1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Diary of John Grant Page 4

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

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

June 1970

June 1, 1970

I stayed around the stand down area most of the day and later
joined Headquarters in their tent where we drank beer and played
acey-deuce.
I came out ahead $27.00.
From 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM I pulled radio watch and then crashed.
End of Entry

June 2, 1970

Workman and I left for the barber about 8:15 AM,
got our hair cut, went to trains and got
Jon-Jon’s certificate back from L.T. Olson and took it
to Cypher, the company clerk.
Then we went to the PX and snack bar, returning to the tent
about 11:30 AM.
We played Acey Deuce again and I lost what I won yesterday.
So, now I am even.
I better hold off for awhile now before I lose my own money.
End of Entry

Note:
Train: I’m not exactly sure what I was doing at trains, but I assume it was a legal document, probably a birth certificate,
which needed a signature from me then by L.T. Olson then to the company clerk for record keeping.

June 3, 1970

Woke up about 8:30 AM, started drinking beer, then went and ate
breakfast. Later, Cpt. Jackson and the rest of Headquarters went to the
airport snack bar and got some sandwiches. We then
went to the PX, then to the barbers.
About 5:30 I got my mail, a letter from Rich (Cooper), saying he
had been shot in the leg with a 45. He was in ward 3.
I went to the hospital and there he was.
It was the first time I had seen him in five months.
We watched Dr. Doolittle and I walked back to the CP tent.
I got there about 10:20.
I started playing cards and lost about $15.00.
End of Entry

Notes:
I usually don’t drink beer that early but it appears I did then!
Rich Cooper was a friend from Montclair, CA when I met him.
We both became 11B20 MOS but he was in a different company.
Apparently either he or someone else was loading a 45 Cal. Pistol and
it went off, accidentally, hitting Rich in the leg.
That’s his story and I have no clue if it was factual or not.
CP Tent: Command Post

June 4, 1970

I sat around the tent until lunch time, then went to get something to eat.
After that, I went to see Rich again and we talked until 4:45 and then
left for the company area.
I got a couple of rides and made it by 4:55 to eat hot chicken.
Rich is in good spirits and it looks like he will be shamming
for a while. He is in a little pain but not too bad.
I think he will be alright.
End of Entry

June 5, 1970

Believe it or not, I slept until 8:00 AM.
I went and ate breakfast then came back and slept until about 11:00.
I went to the barracks and visited with Roadrunner until chow
then came back to the tent and wrote a letter.
I received a package from Monie today dated April 20.
End Of Entry

June 6, 1970

We didn’t do much of anything today except take care of the
resupply for tomorrow’s C.A. to the firebase.
We are supposed to build this one.
That means a lot of work ahead.
I’m pulling radio watch now until 9:40, then I’ll crash.
End of Entry

June 7, 1970

Our C.A. was scheduled for 10:00 AM this morning.
We cleaned up the tent, packed our gear and
Left for the C.A. runway.
We waited and waited until 3:00 PM.
I got a call over the radio saying the C.A. was canceled
until probably the 9th.
So, here I am back in the tent.
The company will continue pad guard.
End of Entry

June 8, 1970

We did the same routine as the past few days.
We will be leaving tomorrow on a C.A.
Maybe.
End of Entry

June 9, 1970

Well, we didn’t leave after all.
Orders came down for us to continue pad guard and we would
probably leave tomorrow morning.
Later on in the afternoon it started pouring down rain
and the wind was blowing hard.
I was all alone in our CP tent, (16X30)
and it blew down on top of me.
Nothing else exciting happened.
End of Entry

Note:
C.P. Tent: Command Post

June 10, 1970

We climbed aboard a shit hook and it brought us
to firebase Baxter. (The narrowest base I have ever seen).
Jeff (Van Arsdale) and I stared on a two-man bunker.
We didn’t finish it because it poured down rain.
We just wanted to stay dry.
We had hot chow for supper and crashed.
End of Entry

Note: A shit-hook is a helicopter called a Chinook used for transporting troops or whatever was heavy.
We all referred to them as a shit-hook.

Looking east of LZ Baxter (Firebase Baxter)

Photo courtesy of Wayne Wright HHB 4/42 Artillery

June 11, 1970

Early this morning we had hots (chow)
then Jeff and I started on our bunker.
We worked on it all afternoon and about 2:30 we
finished putting on a layer of sand bags.
Beer and Soda came in earlier.
Everything else was quiet.
End of Entry

June 12, 1970

I stayed on the pad and watched for packs coming and going on birds.
We got three new guys today. (Way or Wade?, Welch and Albertson).
It rained really hard starting in the afternoon.
I pulled bunker guard with Roadrunner from 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM.
It rained all night long.
End of Entry

Note: I couldn’t read my own scribbling in the diary on new guy.

June 13, 1970

We pulled small details during the day but mostly just
hung around and did nothing.
I had my hair cut around the sides.
I also pulled bunker guard again with Roadrunner.
End of Entry

June 14, 1970

I received my Father’s Day package today from Monie
and John-John. It is hard to explain how I felt when I read
those cards. It was just a very good feeling.
We got one new man for Roadrunner. He is from Long Beach, CA.
We got clean clothes that stayed clean about 5 minutes
because of all the mud.
End of Entry

Note: I did not get the new guy’s name but maybe it will turn up later.

Above: Section of a page from the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Daily Staff Journal
for June 14, 1970, indicating that "C-co will pull F.B.S. + will have 2 Srps".
That entry indicates that C Company is assigned to Fire Base Security and will
have two Short Range Patrols around the Firebase (LZ Baxter).

June 15, 1970

Today has been a do-nothing day.
I got up, did nothing, went back to bed, got up, did nothing
and went back to bed.
Tomorrow we should tear down the bunkers and
get ready to move the firebase.
Our element will be C.A.ing to the field.
End of Entry

Note: I take it that it was a “do-nothing day”. Way better than the alternative.

June 16, 1970

Repeat of June 15th.
It rained part of the day and we stayed in our bunkers
to keep dry.
We ate Bravo Companies Hots because the birds couldn’t get into
the fire base to pick up the food.
End of Entry

Note: We ate Bravo Companies Hot chow because the
Birds couldn’t get to us to pick up their hot food.

June 17, 1970

Today is a repeat of the last two days.
All we have done is take care of the status reports and
keep out of the rain.
We are supposed to leave tomorrow but I doubt it if we will
because we have to be here until the artillery are gone.
It should take most of the day to do that.
End of Entry

June 18, 1970

We have been getting everything ready to move for the last couple of days but we are still here
at firebase Baxter. It is still raining hard every day and this place is a muddy mess. We haven’t done too much
as far as any work, just small details.
End of Entry

June 19, 1970

Today we tore down our bunkers because we were supposed to leave
for our new A.O. It rained all night last night and early today and socked us in,
so, the birds didn’t get here to take away the Artie’s equipment,
therefore, we have to stay one more night to secure the F.B. and the 155’s.
I finally got my status up to date and correct and that makes me feel great.
End of Entry

Note: Arties: Artillery. 155’s (Howitzer)
F.B.: Fire base as in 155 MM Howitzers support.
Status: Member of Headquarters Charlie Company.

June 20, 1970

Finally, we have been C.A.ed off of Baxter.
Instead of going to the boonies, our mission was changed and we were
brought back to LZ Armageddon for bunker guards.
This is really quite a sham. We are supposed to be here for about 10 days
or more. Sounds really great to me.
End of Entry

Above: Section of a page from the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Daily Staff Journal
for June 20, 1970, indicating that Company C will move to Firebase Armageddon
and be temporarily attached to 2/8 Infantry while there. This matches John's diary
entry of June 20, 1970.

June 21, 1970

A convoy arrived here at LZ Armageddon. With it was our resupply
of clean clothes, hot chow, beer and soda and miscellaneous other items.
I went to the river, went swimming and washed up, then put on my
clean clothes.
Later in the day, word came down that we would be leaving
here and returning to the field.
We are scheduled to leave at 8:30 AM.
End of Entry

Notes: So much for maybe 10 days pulling guard duty at a firebase.

June 22, 1970

It has been a long time since we have been in the field but here we are again.
We were C.A.ed this afternoon about 1:00 PM and gunships escorted us. When we reached the LZ,
they worked over the hills all around us.
Ihrke hit a punji stick and was dusted off a little while after the C.A.
End of Entry

Notes:
Gunships: Cobra gunships
“They worked over the hills”: Cobra’s blew up the mountainside
to make sure there were no enemy combatants in the area.
Dusted off: Taken to base camp for medical treatment.

June 23, 1970

We have been resupplied with C's and we got
7 new men in the field, 5 of them Sargent’s.
The rest of the day we cleared the LZ
and SP’ed to our NDP.
Everything is quiet, no action, just a little rain during the afternoon.
End of Entry

Notes:
C-S: C-rations
LZ: Landing zone
SP’ed: starting point to our destination.
NDP: night defensive position

June 24, 1970

We humped most of the day and I carried the radio
in the field for the first time. All the
elements found hooch’s etc. and it was kind of
confusing to me how to talk and what to say on the horn
but the day ended about 4:30 and we set
up for the night.
End of Entry

Notes:
I’m now carrying the radio for headquarters.
It is my job to convey information to our C.O.
Elements: All platoons found hooch’s.
The horn: The radio of communications.

Above: Section of Page 27 of the unit history of 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry for 1970.
This section closely matches John's diary entries of June 22,23, and 24, 1970.

June 25, 1970

Today I carried the Battalion horn for the company.
It was really interesting to listen in on what the other
sister elements were doing etc.
Bravo Company lost one man and had 2 wounded.
That was the bad part of the day.
We set up, out of location, about 300 meters and our
LP had movement plus saw 7 flashlights.
Roadrunner had movement also at their location.
It rained from abut 4:30 on until just before day break.
End of Entry

Notes:
Battalion horn: Radio communications with several companies.
A,B,D etc.
LP (listening post) saw 7 flashlights: Extremely unusual for the jungle.

June 26, 1970

We humped off of our NDP, down to the valley
and washed up in the blue line.
Naturally we had to pick the steepest hill to
climb before we set up. It took us 2 hours
to climb up the one we are on now.
Jeff and I set up our hooch and broke for chow.
I best write a letter because I haven’t had time
For the last couple of days.
End of Entry

June 27, 1970

Sidewinder, Panther and Headquarters set up
yesterday and we stayed in place today all day.
Roadrunner was on a hump toward our location.
We cut an LZ for resupply and the
first bird approached about 4:30 and hovered
for a few seconds.
20 AK-47 rounds flew at the bird, 2 hitting the engine.
The bird took off and made it back to Niagara safely.
We never did get resupplied.
Tomorrow we will look for a new spot.
I’m out of food and haven’t eaten much today at all.
Tomorrow’s another day.
End of Entry

June 28, 1970

We found a new LZ early this morning and were
resupplied around 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 PM.
We had four men hit punji sticks today, two of them pretty deep.
They will go in tomorrow morning on a resupply bird.
We set up late and I haven’t had time to do much of anything.
I got a new ruck today plus 12 meals, plus I humped
the radio up to the NDP.
It kicked my ass.
End of Entry

June 29, 1970

Today started off quiet and normal, then this afternoon
Roadrunner had movement.
They blew claymores and fired the M-60 and M-16’s.
After running a patrol, they found 1 dead dink.
A few minutes later they shot another and killed him.
We all set up NDP and crashed for the night.
End Of Entry

Notes:
Claymore: high explosive filled with C-4 and ball bearings
covering 180 degrees of area, forward only.
M-60: Machine gun that can shoot continuous rounds.

Above: Section of Page 28 of the unit history of 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry for 1970.
This entry closely matches John's diary entry of June 29, indicating that Company C
killed two enemy soldiers.

June 30, 1970

We stayed in place today and Jeff and I did absolutely nothing
but lay around and sleep.
It started raining really hard, so Jeff and I got out of our
flooded hooch and took a shower in the rain,
and we washed our clothes. It soon stopped raining and
we rebuilt our hooch so we wouldn’t get wet.
End of Entry

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