Khe Sanh Veterans Association Inc.

Red Clay
Newsletter of the Veterans who served at Khe Sanh Combat Base,
Hill 950, Hill 881, Hill 861, Hill 861-A, Hill 558
Lang-Vei and Surrounding Area

Issue 54     Winter 2002

Incoming

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In This Issue
Notes from Editor and Staff     Web Briefs     Short Rounds
Memoirs     In Memoriam     A Sprinkling Of Your Poetry

"Greetings, My Warrior Brothers."

That greeting is from Captain Edward Ramon, one of our brothers from Nam who I met at our Reunion in Dallas. One Heck of a nice guy and a pretty good poet. If you have not read his book "Scars and Stripes Forever," you are missing out on a fine bit of literature. He really hits home with some of his poems and I am sure if you read them, you will note a message through their words. I just wanted to say THANKS to all who had a hand in the planning for one heck of a good time in Texas, and say that it will be a tough act to follow in Charleston next July. With what I have learned through all my Rebel life, you Yanks will be treated to a real dose of genuine Southern Hospitality. It will certainly be a different experience than you who visited "Parris Island" back in the late 60s.

At the time we did our Big Texas Party, I was working on a project for the community of Tobaccoville, North Carolina, along with several other veterans. Eight veterans (three Marines, four Army, and one Navy) were asked to create a monument to all Veterans. After about six months of hand wringing, headaches, and a couple of blown fuses by myself, we finally completed the project. While the inscription on the large stone may not be what we might have said back then, the inscription on the smaller stone placed at the base of the Flag is right on Khe Sanh Vietnam.

I lobbied hard to get this stone placed there for all of us that left a little piece of ourselves, both physically and mentally over there. I hope that some of the guys we left on that mountain, are looking down and will say, "Thanks, you done good." That being said, Gentlemen, raise your glass, because this one is for you.

Ron Shouse
B Btry 1/13 Gun 7

This last Memorial Day, my wife told me she was going to attend the Memorial Day Parade in Barrington, Illinois with Cody and her friend Karen. She asked me if I was also going, and if I was going to march. "Yes, I will meet you there," I replied and went and got my camera. Even though it was 80 degrees, I put on my jacket with the large Marine Corps emblem on the back, and the 26th Marine patch on the shoulder.

When I arrived, there was a lone person sitting on the steps of the bank reading a newspaper, waiting for the parade to start. I felt like an old-timer and almost turned around and went home. "Nice jacket," the guy on the steps said. "Thanks," I replied, "who were you with? .... Force Recon," he said. We introduced ourselves and the parade marshal approached and asked us if we were with the American Legion. When I turned around he had a look of surprise on his face. I had previously lectured him on my feelings regarding the manner in which the American Legion treated me when I returned from Vietnam.

I pulled my Khe Sanh Veterans membership card out of my wallet and stated, "This is the only group I will ever be a member of." The guy next to me begins laughing and pulls his Khe Sanh Veterans membership card from his wallet. That is how I met brother Mike Crowe. It turned out to be a wonderful Memorial Day.

Joe Amodeo

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Recently my Australian friend, former combat infantryman and Vietnam Vet, Garry Adams, made a trip to Khe Sanh. Garry is familiar with the base, the surrounding hills, and all of Vietnam for that matter. He conducts tours back to Vietnam a couple of times a year for veterans from all over the world, U.S. Marines included. While on his last visit, Garry laid an arrangement of red poppies at the site of the ambush of the Ghost Patrol and said a prayer for our fallen brothers. For him to take a moment during his tour and honor the warriors of Bravo 1/26 was a kind and thoughtful gesture. Garry is a good and decent man and I felt I should share this honorable act with all of my brothers. I think of him as one of us. A special thanks to John Kaheny for supplying me with the coordinates, which I relayed to Garry, in order for him to place the flowers on sacred ground. Peace.

Earl

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Kenny,

In response to the many questions on the KSV website regarding the use of (Bee-Hive) Firecracker rounds, I can only add this insight:

I do not know who the first Marine Arty was to use the round. However, either A Battery or B Battery of the 1/40th early in 67, was the first to use that round in combat.. .maybe late February, early March. They fired on an NVA troop concentration from the City of Angels, Con Thien. It was a success!

I believe only the smaller caliber artillery units had that round. I know the 175 guns did not. I do not think the 155s had them at that time. I recall a huge battle in the Ia Drang in 1967, where the 105s fired right at a 155 unit that had been overrun, using those rounds. They found enemy soldiers pinned to each other, some were pinned into trees, etc.

As far as a ship firing them, I do not know if a ship could reach the perimeter that the fellow was talking about, unless he meant the Da Nang perimeter. Even off the coast of Dong Ha, the ship's 8-inch and 5-inch could only reach so far. The Khe Sanh perimeter would be a stretch. If he had firecracker rounds, they were probably from the Marine 105 Artillery or maybe even 1/40th Artillery. I think we were the only outside Artillery that could reach the perimeter and even some other parts, to be of better support. We had to rotate a battery out to the Rockpile, especially hitting into the Laotian ridges/border.

One thing the Marines may or may not know is that our A Battery came ashore in Oct of 66. The first thing done was to convert two 175s to 8-inch and send to two crews to Korea for nuke training. We did have 8-inch nuke-tipped rounds in Vietnam, stored in the Saigon area. I guess they wanted to be ready for all possibilities. In fact, I saw on the History~ Channel, that one of the uses of those actually being considered was for your guys in case it became real bad out there. They were already doing wind calculations, speeds and directions, etc. around the base area. I guess that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling. Right? ? ?

I guess if it would have happened that we would have shot the rounds, we would have had to be closer than Carroll or the Rockpile, possibly from Ca Lu.

Anyway, that ought to make you sleep better knowing that you and the other fellows at least missed that event!

Scraper Fi Marine
Best that way.

Kelley 2/94th

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