1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Diary of John Grant Page 7

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

September 5th, 1970

Returned from Hawaii. Was in Da Nang at 5:00 PM
Scheduled a flight for tomorrow at 12:00 PM for An Khe.
End of Entry.

September 6, 1970

Buck and I got a ride to the airport about 11:00 AM this morning.
At 12:45 we boarded the C-130. (I saw Rich for a minute. He got off of the plane I got on).
We reached An Khe about 2:00 PM and we started walking in to basecamp.
A truck picked us up and took us on in to the PX where I ordered
stainless steal flatware for the Porras’.
After that I went to trains and drank beer and crashed there for the night.
End of Entry

September 7, 1970

I tried to sham today, but after I saw Sgt. Grimes, he informed me
that I would be going to the field today.
So, I got on the XYZ Pad until about 3:00 PM. Some birds came to take
take us to the field.
Jeff had come in for a Congressional Inquiry,
so, we went to the boonies together.
I built a one-man hooch and crashed when it got dark.
End of Entry

September 8, 1970

At 7:15 AM we ran a patrol to the South East on a high-speed trail,
(Without rucks). At approximately 11:30 we came across a
hooch complex with 10 hooch’s. Some were brand new.
In the newest hooch, we found AK-47 ammo, M-16 ammo, ruck sacks and a lot of NVA clothing.
We destroyed the hooch’s and returned to the NDP.
End of Entry

Notes:
Ak-47 ammo. Russian made small arms rifle.
M-16 ammo: I wonder how they got ahold of it.
NVA: North Vietnamese Army clothing.
NDP: Night defensive position

(Ed. ) Above: Entry from the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry S-3 Daily Staff Journal of September 8, 1970,
indicating that C Company found an enemy base camp consisting of several "hootches." This entry
closely matches John's diary entry of September 8, 1970.

September 9, 1970

We SP’d our NDP about 8:00 AM this morning South East
toward the hooch complex we found yesterday.
About 9:00 AM, the dog handler opened fire on two dinks, right
below the hooch complex, wounding one.
We received about 10 rounds of fire from one HEP.
After running sweeps of the area, Livingston saw the wounded dink
raise an AK-47 at him, but Livingston cut him down.
We left that area and continued search for an NVA basecamp,
which we found later. In the hooch were 2 AK-47 rifles
and brand-new ruck sacs.
End of Entry

Note: SP is starting point or time.
Dog Handler: I have no recollection of this but the entries are 100% accurate.
HEP: Hostile Enemy Personnel

(Ed. ) Above: Entry from the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry S-3 Daily Staff Journal of September 9, 1970,
indicating that C Company engaged two HEPS and received return fire from them. This entry
matches John's diary entry of September 9, 1970.

September 10, 1970

How does a man make an entry in a diary about the worst tragedy ever happened to his company since he has been in country?
Today has been the day. Two men from Sidewinder, Chuck Reed and Joe Jackson were killed by our own Vampire booby trap.
Sidewinder apparently got out of location and the 2 men went to put out a claymore or their own, on a high-speed trail.
The trail was the one that Roadrunner had put their Vampire on and the two men walked in to it.
Chuck, with about 40 days left in country, died instantly.
Joe, a new man, lived for about 5 minutes.
Earlier in the day, an FNG (Davis) who was on ambush by a hooch complex decided to look at the hooch’s
without telling someone where he was going.
Selleck, the M-60 man heard movement in the hooch and opened fire on Davis, hitting him in the leg, hand and grazing his neck.
He fell into the bunker, which saved his life. Livingston went into shock when he saw Reed and Jackson.
The whole company sat in amazement as they tried to imagine what had really happened. Bear and Doc, his best friends,
were broken to pieces over the tragedy. What makes it even worse is the fact that it was our own booby trap and not the dinks.
Livingston was dusted off after the bodies were lifted out of the LZ we had cut for the birds.
Sidewinder had found another complex today and found 12-57 MM rounds, 300 French mouser rounds plus a big box of
51 caliber rounds and various other NVA equipment. The whole company is on edge and morale is low.
Mistakes like that are un-called for.
What do you tell their families?
End of Entry

Notes: This was a horrible day for us all.
FNG. (f___ing new guy) was the term we used for all new guys.
I hope he got a ticket home to the world after this.

Charles "Chuck" Reed KIA 9-10-1970

Joseph "J.J." Jackson KIA 9-10-1970

September 11, 1970

Captain Cinquino went in to An Khe this afternoon. Our Battalion Commander,
Colonel Neal, was killed today when his bird was shot from the sky, 2 klicks from the firebase.
The pilot lived, the Liasson Officer was killed in the crash.
End of Entry

Notes: This happens one day after the worst day ever in Charlie Company.
Commander Neal was on his way out to visit our Company after the terrible day we had in the field yesterday.

(Ed.) Lieutenant Colonel Barney Neal and his Artillery Liaison Officer Lieutenant Jimmy Knobles
were killed when the Light Observation Helicopter they were riding in crashed after taking off
from Fire Support Base Winnie. They were enroute to join Company C at the enemy bunker complexes.

LTC Barney Neal KIA 9-11-1970

1LT James Knobles KIA 9-11-1970

September 12, 1970

Today we were resupplied with C-s, cleans, pony etc.
Nothing exciting happened today, THANK GOD!
We found 300 lbs. of explosive in blocks inside a hooch yesterday
and we just realized what it was.
Engineers are supposed to come and blow up the explosive
and the bunkers we have found in the last two days.
End of Entry

(Ed. ) Above: Entry from the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry S-3 Daily Staff Journal of September 1, 1970,
indicating that C Company found 300 lbs of explosives. This entry
matches John's diary entry of September 12, 1970.

September 13, 1970

We got a lot of FNG’s in today, plus the pick and shovels came
to blow up the complexes.
I have just sat here and monitored the horns all day for the
birds bringing in people and back-hauling clothes.
We will move our Nov. Lima tomorrow to set up a patrol
base and we will run patrols off of it, down the blue line.
End of Entry

Note: FNG’s (F ing New guys)
Pick and Shovels: Engineers
Horns: Radios
Nov. Lima: Night location
Blue line: River or creek.

September 14, 1970

Our company packed up early this morning and prepared ourselves
for a long hump. All the elements moved to the top of the hill
and split off. Captain Cinquino got a call to get to an LZ
to go in for an interview, so we had to hump back to where we
were. Then the C.P. went with Panther.
We humped somewhere in the range of 2 klicks.
About 4:15 we set up for the night and it started raining right away.
Commo is real poor because of the terrain we are in.
That’s bad.
End of Entry

Notes:
Elements: our entire company of platoons and Headquarters.
LZ: Landing zone. For extraction by helicopter. Huey.
C.P.: Command post or Headquarters
2 klicks= 2,000 meters
Commo: Communication. With bad commo you have no back up in case of emergency. Artillery, air support etc.

September 15, 1970

Although I didn’t carry the radio today, I still got my ass kicked, on a
long hard hump along the side of ridge lines,
down in ravines and up again.
The C.P. is still humping with Panther,
but I think things will change tomorrow.
It has basically been a quiet day today, with no hassle from
the dinks. The only hassle we had was from
higher on our radio procedure.
End of Entry

Notes:
C.P. Command Post or Headquarters
Higher: Commanding officers above our C.O. usually.

September 16, 1970

I have thoroughly had my ass kicked today. Humping with Panther from about 11:15 until around 5:00 PM,
until we reached Roadrunner at the LZ.
I thought I would never make it. I was carrying the radio today too.
That’s not all. We hadn’t reached our final destination yet. The C.P. started humping with Roadrunner to the NDP,
which took us up hill all the way until 6:50 PM. It was just turning dark when we got there. I was so tired and beat
I didn’t build a hooch. I crashed hard-core, plus my bitch didn’t hold air, so I froze.
There were leeches as long as my little finger milling around. I killed several.
What a day!
End of Entry

Notes: C.P. Command post or Headquarters
My Bitch: Is an air mattress.
Leeches: Blood sucking insects that can suck the ever-loving shit out of you.

September 17, 1970

Today was resupply day for us.
I got a new rubber bitch, clean clothes, 5 LRRP’s, 7 C's, Pony and 2 sodas.
I’m all happy and in a good mood because I got some mail from Monie.
She’s so fantastic I could scream.
We had to dig sleeping positions today, deep enough that our bodies
were under ground. That took quite a long time.
Mugs claims he did more work than me, but he didn’t.
Bear, Jeff, Doc and I just had an “imaginary” drink in our new “imaginary” patio with “imaginary” round table and umbrella.
The glasses were too hard to clean, so Bear just threw them away.
It hasn’t rained yet but it will a little later.
End of Entry.

Notes:
Rubber bitch: air mattress
LRRP’s: Freeze dried meals you add hot water to, let it rest for a few minutes and then eat them.
LRRP means “long range reconnaissance patrol”
Digging sleeping positions was NOT fun. Too much noise, etc.
When it rains, they fill up with water.
Our imaginary cocktails will never be forgotten. We only did this once.

September 18, 1970

Today I just wrote letters and took it easy in my hooch.
I also read the book “The Minx”.
It started raining in the morning and we got wet because I
built a terrible hooch. In fact, it collected about 10 gallons of water
on top and almost collapsed on us.
End of Entry

September 19, 1970

Panther was CAed to a hill top to secure it, so Artillery could
bring in some 105’s. The C.P. went to Sidewinder location to
set up. We got to a blue line and cleaned up a little.
When we got to their NDP, I built a one-man hooch.
I don’t think I’ll get wet tonight.
I’m about ready to make my supper, then I’ll lay down and crash.
End of Entry

Note:
105’s: 105 Howitzer Artillery cannon that can shoot
a distance of 14,000 to 19,500 meters.
C.P.: Command Post or Headquarters
Blue Line: River or Creek
NDP: Night defensive position

September 20, 1970

The C.P. and one squad of Sidewinder stayed in place.
I slept until about 9:00 AM, then got up.
The other squad of Sidewinder was out looking for an LZ. They spotted a dink and opened fire on him.
They didn’t hit him but they got 2 rucks and some other equipment that was in the hooch.
I wrote a letter and read a little of “The Godfather”.
End of Entry

Notes: C.P.= Command Post/Headquarters
LZ: Landing zone for the choppers.
Rucks: back packs for dinks.

September 21, 1970

The CP and Sidewinder moved toward our old LZ for resupply
and we got there in the A.M.
Roadrunner was there when we arrived.
We were resupplied with C-s, LRRP’s, hots and pony.
No one was in any contact today.
We didn’t get plates or utensils to eat with, so we used LRRP bags, empty cans and canteen cups for the chow.
We used our plastic spoons to eat it with.
End of Entry

September 22, 1970

We stayed in place all day to get our back-haul.
All I did was monitor the radios all day.
I wrote Monie a letter and got it mailed on a back-haul bird.
I tried taking a shower when the rain came but it didn’t rain hard enough.
I found a leech on my leg that had been there a couple of days.
It was just a small one, so it wasn’t noticed before.
End of Entry

Notes:
Back-Haul: Sending things back to base camp via Huey Helicopter
Leeches: Leeches, leeches. They suck! Blood.

September 23, 1970

At 8:00 AM we packed up and moved Sierra Echo.
Later on in the day, about 12:00, we came upon a field of
potatoes, corn, peanuts and fruit trees.
Flint tried to call in willie-peter on the crop but never
succeeded in getting it on target.
We set up our NDP about 4 PM and Mugs and I built a two man and dug a hole.
End of Entry

Note:
Sierra Echo: South East
Willie-Peter: White phosphorus, used in incendiary munitions.
2 man is a two-man hooch.
Mugs: George Mariani from Fowler, Ohio
We dug a hole: Foxhole

Left:

George "Mugs" Mariani

Photo by
Ralph Bonnema

September 24, 1970

At 8:00 AM we were packed up and ready to move out.
I didn’t have the radio today or the shovel, so I walked rear security.
We crossed open fields and blue lines and I thought my heart
would pop out at times, things were so flakey. My
heart about stopped when I was sitting in my hooch and about 5
guys yelled, “Grant, don’t move”. I looked up and a 2 ½’ snake
was crawling toward me ready to strike. He got about a foot from me
and Mugs jabbed him with the shovel.
That scared me worse than a dink.
Things are flakey where we are, but it don’t mean nothing.
End of Entry

Notes: “It don’t mean nothin”, was a term we all used in Vietnam.
The term shows we can take whatever came our way. It just “don’t mean nothin”.
If someone did something for you and you said thanks, they would respond, “It don’t mean nothin”. Got it?
That Snake: Well, let me tell you, to this day, I can still picture it 100%. Location, snake, hooch, blue line, EVERYTHING!
Thanks Mugs! (George Mariani)

September 25, 1970

Resupply came in the afternoon after we destroyed the crops in the
field where the birds were coming in.
The day wasn’t exciting at all. We got C's and soda and
that’s about it.
We had to dig sleeping positions today and that took about an hour.
Mugs and I had the radios today.
End of Entry

September 26, 1970

Mugs and I carried radios from the LZ to our new NDP.
We built an outstanding hooch and dug a fighting hole.
We left a stay-behind ambush at the LZ.
Sidewinder had a Vampire go off by accident but no one was hurt.
Now I have guard duty tonight.
Negative further-Out!
End of Entry

September 27, 1970

We stayed in place while Roadrunner blew some of the LZ
we are preparing for resupply.
Nothing else went on that is worth writing about.
End of Entry

Note: Short and Sweet today.
Roadrunner was blowing up vegetation with explosives
to make a landing zone for the birds for resupply.

September 28, 1970

Roadrunner blew some more LZ with 4 Engineers who
repelled out of a bird at 60’ after dropping C-4 (500 lbs.)
out of the bird.
Headquarters pulled security while they worked.
It took them all day, blowing enormous sized trees out of the way
so the birds could squeeze in.
It was still not totally complete after a full day of work.
End of Entry

Notes:
LZ: Landing zone for helicopters
C-4: Highly explosive material that is moldable and used for
various applications including Claymore mines. It explodes using
a firing cap to ignite it.

September 29, 1970

MONSOONS!

After about 2 more hours of work, we completed the LZ
and called Zulu to bring us our chow.
Birds started arriving with C's about 10 AM.
We never did receive all our resupply today.
It started raining and the birds stopped flying.
Mugs and I about drowned in the hole we dug to sleep in.
It filled up in about an hour and bailing wasn’t enough.
I was soaked, along with a lot of guys.
Mugs and I built another hooch in the dark, freezing cold
and everything was soaked, including poncho-liners.
Misery! Wow.
End of Entry

Notes:
LZ is a landing zone for the choppers.
Zulu: Code for our supply contact.
Digging sleeping positions was stopped soon after this.
We were all miserable.
Poncho-liners: Camouflage liners used as blankets.

September 30, 1970

Well, after tearing down our quickie hooch from the night before,
we prepared to dry out our gear and ourselves. The rest of the
resupply started arriving a little later, the P.O. came out and
paid us. I sent home $390.00. We got dry clean clothes and mail.
We are awaiting hots now.
Hots did not arrive today, so, we will wait until tomorrow for it.
We won’t move until we get it.
It’s raining now and will continue all night.
End of Entry

Notes:

P.O.: Pay Officer, usually the Executive Officer of the Company.
Hots: Hot food prepared at base camp and delivered via Huey Helicopter.
It’s pretty hard to stay dry in Monsoon season. You also start to get
Jungle rot in cuts etc. from not being able to dry out and or get clean.
I had many scars on my hands, for quite a long time, that eventually go away.