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My tour in Vietnam was from August 1969 to August 1970. When I first arrived in country, I was assigned mess duty at the 11th Marine Regimental Hqs in Da Nang.
After 30 days of washing pots and scrambling eggs, I was assigned to Hotel Btry 3/11 and went to LZ Ryder. Hog battery was direct support for 2/7. We shot for 3/5 in Happy Valley when needed, also for the 101st Airborne and ARVN troops. My first section chief was Sgt John Osier. He lives in Topeka, KS and is doing well.
We were rotated off Ryder in the spring of 1970 to "clean up a bit". During the monsoon season we were clouded in quite often, therefore we did not get resupplied with C-Rations and water timely. After running out of water for a few days, we saved it for drinking, not shaving. I remember going almost 90 days without shower during that time. Rain water was what we used to wash with. A chopper full of 1st MAR DIV officers landed for a visit one sunny day and we were rotated to LZ Baldy, minus our commanding officer. He was a good one too.
The rumor mill had it that the reason for their visit was to congratulate us for being the hottest firing battery in Vietnam at the time. I don't know if that was true, but I do remember shooting as many as 400 rounds per tube per day for pretty long stretches of time. After about 30 days at LZ Baldy, it was decided we were best suited for the field and we returned to LZ Ryder.
When we weren't shooting, we were breaking out ammo, or cleaning the howitzer. We shot "danger close" more times than anyone involved would like to remember. One night during a heavy rain storm, I shot my howitzer through the parapit wall and down the hill quite a distance. The trails were in the mud past the travel locks. We must have realigned the aiming stakes six times or more. Charge 7 rounds were needed, and I wasn't allowed to call the gun out of action. All rounds landed on time and on target. At daylight, it took most of the battery personnel to push the gun back up the hill.
We were a great team, 2/7 called us the automatic '05's. I have never been with a unit that worked so well together. I certainly admire all unit members for their hard work, dedication to duty and to each other, and professionalism in a not so perfect environment.
During lulls of firing, we trained. For practice, we shot an air burst high over Antenna Valley, then put a round or two in the smoke, depending upon how hard the wind was blowing. The competition was great for increasing speed and accuracy. The fuse setter had to have it together too.
I would like to hear from anyone that was there or we shot for. I have pictures of the old Ryder, and of Ryder after the rennovation. When we returned to LZ Ryder from LZ Baldy, there were many improvements including: a larger LZ, actual ammo bunkers, more wire, a trash shoot, bunkers to sleep in, and a latrine with a roof on it. I will gladly send pictures, post them to an appropriate web site, or send them to current 11th Marine units for historical archiving.
Does anyone remember how we happened to acquire an Air Force generator for LZ Ryder? It is a pretty good story, but the Motor T section needs to tell it.
Keywords: LZ Ryder, LZ Baldy, LZ Ross, Antenna Valley, Que Son Valley, Happy Valley, "Horrible Hog", "Arnold", "Cpl Shorts", 101A1 105 Howitzer, Quick Draw, Hill 951, 11th Marines, H 3/11, , 2/7, 3/5, "Wierd Dude", "T", Kennedy, Martinez, Rojas, John Osier, "Woody", "Ski", Gordy, Tex, Lanigan, Doug Miller, 1st Marine Division, Danger Close, IOD,
After 30 days of washing pots and scrambling eggs, I was assigned to Hotel Btry 3/11 and went to LZ Ryder. Hog battery was direct support for 2/7. We shot for 3/5 in Happy Valley when needed, also for the 101st Airborne and ARVN troops. My first section chief was Sgt John Osier. He lives in Topeka, KS and is doing well.
We were rotated off Ryder in the spring of 1970 to "clean up a bit". During the monsoon season we were clouded in quite often, therefore we did not get resupplied with C-Rations and water timely. After running out of water for a few days, we saved it for drinking, not shaving. I remember going almost 90 days without shower during that time. Rain water was what we used to wash with. A chopper full of 1st MAR DIV officers landed for a visit one sunny day and we were rotated to LZ Baldy, minus our commanding officer. He was a good one too.
The rumor mill had it that the reason for their visit was to congratulate us for being the hottest firing battery in Vietnam at the time. I don't know if that was true, but I do remember shooting as many as 400 rounds per tube per day for pretty long stretches of time. After about 30 days at LZ Baldy, it was decided we were best suited for the field and we returned to LZ Ryder.
When we weren't shooting, we were breaking out ammo, or cleaning the howitzer. We shot "danger close" more times than anyone involved would like to remember. One night during a heavy rain storm, I shot my howitzer through the parapit wall and down the hill quite a distance. The trails were in the mud past the travel locks. We must have realigned the aiming stakes six times or more. Charge 7 rounds were needed, and I wasn't allowed to call the gun out of action. All rounds landed on time and on target. At daylight, it took most of the battery personnel to push the gun back up the hill.
We were a great team, 2/7 called us the automatic '05's. I have never been with a unit that worked so well together. I certainly admire all unit members for their hard work, dedication to duty and to each other, and professionalism in a not so perfect environment.
During lulls of firing, we trained. For practice, we shot an air burst high over Antenna Valley, then put a round or two in the smoke, depending upon how hard the wind was blowing. The competition was great for increasing speed and accuracy. The fuse setter had to have it together too.
I would like to hear from anyone that was there or we shot for. I have pictures of the old Ryder, and of Ryder after the rennovation. When we returned to LZ Ryder from LZ Baldy, there were many improvements including: a larger LZ, actual ammo bunkers, more wire, a trash shoot, bunkers to sleep in, and a latrine with a roof on it. I will gladly send pictures, post them to an appropriate web site, or send them to current 11th Marine units for historical archiving.
Does anyone remember how we happened to acquire an Air Force generator for LZ Ryder? It is a pretty good story, but the Motor T section needs to tell it.
Keywords: LZ Ryder, LZ Baldy, LZ Ross, Antenna Valley, Que Son Valley, Happy Valley, "Horrible Hog", "Arnold", "Cpl Shorts", 101A1 105 Howitzer, Quick Draw, Hill 951, 11th Marines, H 3/11, , 2/7, 3/5, "Wierd Dude", "T", Kennedy, Martinez, Rojas, John Osier, "Woody", "Ski", Gordy, Tex, Lanigan, Doug Miller, 1st Marine Division, Danger Close, IOD,