Douglas Banar

Douglas "Grumpy" Banar ---- E Company April 1971-Jan 1972

I arrived in Vietnam in January 1971 and was assigned to 1/27 Infantry "Wolfhounds" with
the 25th Infantry Division. I served with them for about three months, until the Division
rotated home, and I was then assigned to 1/22 Infantry. I remained with 1/22 until they left
Vietnam in January 1972, and I was then assigned to 2/7 Cavalry "Gary Owen" of the
1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. I then served in the Arizona National Guard.

I was a 4Deuce gunner in Company E 1/22. We had 4.2 inch mortars, many of which
were pretty well worn out. Much of our ammunition was of Korean War vintage,
which made for some interesting times during our fire missions.

The mortar platoon of Echo Co 1/22 taken the summer of 71. I'm in the center front, holding our mascot Dink.
On the far left standing with the sunglasses is Jim Hetzel, in front of him on the far left is Rick (Jersey) Yaworsky.

Left: William (Tex) Murphy reaching for Dink when he was just a puppy - right: Jim Hetzel.

Doug Banar and my 4deuce. If you have to ask, I was born photophobic.
The blue dot is my St. Christopher medal, my dog tag was on my bootlace.

4deuce sight. Right behind it is the data plate which showed my 4deuce
was manufactured in 1951, the same year I was born.

Doing the 4deuce shuffle.

Cannibalized DC 3 North gate Tuy Hoa Airbase.

Slick over Tuy Hoa.

Jim Hetzel and Dink.

Jim Hetzel

SGT Tom Penwell in his sporty shorts.

Dave Krcma and Dink

"Little Frag" - I've forgotten his real name.

Getting ready for nightfall and covering the ambushes outside the wire.

Carl pointing toward the camera (wasn't a member of 1/22)
Other two unknown

Our accommodations at the gun pit, Tuy Hoa airbase in the background.

Hip shoot south of Tuy Hoa and the Korean White Horse compound.

You can see the blast from the 4deuce in the center of the photo as it fires

Results - 2 VC

Russ Florian in the white T-shirt - other person unknown
North gun pit before May of 71 when the pit was moved to the center of Airbase.

FDC bunker 100 meters from the gun pits. SGT Penwell is sitting on top.

Dink chilling

Papa San - name unknown, political affiliation unknown, centerfold unknown.

Following are some of the names of Echo Co from my old address book.

Carl (Skip) Adams
Steve Ashcraft
Tom ( Zig Zag) Bell
Tom Deering
Wilford Dorer
Pete (Foul) Eichten
Russ Florian
Jimmy Fry
Jery Gilsoul
Joe Hoffman
Merle Johnson
Dave Krcma
Steve Lawrenson
Robert Langlois
Ron Murtie
Mark Mills
Ed Mears
Paul (Slim) Pickens
Richard Pilgrim
Tom Penwell
Edward Roberts
Dale Rachkofski
Virgil Werner
Rick (Jearsy) Yaworsky