Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Concrete bunker built by the French during the 1950s. Thanks for your comment Tom. I think we called it the Rocket Capital of the World, lol. AC-47 gunships held back the PAVN/VC while a platoon of Marines mounted in amphibian tractors, with tanks and helicopter gunships escorting, attacked east from An Hoa to reinforce the hamlet and bring an ammunition resupply. [2]:93 On 6 July 5 Marine Battalions launched Operation Macon around the An Ha area, the operation continued into October resulting in 24 Marines and 380 VC killed. He was walking up to the gate and I was telling the boy to put the can down because he wasnt allowed to come in with the can. Your email address will not be published. 2/5 left for Hue and we thought we would be overrun. It crosses the Monongahela River and intersects Interstate 579 (the Crosstown Boulevard) at its northern terminus. 1st Marine Division Operations There was a visible sign of better times in Quang Nam province when, on 30 March, the 825-foot Seabee-constructed Liberty Bridge was opened across the Thu Bon river just south of Dai Loc. Vietnam (way remote N.W. He was a Sgt. A couple of months in Vang Viang drinking beer. We had perimitter watch every other night on Brovo and Alpha sector. Battalion: 2d Battalion. I do remember him. Would like to know the name of the area on the map, where Operation Mead River and Operation Arizona Territory took place?? Today if you Google David Robert Ray you will come across a portrait showing a gangly, smiling youth in service dress and a Dixie Cup hat. You dont step sideways when youre walking. I told him one more time, Put the can down. But he didnt. [2]:41 The base was first used by the Marines in January 1966 during Operation Mallard when the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines established a firebase there while the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and a Company from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines swept the surrounding area. My house is in the front of the district administration build, across the grassy field. Chuck Eco 2/5. L knew the people i arrived with but he was the first to take us and show us around and draw M16 and other gear. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=An_Hoa_Combat_Base&oldid=1123027739, Military installations of the United States Marine Corps in South Vietnam, Installations of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Military installations closed in the 1970s, Buildings and structures in Qung Nam province, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the United States Marine Corps, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 November 2022, at 09:46. Hello Mike. He almost didnt survive that battle and earned his Purple Heart that night his name is Darrel McMaster. Hi all. I thought it was Jameson. The bullets tore into his body, and shook him like a rag doll and threw him to the ground. I do have some specifics, but you understand my hesitancy, considering the length of time and the fog of war effects on my memory.. He even fought off an attack of two NVA soldiers before he himself was wounded. Was with MAG (Marine Air Group) 16 at AnHoa April of 70 til we abandoned the place in August/September of 70 The bridge was the part of the MSR from DaNang. The total length (including longest elevated ramp) is 2663 feet with the height of the deck at 44.4 feet near the piers. Primary Location During Vietnam: Da Nang, Vietnam, Story Themes: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1st Marines, An Hoa Valley, Combat, Da Nang, David Tabaka, Marines, Quang Nam Province, Saint Paul, St Paul, A Twin Cities PBS initiative in collaboration with the MN PBS Stations, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1st Marines, An Hoa Valley, Combat, Da Nang, David Tabaka, Marines, Quang Nam Province, Saint Paul, St Paul, Terms and Conditions for Submitting Your Story. My dad was there that night Dan bullock was Kia. I went in as a private and got out as a staff sergeant. Liberty Bridge View westward along the flood plain. On the morning of 4 May 1968 two Companies of the 2nd Battalion 7th Marines supported by tanks crossed the Liberty Bridge ( 15.841N 108.121E) onto the island meeting only light resistance for the first few days. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PIm5nVFFcwU&feature=share, I was on the south end of the runway. Poinsett Bridge is the oldest bridge in South Carolina and perhaps in the entire southeastern United States. The war was tragic, my thoughts don't need inspiration. I recall that orphanage which was in front of Bravo Sector where we had a line of bunkers. Thank you for you kind comment. The road is still there so possible to travel along. BUMED Archives. In the act of saving this Marines life Ray ultimately sacrificed his own. I saw them once in the mess hall. Don, I was FDC 2/11 Feb 70-71, HQ, then Echo Battery, then HQ the rest, AnHoa, DaNang, LZ Baldy. Young orphans killed laying out on the front of the temple. He even fought off an attack of two NVA soldiers before he himself was wounded. He requested transfer to the Field Medical Service School (FMSS) in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and after graduating on June 25, 1968, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced) destined for Vietnam. only thing that remains of this structure are several pilons that project out of the water. The many convoy escorts to liberty bridge and back, lost quite a few Marines on those, mines and booby traps. The day the doc released me from the hospital, I went on an ambush patrol that same night.. I remembered one time farmers brough young rice plants to wash in the river upstream and the solders fired recoiless canon at them. http://www.marzone.com/7thMarines/Vn5500.htmhttps://www.seabee-rvn.com/Bridges/Liberty-Bridge/http://dennislathamfiction.blogspot.com/2006/08/vietnam-liberty-bridge.html?m=1http://1-5vietnamveterans.org/15-combat-ops/https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=YN1RDwAAQBAJ\u0026pg=PA178\u0026lpg=PA178\u0026dq=liberty+bridge+Vietnam\u0026source=bl\u0026ots=rdUdHu273U\u0026sig=ACfU3U03Qy55U0spK0AjFgbZvRuMbTzAmA\u0026hl=vi\u0026sa=X\u0026ved=2ahUKEwjdpfygzb_lAhWFd94KHZnMA8o4ChDoATAHegQIAxAB#v=onepage\u0026q=liberty%20bridge%20Vietnam\u0026f=falsehttps://books.google.com.vn/books?id=NxAiZsLSrhoC\u0026pg=PA139\u0026lpg=PA139\u0026dq=liberty+bridge+Vietnam\u0026source=bl\u0026ots=YxuAb4JnDy\u0026sig=ACfU3U1VelKurAzqrOtpeY2JEJGVukMsFg\u0026hl=vi\u0026sa=X\u0026ved=2ahUKEwjdpfygzb_lAhWFd94KHZnMA8o4ChDoATAJegQIARAB#v=onepage\u0026q=liberty%20bridge%20Vietnam\u0026f=false But my B Battery had been split off from the battalion on arrival in Vietnam and placed in a defensive position near Da Nang. Hill 300 (Razorback Ridge) was in Northern I Corps West of Camp Carrol and from what I gather, it is nearly flattened due to the Vietnamese mining of the rock for roads and other construction. The hill is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northeast of the confluence of the Yen, Ai Nghia, and La Tho Rivers and was a United States Marine Corps base during the Vietnam War. Elements of the 3rd Marine Division were the first Marine units that operated in the vicintiy of Hill 55 beginning in 1965 Liberty Bridge. Cant remember his real name but he looked dead on Lee Marven. Thank you. Hi Leslie. Liberty Bridge on the Thu Bon river near An Hoa, Vietnam 1968 Picture taken from a CH 46 on a routine mail run with HMM 164 to An Hoa. Many children killed. Maybe it was the 7th Marines?Operations Union I and II, and then Swift. Ba Na is often referred to as a fairyland which attracts flocks of visitors everyday. "Earlier that night, they hit the compound just across the river," Mitchell explained. When he fell down, the can went BOOM! Concrete bunker built by the French during the 1950s. I was there March69 when Phu -loc 6 was over run. 704 791 2768. On September 19, 1970, we moved to Baldy. The base was located south of the Thu Bon river which marked the southern border of what was called the Arizona Territory. Thanks for posting! The "Arizona Territory" was located south and west of Da Nang and got its nickname due to the wild west nature of the fighting and the area being a free fire zone. Will always admire the grunts and docs who did so much! As his tour in Vietnam came to a close Ray requested an extension which was granted on March 4, 1969. The Liberty Bridge . We would rotate there from Mortars 3/11, based at Hill 55. We never slept when in from the bush. GENERAL ORDERS: CITATION: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Hospital Corpsman Second Class David Robert Ray (NSN: B-308634), United States Navy . The Liberty Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge and was constructed as the missing link between downtown Pittsburgh and the Liberty Tunnel, which had been constructed four years earlier in 1924 as a link to the South Hills. Thanks to you and all my grunts that touched my life. Done. Captain Graham organized the Company and sent the three platoons in to the rice paddy in skirmishes. Liberty Bridge 1 was built by the US SeaBees in the 1960's it was the longest wooden bridge in southeast asia. My father, Sgt. 24 days and a wake up. Good talking to you,take care and Semper Fi. So the VC took advantage of our way of thinking and they had NO problem doing something like that!! This meant that on at least one occassion the area was bombed by US jets as they tried to drive out their enemy. Went back in 2000, nothing leftat all. I was at An Hoa for much of 1967. I remember the constant rocket strikes and the base being overrun on May 7 and F 2/5 Dan Bullocks death that evening. I believe one Monk was killed. from Aug76-Sept1980. In the afternoon on December 10th, Hotel 2/5 flew into Hill 55. We visit the remnants of a bridge formerly constructed by US Marines in an area of high conflict during the war between the US and Vietnam.These videos are possible thanks to all the servicemen who have posted information on the web about Liberty Bridge and places like this all over Vietnam, including detailed maps and personal accounts, photos and other information. I was Alpha Co CBMU301 (Seabees) from June67 -Dec-68 Our main job was taking care of the Base and Runway at An Hoa we were located on the South End of the Runway We replace the runway twice while I was stationed there Lots of Memories lots of picture I have Many convoys to DaNang and only one time across Liberty Bridge rest of the times were by Marine ferries Drop me an email on [email protected], I spent nearly a year at the Liberty Bridge , Phu- Loc (6) area . Over time the need also grew for more permanent presence in order to pacify these areas. I am happy you made it out. We were young, dumb and lived on borrowed time. I do remember one guy at Mike Battery . Thanks, Jon. I guess I spoke to you. Qung Nam Province The bridge was constantly under attack and was destroyed several times, either by the enemy Wikimedia | OpenStreetMap. The Antenna Valley is located across the pass to the west from the Que Son Valley. I have a picture of your gun with the round in the air He kept coming and kept coming, making like he was drinking from the can, and he wouldnt put it down. Your email address will not be published. I was lucky to be inside the COC bunker on the night shifts when most of the incoming was happening. New one of the KIA ( Gunny, Floyd Keffe) . On January 31, 1968, South Vietnam exploded from North to South. By days end 36 of the Marines were dead. A tour of Naval Hospital Long Beach followed. My first combat operation was Operation Newcastle in the Arizona in March 1967. The Thu Bon river southwest of Danang was crossed by Liberty Bridge. The An Hoa Combat Base was first used in January 1966 during Operation Mallard as the Marines needed a firebase in support of the operation. His name was Kinh. Take the village from the front. 344 Liberty Bridge/Total length Despite heavy loss of blood, Ray managed to crawl through the barrage of enemy fire to assist another fallen Marine, shielding him from a grenade blast. Say Ashley, question for you?where did you start you trek in Lao? I know you still miss him. You grunts were everything a Doc could ask for and more. Wade. AnHoa served as a jump off point for regions fought over from 66-71. Also on the map is the area known as "Dodge City." Created/Published: 1965 Scale: 50,000 Dimensions (Width x Height): 22.6x29.2 You actually have to walk across the old American (secret, CIA) air-strip there after you get off the bus and walk North 500 meters to downtown tourist area. Since the appearance of this amazing bridge, it has become more and more magnetic. Anyone remember? The bridge had been sought by motorists for two decades and on opening day, March 27, 1928, a mile-long procession of cars were present to mark the event. Ive seen Colonel Cheatman and you Marines on you tube. Go Noi Island was where Carlos Handcock (sniper-one shot-one kill) was wounded (burned, AmTrac, anti-tank mine). Phil. Airlifted off the An Hoa airfield matting runway by Air Force C-130s to Phu Bai while with Hotel Co. 2/5 1st MarDiv in Jan 68. His name was LCpl Billy Daugherty. Rupnik, E.J. When was the Liberty Bridge built in Pittsburgh? Also, I could occasionally rotate out to the Command Post to serve with the Marines in the field. Their goal was to first overrun, then annihilate the fledgling base. Taken at Hospital Corps School San Diego, Calif., in October 1966, it is a heavily cropped image that conceals the fact that at 66 Ray towered over his classmates and he typically shied away from getting his photograph taken. I was bleeding from the ears, nose, and mouth. Thomas Murry Frew Jr. A few kilometers south of the base, across the mountain ridges is the Que Son Valley with plenty of old firebases including LZ Baldy and LZ Ross that are also very interesting to visit. The one Seabee Ican remember had handlebar mustache and was nicknamed Gunsmoke. I was with K/3/9/3 survived the ambush. Harry 7th Eng. Not sure about the hospital. angusmcnitt, Trung Nguyen and 3 more people faved this [1], An Ha was located southeast of a major Vietcong (VC)/People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) base area known as the Arizona Territory across the Vu Gia River. Heres an aerial view I found on YouTube. The An Hoa Basin also includes Charlie Ridge and surrounding areas. The Liberty Bridge was constructed over a period of 12 months by Taylor and Murphy Construction Co. of Asheville, N.C., designed by bridge architect Miquel Rosales of Boston, and engineered by Schlaich Bergermann. He was one of 13 whose lives I had to take. My Company of Marines did this with calm dignity. I was with the command group, Capt. If an internal link led you here, you may wish . If any of you Marine were with me in 1969, please contact me. High school classmate was Mike 3/5. Liberty Bridge is just off the right edge. Ha! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Discovering the hidden places from the Vietnam War, Copyright 2023 Vietnam War Travel Activation WordPress theme by. Lao you will be stopped by the Lao police/army from that area? Background [ edit] When the attack began at 22:00, Marine tank and artillery crews on the perimeter began direct fire against the advancing PAVN/VC, using Beehive anti-personnel rounds. there were 6 or 7 of us at a time at Anhoa with the Airwing3 Air Traffic Controllers and repair/maintenance men for the radar equipment and generatorsNormal cleared to land & cleared to take off stuff plus advise the pilots on which batteries were firing & what direction/grid.Remember the night we were supposed to get over-run.& instead the Im hoping to write a book about some of the area you patrolled in around An Hoa and the Que Son Valley if this Covid-19 crap ever tamps down. That didnt last long unfortunately. Why an orphanage? Visions never leave my Ming. Remains of the runway can still be seen. Dont know why I was always sent to odd places, other radio operators mostly got to stay same place the whole tour. I was with Mike 4/11, a 155mmSP battery in late 68 to May of 70. That all changed on the afternoon of June 2nd. In a Free Fire Zone SW of Danang in 1968. I didnt know if there were any caualties and didnt know why. By the way I was: 1st Bn 5th Mar Div H&S Co 81 Mor Plt. It underwent several changes but was finally destroyed when the North Vietnamese were victorious over the South. Yep, 3/26 led the attack into the Northern Bunker Complex at the end of Meade River. E- 2/5 69-71, Your email address will not be published. I looked in one of your tanks,as you were in the road facing the Que son Mts. Service: Navy. About a third of the temples are still standing in various condition. The Liberty Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge and was constructed as the missing link between downtown Pittsburgh and the Liberty Tunnel, which had been constructed four years earlier in 1924 as a link to the South Hills. Yes, the German hospital was outside the gate on the way up to Liberty Bridge. BUMED Archives. Later during that year, in April, the base was used again and it was at this time it became a permanent installation. Changing tubes on 175s at LSU 1 in 1970 was the hardest work I have ever done in my life . My memory is bad and getting worse the older i get. You can NOT get into Vietnam right now. The Liberty Bridge was constructed over a period of 12 months by Taylor and Murphy Construction Co. of Asheville, N.C., designed by bridge architect Miquel Rosales of Boston, and engineered by Schlaich Bergermann. An Ha base was located southeast of a major Vietcong/People's Army of Vietnam base area known as the Arizona Territory across the Vu Gia River. Da Nang. 36th Regiment. E- 2/5 69-71. Mostly we were on perimeter duty at night and road sweeps during the morning. life-and-death struggles. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "af98acf6452e90a09f2cbde13b3e267d" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I thought maybe I would escape the rest of the War, but that was wishful thinking. I am happy you made it out. An Hoa Valley, Qung Nam Province. I was a radio relay operator at An Hoa in fall of 69,we were next to the air traffic control tower.I remember those 175mm guns.The mess hall served peanut butter,jelly, bread,and warm goofy grape kool aid every evening! I do remember a place that we called the Alamo with a refugee camp near by , but that was it. From the Red Garcia Collection (COLL/5065), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections . My name is Richard Vesper I was in AN Hoa 69 and 70 untill we turned it over to the ARVNS I believe in Sept. of 70. But I can only say, it was more than enough for me. In less than an hour we had air support through the night until early morning. I arrived at An Hoa on 25 January, 1967. A women saving food. Bill. Looking for a Lt. who came to Fox 2/5 2nd Platoon on 11 July 69 And stepped on a box mine less than 12 hours later. I was on Hill 300 in 1967. After that our nights were spent in a bunker on the runway until I left for home in February. I want to cross into Lao from N.W. By autumn of 1968, when Vietnamese requirements reached their peak, world-wide Seabee strength had grown to more than 26,000 men, serving in 21 full-strength Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, 2. The bridge, in the heart of Quang Nam province about 25 miles southwest of DaNang, was built by the . LibertyBridge was not a boring place to be. Her bomb shelter, her livestock, her food stock was destroyed. Looking for the other guys any help would be appreciated. Thank you for your comment. and take off for parts unknownprobably Marble Mountainthats where we convoyed to that same dayI believe I am glad you made it out. Chuck, I was Squadleader/ Gunner in 60 mortars then. I know Mike Harris.SF. The following year, Bobby Rayor as he is better known to us today, David Robert Raywas posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Hello. Harvey Wade. That night the orphanage was mortared and VC in our lines at An Hoa. Cpl. Nobody knows who he was. I was with Echo also 67-68 Oct to March when evaced out of country. Hey Paul, was C Company CP located on Hill 37 near Dai-Loc? Semper Fi marine, Hi Jonas, regarding the hospital, I read on another site that the hospital was located just south of the compound near a lake,if that helps. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. In a Free Fire Zone SW of Danang in 1968. Starting out, the Marines established a stationary defense around the base that reacted to threats and attacks. I went on that Medcap with you at the Buddhist Orphanage. Required fields are marked *. Semper Fi. i was on hill 65 when the orphanage was attacked. read more, Photo By Andr Sobocinski | In the early morning of March 19, 1969, a Marine combat base at Phu Loc 6 near An Hoa, Vietnam, became the scene of a surprise enemy attack. This bridge had been a prime target. NVA went into the orphanage still cant believe there were hundreds of us Marines just yards away playing defense while a few NVA killed all those kids!still my worst memory of my year over there, As C O of B1/5 I served at Liberty Bridge for combat operations in the Arizona Territory and later out of An Hoa & the 1/5 battles at An Bang 3 in the Arizona territory as we named the VC/NVA location 80 plus days on patrol or fighting from May 15th until July 31st, then because I complained of poor logistic support the 5TH Regt C.O pulled me out of Bn to be the Regt logistics officer S-4 & An Hoa base security officer as a Capt. There is a brick factory here but no memorial. It is one of the most convenient ways to see one of the large combat bases and understand a bit of how the Marines fought during the war. My father and his crew were awarded the Bronze Star after that. Mort Hurt here. Three times only twelve of us survived fierce battle scenes. The bridge features three levels--an express commuter level for pedestrians and cyclists, a retail level for casual crossings and tourism, and upper park levels for relaxation, renewable energy collection and the best location for that perfect selfie with NYC as the backdrop. This area was patrolled by my platoon during 1967 and 1968. Harvey 3/5, Operation Meade River was right out side the wire surrounding Hill 55, 7th Marine Regiment Headquarters. I remember you ,Webster , Star ,Gunny Flanagan and the Lee Marvin fellow but not his name ,he was a kick. Arrived An Hoa november 7th 1967, assign to 81s H&S 2/5, First Marine I remember meeting was Sgt Jerdo . The Golden Bridge has come into operation since . It was February 13, 1968. On December 13th, a Friday, we left for the mountains to begin Operation Taylor Common. Those who knew him best would recall his sophisticated taste in music, love of books, natural charisma and a sense of service. Escorted many mine sweeps between Phu-Loc (6) and An-Hoa. I ended up in Hue City, where I got hit for the third time during my tour of duty. The lake might have been called Alligator Lake . Just two weeks later he was part of a mission to protect Liberty Bridge, a strategic supply artery across the Thu Bon River connecting An Hoa to Da Nang. I was attached to Echo Company as the 81 FO.
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