Sapper Attack in the Junk Yard -- 5th Maintenance Bn

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Subject: Sapper Attack in the Junk Yard

Author:
John T Brown III

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Date Posted: 08:07:28 02/17/05 Thu

When I look back at some of my experiences in Vietnam many take on a humorous aspect although at the time they were not too funny. The second week I was in Nam I had to go to LZ English as Battalion Pay Officer. I had to spend the night there before heading off to Duc Pho the next day and was given a bunk in a tent directly in front of an ARVN 155 howitzer. It shot H&I fire directly over the tent all night long. The gunner moved the azimuth about 5 degrees between shots and traversed across about 45 degrees or so. The gun was fired on a regular interval all night long. When the shot was directly over my bunk I literally had to hold onto the sides of the bunk to keep from being lifted off by the concussion of the muzzle blast. I was one tired sucker by morning.

Around Christmas, CWO George Fairfax got promoted to W2 and it was decided that he should host a promotion party at the 8th Trans Officers Club. The club backed up to the north side of the junk vehicle yard of the 526th. The club had a band and, I think, a stripper, so we were all out to have a great evening. we had ordered steaks and the band had started playing when all hell broke loose in the 526th yard. Explosions going off all over the place. We told the band to play louder and the stripper to strip faster. Just about the moment we had waited for the club manager ran in and closed the club and told us we were under attack by the VC. We gathered up our weapons, loaded in our jeeps and headed back to Phu Tai and Main Support, hungry and disappointed. The VC had run through the salvage equipment and thrown satchel charges randomly here and there. I remember one going off right outside the officers club. I don't think anyone ever figured out whether they thought they were actually causing damage or it was a training exercise for the later attack on the 526th. That was the only time I set foot in an officers club during my entire tour except when I was on R&R. Does anybody remember that incident besides me?

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Re: Sapper Attack in the Junk Yard	Lyle D. Provost Sr (I remember!)	07:22:48 09/18/07 Tue