My Tour of Duty, Interview & 'Soundtrack'

Jody,

I still have all videos on my HD and your channel is waiting for me to upload them...

all the stuff on the floor, is that all backpack? 

well, I suspect your back was out of solid concrete 

Nowadays we have the nice waterpacks from Camelback.
Very handy things, they fit under your backpack, and have a little hose, you can suck the water out anytime you need it.
No need to grab for those unhandy canteens, and even more importnat the weight of the water is divided over your entire back.
It also gives you more space to clip other stuff on your flak jacket

Yeah I know.
I heard from my friends whom just returned, that they drank 4 to 6 liters of water in the summer in Afghanistan.
You sweat it out faster than you can drink it
Same in the jungle in Congo.

I suspect the Congo would be very much like Vietnam, humidity is a factor. I recall one operation (in vicinity of 'The Rockpile') where our initial humping was done in 8-10 foot tall elephant grass in 110+f temps. The humidity down in the elephant grass was atrocious, with no wind at all. By noon we started having heat casualties, and had to leave several pockets of ill Marines (with security) to recover. We stopped for the day only when our K9 handler said his dog needed medivac because he had unexpectedly started bleeding from his nose. What an eye opener, Marines could go down without medivac but not the dog.

I cannot speak knowledgably on your first question, though with the number of MIAs we had, I'd put my money on at least some of them being buried in all three countries. During my ToD, all KIAs from D 1/4 were recovered and returned to 'The World' (CONUS), and we had no MIAs. As for cemeteries, I knew of none, as my entire ToD, but for one week, was spent in the highlands of Leatherneck Corner. We never left the confines of our compounds when in the rear (Quang Tri Combat Base) so didnt see much of the populated lowlands other than along the main road as we convoyed between Quang Tri and Vandergriff Combat Base (LZ Stud or as we called it, 'Stud') The attached photo exhibits a common sight on that route, roadside graveyards. Some Vietnamese in Quang Tri Province buried their dead in mounds, and I believe some were disposed of by cremation.
.

I believe the KIAs were transported to Travis AFB in Ca. initially. If the KIA was identified, his body would be returned to his family. If the KIA was unidentified, it would have to go to a military forensics lab for identification. Since we didn't have DNA testing like today, I suspect that there may have been some inadvertant errors made, which we may well never know about. Perhaps that is just as well. The KIAs would be buried as per the request of their families, some were buried in private cemetaries near their hometowns/families, while others were buried at National Military Cemetaries located across the US. The VA's National Cemetery Administration maintains 131 national cemeteries in 39 states (and Puerto Rico) as well as 33 soldier's lots and monument sites.

I am not very knowledgable on this subject, as upon my return and for many years after, I did my best to forget about those who didnt come home. Not out of disrespect, but out of the sheer pain the memories would bring to the surface. It took 26 years before I was able to even begin looking for Doc's family, to tell them of the circumstances of his death. It was a difficult and painful task, but I was successful and his family knows that he died trying to save the life of a wounded Marine. He shall always remain a Hero in my heart for his actions that day and if there is an afterlife, I shall surely seek him out. It is only now, in my waning years that I can look back without internalizing that pain. Dont get me wrong, it is every bit as painful, its just that my callouses have toughened up and perhaps I find a need to remember those I may soon meet again.

Music wise thats kind of "Take 5", (after 0:18 into the Quicksilver vid) no? Intended? Inspired? Did this song mean anything yto you guys going ´Nam? Nerdy guys in suits not moving a bit but displaying more talent and musical knowledge than many other "wild" groups at that time (I know, thats 61, and before war, but still?)

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (1961)

Rattler

Jorma Kaukonen- guitar
Jack Casady- bass

Welcome to the Fur Peace Ranch

Spencer Dryden- drums

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Dryden

As you can see, all but Spencer are still alive and well.