Operation Texas: My memories.
Seven days after arriving in Chu Lai and being assigned to the Second Platoon and going through "new
guy indoctrination" the word comes down "saddle-up, we're moving out". First chance to fly in a
helicopter! Also learned about "hurry up and wait". Finally got a chance to embark and as the last
Marine to board the assigned chopper I got a door seat. I was mesmerized by the beautiful scenery as we
flew over Quang Ngai Province towards the village of Xuan Hoa....suddenly the doorgunner opens up. I
can't figure out what he is shooting at. It is hard to absorb everything that is going on...it is all happening
so fast. We land and form a skirmish line. Somebody says "fix bayonets, move out". Attempting to put
some fire into the hedgerow 200 hundred meters in front of me I see dirt kicking up near my feet. I
slightly raise my M14. I'm firing from the hip thinking that my aim is off.... dirt continues to fly. Sounds
like freight trains are going by my head...really incoming 50 caliber rounds. We make it to the hedgerow
and stop. Lt. Gangle runs by, fully exposed to enemy fire, holding his 45 and yelling for us to move out.
Somebody suggests we torch a hotch near our position...I pull out the Zippo and light the thatched roof.
Help is needed down the line to assist the wounded. The first person I encounter is Jesse Eastman. He is
badly wounded. He tells those giving him aid to tell his son who was born five days earlier that he loved
him; something I tried to do in 1985 with unknown results. We pulled the dead and wounded back from
the village and set up a perimeter. I remember the thirst and inability to stay awake...just exhausted!! All
night long you could hear Marines moving around and opening canteens looking for water. In the
morning as the sun came up the first person I saw was Lee Service from MIKE Company as they moved
through our lines...what a good feeling to see him.
Marine Corps Birthday
November 10, 1965
Camp Schwab
Operation Texas Landing Zone
Beverly & Col. Gonzales
2004
Captain Gonzales & SSGT. Schaffer
John Stoddard and his wife Peggy live in Pasadena, California. John is the General
Manager of the 900 room Wilshire Grand hotel in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Jim Stevenson has
lived most of his life
in Arizona since his
discharge from the
Corps. He and his
wife Martha recently
moved to
Washington State to
retire.
Lou Albert (r) and John Stoddard
went on R&R together in Bangkok
0n July 30, 1966. On July 30th.
thirty-five years later with the help of
Joe Daly and happenstance they
reunited for lunch in Los Angeles.
Lou lives in Van Nuys, California
and John lives in Pasadena California
Lou Albert
KILO C ompany
1966
John & David "Louie Louie" Cogdell
Corpsman David Cogdell. All that knew
David had a great story about him. I
remember David bent over Steve
Valliere heroically trying to bring life
back as I ran past them on a narrow
jungle trail. David came home early. I
visited him in Modesto, California after
my return. Tracked him down one last
time while living in San Francisco in
1975. Can find no new information on
him as of this date...David where are
you???
Norm Schaub
identifys black Marine
as Neil Hughes.
Norm is to his
right...need to get
clarification ...which
right? I thought black
Marines name might
be Maurice------???
I'll go with Norm.
|
2nd. Platoon at the Chu Lai airport March 1966.
Lt. Gangle front center and Stoddard center
second row. PFC Vogel behind Stoddard with PFC Ed
Moyer to his left and Duval, back row right. Black
Marine to Vogels right was from St Louis, Mo. Sgt.
Tawksley (or Tanksley) front right and Sgt. Scrivner is
front left with Cpl. Ski kneeling behind Scrivner.
In the summer of 1966 while walking point
on a patrol south of DaNang I found the
"FELLOW SOLDIERS APPEAL" on the
trail and mailed it home for safekeeping. In
1984 I was given the book Conversations
With The Enemy and found references to
the leaflet on page 53. Fascinating story of
Marine PFC. Robert R. Garwood. You be
the judge of his actions.
These pictures were provided by
Richard Carnes
Main supply road out of Nui Kim
Son heading south to Ngan Cau
patrol base. Follow the road and
you will hit the 3/1 perimeter below.
This was always my favorite
roadside sign. I even went
looking for it in November
2002 half thinking it would
still be there
ROW 1
Ken Scrivner
retired as a Master
Gunnery Sergeant
and now lives in
Alburquerque,
New Mexico. Ed
Moyer, back row,
2nd. from left
ROW 2
Stoddard at
base of Hill 10
ROW 4
Village Chief
Nui Kim Son
Stoddard with 12
gauge shotgun that
shot special shell
that contained
small darts.
John Stoddard (L),
Ken Kangas (R)
On 10 March 1966 with the early daylight the USNS Weigle rode the incoming tide into DaNang
Harbor. It was a beautiful day and young kids in round woven bamboo baskets came out to greet us. I
had never seen kids so young smoking cigarettes. Some of us spent 3-4 nights anchored in he harbor
before transferring to Landing Ships for five hour trip to Chu Lai and assignment to 3/1on 14 March. We
arrived with only our sea bags, a sense of adventure, a gung-ho attitude and some apprehension. A
number of us who had been together since Boot camp ended up in 3/1 because our last names started
with the letter "S". Jim Stevenson and I were assigned to 2nd. Platoon, Kilo Company. As a "new guy",
it was nice to have somebody to relate to. We were also easy to identify...we were the only ones without
web gear, Helmut and M14. Having had the dangers of RVN drilled into our heads this started to make
me very uneasy. After a day or two we were directed to the Supply Area to pick-up our gear. The shock
came when we were told to pick through the gear from Marines who were killed or wounded on
Operation Utah to outfit ourselves. I was handed a rusted belt of M60 machine gun ammo and some
steel wool and told to be grateful. I remember unfolding the Ponchos and finding them covered with
coagulated blood...I picked the one with the least amount. The reality of Vietnam began to set in.
The pictures below are from the Kilo Company reunion held at
Camp Pendleton in October 2004. I urge you to attend a future
reunion, they are really a great experience. Thanks to the
organizers
Row 1
Jim Keely & Col. Gonzales
GySgt Pointer to right on
screen
Ricardo Pardo
1965-66
Joe Daily (red jacket),
wife Barbara on left.
Bill Garcznski(R)
1st.Platoon
Norm F. Schaub
Cpl. Schaub
2nd. Platoon
Row 4, Jimmie & Freda
Wood, Ruth & Tito Acosta,
Ed Bartkoski, Ron Bice
Row 3, Woodrow & Vicky
Dickson,Sam Murphy,
Maureen & Dr. DeShazo,
Mrs. & Bill Garczynski,
Ricardo Pardo
Row 2, Tom & Dorothy
Nowik, Jim & Clara
Weathers, Doc & Mrs.
Novak
Row 1, Col & Sharon
Randell, Lou Albert,and
Mrs. Gonzales
Row 3
MCRD Graduation
Ed Bartkoski, Jimmie
Wood, Sam Murphy,
& Lou Albert..Standing
in back is Doc Novak
Manning, Albert,
Roger Osborne &
Stoddard
Row 4
MCRD Museum
Jimmie Wood
Row 5
Lou Albert & Chuck Latting
Row 6
Maureen &
Peggy Stoddard
Maureen &
Claude DeShazo
October 2004
Row 7
Doug Deron,
Oct. 2004
Roger Osborne
Barbara & Joe Daily
Doug Deron,
Weapons Platoon,
1965-66
Row 8
Tom & Dorthy Novak
Paul Burton
Weapons Plt.
Ron Bice and wife
Sam Murphy
(ltor), Woodrow Dickson
and Ricardo Pardo, 1st.
Platoon
Jim Weathers, John
Manning and Tom
Kulka
Row 2
ROW 3
Back row (ltor) Tom
Nnowik, Ed Bartkoski
front row, Doc Novak,
Ron Bice, Ernie Hammer,
Lou Albert & Jim Keely.
3rd. Battalion, 1st. Marines
Marines, click on all images to
view larger image...then go to
lower right corner of picture to
view a full size image of
picture
Antonio Moses, center of
picture with back to
camera. Lives in Alaska
Don R. Foster,
Paragould, Arkansas.
Located Don through
Chuck Atkerson who
lives in Jonesboro, Ak.
(H&S Co.)
Tattoo, right arm,
Marine named Ski.
Anybody know
name?
Dear John
I just want you to know, I'm so glad to have found you after all these years. I'm so glad to hear you still had
the same email address, That I can finally thank you for sending me the letter and the wall rubbing. It's been
hanging on my wall ever since you sent it to me. It was such bad timing when I guess when I received the
letter & rubbing. I was just moving out of my Mothers house that weekend when I received it. When I went
to write you back, I couldn't for the life of me find the envelope with your address on it to get in contact you.
It has been bothering me for all these years. I could never thank you. So you can imagine my surprise when I
happened to stumble upon this website for vietnam and saw your name. It was like a neon sign sticking out at
me. I couldn't believe it. So then when I wrote to you, I'm thinking that was 8 months ago and he can't
possibly have that email address anymore. Well anyways, I won't type much more, I'll Save everything else
for when I talk to you on the phone. Date: June 9, 1966
Thanks again for getting back to me,
Greg
Marines, see my comments at top of
page. In 2006 Greg Eastman was able
to locate me and we had a nice
conversation about his father.
Jesse Eastman, KIA
3/21/1966, Operation Texas
Greg
I'm lost for words!! For almost twenty years your fathers dying words to a small group of fellow
Marines were carried in my head. I was never sure they reached you so in 1985 I initiated contact
with your family. After sending the letter and wall rubbing and not hearing back I gave up, at least
feeling better that I had tried. I've told this story to a number on Kilo Company who knew your
father. I would like to talk to you...please send me a phone number and a good time to call. This
weekend would probably be the best because of the time difference.
Best regards
Date: June6,1966
Hello John,
I can't believe I stumbled upon a Vietnam website and was shocked to see your name and you
writing you tried contacting me back in 1985. I remember that like it was yesterday but I lost your
personal info. I couldn't for the life of me remember where I set the letter you sent and was never
able to thank you. but I still have the item you made and sent me. If I have the right person, Please
get back to me and I will write right back. I hope you are still using this email. Hope to hear from
you soon.
Jesse's Son,
Greg Eastman
