines as Munn executed a headfirst dive into the river and swam towards Hulin. As he approached, Hulin calmly turned his back so Munn could reach around and help keep him afloat. Just as he placed a hand on his chin, Hulin gulped in a mouthful of the muddy river water. The more the patrol leader shook his head trying to spit out the water, the harder Munn held on until the boat was finally able to maneuver and pick up both lurps. Munn was recommended for the Soldiers Medal for his actions and in September 1967, he received a Bronze Star with V device for his heroism.

Insertion by boat was the exception as most patrols were dropped off in LZs by helicopters flown by the skilled D Troop pilots. A close bond of mutual respect developed between the aviators and the members of the long range patrol. The lurps knew if a patrol experienced trouble, the pilots of D Troop would do whatever necessary to come get them. The aviators and members of the long range patrol not only worked together; they were friends so that when a tragic accident occurred on May 26, 1967, both units were devastated.

The gunship crews (Crusaders) often operated at night. Sometimes they would support American or South Vietnamese units or they might go off in pairs trying to stir up targets on their own. The D Troop pilots were highly capable of night flight operations. New pilots were arriving in country on a regular basis and before sending them out on missions, they would train on orientation rides to become familiar with combat flying. On May 26, CPT Norman Kidd and 1LT Jack Dodson reported to the D Troop operations area for briefings. Both had been in Vietnam only four days and would be flying as observers with two veteran gunship crews that night. The new pilots were attentive during the briefings and tried to absorb as much information possible about the tactics of gunship operations. The D Troop pilots, having conducted such operations numerous times, were relaxed and eager to show the new arrivals how the gunship's firepower could be unleashed on an enemy who liked to move at night.

When Stetson reported to night operations, the next day to plan a mission, he could immediately see by the pilot's faces that something was wrong. There was none of the bantering and carrying on that usually took place in the building. Instead, one word, midair, summed up what had happened. Two D Troop gunships had been conducting night operations outside a small Vietnamese town when the aircraft collided in flight. One of the door gunners survived the impact but died shortly after being airlifted to a hospital. The rest of the pilots and crews died immediately in the crash. The Doughboys rifle platoon was flown in to help secure the crash site and help with the removal of the bodies. Killed in the collision were Captain (CPT) Gene Matthews, CPT Robert Mosher, Warrant Officer (WO1) Robert Cook, Specialist Five (SP5) George Bennett, Specialist Four (SP4) Roger Fortune, SP4 Joseph LeGrand, SP4 Melvin Martz along with the two aviators just arrived in country, CPI' Kidd and 1LT Dodson. Their deaths cast a dark shadow over the men of D Troop and the long range patrol.

SSG Richard Cottrell, a 36 year old patrol leader from Philadelphia, received an operations order on June 23, 1967 to conduct a long range reconnaissance patrol in the Long Thanh Province south of Bearcat. Cottrell alerted his assistant patrol leader, SP4 Dennis Marble who informed the remainder of the team; PFCs Marlin Mears, James Woodson and Hilan Jones. The insertion was scheduled to take place the following afternoon.

There was a good amount of experience on the patrol. SSG Cottrell was a graduate of the MACV Recondo School and had completed 12 successful missions. SP4 Marble, recondo qualified and the honor graduate of his class had been on four previous missions with Cottrell. The Old Reliable newspaper described Marble as being "as apple-cheeked as Cottrell is tanned but his dark eyes look older than his 20 years." PFCs Woodson and Mears were also recondo school graduates who had accompanied Cottrell on several missions. PFC Jones was a "new guy" with the LRRP'S who had received a letter of completion from Recondo School.

As the team prepared for the mission by drawing rations, filling canteens, test firing and cleaning their weapons, Cottrell took an over flight to help select the landing zone (LZ) for the insertion. Preparations completed, the team headed for the Round Table late in the afternoon to board a waiting Huey for the insertion. The patrol members had the usual nervous tension that took place just before each mission but this day, the anticipation was even higher as the new patrol member, Jones, was untested.

Adrenaline was rushing and hearts pounding as the helicopter neared the LZ. The heat rushing in the open doors and the "pop, pop, pop" sound as the blades changed pitch while the aircraft flared for a landing told them they were moments away from scrambling into the jungle. The patrol dashed for the nearest concealment and froze in place as the sounds of the helicopters faded away. This was the crucial moment. Senses strained to pick-up any sight or sound made by an enemy who might have been watching the LZ. If they had been spotted, this is when the VC would start looking for them. Minutes passed and the quiet of the jungle became reassuring. Finally, the operations officer circling high above in the command and control ship asked on the radio how the light was. "Red" meant trouble and "green" indicated everything was good so far. The light was green so the gunships, the pickup aircraft, and the C&C ship headed back to Bearcat leaving the patrol on their own. The men moved into the jungle in search of a suitable night position. Cottrell selected a spot in the thickest undergrowth they could find and the patrol settled in for the night. The experienced men rested well but Jones was more apprehensive and got little sleep.

The first day was uneventful and dampened by steady drizzle. The team zigzagged through the jungle searching for trails or any other signs the enemy was in the area. A radio relay aircraft flew over for a SITREP and the patrol leader reported no sign of enemy activity and gave the patrol's location in code. Again, they found a thick growth of vegetation in which to spend the second night.

The next morning, the patrol moved out on their pre-planned route and came upon a well-used trail. It was early in the day and footprints were visible in the mud. It was obvious the trail had been used recently and the enemy had to be nearby. Cottrell decided to take up positions and monitor the trail. He moved his men across and placed them in positions about five meters apart where they paralleled the trail and could observe without being detected. It wasn't long before the first enemy soldier was spotted moving quickly along the trail, coming from the right of the patrol. He was wearing an olive green uniform and carrying a chicom rifle, holding it by the barrel as it rested on his shoulder. Following about 20 meters behind came another similarly dressed and armed soldier. Behind him came another yet another NVA.

After waiting a several minutes and seeing no additional enemy, Cottrell moved the team briskly away from the trail and out of the area. The patrol had traveled just a short distance when they came upon a small clearing where they found a poncho shelter erected on four bamboo poles stuck in the ground. Under the shelter was a five-gallon square can with the top cut off. The area looked as if it had been occupied recently and Cottrell assumed it was an outpost for a larger complex nearby, probably located in the direction where the enemy soldiers had come from. Sensing there could be an ambush in the vicinity, Cottrell directed his point man, Jones, to head off at a ninety-degree angle away from the outpost and a possible ambush. As they were moving away from the clearing, the patrol members heard a rifle shot and a muffled explosion that sounded like a grenade. The team immediately went into the standard reaction drill used to break contact, escape and evade (E&E). Each lurp assumed a position with every other man facing to the right or left. The last in line, Marble, faced the direction of the enemy and fired his weapon on fall automatic. He emptied his magazine and turned away from the enemy reloading his weapon as he ran. Each man would in turn repeat the procedure before following the assistant team leader.

Jones, the last to fire, emptied his magazine and tossed a white phosphorous (Willie peter) grenade before turning to catch up with the escaping team. As Jones tried to run through the thick vegetation, his rucksack became entangled in the "wait-a-minute" vines. He quickly shed the pack and left it on the ground as he caught up with the patrol. They ran for several hundred meters before stopping to listen and determine if they were being followed. They were not and the patrol leader called for an extraction. Afterwards, Cottrell was quoted in a newspaper account of the action as saying, "We hit our firing plan and moved out smartly." The Old Reliable paper continued the dramatic account: "It gets hairy out there," Cottrell said frankly. "That business was a surprise and we don't like to get surprised. It was a good thing we used our diversionary tactics, it was a damn close shave." Cottrell and Marble received the Bronze Star with V device for the actions on the patrol while Jones was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with V for valor.

The long range patrol received considerable publicity for a June 1967 patrol led by SSG Robert Syndram. The Old Reliable's June 24th edition headed the story detailing the patrols action as, "Five-Man Recon Team Bailed Out of Tight Spot by Arty, Gunships." The Stars and Stripes carried the same story under the heading, "9th Inf. Recon Team's Ordeal. The VC Were 10 to l Against Us." Long Thanh. Out numbered 10 to l, a five-man team from the U.S. Army's 9th Inf. Div. Long Range Reconnaissance Platoon became the prey of a Viet Cong manhunt recently. After five hours of fight and flight, the team escaped the enemy thanks to the pinpoint accuracy of artillery fire and a withering onslaught from helicopter gunships.

A lone enemy soldier had spotted the recon team. SP4 Donald Naughton of Norwalk, CA was forced to mow down the approaching enemy with his M16 rifle. The chattering gun gave away the team's position. "They knew we were in there and they were determined to find us," Team Leader SSG Robert Syndram of FT Wayne, IN recalled afterward. The team attempted to avoid detection by moving frequently but twice narrowly missed being cut down by enemy machine gun fire. Breaking for a nearby knoll, they scrambled to the top and set up a perimeter using fallen trees and rocks for cover. Minutes later, the heavily armed enemy platoon reached the knoll and surrounded it as the team desperately radioed for aid. After three hours without making radio contact, the 9th Infantry Division artillery observer's plane arrived overhead for a routine radio check.

The surrounded troops explained the situation to 1st LT Stewart McGregor, the aerial observer. McGregor radioed artillerymen at the Black Horse base of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment about three miles northwest of the knoll. At about 2:30 PM the first rounds thundered in on the enemy position. "They were good, close groups and right on target," the observer recalled. "The rounds were coming in right on their heads," Syndram said.

Meanwhile, helicopter gunships of the 9th Infantry Division's Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 5th Armored Cavalry, had scrambled. The artillery fell silent shortly after 3:30 PM and "that's when the gunships took over," McGregor related. Rockets and miniguns raked the enemy position to secure a landing zone where another chopper from. Troop D could land to pick up the team. CPT William (Wild Bill) Bailey and WO William Brayshaw landed the rescue chopper about 200 meters southwest of the knoll. The team sprinted to the waiting helicopter. At 4:30, five and half-hours after the enemy force had first surrounded them; the recon team was on its way back to the division's base camp.

By July, 1967, the 9th Infantry Division's long range patrol platoon had been operating in Vietnam for almost half a year. During that time, the LRRPs had obtained valuable intelligence about enemy activity within the division's area of operations but being just a platoon size, the number of patrols that could operate at any given time was limited. Thus, the decision was made by the 9th Infantry Division to increase the LRRP Detachment to a company size unit.

The 9th Infantry Division Chief of Staff, a blunt spoken colonel by the name of M.W. Kendall, wanted an experienced unit commander to form the detachment into a company. The call went out for Clarence 'Clancy' Matsuda, commander of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry. Matsuda was a 29-year old captain who had attended West Point and received his commission after completing OCS at Fort Benning, Georgia. In May 1967, Matsuda had been awarded the Silver Star for leading his company with distinction on 2 May, 1967, during the Battle of Ap Bac, a fierce fight in which two of his men, Leonard Keller and Raymond Wright, later received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Matsuda had considerable leadership experience going back to his initial assignment as a recon platoon leader with an airborne battle group on Okinawa followed by a tour at Fort Bragg where he was executive officer of a raider detachment in the 82nd Airborne Division. He then commanded a rifle company in the Dominican Republic and a headquarter company at Ft Bragg, N. C. (this assignment was made primarily to take on the then precarious Command Maintenance Management Inspection (CMMI) in the 82nd's 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry.

Matsuda's battalion commander, LTC Doty, was newly assigned to the 60th and did not want to lose one of his best commanders to the LRRPs so he flew to Bearcat to personally appeal to the chief of staff. COL Kendall was not persuaded and told the battalion commander that Matsuda was the man he wanted to lead the long range patrol. Matsuda's tour as commander of the rifle company was over. He packed his belongings, said farewell to his company and prepared to move to Bearcat for his new assignment. First, however, he was instructed to report to the ill-natured Kendall who did not hide his opinion of the LRRPs. 'They jump at shadows,' the former First Brigade Commander barked at Matsuda. 'Their image stinks. Fix it. Now get out of here.' The new LRRP Commander, according to officers who had served under the crusty chief of staff, had just been 'Kendallized.'

On July 8, 1967, CPT Clancy Matsuda assumed command of the 9th Infantry Division Long Range Patrol. Facing him was the considerable task of taking the unit from a platoon to a company and there was no time to hold a formal change of command ceremony. LT Lawrence was moved to the position of executive officer while LT Stetson remained as the unit's operations officer. LT Garrison transferred to a rifle company in the Delta where he would perform with distinction and go on to become a career Army officer. Matsuda would also make a career out of the Army and serve for over 30 years before retiring as a full colonel.

The unit was given priority to be filled at the 100% level utilizing volunteers who would be screened through an interview process. When it came to selecting his officers, the new commander took advantage of his West Point Connections. One of his good friends at the Academy, MAJ Jim Blesse, was the 9th Infantry Division assistant G-1 and in charge of assignments for company grade officers. He let Matsuda have his pick of all incoming lieutenants and as a result, hard-charging young officers Dale Dickey and Henry Richard Hester were assigned to the rapidly expanding unit.

LT Edison K. Woodie did not join the LRRPs through the replacement pipeline. He served with Matsuda in the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry as the Heavy Mortar platoon leader. Woodie was a Ranger qualified officer with an outstanding reputation as a strong (he had been a body builder competitor) and courageous warrior. Matsuda "arranged" Woodie's assignment to the LRRPs through MAJ Blesse. Like Matsuda and the other hand picked officers, Woodie led by example and was eager to get in the jungle and start patrolling. Woodie's sense of humor fit in nicely with the LRRPs who never minded pulling the legs of non-rangers. One time a soldier asked Woodie why his survival mirror had a hole in the center of it. (The mirrors were carried by all patrol members and the opening was to help aim the mirror at an aircraft.) With a straight face Woodie said to the soldier, 'That's so if I am shaving while in the field, I can look through the mirror to make sure no Viet Cong are sneaking up on me.'

As Matsuda's officers began putting plans into effect to build the unit into a company, the new commander left Bearcat for an orientation tour to observe how other units were utilizing their long range patrol assets. His visits would take him to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 101st Airborne Division, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, and the Recon Battalion of the Fleet Marine Division. In addition, Matsuda stopped in at the MACV Recondo School where he obtained lesson plans and operating procedures that would become useful when his unit developed its own recondo training program.

Returning to Bearcat with a better understanding of the organization and direction he wanted for his unit, Matsuda summarized the observations during his visits as follows: 1. The support of the LRRPs varied according to the confidence that senior leadership had in the unit, and, 2. LRRPs must believe they belong to an elite unit made up of tough fighters. The warrior spirit had to be part of the temperament for those selected to perform commando operations in Vietnam.

To help instill the 'warrior spirit,' one of the first requirements the new commander implemented was that patrol members would be fully camouflaged before going out on a mission. This meant applying green and black 'grease paint' to all areas of exposed skin to include ears and the backs of the hands. Prior to Matsuda assuming command, patrol members would smear a little camouflage on their faces, but it was applied in a haphazard manner with thought that darkness would engulf the patrol after they were inserted and that the paint would quickly wash off in the rain and humidity. Matsuda, however, likened the application of camouflage before a mission to American Indians applying war paint to their bodies before going into battle. The process of darkening their skin by using camouflage sticks served notice that the patrol members were preparing to be sent into hostile territory. In a previous assignment as a recon platoon leader, Matsuda noticed that the soldiers who put on the most camouflage always seemed to perform better. The LRRP commander wanted his soldiers to have every possible advantage over the enemy.

Matsuda made a point of taking an active role in his new company. Soon after taking command, he selected a team already scheduled for a patrol, and joined as an observer. The team consisted of a relatively new Team Leader, Sergeant Jimmy Bedgood, and Assistant Team Leader, Sergeant Kenneth McCarn. The three observers were Specialists Four Jerry Wilson and Hilan Jones, with Private First Class Bruce Church filling out the team. Matsuda's role was to observe, hopping to get a feel for what type of "animal" he had been charged with shaping up.

There was nothing special about this particular patrol, just the average Lurp on a normal reconnaissance mission, searching for enemy locations or activity. As the team prepared for the mission, Bedgood made the over flight and selected the Landing Zone. Once this was accomplished he returned to Bearcat for the remainder of the team. There was plenty of excitement among the patrol members as it wasn't an everyday thing to have an officer, especially the company commander, on patrol with them. Each man wanted to do his very best to impress the captain, not yet knowing that this mission would call for exceptional effort to just get out alive.

The insertion and first night out was uneventful. Things were going well as each man wanted to show his stuff for the commander. Camouflage sticks were used and the guys moved with extra care to demonstrate for the captain they knew how it was done. The second day out began as the first had ended, uneventful. They had moved a thousand meters or so, without incident, when one of the men saw sign of fresh digging off to the right. Bedgood moved his team closer to inspect the area and attempt to identify what, if any, enemy activity was going on.

They found a large circular hole about ten feet in diameter, dug straight down approximately fifty feet. Straddling the hole was a pole six to eight inches in diameter supported on two similar poles, about five-foot tall, secured firmly in the ground on either side of the hole. Indications were that this apparatus was being used to hoist the fresh diggings from the hole. The team moved back away from the digging and took a position where they could observe the hole without being detected. When the scheduled air relay passed overhead Bedgood reported the findings and requested support to provide security and investigate the hole. The team waited for any special instructions. No support was immediately available and the nearest LZ was a few thousand meters away. It was decided that they would mark their location and observe the area the remainder of the afternoon and through the night.

To get an exact location of the hole, Bedgood requested a "fix". This was a procedure used to determine a patrols location by flying over their position on the ground. Guided by the TL or radio operator, the pilot of the approaching aircraft is given direction using the clock method (i.e. fly 2 o'clock) until he passes directly overhead. At that time, the radio operator would announce touchdown. The pilot would then fly in from a different direction and the procedure was repeated. The pilot then had an X on his map marking the location on the ground and providing the co ordinance of the requested "fix". The team learned that they were 6000 meters north of where they thought they were. Bedgood had put down in the wrong LZ. It was fortunate they called for the "fix" because knowing their precise location would become very important the following day.

The patrol spent the night alternating who would sleep and who would watch. They anticipated enemy soldiers or workers to come and continue the digging. This did not happen and the patrol moved out early the next morning. Having traveled a very short distance, they came upon a well-used trail with more fresh digging on either side. Under construction was what appeared to be fighting holes or bunkers? There was an eerie feeling among the patrol members as if "Charlie" wasn't too far away.

Bedgood took Jones and proceeded to move down the trail to their right. The remainder of the guys stayed in place providing rear security. The two hadn't gotten more than a few meters down the trail when they heard voices. It was unmistakably "Charlie" but he wasn't visible through the thick underbrush. Without a word, Bedgood layed down in the middle of the trail and opened up on full automatic in the direction of the voices. Calling for Jones to follow him, he turned and headed back at a double time to join the others. Before following, Jones emptied his magazine and tossed a couple of grenades up the trail hoping to discourage the VC from following. It didn't work and the patrol could hear movement and talking as the enemy made their way towards them.

The Lrrps went into their immediate action drill in an attempt to separate themselves from the enemy pursuit. Each of the six Lrrps fired a full magazine on automatic and the last man tossed another grenade as they ran away from the contact area. Having ran for over 600 meters they came to a small mound of dirt where the team leader decided to stop and listen for anyone that might be following. All was quiet as the Lrrps regrouped and caught their breath. They set up in a small circle with McCarn and Matsuda watching the rear, Bedgood and Church to either side, with Jones and Wilson looking in the direction of their travel. It appeared that no one was following so Wilson and Jones decided to have a smoke before they moved on.

Before they had a chance to light their smokes McCarn opened fire on full automatic. He and Matsuda saw two or three VC picking their way carefully through the jungle looking for sign of the fleeing Lrrps. As the enemy fell, the team was up and running again, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the enemy. They quickly covered another 600 meters or so before slowing to listen. It looked like no one was following. Breathing a sigh of relief, they continued toward the LZ for extraction.

As the team traveled quietly through the jungle they came upon a poncho covered structure of some sort. Jones always carried a few extra grenades and saw this as an opportunity to toss one. The team took cover as Jones tossed the grenade toward the structure. The explosion shook the surrounding vegetation and Jones as well. He was hit on the top of the head by a small fragment from the grenade. Further investigation revealed a rice cache, which the Lrrps destroyed before moving on to the LZ.

Reaching the LZ, they waited for the chopper that was on the way to pick them up. It wasn't long before the chopper was within radio range and Bedgood was directing them to the LZ. As the chopper came in to pick them up the pilot realized the area was too small for landing. As the chopper lifted upward the pilot informed Bedgood of a suitable opening about 1000 meters from there present location. Anxious to get out of the area the team quickly made their way to the opening identified by the pilot. Upon arrival at the new LZ, they found that the chopper wasn't able to set completely down. The Lrrps, with the help of the door gunner pulling and their teammates pushing, were able to load the chopper and lift off without any further problems.

Prior to going on a patrol, care was also taken to subdue anything that could reflect light, such as a knife handle, by covering it with olive drab duct tape. In addition, anything that might rattle, such as rifle sling holders, was taped down. Tape even covered the openings to the barrels of their weapons, not for noise and light discipline, but to keep out mud and debris that might cause a rifle to jam as well as to help keep out moisture from the ever-present rain. The midst of enemy contact was not the time to discover that a rifle would not fire, so patrol members would test fire their weapons prior to departing on each mission.

As the long range patrol expanded to a company, it was obvious that a larger living area would have to be found. The arrangement housing soldiers with D Troop worked well when the LRRPs operated as a platoon-size unit and had allowed for strong bonds of friendship to be formed with the helicopter pilots and their crews. Now however, space would be needed for living quarters, an orderly room, operations room, classroom building and supply room as well as sufficient area to construct an obstacle course.

Division gave the unit a piece of property near the northern edge of the base camp and the LRRPs were ready to begin construction on their new home. Most of the work would have to be done by members of the unit as the Army engineers were stretched thin by combat missions such as operating Rome plows to widen roads through the surrounding jungle. The engineers did agree to pour cement foundations for the buildings and fortunately the long range patrol had experienced carpenters such as Richard Cottrell, Elbert Walden, Greg Nizialek and Herbert Vaughan to help handle the construction. Soldiers without a carpentry background received some quick OJT (on the job training) and were soon up on roofs driving nails alongside the more experienced hands. The men even handled the installation of the wiring needed to bring power to the buildings. One well-meaning patrol member who said he knew something about electrical work apparently got his wires crossed and was thrown from a ladder as he worked on a hot line leading to one of the buildings. Fortunately, the only thing injured was his pride.

LT Woodie was tasked with building the obstacle course. He rounded up 'volunteers' to assist with lifting the heavy logs to be anchored in place for the rope climbs and other obstacles that would enable soldiers to build self-confidence as they traversed high above the ground without the benefit of safety nets below. The sight of soldiers negotiating obstacles on the course would prove to be a highlight whenever VIP's would visit the LRRP compound. Tyrone Muse and Astor Pagan were two of the fastest and most agile of the group and were designated as the primary demonstrators. Visiting dignitaries would look on in amazement as Muse and Pagan would scramble up a vertical wall and then almost free-fall their way down the other side, slapping at the boards as they descended.

The quarters constructed in the new compound were nicer than those offered to soldiers in a rifle company. The officers and senior NCO's had individual rooms in their buildings and the soldiers were allocated additional space for their bunks and gear. Matsuda believed his LRRPs deserved the best. After spending anywhere from three to five nights sleeping on the ground, eating cold meals and communicating by either hand signals or whispers, the commander wanted his men to have a comfortable place to call their own when they came in out of the jungle.

Matsuda's designs for the company area required considerably more construction material than the engineers had allocated. The large classroom building, based on a similar facility he had seen while visiting the MACV Recondo School, would by itself require large amounts of plywood and roofing tin. Plans were also drawn up for an operations building with space for situation maps, a communications room and a separate area for debriefings after missions were completed. In D Troop the patrols were debriefed in the soldiers sleeping area. The commander wanted the new facilities to be as professional in appearance as the men who would live and work in them. It was apparent the new accommodations would be a lot larger than the plans authorized but Matsuda's philosophy was, 'It is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.'

To obtain the massive amount of material needed for all the extras planned for the company area, including a separate building for their own club, the LRRPs resorted to scrounging, an age-old Army tradition at which the patrol members were quite proficient. LT Lawrence was tasked with heading up the 'gathering patrols'. Utilizing good recon techniques, he located an engineer storage area stocked with piles of roofing beams, plywood, tin, and other needed construction materials. Lawrence obtained a deuce and a half, designated one of the patrol members as his driver and proceeded to the unguarded storage area to see what was there to be appropriated. He discovered that the construction materials were bound together in large stacks and much too heavy to be lifted on the truck. The LRRP officer found a young private operating a forklift and asked the soldier if he would be interested in receiving a genuine set of tiger fatigues, just like the ones worn by members of the long range patrol. Lawrence told the soldier all he had to do was to use his forklift to place some bundles of plywood in the back of the truck and the fatigues were his. The forklift operator said he would be happy to assist in the loading.

Because a forklift was not available back at the construction area, unloading the truck called for some ingenuity. Emory Parish devised a solution that was not 'by the book' yet managed to get the building materials offloaded in a fast and efficient manner. As Parrish drove his overloaded truck into the LRRP compound with tires and sides bulging, he looked for a place where he could unload his cargo. The deuce and a half was not built to be a dump truck but Parrish made it act like one by revving the engine while popping the clutch causing the front end of the truck to raise up and letting the cargo slide out the back and land in a cloud of dust next to the building under construction.

Cement was another material that was hard to obtain. The engineers had allocated enough to pour the foundations of the living quarters and orderly room but providing additional cement for buildings like an NCO club was out of the question. The LRRPs however, were always up to the challenge of obtaining materials that were in short supply and hard to find. Patrol members discovered cement was being mixed at a plant outside Bearcat and trucked through the main gate by soldiers who might be interested in a set of long range patrol tiger fatigues. All they had to do was to divert their loads to the long range patrol company area and pour cement into forms that were already set up in the shape of an NCO club. The LRRP's supply of tiger fatigues went down a bit but they got the foundations to their buildings.

Masonite was a material in short supply yet it was just what the LRRPs needed to finish the interior of their club. Always on the alert for an opportunity to meet their supply needs, the men noticed that a chapel under construction happened to have a supply of masonite stacked nearby. In the belief their club was more in need of a finished interior than the chapel, a truck was dispatched under the cover of darkness and a load of the scarce material was transported back to the LRRP compound where it was nailed into place on the walls of the club. When the carpenters building the chapel showed up and discovered their masonite was missing, the post chaplain launched an investigation that somehow pointed him in the direction the long range patrol's construction site.

It was an unhappy chaplain who visited the visited the long range patrol compound and asked for the unit's commander. Clancy Matsuda was not in the area at the time so the chaplain turned to the highest ranking LRRP he could find, First Sergeant Roy Nelson. The chaplain, a lieutenant colonel, demanded to be taken on a tour of the buildings. Upon entering the club and spotting his masonite, the chaplain locked Nelson's heels (stood him at attention) and in a very un-chaplain like tone of voice, told the first sergeant that since the material was already nailed in place inside the building he would allow it to remain there if Nelson would guarantee there would be LRRPs in attendance at future chapel services. And so it happened that for a number of Sundays thereafter, members of the long range patrol 'got religion' as they sat together in the front pew of the base camp's newly-constructed chapel.

Building operations flourished as a steady stream of hard-to-obtain wood came rolling into the LRRP compound on a regular basis. The unauthorized method of requisition continued under the direction of LT Lawrence until one day he asked a gathering of his fellow officers why he had to be the one who always took chances with the procurement. LT Stetson said that since he did not have any patrols going out that day, he would be willing to lead a re-supply mission. After Lawrence gave him the particulars, Stetson rounded up Emory Parrish to be his driver and they set off for the engineer supply area for a load of plywood. A forklift operator was located who accepted his set of tiger fatigues and quickly went to work loading the truck with bundles of the precious wood. Stetson was watching the truck grow heavy with plywood when he noticed a jeep slow down and an officer in the passenger seat view the scene in wide-eyed amazement before speeding off. Shortly thereafter, a jeep with two large white letters on the hood, 'MP,' pulled into the area and two soldiers wearing armbands with similar letters approached Stetson and asked who had authorized him to load materials from the engineer's storage area. The lieutenant replied that he had no such authorization but that since there were no signs identifying the area as being off limits, he had assumed the materials were there for whoever needed them. One of the MP's said, 'Sir, you will need to come with us and your sergeant needs to unload that truck.' Stetson, with visions of his days as an officer coming to an end, was escorted to the MP headquarters where he was interviewed, a statement taken and his commander summoned to come pick him up. The MP officer said that since the supply area was not properly marked, he would release the lieutenant if CPT Matsuda would write a letter of reprimand to be placed in Stetson's permanent records. The letter was written and a copy sent to the MP's but Matsuda somehow 'misplaced' the original that was intended for Stetson's file and no further action was taken.

Fortunately, the construction phase of the new long range patrol area was nearing completion when Stetson got 'busted' but his apprehension by the MP's prompted a visit from a major on the staff of the Division engineers who had been instructed to determine how much material the LRRPs might have appropriated over the previous months. It did not take a math genius to compute that considerably more material had been used in the construction than had been authorized but by that time, the wood had been cut and nailed securely in place. The major, while unhappy that so much material had been stolen from the engineer's storage yard, did seem to appreciate the fine quality of construction by the long range patrol carpenters and he allowed the wood to remain in place.

When it was completed, the LRRPs spacious new living quarters, operations and classroom buildings equaled anything to be found in Vietnam. Their own club provided a boost to morale and was a favorite place for patrol members to unwind when arriving back at the base camp after a mission. Matsuda appointed Non Commissioned Officer's to manage the bar on rotating shifts and a Vietnamese day laborer named Lon was paid to clean the club after parties held the night before. The lively parties would often include guests such as helicopter crewmen from D Troop and with music blaring from tape decks, the gatherings would last late into the night. The company commander would try to have the men lower the volume, oftentimes without success, and the first sergeant usually let the music play on as he understood the need to let his men relax and blow off steam.

The LRRPs prevailed upon Special Services to provide a pool table for their club and the men obtained a black and white television. The Armed Forces Network aired only one channel and programs such as 'The Tonight Show' were several weeks old by the time they reached Vietnam. The news, however, was current and was read by soldiers from a studio in Saigon. There was considerable interest when war broke out between Israel and Egypt and shows about past wars were also popular. Roy Nelson remembers the time his men loaded into a helicopter after a difficult mission where they spent a day and a half avoiding Viet Cong who had fired warning shots throughout the area while searching for the patrol. As the helicopter made its way back to the base camp, Stephen Noonan pulled the tape back from Nelson's wrist watch and yelled into the first sergeant's ear, 'Hey Top, we'll get back in time to watch 'Combat' on TV.'

The new compound adjoined the 9th Infantry Division's Old Reliable Academy which proved to be an advantage to the long range patrol. Not only did the academy have a mess hall which allowed the patrol members to eat their meals without having to perform the tedious detail of KP, but it was where soldiers arriving in the division received an orientation prior to reporting to their units. The long range patrol was given permission to make recruiting presentations to the academy and the representatives made a sharp appearance wearing their black berets and pressed tiger fatigues with LRRP scrolls on the left sleeves just above the 9th Infantry Division patch. The team members explained to the recent in-country arrivals that the LRRPs were not for everyone and only the most dedicated and physically fit would make it and be allowed the privilege of wearing the black beret. They went on to state that the excitement of operating undetected behind enemy lines in 'Charlie's backyard' could not be equaled

The only drawback to being next to the Old Reliable Academy was a bit of jealousy that developed from some of the academy's cadre who did not care for the 'hotshot' LRRPs who made recruiting trips into their area. Sometimes, especially after a few beers in the evening, words would be exchanged between the neighboring soldiers. To prevent any unauthorized hand-to-hand combat and to keep out uninvited visitors, Matsuda had concertina wire placed between the long range patrol and the Old Reliable Academy. As soon as the wire was strung, peace prevailed between the two units.

While the construction crews kept busy sawing wood and pounding nails, other members of the unit continued to conduct long range patrol operations. On August 21, 1967 a patrol led by Roy Nelson demonstrated the ability of the LRRPs to contribute information about the enemy to the division. Nelson' patrol was described in a front page story in the September 6, 1967 edition of the Old Reliable newspaper under the headline, 'Viet Cong battalion base camp mopped up in 1st Bde sweep. 51 VC killed, many weapons seized.'

The 1st Brigade sweep was conducted after Nelson and patrol members Tom Kloak, Howard Munn, Jerry Fairweather and Hilan Jones found an enemy base camp that included 65 bunkers, fortified positions, three tunnels and four foxholes. As reported in the division newspaper: 'A monsoon downpour masked the movements of the reconnaissance experts as they managed to crawl through tangled underbrush to within 30 feet of enemy soldiers. Recon team leader Master Sergeant Roy D. Nelson, 32, of Marysville, Washington described the complex: 'We were in the underbrush watching a pair of armed VC sit out the heaviest part of the storm,' he said, 'and because the rain was making such a racket on the canopy, the VC never heard a thing. The complex was so well concealed that we were right in the middle of the base camp almost before we realized it.'

Nelson went on, 'It would have been impossible to move forward, so we went backward. Each time we moved a short distance, we'd find another bunker complex. The whole system probably covered an area 300 meters by 500 meters.' The patrol then discovered an opening in the ground and Kloak dropped down to check it out. The hole was filled with rice.

The men were able to observe the base camp without being detected for more than an hour before carefully making their way out of the area. Nelson knew that because the patrol had gone for two nights without any radio relay, and with the enemy all around, considerable caution would be called for as they moved through tall elephant grass toward a large LZ, nicknamed 'JFK.' Nelson whispered for his men to 'walk small.' Fortunately, the continued rain helped muffle any sounds made by the moving patrol and after reaching their pick-up point the men were extracted without incident.

The patrol was debriefed as soon as they returned to Bearcat. When the size of the occupied base camp was realized by the division's intelligence staff, an arc light (B-52) strike planned for another area was diverted and the pilots told to drop their payload where Nelson and his men had patrolled. The Air Force bombs were unleashed from high above, out of sight and hearing of the enemy soldiers who were busy preparing breakfast in what they thought was the safety of their base camp.

The bombs were right on target and the Viet Cong were caught by complete surprise. When elements of the 1st Brigade and 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment swept through the area later that morning, food was still in pots over the cooking fires used to prepare their meals. In addition to counting 51 enemy killed, the infantry and cavalry troopers rounded up eight detainees as well as an assortment of sophisticated weapons that included AK-47 rifles, RPG rocket launchers, a Chicom 7.62 machine gun and an 82mm mortar tube with 72 rounds. The soldiers also destroyed nearly 11,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and 28 grenades.

The 1st Brigade's intelligence officer, MAJ DiLorenzo, emphasized the dividends reaped during the quick infantry follow-up to the air strike when he said, 'We didn't give the VC a chance to gather their weapons before withdrawing from the battlefield. The sweep came so fast that we were able to establish that one of the captured rocket launchers -an RPG 7- had been made in Russia last summer.' He went on to add, 'Most of the documents captured during the action have established that elements of the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 274th VC Regiment were in the strike area.'

Soldiers from the 2-39th Infantry continued a sweep through the base camp area the following day resulting in 14 additional enemy KIA along with the discovery of a cache of 10,000 rounds of small arms ammunition, seven AK-47 rifles, two RPG's with rounds and an assortment of equipment that included a Chicom field radio. Later, another 9th Infantry Division unit, 4-39th Infantry, uncovered cluster bomb units, handmade claymore mines, 500 pounds of rice, a typewriter, Russian flag and 20 pounds of documents.

After the sweeps were concluded, the commander of the 2-39th Infantry, LTC Myron Lee, was quoted as saying, 'When intelligence is working for us we can hit the enemy when we choose and this is exactly what (we have) done so well this week.'

The operation was a textbook example of how long range patrols can lead to success on the unconventional battlefield. When he returned from Nam and was assigned as an instructor in the Ranger Department, Stetson used Nelson's patrol to illustrate the value of long range patrols as an intelligence resource. He would tell captains attending the career course at Fort Benning, most of whom were headed for a tour in Vietnam, that when used properly, long range patrols were an excellent addition to a division's intelligence gathering capabilities. The key to success on the battlefield, he would stress, was the ability to act on information provided by the LRRPs in a timely manner.

Interacting with the intelligence staff at division headquarters could be frustrating for the LRRPs. The G-2 officers would often have preconceived ideas as to the nature of enemy activity in a given area. Their estimates would be derived from a variety of sources: higher headquarters, radio monitoring units, Vietnamese agents (sometimes employed by the Viet Cong to give disinformation) and by devices such as the 'people sniffer,' a high-tech contraption placed on a helicopter and flown low-level over the jungle to detect ammonia from urine in enemy staging areas. The problem was the 'people sniffer' could not determine if the ammonia had been created by a company of VC or a herd of elephants. Nevertheless, when division G-2 was handed a hot reading, they would often send a LRRP team to investigate certain the patrol would find enemy in the area. When a patrol would report back there was no sign of recent enemy activity in the AO (area of operations), the division staff officers would sometimes react as if, 'The enemy had to be in there, you just did not find him.'

The opposite attitude could also take place as when Roy Nelson's patrol returned after discovering the large enemy base camp complex. The division G-2 debriefing officer, a major, expressed considerable skepticism after hearing Nelsons, report that the patrol had found anything of significance. A cavalry unit had previously operated through the area without contact and the intelligence experts doubted the enemy could have moved in so quickly and constructed a base camp. When the youthful-looking first sergeant was debriefed he was still wearing a bloody fatigue jacket that held no indication of rank on the sleeves. Nelson told the doubting major he would 'bet his stripes' that the patrol had found a large, enemy occupied base camp. When the major asked how many stripes he had, Nelson's reply of 'six' startled the debriefing officer who was amazed to find the patrol had been led by such a high-ranking NCO. The first sergeant felt his believability factor increased when the major recognized his rank, yet he noted that while he was being questioned, Howard Munn was being debriefed in a separate room to verify the accuracy of the report. As he concluded the debriefing, the division staff officer pointed to Nelson's bloody fatigue jacket and asked if he had been wounded. 'No sir,' the first sergeant replied, 'this is what happens when you spend several nights on the ground in the jungle and the leeches find you.'

Missions such as the one conducted by Nelson' patrol helped establish the reputation of the long range patrol as a valuable intelligence asset for the 9th Infantry Division. Even when a patrol came back and reported no signs of recent enemy activity, the information was useful to the division's intelligence staff and operations planners. It took a special soldier who would volunteer to conduct patrols deep in enemy territory and out of the range of friendly fire support. The missions called for courage, resourcefulness, integrity and teamwork. Most of the soldiers possessed the requirements to belong to an elite unit, but not all and occasionally someone would find their way into the long range patrol that did not belong there.

LT Stetson had concerns about one of the sergeants who served as a patrol leader, an individual who did not seem to always demonstrate the qualities needed for a leadership position. On one occasion when Stetson was leading a patrol, the sergeant was assigned radio relay duty. As the aircraft moved close to the patrol's position at the designated time, the patrol leader made contact with the sergeant, gave his report and asked for the location of the nearest LZ in case an emergency extraction was needed. There was a long pause and finally the sergeant came back and said he was unable to provide the information because 'the big picture just flew out the window.' Stetson realized that the sergeant's map had blown out of the helicopter and he imagined what would happen if it fell into enemy hands complete with reference points, frequencies and call signs. The patrol leader did not feel comfortable until the patrol was safely extracted.

The loss of the map was an accident so the sergeant was given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to remain with the unit. In fact, it appeared he might have the makings of a dependable patrol leader when on his next mission; he managed to bring his men safely home after receiving enemy fire. The sergeant requested an emergency extraction after his patrol had made contact, gun ships and a pickup aircraft were scrambled and the men were pulled out. When the patrol returned to Bearcat the sergeant said it had been a close call and as proof, pointed to his canteen that had a bullet hole through it. Reporters picked up on the story and the Old Reliable newspaper published a photo of the sergeant holding his canteen. The cut line below the photo said the long range patrol leader would be looking for a new canteen as 'the one he is holding won't hold water.' The caption continued 'During a recent patrol the team leader spotted an enemy soldier 50 meters behind him. The enemy fired his rifle but struck the canteen instead of the sergeant.'

Not long after the story was published in the paper, one of the men on the patrol came to Stetson with a troubled look and asked if he could speak with the officer. When asked what was wrong, the LRRP replied, 'Sir, that mission we were on did not happen exactly the way the sergeant said it happened.' Stetson both anticipated and dreaded the response when he asked the patrol member if there had been any enemy contact. 'No sir,' the soldier replied. 'Our patrol leader took off his web gear and fired a round into his canteen so we would have a reason to get extracted.'

With a knot forming in his stomach, Stetson thought about the pilots. The LRRPs had spent nine months in country developing a bond of trust with some of the Army's best aviators who would risk both aircraft and crew to pull a patrol out of danger even if the call came in the middle of the night. If that if that bond of trust was broken, if there was doubt in the minds of the aviators when they received a call for an emergency extraction, the relationship between the two units would be jeopardized. To prevent that from happening, the sergeant had to be removed from the unit immediately. No disciplinary action was taken because an Article 15 would slow down the out processing. Losing the privilege of wearing the black beret and the prospect of being sent to a line outfit would serve as the punishment. Fortunately, the personnel office understood the need for the LRRPs to have trustworthy soldiers in the unit and in the rare instances when someone did not measure up, there was no delay in cutting the orders needed to remove him.

Training was a continuous process for members of the long range patrol and some of their activities could not escape notice by soldiers stationed at Bearcat. For example, whenever the LRRPs trained on the McGuire rig which was nothing more than a long rope with a harness on the end that could be dropped into the jungle when an emergency extraction was called for. In such a situation, the patrol members could slip into the McGuire harness and be pulled up through the trees to the helicopter hovering above. Roy Nelson was supervising one of the training sessions while wearing a foot cast from a previous injury. The cast, however, did not prevent Nelson from demonstrating how the McGuire rig worked and after snapping on the harness, the first sergeant was yanked into the air and took off high above the dusty base camp. At the same time, the commanding general emerged from his headquarters, looked up and noticed a soldier being pulled by a helicopter while dangling at the end of a rope while wearing a gleaming white cast on one of his feet. The general ordered his aide to find the name of the soldier who was going through that type of training while wearing a cast but Nelson never heard any repercussions. Perhaps when the general learned it was a LRRP first sergeant at the end of the rope, it explained everything.

Rappelling was conducted on a regular basis. There were not a lot of trees on the base camp but fortunately the D Troop area had one that was suitable for rappelling training. The LRRPs constructed a platform about 30 feet off the ground, nailed some climbing boards on the trunk, and they were in business. Once the soldiers had mastered the basics of rappelling off the platform, they progressed to coming out of a hovering helicopter.

Physical training by the long range patrol was another activity that attracted attention. It was hard to miss a platoon of soldiers' double timing over the Bearcat streets while singing, 'I want to be an Airborne Ranger, jump from planes and live in danger.' Few of the units on the base conducted such activity yet the LRRPs realized fitness was essential in order for them to patrol with heavy packs and if the occasion demanded it, to outrun the enemy. Not all the men enjoyed running around the base camp during the middle of the day in high heat and humidity, but the runs helped build conditioning, mental toughness and a sense of unit esprit as soldiers trying to relax in the shade would shake their heads and mutter, 'There go those crazy LRRPs.' Of course the runners would rub it in a bit by shouting, 'On the right, sick call, sick call.'

Word got around that when it came to training, the 9th Division's long range patrol had things squared away. When the MACV Recondo School suspended operations in order to conduct training for their own personnel, arrangements were made for new in-country arrivals from the 101st Airborne long range patrol to be trained by the veteran LRRPs from the 9th. Roy Nelson conducted the initial briefing for a lieutenant and his men from the 'Screaming Eagle' division shortly after they arrived at Bearcat to begin their training. Nelson received the impression that because the lieutenant and his men were 'airborne,' and he and his trainers were 'legs,' (non-airborne) there was not much need to go through training with the 9th Infantry Division soldiers. The 101st soldiers were not particularly attentive when Nelson said although most of the training would take place close to the perimeter of the base camp, there was still a chance of enemy contact and the same noise and light discipline procedures would be followed as if they were far from friendly support. In addition, he stressed the need for safety since everyone would be carrying live rounds.

The first sergeant's safety message apparently did not reach all the airborne soldiers because as SP4 Daniel Salvatore helped teach a fast reaction drill just outside the berm at Bearcat, one of the new arrivals put a round through his leg. Nelson was furious when he learned of the shooting yet the airborne lieutenant acted as if it was 'no big deal' since Salvatore had 'only been wounded.' The first sergeant assured him that it was indeed a big deal because one of his best soldiers had been taken out of action. He informed the lieutenant that he needed to round up his men and prepare to report back to his unit.

Before the 101st soldiers left Bearcat, they went on one final training mission and it too, did not go well. The training exercise took place near a rubber plantation where some of the airborne soldiers opened fire and killed a woodcutter and his water buffalo. Roy Barley was on stand down back at Bearcat and was asked to take his team out to the area in a deuce and a half and load up the woodcutter's ox cart. They reached the scene but as Barley and his men struggled to lift the heavy wooden ox cart into the back of the truck, warning shots were heard in the surrounding woods. The men left and headed to the woodcutter's village where his widow was paid for the loss of life. Barley was surprised to find the woman received more for the loss of the water buffalo than she did for her husband. By the time they left the village it was dark so the men hurried back to the base camp. When he arrived, Barley asked about the soldiers from the 101st and was told they had packed their bags and left.

The 9th Infantry Division LRRPs continued to demonstrate they could find the enemy as indicated in an October 25, 1967 Old Reliable newspaper article with the headline, 'LRRP's count 9 VC after brief firefight.' The article's dateline is 'Long Thanh' and in it, SGT Hilan Jones was quoted as saying, 'Our patrol was nearing a landing zone where we were to be extracted when we noticed movement in a window of a house to our front.' Jones, from Thermopolis, Wyoming, continued, 'As we crouched in the thick brush watching the house we could hear men talking about 50 meters to our front and rear.' Team member SP4 Ed Beckley of Middletown, Conn. added, 'About that time two men entered the house carrying weapons.' The patrol leader then radioed for permission to move in on the house.' I called for them to come out and when they heard me I saw them run for their weapons,' recalled Jones. 'So I threw a grenade in and we opened fire.'

The firefight resulted in six enemy KIA and after sweeping the area before their extraction, the patrol detained a suspect found hiding in the bushes. In addition, four pounds of documents and six rifles were collected during the sweep. Jones and Beckley returned to the area with a reaction force from D Troop about an hour after the patrol was extracted. When fire was received from a house in the area, the reaction force opened up resulting in one enemy KIA. During the sweep by D Troop, two additional bodies were discovered, two suspects detained and two small arms, 50 pounds of military equipment and 500 pounds of rice captured. There were no friendly casualties during the operation.

The same patrol was described a bit more dramatically by A. F. Gonzalez and A. Bryan in an Article titled 'Flop Hat Jungle Rats' in the August, 1968 issue of Saga Magazine: It had been a stinking mission. Here, the floppy-hatted GI scouts were dozens of miles deep into Viet Cong Territory and their Cambodian guide was puking his guts out, too weak to continue the cloak-and-dagger patrol. Its leader, 26 year old Sgt. Hilan Jones, finally muttered, 'Screw it,' to himself and got on the radio to call in a chopper to get the team the hell out of there. They had been humping it out in the boonies for three days and hadn't seen a single Charlie.

The five men moved silently down toward the landing zone when suddenly Jones' hand went up for silence. From hooch along the trail came the sing-song sound of male Vietnamese voices. Charlie was having lunch, mistakenly thinking he was safe and sound, and a long way from Yank firepower. The patrol fanned out and closed in, knowing they would have to get rid of the VC before the choppers came into ground-fire range. The voices stopped as the Yanks tightened the noose. Jones crept toward the hut's back door, kicked it open, hosed down the luncheon scene with a whole magazine of M-16 ammunition and flipped in a grenade. As he hunkered down, a savage explosion tore the hooch apart and the Charlie's scampered through the hut's front door for safety. The other GI's M-16s opened up and savage streams of fire crowded the doorway with the twisting bodies of dying VC. Six men were chopped down in a welter of blood. Two dove into the woods and got away. Another pair, blood-soaked, quivering with terror, came out with their hands up, just as the chopper arrived and began to hover for the pick-up. A 10-man VC squad had ceased to exist in just 30 seconds.

'We surprised them so completely,' says Jones, 'that they never even got a round off at us. Out of the six rifles we captured- three Chicom pieces and three American M-2 carbines- only one had a round in the chamber. It was more an accident than anything else. We weren't actually looking for that sort of thing.'

In the 'Saga' account of Jones' patrol, reference was made to a 'Cambodian guide.' The 9th Infantry Division LRRPs starting experimenting with the use of native guides during the second half of 1967. In their article, Gonzalez and Bryan wrote about the practice of long range patrols using native guides: 'These guides used to be ARVN scouts, and for a time a number of mercenaries from border tribes-Cambodians for the most part- were assigned to the LURPS. 'We had our ups and downs with them' said Matsuda of the mercenaries. 'We had 12 of them assigned to us and four of them were real good. The rest sort of ruined the program for the four good one. Their endurance is very short and after three days humping in the field, they're just about shot. Some of them had a problem with noise discipline. Surprisingly, we had a few that just couldn't control themselves once they saw Charlie in the field. They panicked. So rather than jeopardize the team some of the team leaders refused to take the mercenaries out. Of the four good ones, I would say their sense and perception is better than ours. They pick up trails, signs, things we very seldom pick up.'

The LRRPs discontinued using mercenaries and instead, started successfully working with VC defectors called, Tiger Scouts or Kit Carson Scouts. The defectors were usually familiar with the AO and as Matsuda pointed out, 'they know the terrain, and they know how Charlie sets up the traps, where to look for them and where to look for caches.'

In November, a patrol's close encounter with the enemy again made Old Reliable headlines in an article titled, 'LRRP's slip away from VC dragnet.' When the patrol, led by SSG Emory Parrish of Fullerton, California, first moved into position, they heard a single rifle shot but then, nothing more except normal jungle sounds. After a couple of hours, PFC Thomas Perzanowski of Syracuse, Indiana began hearing increased jungle noises and sticks popping. 'The noises seemed to be coming from my left, then my right and rear.'

The LRRP's remained silent until the intruders began throwing sticks in their direction, 'trying to get us to give away our positions,' according to Perzanowski. One of the sticks hit a bush in front of Perzanowski and then struck him. 'The sticks were coming in from both sides,' he explained. The patrol leader used a night vision device and spotted two VC. One of them was carrying a Chicom carbine. Parrish added, 'They were just standing around eyeing our area like they weren't sure we were there.'

As the VC tightened their net, Parrish signaled back and moments later, two helicopter gun ships and an extraction helicopter were on their way. Then a VC who had advanced dangerously close to the LRRP position stepped on a stick which cracked loudly. The recon team quickly opened fire. 'We maintained a steady volume of fire,' stated Perzanowski. 'On about my 15th shot, I hit a VC to my front.'

The shooting continued for about 15 minutes at an estimated seven to ten enemy soldiers before the patrol broke contact and moved to the extraction LZ, each man grasping the belt of the man in front as they moved through the darkness. The patrol was safely picked up and Parrish was quoted afterwards, 'None of our men got excited. Everyone functioned just as he was taught. If they hadn't, we never would have escaped that area.'

Matsuda understood the stress produced by his men operating 'up close and personal' with the enemy. So in addition to providing them with spacious living accommodations and a club in which they could relax after completing their patrols, the commander arranged for the LRRPs to receive two out of country R&R's whereas most soldiers were allocated just one. He also saw to it that his men had priority when they made their R&R selections so that most were able to visit the country of their choice. Movies were a popular way to relax between missions and there was convenient viewing next door at the headquarters company where a sheet tied to a wooden frame served as the screen while the audience sat outdoors.

Through the ages, military units have had pets as mascots and the 9th Infantry Division long range patrol was no exception. A number of Vietnamese dogs found their way onto Bearcat looking for handouts and one, a white, medium-sized mutt with a black circle around one eye, wound up spending his time with the long range patrol. He was quickly adopted and named 'Lurp' by the men.

Lurp was loved by the soldiers and he appeared in a great number of photos and slides. Never camera shy, it was almost as if he enjoyed posing. He was included in unit activities and even took rides in a helicopter. Once when Stetson rode in the back of a Huey to pick up a patrol, he took Lurp along with him. As the patrol members scrambled on board the hovering chopper, broad smiles broke out as they spotted their favorite dog. 'Lurp,' they said while giving him a friendly pat on the head. Unfortunately, the story of 'Lurp, the Long Range Patrol Dog,' did not have a happy ending as he was run over by a deuce and a half in Dong Tam. His memory, however, will remain with the soldiers who knew him for they considered the dog to be the long range patrol's best friend.

Just as soldiers reporting to the 9th Infantry Division went through the Old Reliable Academy before beginning operations in the field with their units, those selected to become members of the long range patrol would undergo an intense period of training in the unit's own recondo school before they could join a team. Applicants had already been screened prior to joining the LRRPs. CPT Matsuda required a GT score of at least 100, which was above average, because the men had to be able to read a map, plus have the ability to assume leadership of a patrol should the occasion demand it. There was also the interview process which would attempt to weed out those who did not possess the temperament required to be a LRRP. It took an individual who enjoyed the challenge of infiltrating into enemy territory, remaining calm as bad guys passed by a stone's throw away, and someone able to endure the hardships presented by sleeping on the ground during rainstorms with no cover or protection against the ever-present mosquitoes and leeches other than the insect repellant they carried.

It took stamina to endure the hardship of spending nights in the jungle with little sleep or at best, restless sleep. The slightest unfamiliar noise would have the patrol immediately awake with senses straining to determine if danger was present. If a soldier was to snore or talk in his sleep, one of the other patrol members would place a hand over his mouth while shaking him awake. And the frequent downpours in the middle of the night made sleep difficult. Emory Parrish summed it up nicely in the 'Flop Hat Jungle Rats' article when he said, 'Out in the jungle the weather changes drastically. It's real hot during the day and at night it's freezing. Around one in the morning the temperature in the jungle may drop suddenly by as much as 15 degrees, from 75 down to 60. You're sweating during the day; your clothes are all wet. Then at night it turns cold. You really feel it.'

The applicant had to be a team player, able to follow orders given by the patrol leader and carry out his assigned responsibilities within the patrol. The men depended on each other for survival and there could be no weak links. Finally, those desiring to become a LRRP had to be in good physical condition. Overweight soldiers who could not move quickly in and out of helicopters were not good candidates and it helped to have excellent hearing and vision. Once a soldier had passed the screening process, he was ready to attend the 9th Infantry Division's Long Range Patrol Recondo School and begin the training required to become a LRRP.

While patrol members put the finishing touches on the classroom building and obstacle course to be used by students going through the Recondo School, the unit commander worked to produce a Program Of Instruction (POI) that would detail every aspect of the training. The POI ended up as a 19-page document. Its cover page read:

1. The 9th Infantry Division Recondo School Program of Instruction is a two week course designed to train personnel in the specialized skills and techniques of reconnaissance work.

2. This program of instruction was derived from the varied experience of 9th Infantry Division LRRP teams operating in the Republic of Vietnam from 1 January 1967 until 1 October 1967. Lessons learned from other LRRP units and 5th Special Forces have been incorporated into this program of instruction.

The program of instruction broke the two-week school into 12 major subject areas totaling 205 hours as follows:

Subject	Hours
Administration	3
Communications	7
Physical Training	8
Medical Training	3
Intelligence	5
Patrolling	56
Supporting Fires	8
Air Operations	5
Weapons	13
Map Reading	23
Combat Operations	57

Each subject was detailed in a separate annex that specified the number of classes, their length and the material that would be covered. For example, the 5-hour 'Intelligence' block of instruction was divided into three classes: VC Weapons and Tactics (2 hours), Terrain Analysis (2 hours) and Combat Intelligence (1 hour.) The annex also gave a 'scope' for each class. The scope for terrain analysis stated: 'Teaches the students how to use a map and aerial photos and make a detailed analysis of the area of operation. Instruction includes a practical exercise of making a detailed overlay of likely VC routes, base areas, and positions.'

The physical training portion of the recondo school included a swimming test (must be able to swim 80 meters), a PT test (sit ups, push ups, pull ups, rope climb and one mile run) confidence course (must negotiate a 30' high log walk, climb and descend a 40' vertical rope ladder with equipment, traverse a three log belly buster and a 20' rope commando crawl.) In addition, there would be daily road marches with full equipment, starting at two miles and concluding on the seventh day with a seven mile march that had to be completed in less than 90 minutes. On the eighth day the running portion of the program would begin starting with one mile and concluding on the final day with a five mile run. Students would begin each session of physical training with repetitions of Army drill. 'Starting position, move. At my command, exercise.'

The largest portion of the formal instruction was devoted to patrolling. Classes included camouflage and concealment, escape and evasion, equipment, organization and security, methods of infiltration and exfiltration, patrol preparation and survival. Patrolling also included five hours of immediate action drills where students were taught how to break contact when the enemy was encountered from the front, rear or either side along with the principles of escape and evasion to be used if normal exfiltration was not possible. The students were broken down into five man teams with each team running two live fire exercises. The live fire exercise included use of the M16 rifle, fragmentation grenades and white phosphorous (willie peter) grenades.

Live fire was also used in a patrolling class called 'jungle lanes.' The scope for this two-hour block of instruction stated, 'Formal instruction in quick fire techniques and engaging camouflaged targets. Each student is accompanied by an instructor and is walked through a jungle lane set up with pop up targets in dense vegetation. The student must find and engage the target quickly and effectively.'

Students had to pass a two-part final exam (map reading and general subjects) with a minimum grade of 70 before they could graduate from the Recondo School, but the real test if they would make it as a LRRP was the 57-hour phase called 'Combat Operation.' It began with a warning order for a patrol mission and as detailed in the program of instruction, the class 'requires the student to go through the entire process in the conduct of a successful reconnaissance operation. The students remain in the field approximately 2 days on an actual mission. Every recon team has a faculty advisor who evaluates the students on all phases of their performance.'

The training patrols were inserted into what was considered a 'cold' area of operations, one in which there had been little enemy activity in recent months. There were no signs, however, posted telling the enemy to, 'Keep out. Patrol training area.' If Charlie knew there was a patrol with four 'newbies' getting their feet wet for the first time, he might well come looking for such an inviting target. The training patrols at the MACV Recondo School in Nha Trang also tried to insert into relatively cold AO's but the enemy was unpredictable and sometimes contact would be made and casualties taken. The students knew the mission was for real and hearts pounded a bit faster as camouflage was applied, weapons were test fired and the patrol moved out for that first insertion.

When the recondo students had passed their written tests, the physical tests and the combat operation, they were ready for a graduation ceremony where they received congratulatory remarks from the LRRP commander along with a coveted black beret distinguishing them as a member of the long range patrol. Even though they wore a beret and a long range patrol scroll on their sleeve, Matsuda knew the true test of whether the soldier could cut it as a LRRP would come only after that first contact had been made with the enemy. He had seen some return from a close call 'jumpy and shaky' and did not want to go out again. If that was the case, there would be no ridicule, no name calling, the soldier would simply be transferred out of the unit.

Patrols operated in the field under guidelines developed by Matsuda in the unit's Standard Operational Procedure (SOP.) The 31-page SOP outlined all aspects of patrol operations and had ten annexes dealing with such areas as infiltration and exfiltration methods, air operations, patrol organization and security, patrol equipment, fire support and reporting.

The Organization and Security annex listed the responsibilities and duties for each member of a five-man patrol as follows:

A. Point man. The first man in the order of march is the point man. He is responsible for frontal security, locating booby traps and immediate danger areas. He must maintain and follow an accurate azimuth and initiates halts in immediate danger areas.

B. Team leader. He uses his discretion as to his position in movement. Usually, the most advantageous position for controlling movement is second in file. He ensures every team member knows his location at all times, guides the point man as necessary, notes distances covered, carries radio and makes radio checks, keeps an accurate and up-to-date patrol log. He must make an over flight of the area of operation, an inspection of all weapons and equipment, and rehearsal of all team actions and reactions. He carries a pill kit which contains:

• 1. Codeine (Cough Suppressant)
• 2. Destroampetimene (Pep Pill)
• 3. Polymagma (Anti-Diarrhea)
• 4. Tetracycline (Ant-Biotic)
• 5. Darvon (Pain Reliever)
• 6. Morphine Syrette (Severe Pain Reliever)

C. Senior observer. He records distance and assigned flank security, carries the long antenna, and any other necessary equipment such as a claymore, etc.

D. Senior observer. He is responsible for assigned flank security, carries the spare battery for the PRC 25, and any other equipment such as a claymore, etc.

E. Assistant team leader. He is responsible for rear security, carries the URC 10 back up radio, erases the team's trail, keeps an additional patrol log and pace count, takes over as team leader if and when the team leader is wounded.

The SOP specified that each patrol member 'must know the nature and purpose of the mission, including infiltration and extraction, landing zones, route of travel, enemy and friendly situation, escape and evasion routes, supporting elements, call signs and signals, and reporting times.' The SOP also detailed the three formations to be used by patrols: file (used in movement), circle (long halts) and column (breaking contact and wide open areas.) The SOP contained the following procedure for breaking contact: 'If the point man is compromised, he fires in the direction of the enemy until his magazine is empty. Simultaneously the team splits into a column, taking two steps to their respective flanks, the team leader moves to his right and the remainder of the team goes to the opposite flank of the man in front. As soon as the point man empties his magazine, he runs down the center of the column, and the team leader fires his magazine and breaks down the center following the point man. This procedure is followed to the 4th man in the column who throws a white phosphorous grenade, empties his magazine and breaks to the rear. The assistant team leader is the last man to fire. This procedure can be repeated until contact is broken, remembering that there is no lull between any of the magazines fired. The large volume of fire and the willie peter (grenade) is usually sufficient to break contact.'

The mission of the long range patrol as stated in the SOP was: 'To acquire information about the enemy through visual ground reconnaissance.' The paragraph following the unit's mission, was headed, 'Capabilities,' and it contained a single sentence that reflected the commander's philosophy, one that would result in significant changes in the way the long range patrol conducted operations. The SOP stated the long range patrol had the capability:

A. To conduct visual ground reconnaissance in jungle type terrain for periods of 1 to 7 days. When supply is feasible, the mission can be continued for a total of 11 days.

B. To conduct small-sized ambushes on combat patrols.

C. To conduct visual ground reconnaissance in the Mekong Delta for periods from 12 to 48 hours unless the terrain permits extended operations.

Prior to Clancy Matsuda assuming command, ambush patrols were not considered. The LRRPs attending MACV Recondo School had been told they were reconnaissance experts and they should never reveal their locations by making noise in enemy territory. With just five men on a patrol, it was thought too dangerous to open up on an enemy of unknown size. Matsuda, however, thought of the LRRPs as 'warriors,' which meant that given the right opportunity, his patrols could take the fight to an unsuspecting enemy. Sound judgment would have to be used. It would be foolish to initiate contact on the point element for a VC company. Ambushes would have to be conducted in areas where patrols had radio contact so that if necessary, a reaction force could be dispatched immediately. The LRRP commander felt, however, that carefully selected ambushes would make the enemy apprehensive about operating in areas he once considered safe and they were worth the risk.

Matsuda's addition of ambushes to the unit's capabilities did not win immediate acceptance by all members of the long range patrol. There were a few who pointed out there was no 'A' in 'LRRP.' The commander knew there would be those opposed to the change and so the policy of sending out ambush patrols was implemented gradually. The majority of the patrols continued to be reconnaissance in nature but the patrol leaders knew that should the circumstances be favorable, an ambush could be conducted.

By November 1967, the final class of new patrol members was enrolled in the 9th Infantry Division's Recondo School. When the 23 recondo students graduated on the 13th of the month, it would bring the long range patrol company up to 100% in strength. Thus, Matsuda selected the date to be called 'Organization Day.' Not only would there be a graduation ceremony, but the unit would officially become E Company, 50th Infantry. To commemorate the occasion there would be a review of troops by the commanding general, demonstrations of LRRP's in action and an open house to show off their new facilities.

The LRRP's worked hard in preparation for the big event. Buildings were cleaned, equipment displays were constructed, coordination was made with pilots, rehearsals conducted for the demonstrations and practice runs were taken on the obstacle course. The company commander had the LRRP Standard Operational Procedure and Recondo School Program of Instruction put in special binders and placed on a table in the entrance to the classroom building for visitors to look at. Stetson had concerns about the SOP being placed in the open as it contained sensitive information such as how patrols were inserted but CPT Matsuda assured his lieutenant that only friendly eyes would be viewing their SOP. Instead of worrying about the SOP, the LRRP commander told Stetson he needed to prepare to serve as the commander of troops for the parade formation. Matsuda explained that he would be with the commanding general in the reviewing party and that all Stetson had to do was to salute when the general stood before him and report, 'Sir, your long range patrol is ready for inspection.'

Organization Day finally arrived and the company area looked spotless. So did the men in their tiger fatigues, polished boots and black berets as they stood in formation at parade rest. Stetson in his best command voice, called the unit to attention as the commanding general approached. He gave a smart salute but when he looked at the two shining silver stars on the general's hat, he suddenly lost his composure and shouted out, 'Sir, your long range patrol is ready for instruction.' The general gave him a puzzled look and Stetson quickly corrected himself saying, 'I mean, ready for inspection.'

Despite the glitch by the commander of troops, the commanding general was visibly pleased with the accomplishments of the division's long range patrol and their new facilities. In his remarks, the general praised the LRRP's for providing 'a great deal of information about enemy movements, action and supply upon which larger units could act.' After the general concluded his remarks, a demonstration of a LRRP insertion and extraction was held.

The following account of the Organization Day demonstration appeared in the November 29, 1967 edition of the Old Reliable newspaper: 'A helicopter swooped down over LRRP headquarters, flared into a hover and dangled two 80' ropes earthward. In seconds, four heavily armed, camouflaged figures had rappelled to the ground and fanned out in practice formation. While a narrator explained the insertion procedure, a simulated contact was made and attention focused just outside the adjacent base camp berm where a smoke bomb had been thrown. The smoke indicated the location of the LRRP's waiting for extraction while under enemy fire.

In seconds, a helicopter light fire team was making low-level firing passes, spewing rockets and mini gun fire. Additional passes brought the familiar whump, whump of exploding grenades as the gun ship's grenade launchers beat back the enemy in preparation for the extraction.'

The paper gave the day additional coverage in the December 6th edition when several photos were printed of Tyrone Muse demonstrating use of the confidence course. The cut-line read: 'PFC Tyrone Muse, 19, of Baltimore a member of the 9th Infantry Division's LRRP detachment works out on the unit's confidence course during recent Organizational Day activities. In the top photo, Muse shows grim determination to pull himself across a tightrope bridge. Below, he leaps from a log bridge after sprinting across it.'

December was a month of anticipation for the original LRRPs who had formed the unit at Fort Riley, Kansas for they were getting 'short,' which meant they did not have much time left in country. All had been counting the days until their DEROS (date estimated return from overseas) and they took pride in teasing the newer members just how short they were. (I'm so short I could fit in a matchbox.) There was also a sense of anticipation by all LRRP's because there was a rumor floating around Bearcat that the base camp would host a visit by Bob Hope's traveling USO show. The famous entertainer had performed for some of their fathers during World War II and every Christmas since he had visited overseas military bases during the Christmas holidays. Many of the shows had been filmed for TV specials the soldiers had watched while growing up so they were fully aware of the huge boost to morale created when Hope showed up accompanied by beautiful singers, dancers and actresses.

The itinerary for Hopes shows in Vietnam during December 1967 was classified. The Army did not want to advertise such an inviting target, several thousand GI's gathered in front of an outdoor stage, ahead of time. However, when a stage was constructed at Bearcat it appeared what had been rumor might actually turn out to be true. The final proof came several days in advance when the LRRP's received word that Hope would indeed be visiting Bearcat but that headquarters wanted a patrol out in the jungle during the show to make certain there was no enemy activity in the area. Every LRRP had his heart set on seeing the Bob Hope Show, Ann Margaret was just one of the entertainers he had with him that year, and it was difficult selecting a team to pull patrol duty while Bearcat watched the show. Finally, five men who were within a couple of weeks of rotating back to the states, volunteered to conduct the mission. The patrol found no signs of the enemy, the show went off without incident and when the LRRPs returned back to the base camp, they heard what a great performance they had missed.

At midnight on New Years Eve, streams of red tracers filled the air over Bearcat as the men celebrated the conclusion of 1967. It had been a year in which the 9th Infantry Division Long Range Patrol demonstrated it could operate in a hostile environment. One LRRP had been killed in action and a number had been injured or wounded. More would be lost in the years that followed, especially as operations picked up in the Delta and the LRRPs took the fight to the Viet Cong. The first 9th Infantry Division LRRP' established a unit from scratch that went on to locate and help defeat a determined enemy up to the day the last troops were pulled out of Vietnam. The soldiers who wore the black berets in the 9th Infantry Division did their part towards contributing to the well-known and true motto: 'Rangers lead the way.'

I was all of 20 years old and not really looking forward to my first Christmas far from home, especially in Viet Nam. I figured that the Bob Hope Christmas Show would be a great way to try to forget about home. Not so much for the show itself but for all the other soldiers sharing the same fate and memories. The laughter was bound to help. I knew that as a new guy in the unit, having been there since Oct 1, 1967 there was a slight chance I might be called to run a mission during the Christmas truce but was reassured by my Team Leader James Martin that would not happen. Late morning of the 24th I was told to report to the HQ. Along with myself were a number of guys who came in when I did, along with those who were in the Recondo School right after we were. I had been a Team Leader on the Recondo School mission and felt comfortable in the jungle running with Jim Martins team.

We were advised that we were selected (actually newest guys in the unit) to run missions to observe what the VC were up to during the truce. I remember the team I was on consisted of some great soldiers, Jim Glaze (a two tour Veteran, airborne and tough as nails), Greg Foreman (big blond surfer dude who I would latter run a number of missions with and who soon would have his own team), Bob Wallace, (quiet and serious) and I forget who else was selected. I think that Wallace was the TL but I cannot be sure. The team was truly a throw together as we had never run missions together before, but since we all were trained and knew the SOP of the unit we felt comfortable. We drew our rations for 5 days and double-checked our equipment as the selected team leaders did their over flights to select the LZs and see what ever they could see from the air. None of us were real happy about going our over Christmas but we all realized that it had to be done.

Christmas Eve we climbed aboard our birds that were to insert the various teams in the selected Areas of Operation (AO) at last light. There is a thing called pucker power. This is where your asshole shuts so fast that it glues your ass to the deck of the bird. This was what the level of tension the men were at as we prepared for insertion. All weapons loaded and ready, not knowing what was waiting upon landing. Actually landing was not quite what happened. Generally men left the aircraft between 10 and 4 feet, so all were on the ground in a matter of seconds as the bird swooped in and never really came to a hover. This and extracting were the most dangerous times of the mission. We inserted quietly and held a tight circle just in the wood line listening for movement to determine if we had been spotted. Nothing unusual at all and everything was calm and we had made a clean insertion. We had to find a place to hold up for the night and went further into the wood line. We crossed a hard pack wide trail and were careful as we crossed it one at a time. It was getting dark and we found a bamboo thicket to hunker down in not far off the trail (only a couple of meters).

As darkness came quickly in the jungle the team had to quickly set up in a wagon wheel with all heads to the center. This was so we had 360 degree of coverage and that anyone trying to find us in the thicket would make a racket trying to get in. We had an over flight check sometime after darkness to make sure we were set for the night. I was too concerned with absorbing the jungle noise and listening for anomalies than to think about Christmas. I was the closest team member to the trail when we set up and I don't know how that happened but if contact came from the trail I'd be first in line. After a while the tension kind of seeped away and my eyelids got heavy and I drifted off to sleep. It was our standard procedure to sleep unless we had movement near by. Now I know that sounds crazy now, 5 men, deep in enemy territory, falling asleep, but it always worked well. When I was going through the school it sounded nuts to me but it did work.

I do not know what time it was when I was awaken to the sound of oxen pulling carts and the voices of the Vietnamese as they moved so slowly down the trail that we had crossed a few hours before. The grunts of the oxen told me the carts were loaded with something that the VC would be using against us in the future. We had landed right next to a section of the Ho Chi Min trail. I silently prayed that they would just keep going and that my feet were in the bamboo thicket. A one point the convoy took a break and stopped to rest for a few minutes. The oxen train had seem to be endless as it moved along with noise, but when they stopped the silence was deafening. At that moment one of the team members snored and before my hand could get to his mouth and nose several other hands were already there. The Vietnamese had heard the snore as excited voices sent one individual looking for the source. I did not even have my M-16 in my hands and moved quickly and silently to lay my hand on the handgrip and trigger while the VC decided to try to check out our bamboo thicket. He stopped right at my feet and was trying to see what had made that noise. I prayed that no one would make a sound and that this VC would find nothing of interest and head back to his convoy. He stood there for what seemed to be hours as we fought every instinct to open fire, knowing that our orders were not to fire unless fired upon. Also knowing how dangerous a night extraction would be and we would not know what we were facing in enemy strength. I tried to silence my breathing as to not give him any reason to hang around. I could make out his outline and I saw an AK at port arms. After a bit he spoke to his comrades and headed back to the convoy. I could hear them speaking before the convoy started up again, probably thought it was a wild pig or some other animal. He never knew how close he came to dying that night and I was relieved that I did not have to take a life that night. As the convoy was moving again with all its squeaks and groans and creaking of wood Wallace moved his mouth to my ear and whispered: ' If he comes back again put one round through his head and we head back to the LZ.' I just did not have the heart to tell him that if he did come back again I would open up with all I had and hopefully make them think they had hit something larger that just 5 ordinary guys.

Needless to say we did not get any sleep the rest of that night as we listened to the ox cart convoy make its way down the train. It seemed like hours before all movement stopped for good as the last ox cart went past. We had remained undetected and observed and listened to report what we had back to Division the next day.

Christmas day started like any other day in the jungles of Viet Nam'Hot and humid. While the T/L radioed the previous nights finding I decided to see as much of the trail as I could from where I was. The trail had some wagon wheel ruts that it did not have the day before and you could see footprints right at the edge of our thicket. If the VC had taken one more step he would have stepped on me. Close! The T/L told every one that we were moving further from the trail as they wanted us to observe a trail along side a Trace. A Trace was a wide path plowed through the Jungles by large Roman plows that, it was hoped, would stop movement of supplies by the enemy. This was obviously someone's idea that had never set foot on the ground. It was far from nice and neat as it had looked from the air. Trees were down every which way and movement in the trace was very difficult for anyone. You had to climb over and under all sorts of mangled jungle vegetation that was laying all sorts of different ways. The VC had simply moved their trails to another sector of the jungle and went about business as usual.

So on Christmas day, with whispered 'Merry Christmas' to all and from all we headed toward a new location. Actually it wasn't all that far (less than 100 meters) and located between the Trace and the trail. A very small area to set up in. Somehow I ended up looking out on the trace, a ringside seat. There were some small trees amongst us and I had two fallen trees in between the trace and me. They were about about 18 inches in diameter and offered some cover from being spotted by anyone on the Trace. We ate some LRRP rations and observed the trace and the trail all day and into the night. We heard no more traffic on the trail and it was all quiet that night and the next night also.

In the early hours just before dawn on the 27th I had an eerie feeling that I was being watched. As dawn broke I had a visitor. It was an Ocelot at my feet standing on the log with its front feet and watching me. I had barely cracked an eye to see it and did not want to scare it away. I watched for as long as I could, about 5 minutes and then I moved. It literally disappeared as it moved so fast. I kind of felt it was looking for a meal and was sizing me up. Very strange occurrence and not the last one I would have with the snakes and animals of the jungles of Viet Nam.

The days went slow and the nights slower as we stayed in that one place much longer than we ever had before. I knew this was not good and against everything we knew about patrolling, but our job was to stay in place. The confirmation that we had stayed too long came on the 29th as I heard scratching on my poncho. When I lifted the poncho I had all sorts of nasty little things with pinchers trying to get to me. I think they were termites of some type but they sure could bite. I decided to soak the area with Bug Juice and that got rid of them. The only problem was the smell given off of the repellent was foreign to the jungle and readily recognized by friend and foe alike. The poncho back in place seemed to kill most of the smell. At least those damn bugs no longer attacked me. We thought we were being pulled out on the 29th (5th day). Imagine our surprise that we were to stay in place for another day. We had taken along rations and water for 5 days and were very low on both. In our AO there were no streams to refill from so we stretched what we had. On the 30th we again were told that we had to stay in place and this was not good in that the trail became active again along with the far side of the Trace. Not good. The morning of the 31st we were told again to stay in place. This time I got on the radio and told HQ that would no need to pull us out, but to send out the body bags with the graves registration team. We had over stayed our time and our luck was running out. We had no food or water at this point and really running on pure luck. We were told to expect a pick up around noon that day. It was around 1pm when we were advised to prepare for extraction. We waited on the edge of the trace and as soon as the bird was on its final descent headed toward it through all the entangled brush and fallen trees. The pilot had landed some distance from us and we had to hustle through that mess to get to the bird. It was not one of our regular pilots and this guy was a real ass-hole. We made it and were extracted with no incident. After we arrived at the company area we were debriefed. After a hot shower and a few brews we sat around drinking as 1968 came around. The base camp opened up with tracers, etc. when the midnight hour arrived. What a holiday season that was.

• Combat Infantryman Badge SPECIAL ORDERS NUMBER 88 19 March 1967
• GARRISON, Edwin B. 05329645 2LT 1542 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• HASS, William C. US55885225 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• HERNANDEZ, Robert US56424309 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• JENKINS, Freddie D. US54381832 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• KLOACK, Thomas R. US55896495 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• KULCAVAGE, Edward US51571308 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• MOSS, David R. US53443037 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• NOONAN, Stephen D. US51604287 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• PATRICK, Michael P. US55896492 SP4 E4 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• ALVEAR, Alfred US54381809 PFC E3 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• COONROD, Lawrence W. US55846249 PFC E3 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• COX, John S. US53440608 PFC E3 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav
• FERRARO, Don L. US56428380 PFC E3 11B20 IN Trp D, 3d Sqdn, 5th Cav

Back to Home Page
The Bonding of Warriors
The Early Years (1966-1967)
1968 thru 1971
After Viet Nam