1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Diary of John Grant Page 8

Diary Entries of John A. Grant
Charlie Company 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry 4th Infantry Division
Headquarters Platoon

October 1, 1970

Hots arrived about 9:30 this morning.
On the same bird was the Battalion Commander, LT Colonel Ching.
It started raining right after the bird arrived and the Colonel never got out.
He had to spend the night and it rained and rained.
He was uncomfortable, to say the least, and I’m glad.
Now he knows what we go through.
End of Entry

Notes:
I believe this is when we stopped digging sleeping positions.

October 2, 1970

At 7:00 AM we were packing our rucks to move out to a new,
fresh NDP. Jeff (Van Arsdale) went in for R & R, so I am now officially head RTO.
It quit raining in the morning before we woke up, so it has been a pretty decent day.
Roadrunner had a Vampire go off by mistake. No one was hurt.
Again, Mugs (George Mariani) and I have built a two-man hooch.
This time we won’t get wet.
It feels good to get out of the muddy mess we were in for 4 days.
I don’t think I am going to enjoy Monsoon’s.
End of Entry

Notes:
NDP: Night defensive position
R & R: Rest and relaxation or recovery.
RTO: Radio Telephone Operator.
Vampire: Mechanical booby trap.

October 3, 1970

At first, our element was going to move to another location
but a little later we got a call that Sidewinder and Panther will
change tomorrow. All I did was lay in my hooch and a little later
we played spades and lost.
Just after it got dark, someone’s rifle fell off of a tree and went off.
That scared the piss out of me.
No one was hurt (luckily).
End of Entry

Element: The Headquarters and Sidewinder platoons.
Panther will take over for Sidewinder.

October 4, 1970

I woke up sick this morning. Doc gave me some pills because I was
throwing up everything I ate.
We stayed in place for a kick-out resupply.
I stayed in bed for most of the day.
End of Entry

Notes:
Being sick in the jungle is never fun. I was lucky we didn’t have to hump that day.
Kick-out: Birds hovering and kicking out C-s or other supplies, then taking off quickly.

October 5, 1970

At 10:00 AM we were getting a kick-out of power sources and mail.
I received 5 letters from Monie and one from Dad.
At about 10:45, we were packed up and moved S.E. to a new
Location. We reached our destination about 4:00 PM after
stopping at a blue line to shave and water up.
I feel a little better today but I am still nervous and shaky.
My eye sight seems bad, but I guess it doesn’t mean anything.
End of Entry

Notes:
Power sources: Batteries
S.E.: South East

October 6, 1970

We commenced in digging our sleeping positions,
(That we were promised we wouldn’t have to dig any more,
after the flood we had).
While I was digging mine, Panther’s Vampire went off.
It killed one dink and wounded another.
Panther captured the wounded one and called for a dust off.
It turned out that he was a platoon leader for a company
sized element with four platoons. He had buddies with him
and they got away with the weapons.
They were also carrying a lot of supplies like rice, milk, powdered sugar etc.
End of Entry

Dust-Off: Army term for medical helicopter transport for the wounded.
Vampire: Booby trap made of Claymore mines and trip wires.

October 7, 1970

This morning was quiet until 9:30 when Panther had another
Vampire go off. Total dink casualties were two dead from the Vampire,
one killed with small arms while he was checking out his
dead buddies. We haven’t gotten the read-out on the dinks yet
but we think the one killed with small arms was an officer.
He was wearing khakis and a pistol, plus, he stayed back to
help his men. That is unusual.
At our location, we had engineers drop in to cut us an LZ
in the thick terrain. They will start work tomorrow.
My hands are done in from chopping down trees for a drop zone.
End of Entry

October 8, 1970

We finally got our LZ blown and we received most of our resupply,
plus hots and cleans. Panther closed on our location late in the
afternoon. We haven’t had any trouble with the dinks today, just
these big trees were giving us hell.
My hands are blistered to the point that I can’t pick up
anything half way heavy.
End of Entry

Note:
LZ Blown: Engineers exploding the trees away for birds to land.

October 9, 1970

Historical Day

We awoke this morning with the news that President Nixon
wanted a cease fire in Vietnam.
The only problem was, he didn’t say when.
I don’t know if it was an honor or not, but the Commanding General of the 4th Division came out to the field to visit us.
The General said I did a good job bringing him in on the radio.
Big Deal. Everybody was running around like they had their heads cut off.
The latest word on standdown is on the 13th, we will go in for 7 days.
End of Entry

Notes:
When the General came out, he and his pilot were close to us but didn’t know the exact location. He asked if I could hear his bird
and I said yes. He asked me to direct him to the location by using the hands on a clock. I said to head to 2 o’clock and asked him
to identify the smoke color. You could hear the bird turning and within a minute or so they were there.
When the General landed, he had on his helmet with a star in the middle. Maybe more than one, I can’t remember.
He wanted to go on a patrol to see the area. I asked him to please trade helmets with me as he was worth too many points if they spotted him.
He did just that.
I made the others salute to me for a while. It was kind of fun.

(Ed., The General referred to in the above entry is Major General William Alden Burke.)

Left:

Major General William A. Burke

Commanding General 4th Infantry Division
June 1970 - December 1970

This was the General John talks about
in his diary entry for October 9, 1970.

(Photo of Burke taken when he was a
Brigadier General)

October 10, 1970

Roadrunner worked on the LZ all day today blowing out hard
obstacles for the birds, when they come to pick us up.
I monitored the radios again today. The main thing we
accomplished was eating and reading newspapers etc.
We received mail and I got a package from Mom Porras and a
letter from Monie, talking about the fires back home.
End of Entry

Mom Porras: My wife’s mother. Monie: My wife

October 11, 1970

Not much has happened today.
Roadrunner continued to work on the LZ and I helped a little too.
Everybody is getting really excited about going in on standdown.
It started raining late in the evening and continued for
the rest of the night.
The Colonel came to see us again. He went on a patrol
with one of the Roadrunner squads.
This time a bird came to get him before the weather set in.
End of Entry

October 12, 1970

Nothing exciting happened today. Panther returned to our location for the
extraction tomorrow. Everyone is anxious to get out of here after
38 days in the field without a break or a bath.
End of Entry

Notes: 38 days without a break or a bath. We had to have reeked.

October 13, 1970

Sorry to say, we didn’t make it in to An Khe today. When
we got up it was raining and it continued to rain all day.
Everybody was disappointed, to say the least.
Maybe tomorrow we will make it.
End of Entry

October 14, 1970

Well, we made it. When we got up this morning the weather had
cleared up considerably and the birds started to work early.
When we got to Radcliff, we got beer and soda and clean clothes.
I took a shower for the 1st time in 38 days. We got pony and
haircuts, our money changed back and much more to come.
It’s 12:30 now.
Jeff (Van Arsdale) and I went to the Roadrunner Club.
I went and got Rich (Cooper) and then we saw a movie.
As we headed back to the billets, we saw another band,
so, we watched them awhile.
End of Entry

Notes:
After 38 days in the boonies, a bath, clean clothes
and some relaxation was so welcomed.
Being in a large basecamp is way different than being out humping the boonies.

Above: Section of the Operational Report Lessons Learned (ORLL)
for the 4th Infantry Division Period Ending 31 October 1970.
The last sentence (marked by a red asterisk) indicates that
1st Battalion 22nd Infantry was airlifted to the Base Camp
at An Khê (Camp Radcliff) on October 14, 1970.

October 15, 1970

Not much happened during the day.
I had my teeth checked and ate chow etc.
In the evening there was a band in the mess hall, so we got some beer
and attended. Afterword, Jeff and I continued to drink
and tell war stories. We drank until I got sick,
then we crashed for the night.
End of Entry

Notes:

After 38 days in the field, I guess I just needed to drink some beer.
I also think I forgot when to stop.

October 16, 1970

I had a hard night last night. I started drinking beer about 5 PM, then Jeff, Jim and I
went to the Roadrunner Club and drank about 4 hard drinks, plus a few more beers.
We returned to the barracks and I continued to drink beer and more beer.
I finally stopped at 3:30 A.M.
I was out of it until 9:00 AM on the 17th.
End of Entry

Notes:
I know it seems like I had an awfully lot of drinks,
and you are probably right. I must have needed it.

October 17, 1970

Today has been hard all day.
I was naturally sick to my stomach all day.
I barfed once and then I felt better.
We saw another band over at the 101st (Airborne Div.)
I came directly back to the barracks and talked for a while
with Jeff, Mugs, Jim, Bo Etc.
Jeff got a drop and he reports to base camp tomorrow.
End of Entry

Notes:
101st airborne Division took tremendous casualties in the 1968 Tet offensive (Vietnamese New Year Festival),
NVA and Viet Cong, combined forces, attacked U.S. and South Vietnamese forces.
Both sides took major casualties and both sides claimed victory. It is estimated though, that 50,000 enemy forces died during this offensive.
U.S. was a fraction of this number.

Jeff got a drop: A drop was when President Nixon was starting to
bring home troops slowly. The longer you were in Vietnam, then you were a
priority to bring back to the U.S.

October 18, 1970

I did what I could do to get out of classes, but I got stuck going to one.
In the late afternoon, I walked over and visited and drank beer
with Rich (Cooper).
At 10:05 I headed back to the barracks and crashed.
End of Entry

Notes:
We were ordered to take classes for other jobs, we may be needed for,
while we were in Vietnam. I took drivers training.

October 19, 1970

I went to trains and then to the motor pool to get my drivers license, which I never did get.
There wasn’t a jeep to take the road test, but I passed the written exam.
Today we had our company party at Shady Acres. I played a
couple of games of basketball, then ate steak and potato salad.
After that, we had a band then we were trucked back to the barracks.
End of Entry

Notes:

Trains: Training Records and Information Network
Shady Acres: An area set aside at Radcliff for celebrations.
I ate steak and potato salad. (can’t even explain how great that was).

October 20, 1970

The day went rather smoothly.
I took the road test in the jeep and I finally got my license.
Sgt. Grimes came in the mess hall at Super and informed me that
I was the duty driver for the Battalion tonight. So, I drove the ¾ ton all
over the place, including the officers club, where Captain Cinquino
bought me a steak and 7-Up.
Tomorrow we are going to prepare ourselves to convoy
the 22nd Infantry to Tuy Hoa.
End of Entry

October 21, 1970

At 5:30 AM I was awoken by Sgt. Dodson, who wanted me to
go pick up Sgt.Grimes for the formation.
I took the truck in for fuel and a few trips back and forth from
standdown to base camp, then turned the truck in.
I came back to standdown area on a deuce and ½ then took
a shower, shaved and relaxed in the barracks.
End of Entry

Notes:
Deuce and ½: 2 ½ ton, 3 axel, M35 truck
used for transporting troops or equipment.

October 22, 1970

I was informed that I would drive a jeep to our next destination,
Tuy Hoa. We SPed about 7:45 AM and arrived at Tuy Hoa about
5:30 PM, in the rain.
Charlie Company came to Phu Hiep and I put the jeep away.
Doc and I crashed in the mortar’s barracks.
It felt mighty good to sleep on a bed again.
End of Entry

Notes:
SPed: Starting time or starting point.
Phu Hiep was an Army airfield, aircraft support facility, constructed by 577th Engineer Battalion.
Doc: Tim R. Browning, New Sharon, Main.

Left, John Grant.
Center, SGT Dodson (Dotson?)
Right, Captain Joe Cinquino, CO of Company C
At Camp Radclif, An Khe, getting ready to move out on the first convoy to Tuy Hoa/Phu Hiep.

October 23, 1970

My new job as a driver takes up quite a bit of my time.
Lt. Wellman had me making trips to Tuy Hoa several times, plus
driving around running errands for other people.
I finally got to bed about 9:30.
The C.O. is coming down on a convoy tomorrow.
End of Entry

Note: C.O.: Captain Cinquino

October 24, 1970

My first job today was to wash my jeep.
I made a trip to Tuy Hoa shortly after.
Major Clayton came to Phu Hiep to see the joint,
so, I had to drive him around.
The C.O. (Captain Cinquino) got here in the afternoon on a convoy and naturally,
he had things for us all to do.
I made several more trips to Tuy Hoa during the day, including
two after dark. I finally got back about 11:00 PM.
End of Entry

Notes:
I am not sure who Major Clayton was or where he was stationed in Vietnam.
He had to have been part of the Battalion command for the 1/22nd Infantry.

(Ed., Major Gary R. Clayton was the Battalion S-3 Operations Officer
for 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry.)

October 25, 1970

At 0800 I took Captain Cinquino to Tuy Hoa.
We stayed there for a few hours then returned to Phu Hiep and ate chow.
Right after I ate, we returned to Tuy Hoa and I fixed the flat tire I got.
At 5:00 PM we returned to Phu Hiep, again, I ate chow, then
returned to Tuy Hoa to service my jeep.
At about 7:30 I got back to the barracks and Tim and I
Painted our room.
At 9:15 PM, Sgt. Meadows and I took the NCO girls home.
At 9:30 I was back and ready to crash.
End of Entry

Notes: Tim (Doc Browning) and I painted our room.
I wanted to paint the floor red but Tim would have nothing to do with that.
He was afraid of the officers giving us an article 15 (fine).
We did see rats going in and out of our room, under the door, in the early AM.

October 26, 1970

I did my usual and started driving early. Pittman, Smith and I
drove through the villages before it got light, to see about
getting hooch maids for the barracks, which we never did find.
About 3:30, Tim and I went to the beach for about 45 minutes.
The water was unusually warm and it drops off over your head
about 10 feet out from shore. We returned to the company area
and ate chow. I later drove the C.O. around the bunker line until it got dark.
End of Entry

Notes: What a change of environment it was for us.

October 27, 1970

Today was the usual for me.
I started driving over to the HHC 268th AVN Battalion after breakfast.
About 10:30 I left the Company area for Tuy Hoa with Doc
and Nichols. We went to the motor pool and
changed the oil and lubed the jeep.
After that, we went to the PX and then returned to the Company area.
I continued to drive to various areas around the Aviation Battalion.
End of Entry

Notes: HHC 268th Aviation Battalion.
(HHC)= Headquarters and Headquarters Company.

October 28, 1970

Rain, rain, rain and more rain.
It was very disgusting to get soaked and drive all day.
I was miserable most of the day and I had the ass
because the lifers had me driving all over hell.
Oh well, only 60 some odd days left, so, “it don’t mean nothin”.
End of Entry

Notes: I had the ass=I was pissed.
“It don’t mean nothin”. All Vietnam vets know this term. We will persevere.
We don’t like it but we will get over it.

October 29, 1970

My usual trips for Tuy Hoa to Phu Hiep, back and forth, are getting boring,
but it is a job and I keep busy, so time is rolling on.
We are getting things ready to move to the HHC 268th AVN Battalion,
so, I made a lot of trips there and back.
It is still raining hard out but we haven’t gotten a typhoon yet.
Tomorrow's another day.
End of Entry

October 30, 1970

Captain Cinquino had the ass this morning.
Why? Well, I guess I would too if my jeep ran out of gas
out on the bunker line before breakfast.
Well, what could I say, I forgot to fill up the tank last night before I
turned the jeep over to Hansen to drive.
We found out we weren’t going to move to the HHC 268th AVN Battalion,
so, who knows what’s next?
Today was pretty much the same, driving all over hell.
The rain is slowing down Tee-Tee.
I got Doc and I some hoagies for tonight when we get hungry.
Mugs came over and we all talked for a while about sports
and girls. Anything better?
End of Entry

Notes: Cpt. Cinquino was pissed for sure. I wouldn’t do that again.
Tee-Tee: means a little bit.

October 31, 1970

I finally got paid after being broke for the last 10 days, with so much to buy.
The rest of the day was the usual, driving all day,
around the same areas as the previous days.
Doc is on reaction tonight, so I have been reading “A Stone for Danny Fisher”,
by Harold Robbins. It’s an outstanding book so far.
Of course, I had to go to the mess hall and get ice to stock the cooler
for this evening while I relax, read, drink beer and soda and eat
potato chips and M&M’s.
End of Entry

Notes: Reaction: Going out with a quick reactionary force, or armed military unit,
capable of responding to developing situations. They may need his expertise in case of a fire fight.