Michael Belis Page 12

Tuy Hoa, 1971
Huey "Slicks" come in to take Company C out on a mission in the mountains west of Tuy Hoa.

More Hueys coming in. Rucksack in foreground has cardboard from C-Ration case
to make the ruck more comfortable against the wearer's back.

Company C's First Sergeant. This Topkick had been with us in the boonies. He would soon
be replaced by a new 1SGT. Behind him with the sunglasses is Platoon Leader of either 1st,
2nd or 4th Platoon. This Platoon Leader in April 1971 would receive a Soldier's Medal for pulling
PFC Bill Crane out of a crashed helicopter before it could catch fire. He literally bent the aluminum skin
of that mangled chopper back with his bare hands to get the boy out. To the left of the Lieutenant
is Staff Sergeant Hatton.

3rd Platoon "Sidewinders"
Goose on the left, Ski in the middle, both machine gunners. On the right Mike Hernandez.

Ski helps Platoon Sgt with his bandoleers. Ski's M60 machine gun is on the ground between them in the picture.
Note machete stuck behind the Platoon SGT's rucksack.

Here I am saddled up & ready to go. By this time I was a Sergeant. M-16 rifle hung from my shoulder
by a length of claymore wire. Two bandoleers of magazines for my rifle across my waist. 100-round belt of ammo
for the M60 over my shoulder. M-26 fragmentation grenade stuck in my left strap. One M-26 grenade
in each of my leg pockets. Christian Cross hung around my neck. Inside my rucksack I also had a
St. Christopher medal, a small Buddha figure & a rabbit's foot as "Lucky Charms".

The cross and neck chain I'm wearing in the above photo. It had been issued to me
at An Khe, when I first reported to the 4th Infantry Division, along with a crucifix, a rosary, bible
and other items provided to new incoming Soldiers.

Me again. 3rd bandoleer of magazines for M-16 across the top of my rucksack. M-18 claymore anti-personnel mine
in outside rucksack pocket. Trip flares in 2nd outer pocket. 3rd outer pocket held another claymore,
rigged as a mechanical ambush. Straps tied tight just below my knees, to keep leeches from crawling up the inside of my legs.
This is a lightly loaded rucksack.

Sidewinders of 3rd Platoon ready to go. Five-quart canteen, claymore bag &
extra bandoleers with magazines in plastic bags across the backs of rucksacks.

Plastic bag for 20-round M-16 magazines.

We were given these at Tuy Hoa in early 1971.

The Soldier leaning over in the photo above
has his magazines in bags like this in the
bandoleer across the back of his ruck.

The lead strip at the bottom of the bag
could be bent over to seal the bag with the
magazine inside. You grabbed the top of the
bag and and tore it open. The plastic was thinned
at that point to tear easily.

The bag was meant to be discarded in the field.
The Vietnamese writing on it was a message
to enemy soldiers urging them to surrender.

A loose translation of the message was:

The Chieu Hoi program will help you to again
see your parents and family in a peaceful democracy.

My cigarette lighter.

Zippo manufactured 1968

I bought the lighter at the
PX at Tuy Hoa and had it
engraved at the tailor shop
on base.