1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Randy Cox Page 3

All morning, we have been filling sandbags and there is a rumor I might be going on a short patrol this afternoon. I was able to talk to a guy who served in Korea, my brother-in-law, who was in Korea, use to say something in Korean slang when he got a little upset. This soldier explained this was not a pleasant phrase but could not remember the true meaning.

Lost LT Russell Pickering to hostile fire. Another soldier was wounded. I was not in the field with the team and cannot remember the circumstances as to why I was not there.
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Notes from others:

Lt. Russell Pickering died tonight. He came to the company in early October, just a few days before I took over the company. His platoon was on an overnight platoon sized ambush just outside the wire at Camp Radcliff. It should have been a relatively safe mission. Around 2200 hours I got a frantic call over the radio that they were in heavy contact. Lt. Pickering was very frantic and asking for everything I could get him. He had been hit in the leg and was bleeding very badly. I called Bn for artillery, but the Lt. could not see the illumination and marker rounds to adjust. Then I asked for gunships, but was turned down, because it was too dark to see anything. Finally, I succeeded in getting a spooky, AC47, gunship to support him with its mini guns. It helped, but a few minutes later another voice of a very frightened NCO came on the radio calling it off, because it was coming too close. Lt. Pickering had passed out from blood loss by then and the NCO was now in charge of the platoon. We assembled a quick reaction force to go to their aid, but Bn would not let us go outside the wire. They were probably right. In the darkness, uncertain of the platoon's actual position, we would have probably wound up shooting each other. I sat there helpless all night, waiting for dawn to get them inside the wire. By then Lt. Pickering had bled to death. It was the most frustrating, helpless feeling to hear them in such need and so close and not be able to help. I completely repressed that night, until an email from Carl Nagel, who remembered the incident after talking with Gary Lysne over the phone. Lt. Pickering, mortally wounded and probably acutely aware of that fact, continued to work to get help for his people until he passed out. His courage will not be forgotten. Russell volunteered to go to Vietnam in place of his brother, who had children and was also in the service. He died six weeks after getting to Vietnam. He is one of the many unsung heroes this site is dedicated to. I wonder how many other stories like this I have repressed in self-defense. Thanks to Gary and Carl for bringing this memory back.

Left:

2nd Lieutenant Russell Thomas Pickering

1945-1969

Company D 1/8th Infantry

Photo from Valley High School,
West Des Moines, Iowa yearbook for 1963.

I started to flash back when we were talking about that night. They were ambushed no more than a klick or so from the Bn trains area at Radcliff. About 10pm someone from Bn Hq rushed in and told us one of our platoons was pinned down just outside the wire. We turned on one of the spare radios and listed to the whole nightmare. The Lt was hit in the leg and trying to call in the world. You could hear the panic/fear in his voice. Denise or Radcliff was firing illumination and marker rounds. Air support (choppers) was denied due to risk factor (after all it was a black night, can't really blame them). It seemed like a long while later (probably only 15-20 minutes) a Snoopy AC47 gunship started working out in the area. After a bit heard a different voice calling a check fire the Snoopy was too close. The Lt was passed out by then from loss of blood. I don't remember who was on the Bn side of the conversation, but he managed to calm down the Platoon.

Sergeant or Squad Leader who took over from the Lt. He has my admiration whoever he was. There were 5-8 of us in the Company Supply hooch and we all grabbed up our war gear, radio and an M-60 and wanted to head out thru the wire to help. Bn wouldn't allow it. We would just make a bad situation worse we were told. I don't remember much about it after that. I had completely forgotten about the incident until you mentioned the Lt. being on the KIA list. That was one frustrating night for everyone."

Thanks bunch,
Carl Nagel

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LZ Hip Shoot. I am 15 miles south of Pleiku on a small firebase we built our self. It is used for two 155mm howitzers as a firebase. We were given the job to secure it. A real easy job and a nice break for us. The only drawback is the dust. The monsoon is over, and we are on a plain of fine red dust. It gets into everything. The wind blows 24 hours a day and keeps it stirred up. At night you freeze to death and in the daytime you roast.

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Letters from home are taking about a week if I am not in the field. We do get the “Stars and Stripes” which is a military paper covering events of the military and back home. It mentioned Auburn beat Alabama in football. We spend most of our time improving our bunker positions. I have seen little action except for seeing and hearing an ambush which was about a mile away. This was when a South Vietnam convoy was attacked on the road and we were observing the response. As we were watching, on the farm hill side we saw app 6-10 black pajama dressed VC running across the hill side. They were profiled against the hill and were in perfect firing position for us. Because of rules of engagement, (inserted at the end) we had to call in for permission to fire. The response was “are they firing at you”, my response was “no”, their response was “let them go”. Thinking back, I should have said yes and fired on them, but that would have generated reports, etc. Stupid War. Thinking back, prior to that event there were no locals on the road but after the battle there were locals on small motorcycles everywhere trying to sell us cigarettes, cokes, beer, etc. When things get still and quite that is the time to get worried and pay special attention to the area because the locals know what is about to happen. Additional thoughts mentioned later.

Note: Fast Forward to the war in Iraq/Afghanistan. The news today, Oct.27, 2019 has information about a Patrol Leader having his men fire on the enemy who were on motorcycles and believed to be carrying weapons/bombs and to be a threat to his men. This resulted in the Patrol Leader being charged because of his actions. He is currently serving 20 years in prison. Think of what could have happened if I had ordered my men to open fire on the V.C. mentioned above. Trials like this happened in the Vietnam war. For rules of engagement in Vietnam refer to the documents at the end.
The event is mentioned later.

Rumor has it tomorrow; we go in the field for 5 days. The last patrol was to be 10 days but ended up being 35 days. Most of my squad is new, and they are trying hard, but I have one experienced soldier and he is a pain. We have had words many times and it seems the rest of the guys have no respect for him. I got to take a shower which consisted of going into a wooden box which is about 3 feet square and 7 feet tall. You let down a bucket to fill with water then with the rope raise it and twist the showerhead. For about 5 minutes you feel clean. Off with the old dust and on with the new. For a detail, this morning they had us putting sandbags on our bunkers then in the afternoon we were instructed to saddle up because we were going into the field. It was difficult looking back at the extra protection we had added to the bunkers knowing others could benefit from our effort. The other day we had a Kit Carson Scout shake out his boot to which a LARGE spider fell out.

The Kit Carson Scouts belonged to a special program initially created by the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War involving the use of former Viet Cong combatants as intelligence scouts for American infantry units. Enemy cadre and combatants (e.g. Viet Cong, NVA) who defected and rallied to become aligned with the Saigon government were known as Chiêu Hôi or Hôi Chánh Viên, the latter being a term loosely translated as "members who have returned to the righteous side". Only a very small number of these Chieu Hôi were selected, trained, and deployed with American infantry units as Kit Carson Scouts.

We started on patrols around 8:30 am with full field gear. Had to cross a stream in which the water was knee high. After crossing, we had to climb a 2-3-foot bank. Each member had to assist the person behind them because of the weight of the gear and the bank being so slick. I fell and split my pants from halfway up my zipper to my knee. This does not make for a pleasurable patrol with briers and such working against my leg. Remember, we all went commando (no underwear). For lunch, I got a shoestring to repair my pants as best as possible. Now, we are hiking about 4000 meters about 2.5 miles per day. That might not sound like much since a normal person walks that much in one hour but when you take into consideration, we have between 50 and 100 pounds on our back depending upon ammo, water and food. Remember the main variable you have is food and water. Add this to constantly having to be on alert looking behind every tree/bush and the difficulty of walking trails. For chow we stopped in an area of bamboo plants for about 20 minutes just enough time to eat C rations and do a quick note to my wife.

Meals for 3-5 days 4.5 pounds per day (3 c-ration boxes per day). Weight app 22 pounds. The worst was ham and eggs and lima beans and ham which were compressed to fit into a small can which was packaged in the late 1800's (joke). Both looked like SPAM. To heat the meals, we would use a heat tab, or we would break open a Claymore mine and use a small portion of the C-4 explosive for heat or worse eat the food cold which was often the case. No, the C-4 would not explode if you just set it on fire.

What I carried:

Water-After having to suck the moisture out of a banana tree on one patrol or having to drop iodine pills into gray water I started carrying 6-8 quarts of water.
Weight app 18 pounds including the weight of the container.

Backpack, poncho, poncho liner, etc.
Weight app. just a guess 15 pounds

M-16 Rifle
Weight app 8 pounds

M72 light anti-tank weapon (LAW)
Weight 5 pounds

Ammo- 2 or 3 + bandoliers. Each bandolier held 7 magazines of 20 5.56 rounds. I would carry one around my waist and one or two strapped across my chest. Each loaded magazine was 1+ pounds- 7 magazines per bandolier equals 7 pounds time 3=21 pounds. If the bandolier and other equipment got wet everything weighed more. It rained a lot.
Weight around 21 pounds for 3 bandoliers.

Ammo-M60 7.62 rounds maybe 100 rounds unless you were assigned to the M60 Machine gun then it was more. This would be strapped around my waist under a bandolier or on top of my backpack.
Weight 6 pounds

Claymore mine
Weight 3 pounds

Hand Grenade One or two
Weight app 2 pounds for two

Clothes, boot, steel helmet plus a few personal items which we kept in an ammo can.
Weight just a guess 15 pounds.

TOTAL weight at the beginning of a patrol using the information above I carried app. 115 pounds. Average weight would probably be around 100 pounds.

Yesterday, we moved to AnKhe, then flew to Pleiku for ready action duty. This means if another patrol needs support, we are to be able to respond by helicopter within 15 minutes in full battle gear. During this duty we are not to leave the area except to eat. Last night, we did leave going to a club for a few drinks and to listen to a band. I got a package from home, which had tea, Kool-Aid and other items. Everyone is getting small Christmas trees to include the one you sent me. Word is within the next 28 days they might start sending a couple of units from the 4th Division back to the world (USA). RUMOR: To be considered to go home you would need over 7 months in country.

They have us attending classes on simple items but mainly it is to keep us busy. I hope to go to the PX and get a camera to send some pictures of the countryside.

Dec 14, 1969

Today, we started out with classes on first aid, malaria, personal hygiene, and VD (no worry there). Then, classes on article 15’s and safety to round out the morning. That afternoon we were told to get ready, a unit had been hit and since we were the ready respond team we needed to saddle up. At our response area instructions were handed out. THEN we were informed it was a false alert. The CO told us we took 13 minutes to respond while the previous test had taken 45 minutes. Naturally, he was pleased.

Last night, we had additional classes on how to set up an ambush. We walked to an area sat around from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. It was raining and we were cold and wet. At night, we set up this ambush outside the perimeter of the base camp. The next day we practiced attacking a hill. Within the past 4 days I have received 4 packages: three from my wife and one from my sister. It seems all the guys like my wife’s cooking. Tomorrow we go on bunker duty. This means we have three people in the bunker with one on duty during the day and two at night rotating duty time like one or two hours on and two or four sleeping.

Today, we are doing tower guard duty the day looked sunny until mid-afternoon then the sky turns dark. Rain is intermittent through the days so there is no way to stay dry.

Today, we were pulled off ready reaction and were placed on the bunker line. The bunker offers some protection from the wind and rain but not much. Since, we are on the bunker line we have an opportunity to shop at the PX and buy food and other supplies. Yesterday, our group (6) bought soup, crackers, milk and three cases of coke. Last night, I slept from 8-10, 12-2 and 4-5:30 am and the remaining time I was on guard duty. During the day we pull duties as assigned. This morning I heated the soup and we put up our little Christmas tree which helped to lighten our bunker.

I am still trying to get a camera but the PX is out and it appears the color film sells out about as fast as the cameras. I requested my wife send me film and a camera. Lunch today was a can of C rations (pork slices), a can of soup, and a cup of hot cocoa heated with a little can of steno.

Dec 23, 1969

I went to the Happy Hooch- a Red Cross building in which we can play ping pong, pool, write letters, etc. Tomorrow, we are to leave the bunker line and either pull interior guard or go on ambushes. If we are on an ambush it will be over Christmas. I got a package from my parents who mailed it on the 10th. Not bad 10 days for delivery.

Memory:

Christmas Eve night 1969, there was a cease fire declared. We never knew what that meant because it was still business as normal: going on ambushes and protecting the perimeter. This afternoon, we found a good location, rock casings on top of a small knoll. We set up the perimeter and sent out a few LP’s (listening post) then the rest of us sat around the area reading books and writing letters.

We left base camp around 3:30 pm walked about 1500 meters. At that time, our platoon was to divide into three separate ambushes, but my group had other ideas. We celebrated Christmas as a group in the protection of rocks and with each other on Christmas Eve. On Christmas day we came into camp about 9:00 am to find out that at 3:00 pm we are going on a 3-day problem.

The path today was through tall grass (7+ feet), thick and dense, woods, and marsh lands. As a constellation the weather has been beautiful-warm gentle breezes and a few clouds.

Charles Reed in the background of the above picture was KIA September 10, 1970.

It is Sunday. We just got word we are going in the field from anywhere from one to two months. I have 10 months left in country.

We are now building a firebase and our group is moving around faster than most of the others. We have a bamboo floor which is a lot better than a dirt floor. I must close writing, because we are going out to sweep the roads for bombs, etc.

I have been in the bush observing the road and just got instructed to come back for a short-range patrol. We walked around the area then set up in a clump of bushes so thick we had to crawl in. This offered us some security in that we were hidden and had some degree of visibility but offered limited protection.

We are doing ambushes about every night. Our platoon leader is letting us rest as much as possible during day after each ambush. Currently, I have my shirt, shoes, and socks off laying on top of the bunker drying out.

Got into camp about 9:30 am only to find out we are going back into the bush supposedly for one day. Patrolling was terrible. We were able to follow animal trails which were used as a guide, but the bush was overgrown, and we had to break our way through. The other sergeant, the LT and I decided to move to the top of the mountain, but the problem was this was about a 70-degree incline. Moving was difficult in that we had to grab trees, bushes, and such to pull ourselves up. Not being able to make the mountain top, we cleared an area on the side of the mountain to sleep. The method we used to sleep was to wrap ourselves around a tree to keep from sliding down the hill. The next day we got wiser and moved to our day location and set up about 4 hours early. It was a cold wet day and we used this time to set up our hooch with our ponchos. Later, we waded down an ankle high stream then moved to a waist high cold stream.

Dec 30 this was shortly after Christmas and right before New Year’s, and we were assigned ambush duty about 2000 meters outside the perimeter but I had a different idea to which no one disagreed ; we went 25-50 meters inside the perimeter setting up our camp in a brushy area trying to escape detection. We continued to have guard duty primarily to monitor the radio. Sometime in the middle of the night they wanted me to mark some artillery rounds by sound and/or flashes. It is impossible to do this if you are not in the correct location, so I guessed. First round fell and I gave instructions like drop 500 move 1000 to the right using the map and sound as a reference. Then, they sent a second round to which I responded. At that point, the LT on the radio chewed me out asking where I was. My reply was I had no idea and he went on to describe what could happen to others in the area as well as my group. We could have become the recipient of friendly fire if another ambush had to call in a fire mission if we were outside the perimeter. Nothing else happened beyond a tail chewing. If had discovered the truth, I would have gotten an article 15 meaning in a reduction in rank and a pay cut. For some reason as I am writing this, I remember something my brother-in-law, Dan Bishop, told me concerning his tour in Korea. They would go out on patrols from base camps. Oftentimes, this would be uneventful but if they returned on the same trails as dictated by the terrain they would be ambushed. In Vietnam, while on base camp we would be driven by a truck to our drop off point then we would venture into the boonies. The locals would see us leave and would have ample time to contact the Vietcong giving them time to set up an ambush for our return trip. I will never know if an ambush was waiting on us because of the path I had our guys take - an ambush within the perimeter of the base. An example of this type of ambush could be the attack on the South Vietnam army convoy written later on.

Today, they moved to our guard position which we will be sharing with three gooks (ARVN). After they got settled, they started cooking something. They added parts of a tree (?), banana stalks, banana pods, a few greens, and a pickled fish. I tasted everything but the fish because of the smell. The finished product was mixed with rice for the finished meal.

On New Year’s Night, December 31, 1969, there were many reports predicted by Jean Dixon from the world that Pleiku would be overrun. Jean Dixon was a renowned American psychic and just the rumor of an attack had most of us uneasy that night. At 12:00 midnight, there was a lot of shooting and excitement, but it was generated by those on the base camp perimeter firing our rifles with tracers, M79 grenade launchers, and mortars with flares and explosives into the sky. It was a great celebration but nothing to compare with the events at home.

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