Veteran Roll Call
Apr 2, 2024 00:19:42 #
Texcaster wrote:
Vietnam draftee (US not RA) 68-70, 69th Signal Battalion, Qui Nhon and Chu Lai. The last two months of my tour were TDY in Thailand splicing buried cable. I made SPC4 twice. I bought a PX Minolta SRT101 and haven't looked back. 
I was only in Nam for 4 months. My plan was to save 1200 (100 each month) to buy a killer stereo system. This was priced around the 1200 I needed to save. That dream ended with only 400 put away when it was time to go. Instead, I bought a Pentax SLR with three lenses. Best disappointment ever! 55 years later, I'm still doing photography, and am quiet sure the reel-to-reel tape deck, the 40" high speakers, and the direct-drive turntable I was looking at, are long since in some landfill somewhere.
Apr 2, 2024 00:49:23 #
US Army, 1966 - 1978. Enlisted, MOS 11B (Infantry). Graduated from OCS and commissioned in the Field Artillery. Overseas tours in Vietnam and Germany.
Apr 2, 2024 00:49:46 #
MrBossHK
Loc: The West Valley of Phoenix metro area
United States Navy 1970-1977 as Aircraft Maintenance/Plane Captain/Troubleshooter, and 1982-1996 as Intelligence Specialist/Target Analyst/Strike/Amphibious Warfare Mission Planner, attached to United States Marine Corps for Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Retired from US Navy as Senior Chief Petty Officer in 1996.
Apr 2, 2024 02:01:51 #
TheShoe
Loc: Lacey, WA
TheShoe wrote:
US Army, MOS 74E20, 10/10/66-11/1/68,E5 Early out because Ft. Bragg where I was stationed was being overrun with returnees from Vietnam. They needed the space and I had 1 more semester to finish my degree. Food was much better anywhere that wasn't a Basic Training mess hall.
Pardon typo, I was not only a bad typist, I had a distraction that required attention.That discharge date was 9/1/68, not 11/1. I was told that I was the first married man in Wichita to be drafted for Vietnam. They really wanted me because they declined the Occupational Deferment requested by Boeing. I spent my time after basic at the Continental Army Command's Intelligence Production Office at Ft. Bragg, where they were preparing to automate the paper intelligence reports. Made Spec 5 in 11 months, probably because I was the only one there who had ever seen a computer. I am pretty sure that the 4 members of the consulting firm specified by the DIA to help us had never written a serious program.
Basic was at Ft. Lost in the Woods, know as Ft. Leonard Wood to civilians. The reference to the food is because FLW hosted the training of the Army's cooks. Basic mess halls were manned by the greenest trainees.
Apr 2, 2024 02:02:38 #
USAF Jan 71 - Dec 74 Communications and Relay Center Equipment Repairman (Teletype/Crypto) E-4 (known at the time as a Buck Sgt). Lackland AFB TX, Sheppard AFB TX, Griffiss AFB NY, Tokorowzowa Japan, Hurlburt Field FL(an auxiliary of Elgin AFB). Got out 2 weeks short of 4 years for a “Christmas early out” and to be able to attend my 1st semester of College on the G.I. Bill. Still had to work up to 3 jobs at a time for the 5 years it took to Graduate from Temple Pharmacy School, Philadelphia,PA in 1979.
Apr 2, 2024 05:44:14 #
apacs1
Loc: Lansdale, PA
Warhorse wrote:
I'm just curious as to how many veterans we have here, so I will start the ball rolling.
USMC, MOS-1391, 1975-1979, rank at discharge Sergeant E-5
USMC, MOS-1391, 1975-1979, rank at discharge Sergeant E-5
Thank you all for your service!
Apr 2, 2024 06:04:19 #
Apr 2, 2024 06:22:13 #
Apr 2, 2024 06:24:15 #
Apr 2, 2024 07:14:44 #
US Army, 1967-1969. Broadcast Journalist - Ft. Gordon, Augusta Georgia & Saigon - rank: Sgt E5.
Apr 2, 2024 07:15:43 #
Apr 2, 2024 07:26:55 #
USN, 1972 to 1976. Discharged as ABE2 (E5). I stayed in as USNR for 1977 but it was too much bovine manure for me.
Apr 2, 2024 07:41:15 #
US Air Force, Feb 1968-Feb 1972, E4. Avionics maintenance (autopilot/compass) - longest assignment at Yokota Air Base, Japan 2.5 yrs. Bought first good camera - Miranda Sensorex.
Apr 2, 2024 07:47:26 #
Apr 2, 2024 07:59:55 #
US Army 1966-1968 Finished University of Detroit in August. Drafted in September. Ft. Knox in October. Ft. Monmouth in January. MOS 84c20 - Motion Picture Photographer. Trained with 14 guys - 1/2 Marines. I was the only guy who went to Germany (69th Signal Co. (Photo). It was great duty but the thing you never knew was where you were going next. As the European Pictorial Center we had to document wherever US Forces in Europe were sent.
The closest I came to combat was June of 67 during the 6 Day Israeli-Egyptian war. We were at Ramstein ready to go if the US went in as a part of a UN force.
I always felt a certain affection for the Israeli military since they got it over quickly. Also respect for the photographers - Still & Mopic who served in VN.
I was a lucky one. Look up William T. Perkins, USMC. I trained with him at Ft. Monmouth.
The closest I came to combat was June of 67 during the 6 Day Israeli-Egyptian war. We were at Ramstein ready to go if the US went in as a part of a UN force.
I always felt a certain affection for the Israeli military since they got it over quickly. Also respect for the photographers - Still & Mopic who served in VN.
I was a lucky one. Look up William T. Perkins, USMC. I trained with him at Ft. Monmouth.
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