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Found Collection of VN Combat Art, Negatives, Contact Sheets


noexpert
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Sketch of a VC base camp discovered by the RTAVR-Queen's Cobras following a running firefight. Photo of the bunkers and trench line in next panel.

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This operation took place in the Long Thanh area. I got to spend a few weeks with the Thais. They were all volunteers, part of an elite force and great soldiers.

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I've always thought that if there was a way to collect all of the pictures taken by individual GI's* during the war and put them together, it would be one of the great wartime photography books of all time.

 

Taken with 3/5th Cav near the DMZ.

 

(*...and, of course, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coasties, et al :thumbsup: )

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Taken during the A&D ceremony that immediately followed "2nd Tet" or the "May Offensive" in Cholon, May 1968.

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There was a copy of this Tiger Scout Dictionary in the box, but I had another copy and I think I may have posted it long ago so I'm sorry if this is a repeat.

 

The dictionary was supposed to help communication between the Tiger Scouts and the GI's by using phonetic English and illustrations. Another well-intentioned idea that went nowhere. Although I saw a few of them around when I went from unit to unit, I never saw one in use. They were too flimsey to be practical in the field, and most of the stuff in them could be done more easily with simple hand gestures or pidgin anyway.

 

*Edit...The cover design by Ray Patlan looks like a patch but is only a graphic design and was never intended as a patch or insignia and, at least as far as I know...and based upon the lack of use of the booklet, I'd say it's a safe bet...never made into a patch.

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One of the pages from the dictionary...Although I didn't do the cover, I did all of the inside work.

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Cholon A & D Ceremony, May 1968 (I'm trying to pick pictures that have interesting uniforms, etc...)

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More from the Cholon ceremony. Some of these are blow-up's from contact sheets, so the quality is going to be regretfully poor.

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Who is the LTG, wearing Tiger Stripes, pictured in several photos at Cholon A & D?

 

[Edit] It is somewhat unusual to see a squad on patrol, all with vests on. It seems that they saw more use as 'seat cushions' aboard Hueys than any thing else.

 

Thanks,

Don.

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Who is the LTG, wearing Tiger Stripes, pictured in several photos at Cholon A & D?

 

 

 

 

I'm afraid I have no idea who the general is. I'm sure there are other members who can ID him though.

 

 

 

 

[Edit] It is somewhat unusual to see a squad on patrol, all with vests on. It seems that they saw more use as 'seat cushions' aboard Hueys than any thing else.

 

 

Not, as I remember these many, many years later, a patrol per se, but guys sent out as a blocking force during a sweep of the village as I noted, by the Cav troop I was with. I don't remember having infantry with us at the time, looking closely at this photo you can note that some of the guys are wearing vests while probing haystacks...one even has his weapon leveled.

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Here's an example of infantry returning from a patrol wearing vests. These are from the 1st Cav being picked up after a night patrol by Charlie Troop, 3/5th in July 1968.

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So much for the reliability of 40+ year old memories. Looking through a couple more pictures from the pictures of the village search group, I found this one and if one looks carefully at the left soldier (I'd guess he's the platoon leader) there is, in fact, a 1st Cav patch. So there were infantry on the operation and the poor souls were wearing vests.

 

*A lesson for all get their information "from the vet himself." During the war I was there exclusively to notice and record this kind of stuff explicitly. I actually have the photograhic images, but when I relied on my memory of the event...clearly it was different than what these images say really went on. :ermm: Just something to keep in mind. ;)

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Thanks again for developing this thread. Some very profound artwork and images. I, and certainly many others, look forward to your additions.

 

Don't worry a bit about any possible 'vague recollections'; you're in good company.

 

Best Regards,

Don.

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Speaking of unusual...here's an RTO who's weapon of choice is an M-79, guess a PRC-25 wasn't heavy enough... :unsure:

 

Charlie Co. 2/39th 1968

 

(Also Charlie Co. in earlier pictures of GI's under fire.)

 

*(edit) The blotch is a not untypical problem of moisture getting into camera's and onto film in the Delta terrain. I lost a LOT of film this way.

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Cholon A & D ceremony. I've included this picture primarily because of the structure in the background. Anyone familiar with the May Offensive / 2nd Tet Battle knows that some of the fiercest fighting centered around the Y Bridge. That is the Y Bridge in the background. Most people are surprised to find out what a substantial size it was.

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