Serving in Vietnam

Misterstan
Moderator
Posts: 159
(5/22/01 10:49:49 am)
| Del All Serving in Vietnam
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I served in Vietnam in the U. S. Navy on board a small supply ship that delivered ammunition and supplies along the larger rivers of the Mekong Delta.

I was 22 years old in 1970 when I first boarded my ship, the USS Mark (AKL-12). I was a Yeoman Second Class (E-5). When I volunteered for duty in Vietnam, I had no idea I would serve in a capacity similar to what I did stateside at the Naval Inshore Operations Training Center at Mare Island near Vallejo, California.

We always had the best food on board our ship. We ate such things as lobster, shrimp, nice thick steaks and lots of roast beef. We almost always had fresh milk and when we didn’t have milk, we always had plenty of iced tea.

My small office was air conditioned and in the hallway outside my office there was a refrigerated water fountain. Many times when we stopped at the different outposts along the rivers, other sailors and many Navy Seals would come on board just to drink the cold water from that fountain.

Our berthing compartment was also air conditioned. Sometimes the air conditioning wasn’t working properly and we would find ourselves sleeping in a pool of sweat.

I have read that the average temperature in Vietnam was about 95 degrees, but I remember it being more like 115 degrees most of the time. One day I had to get something out of my locker in the berthing area. When I went inside I thought the air conditioner was malfunctioning because it felt like it was freezing in there. I looked at the thermometer and it was 78 degrees!

I saw a picture of my ship recently that was taken when it was underway on the river near our home base of Cat Lo, RVN. I felt a twinge of fear as I realized that I had served in such a vessel that ran so close to shore. (When I was 22, I don’t remember being afraid of many things).



I always took pride in being the best Yeoman I could be and I shared my knowledge with other Yeomen I met in Vietnam. I knew how the system worked and I could usually get things done that others with less experience could not do. It was very important to keep everyone’s service record up-to-date. I made sure the records showed all the medals and ribbons they earned also.

Our entire crew was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon because we took on enemy fire and returned fire on one or more occasions when we were underway. It was our duty to avoid enemy contact whenever possible so we could deliver our supplies on time and in good condition. In some areas of the rivers, designated as “free fire zones”, we were escorted with a gunboat in front and one behind us. Many times we had helicopter support along with the gunboats.

I remember a time when a group of small fixed wing planes called “Black Ponies” took out an entire wooded area on one side of the river ahead of us with napalm. It was similar to a scene from the movie Apocalypse Now!

Many of us spent some time with the local Vietnamese people in the village of Cat Lo. The villagers were mostly young women who lived with their mothers and grandparents and their younger brothers and sisters. Most able bodied men were off fighting the war in other places in Vietnam.

They took us into their homes and shared their customs with us and helped us to learn their language. We felt almost superhuman because we were so much bigger than them, but it was an awesome responsibility to be responsible for their safety as well as our own.

Vietnam was far and away the most rewarding experience of my life and I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve in that country.

Stan Lambert
St. Clair Shores, Michigan


Edited by: Misterstan at: 5/22/01 11:54:27 am

dap22
Senior Chief Moderator II
Posts: 566
(5/22/01 11:14:42 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
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Geez Stan, couldn't you atleast have left out the lobster, steak, fresh milk, airconditioning, fresh water, clean sheets, and iced tea? By the way, did you forget ice cream? Just funnin with ya Stan! As I've always said, you Navy guys go in style.......just a little jealous.

Stan.....you sure that wasn't the Raddisson or Hilton or
Ritz Carleton you were staying at????????????????????
You could have rented out rooms like Clinton did in the White House!!

Edited by: dap22 at: 5/22/01 7:47:18 pm

Genog
Moderator
Posts: 91
(5/22/01 11:20:30 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
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Stan,
For some reason I don't remember any of that aboard our ship. We did have some comforts. Only 18 racks in our compartment. We spent a lot of time thinking that our cold cuts were lobster. Are you sure you weren't in the merchant marines? LOL



Geno G

Remf
Moderator
Posts: 179
(5/22/01 11:57:07 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
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I had an air conditioned bunker at FB Bastogne & plenty of C's.

oneknight
Moderator
Posts: 956
(5/22/01 7:56:05 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stan,

The only Lobster you had was the one that pinched you
and brought you back to reality. Sucks, doesn't it?

LOL~!



Boom Boom

homer4
Moderator
Posts: 626
(5/24/01 6:42:09 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
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Hey Stan,alot of the ships were really more like boats or rather more like barges sortof with big gate like ramps that were on one end for loading and off loading was my guess.They had a box looking kinda bridge area... nothing like your ship looks like.Troop Transport I believe...very utility looking and were always filled with Arvn's.

Maybe Stan and Chief would know.

Speaking of boats...the Vietnamee used the little wooden boats called Ghe's...something like a work canoe would describe it best,very narrow and maybe 16ft or so long...suited for people of little stature for sure and not for tall Americans...very uncomfortable.It is a mainstay of travel throughout the Delta and all of the canals.
...and two hard boiled eggs.

gorourke
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 37
(5/24/01 10:48:18 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
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Homer,

Various Vietnamese river craft. Wish I could tell you the name of the river, most likely in the southern part of the 25th’s AO.



P. Gary




homer4
Moderator
Posts: 655
(5/25/01 6:20:37 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Say Hey!!! Ghe's!!! I'm telling ya guys...definitely for small types only...gets very uncomfortable for GI's,and so easy to tip...Ah Me! Ghe's!

Thanks P...lot's of memories there bud.Hehe!
...and two hard boiled eggs.

[tazzer5]

Sounds like you had a real rough tour, I was a "Grunt" 101st Abn Rakkasans and patroled out of Camp Evans I corp...would love to hear more of your hardships........got any about hot beer and c-rations, leaches, no cigarettes, no bug juice, no water and the ruck-sacks that weighed more than we did ???

[Hope 69/70]

Welcome Tazzer5! If you are still aboard here with us, we would like to hear more about your tour. I know a few of us had tours that did not have the hardships that others endured, it is those troops we would like to hear from to share their memories.

When you get a chance please return.

Hope

[berto64]

I'm with Hope here fellers,

Homer, Taz, any of you guys still around? Drop in and say hey.

And Merry Christmas to you all.

[Jerry Bransford]

Greetings, just a new member stopping by...

RVN vet 69-70 with the USAF 903rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Had a good tour, good memories of good people doing good things in a rotten and very hot part of the world. I am one that has no desire to ever go back to visit that area again.

[SixTGunr]

Hi Jerry ...

Glad you dropped by and when time permits ... don't be a stranger round these parts.

Welcome Home Brother ...

Six Out!

[namvet]

Originally Posted by Guest

Misterstan
Moderator
Posts: 159
(5/22/01 10:49:49 am)
| Del All Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I served in Vietnam in the U. S. Navy on board a small supply ship that delivered ammunition and supplies along the larger rivers of the Mekong Delta.

I was 22 years old in 1970 when I first boarded my ship, the USS Mark (AKL-12). I was a Yeoman Second Class (E-5). When I volunteered for duty in Vietnam, I had no idea I would serve in a capacity similar to what I did stateside at the Naval Inshore Operations Training Center at Mare Island near Vallejo, California.

We always had the best food on board our ship. We ate such things as lobster, shrimp, nice thick steaks and lots of roast beef. We almost always had fresh milk and when we didn’t have milk, we always had plenty of iced tea.

My small office was air conditioned and in the hallway outside my office there was a refrigerated water fountain. Many times when we stopped at the different outposts along the rivers, other sailors and many Navy Seals would come on board just to drink the cold water from that fountain.

Our berthing compartment was also air conditioned. Sometimes the air conditioning wasn’t working properly and we would find ourselves sleeping in a pool of sweat.

I have read that the average temperature in Vietnam was about 95 degrees, but I remember it being more like 115 degrees most of the time. One day I had to get something out of my locker in the berthing area. When I went inside I thought the air conditioner was malfunctioning because it felt like it was freezing in there. I looked at the thermometer and it was 78 degrees!

I saw a picture of my ship recently that was taken when it was underway on the river near our home base of Cat Lo, RVN. I felt a twinge of fear as I realized that I had served in such a vessel that ran so close to shore. (When I was 22, I don’t remember being afraid of many things).



I always took pride in being the best Yeoman I could be and I shared my knowledge with other Yeomen I met in Vietnam. I knew how the system worked and I could usually get things done that others with less experience could not do. It was very important to keep everyone’s service record up-to-date. I made sure the records showed all the medals and ribbons they earned also.

Our entire crew was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon because we took on enemy fire and returned fire on one or more occasions when we were underway. It was our duty to avoid enemy contact whenever possible so we could deliver our supplies on time and in good condition. In some areas of the rivers, designated as “free fire zones”, we were escorted with a gunboat in front and one behind us. Many times we had helicopter support along with the gunboats.

I remember a time when a group of small fixed wing planes called “Black Ponies” took out an entire wooded area on one side of the river ahead of us with napalm. It was similar to a scene from the movie Apocalypse Now!

Many of us spent some time with the local Vietnamese people in the village of Cat Lo. The villagers were mostly young women who lived with their mothers and grandparents and their younger brothers and sisters. Most able bodied men were off fighting the war in other places in Vietnam.

They took us into their homes and shared their customs with us and helped us to learn their language. We felt almost superhuman because we were so much bigger than them, but it was an awesome responsibility to be responsible for their safety as well as our own.

Vietnam was far and away the most rewarding experience of my life and I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve in that country.

Stan Lambert
St. Clair Shores, Michigan


Edited by: Misterstan at: 5/22/01 11:54:27 am

dap22
Senior Chief Moderator II
Posts: 566
(5/22/01 11:14:42 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geez Stan, couldn't you atleast have left out the lobster, steak, fresh milk, airconditioning, fresh water, clean sheets, and iced tea? By the way, did you forget ice cream? Just funnin with ya Stan! As I've always said, you Navy guys go in style.......just a little jealous.

Stan.....you sure that wasn't the Raddisson or Hilton or
Ritz Carleton you were staying at????????????????????
You could have rented out rooms like Clinton did in the White House!!

Edited by: dap22 at: 5/22/01 7:47:18 pm

Genog
Moderator
Posts: 91
(5/22/01 11:20:30 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stan,
For some reason I don't remember any of that aboard our ship. We did have some comforts. Only 18 racks in our compartment. We spent a lot of time thinking that our cold cuts were lobster. Are you sure you weren't in the merchant marines? LOL



Geno G

Remf
Moderator
Posts: 179
(5/22/01 11:57:07 am)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had an air conditioned bunker at FB Bastogne & plenty of C's.

oneknight
Moderator
Posts: 956
(5/22/01 7:56:05 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stan,

The only Lobster you had was the one that pinched you
and brought you back to reality. Sucks, doesn't it?

LOL~!



Boom Boom

homer4
Moderator
Posts: 626
(5/24/01 6:42:09 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Stan,alot of the ships were really more like boats or rather more like barges sortof with big gate like ramps that were on one end for loading and off loading was my guess.They had a box looking kinda bridge area... nothing like your ship looks like.Troop Transport I believe...very utility looking and were always filled with Arvn's.

Maybe Stan and Chief would know.

Speaking of boats...the Vietnamee used the little wooden boats called Ghe's...something like a work canoe would describe it best,very narrow and maybe 16ft or so long...suited for people of little stature for sure and not for tall Americans...very uncomfortable.It is a mainstay of travel throughout the Delta and all of the canals.
...and two hard boiled eggs.

gorourke
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 37
(5/24/01 10:48:18 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homer,

Various Vietnamese river craft. Wish I could tell you the name of the river, most likely in the southern part of the 25th’s AO.



P. Gary




homer4
Moderator
Posts: 655
(5/25/01 6:20:37 pm)
| Del Re: Serving in Vietnam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Say Hey!!! Ghe's!!! I'm telling ya guys...definitely for small types only...gets very uncomfortable for GI's,and so easy to tip...Ah Me! Ghe's!

Thanks P...lot's of memories there bud.Hehe!
...and two hard boiled eggs.

I served in the USN over there from 66-70 on this:

an ammo aux. we carried everything the Navy shot or fired. operated out of subic bay. which someone posted on here. ah those were the days.......