Post by John Goulet on Dec 22, 2004 18:40:43 GMT -5
Hi all. I'm John Goulet and was a 2841 ground radio repair tech. I was a sergeant E-5 by time I left in April of 68. I came over in July 66 from 29 Palms on the APA Okanagon and we offloaded in Chu Lai. A group of us later were sent to Danang where we were on the beach with 5th comm for a while. I recall we were just south of China Beach, the in country R&R site. Then a group of us convoyed up to Dong Ha. (I notice that you have a picture posted of Frank Cox who was killed the first night of Tet in 68. I also have a picture of him sitting in a radio jeep he was driving in that convoy. I'm planning to get some of 35mm slides I took digitalized so I can add to the site's photos) When my rotation date came up in August, 67, I extended for 6 more months-I musta had a death wish! There was a group of us that came back. I remember that included some other techs, Charlie Capps (from San Francisco), Mike Stultz, Tierney, and a big red headed guy (from Montana?) who answered to the nickname of "Poot". I was back in Dong Ha in the Fall of 67 for some time and remember a lot of "incoming" from the NVA trying to knock out the Air Force compound's radar. I ended up back in Danang on Hill 34 in late 67-just in time for Tet. About a month after Tet started, I fell out of a truck tore up my knee. For those of you that were there, I was the sergeant that was hobbling around on crutches with a cast covering my entire leg. Wow, am I feeling long winded. I guess it's really a new experience for me to be talking to other Marines who served with me in Nam. It's even bringing up some feelings, too. Well, I'll be happy to hear from anyone in response. Lastly, I have a copy of the infamous Christmas ballard "The Death of Santa Claus" Remember it started: "Well theres stange things done Neath the Vietnamese Sun but the time that locked my jaws, was the night neath the moon, the 3rd platoon, gunned down Santa Claus..." If you want a copy, I'll post it. Have a Merry Christmas! John