Off and on the past few weeks I have been going through my browser bookmarks, finding many that no longer exist, and perusing others that I have not looked at in quite awhile.
http://academic.uofs.edu/faculty/gramborw/atav/4tc.htm
Is one from 'Nam that I had not looked at in quite awhile. It was from here a few days ago that I found a link to new 'Nam pages:
http://www.allanfurtado.com/index.html
"Unofficial Web Site Of The 71st Transportation Battalion In Vietnam"
These are the US Army kids who unloaded our ships then transported that cargo all over 'Nam. I say kids since you find pictures of guys who were mostly 18, 19, 20.
An age 26 guy was known as The Old Man.
A lot of these pictures on this site were taken around Newport. There are even newer pictures taken this decade around 'Nam by returning Vets. Even New Port, that is what the sign says today, in a picture taken at the vehicle entry to Newport. These guys also unloaded ships at other Saigon piers and in the stream at Cat Lai.
Until I looked at this site I was unaware that Newport was attacked by a large group of VC Feb 2, 1968. When these men were first spotted streaming across Newport Bridge they were thought to be ARVN. It was only when they turned their weapons on the Newport Security troops that they learned what was going on.
The kids at Newport utilized the hulls of retrograde APC's for shelter and began fighting back. Eventually the VC attack on Newport was repulsed, many of the dead VC dumped over the bridge into the river and the rest running away. There was one death of a Newport defender.
I was in 'Nam that night on an Oriental Exporters C4, but we were tied up at the ARVN dock, Pier 1 Saigon. My Oiler and I just off the 1600-2400 port watch were standing out on deck forward of the after house at midnight.
We remarked to each other that the mosquito's were really bad that night as we slapped at the buzzing alongside our ears. When suddenly we realized that what we were hearing flying by our ears were not mosquitoes. Rounds were flying aboard from out of the night from the offshore side.
My Oiler and I dropped to the deck and crawled as low as we could go to a nearby engine room escape trunk and the two of us piled down that ladder as fast as we could.
I attach a collage of nine of many, many ship pictures submitted by these folks. That first picture top left taken by a GI, of Newport with a ship arriving just at dusk, is now my machine Wallpaper.
I also attach four scans of what you will find on this site. These were submitted by individuals who served in these US Army groups. You will also see pictures of some of these guys today as they hold regular reunions around the USA. They sell shirts and jackets with insignia on them.
I spent the bulk of Monday and Tuesday November 22 & 23 looking at this site and I have not yet seen all of it. Take a look you may even find a picture of your ship or yourself.
Greg Hayden