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I served 2 tours in country Nov 68-APR 70 and again from Oct 71 -Jul 72. I had a 63H20 mos wheel and track mechanic, but after I screwed up the repair on the battalion commanders M-151a1 and on a 10 ton M123A1c, the powers that be decided that I would do less harm if I became the dispatcher and parts clerk in the motor pool. This worked out for me as I always preferred paperwork to any kind of "get your hands dirty " kind of work.
I was in the 549th light maintenance company (DS)
located on long binh post...Also called LBJ Compound. This unit was part of the 185th maintenance Battalion,then it was part of the 266th S&S Battalion,which itself was part of the 29 general support group, and later still became part of Saigon Support Command. as time passed I also started driving the 2&1/2 M49a1 fuel tanker to bring diesel fuel around to several near by company's for the Mama sans to use to burn all off the human solid waste each morning(What a great smell that was!!)
Even later I was given the job of driving a 5 ton tractor trailer unit think it was a M52a2 with a M131a5c trailer to carry potable (Drinkable) water around to fill up the water tower near enlisted men's showers,officers showers and of course to provide water for the mess hall to attempt to cook food with, some times successfully...
When I returned to long binh in Oct of 71 the old buildings of the 549th light maintenance company were abandoned and fallen into a state of decay...I can only imagine if that amount of decay happened in just 18 months, by now there must be almost no trace at all of that post which at its height was the largest concentration of military in the whole country....over 150,000 troops Anyway When I returned in Oct 71 I was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company also on long binh post about 2 city blocks from where my old unit had been..
the 510th was part of the 92 CS bn. I have trouble remembering what I did during those 9 months...I think that I was reassigned several times as the units that I was in were sent back to the states, I just can't remember this 2nd tour too much.
I do remember a spectacular fire at the 64th QM tank farm on long binh that happened when some zappers sneaked through the wires on the perimeter and set off some explosives. These had to be some early suicide bombs,since the targets were 250.000 gal tanks of gasoline,jet fuel,diesel ...the farm had about 20 or so tanks of that size and the night that this explosion took place I heard the explosions and got up in a hurry,ran down to where my water tractor-trailer were parked and beat feet down to where the fire was... I got as close as possible to the flames, maybe 1000 or 1500 feet,hooked up a 25 foot length of 4" hose to the tanker with a nozzle on the end which reduced the opening to 1 inch and with at least 4 other guys holding on we tried to cool down some of the neighboring tanks praying that they would not blow-up too.. I made several trips that night bringing water to fight that raging inferno and I still have dreams about it almost 40 years later I'm just not sure about whether this happened in 69,70,71,or72 if any one remembers this fire at the 64th QM tank farm, please send me an e-mail
also anyone who might remember me from the 549th light maint Co. Nov 68-apr70 or
510th Engineer Co. Oct 71-Jul 72
please send an e-mail I have forgotten so much and would like to here from anyone still above the grass thanks to every vietnam vet and ALL vets
WELCOME HOME
I was in the 549th light maintenance company (DS)
located on long binh post...Also called LBJ Compound. This unit was part of the 185th maintenance Battalion,then it was part of the 266th S&S Battalion,which itself was part of the 29 general support group, and later still became part of Saigon Support Command. as time passed I also started driving the 2&1/2 M49a1 fuel tanker to bring diesel fuel around to several near by company's for the Mama sans to use to burn all off the human solid waste each morning(What a great smell that was!!)
Even later I was given the job of driving a 5 ton tractor trailer unit think it was a M52a2 with a M131a5c trailer to carry potable (Drinkable) water around to fill up the water tower near enlisted men's showers,officers showers and of course to provide water for the mess hall to attempt to cook food with, some times successfully...
When I returned to long binh in Oct of 71 the old buildings of the 549th light maintenance company were abandoned and fallen into a state of decay...I can only imagine if that amount of decay happened in just 18 months, by now there must be almost no trace at all of that post which at its height was the largest concentration of military in the whole country....over 150,000 troops Anyway When I returned in Oct 71 I was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company also on long binh post about 2 city blocks from where my old unit had been..
the 510th was part of the 92 CS bn. I have trouble remembering what I did during those 9 months...I think that I was reassigned several times as the units that I was in were sent back to the states, I just can't remember this 2nd tour too much.
I do remember a spectacular fire at the 64th QM tank farm on long binh that happened when some zappers sneaked through the wires on the perimeter and set off some explosives. These had to be some early suicide bombs,since the targets were 250.000 gal tanks of gasoline,jet fuel,diesel ...the farm had about 20 or so tanks of that size and the night that this explosion took place I heard the explosions and got up in a hurry,ran down to where my water tractor-trailer were parked and beat feet down to where the fire was... I got as close as possible to the flames, maybe 1000 or 1500 feet,hooked up a 25 foot length of 4" hose to the tanker with a nozzle on the end which reduced the opening to 1 inch and with at least 4 other guys holding on we tried to cool down some of the neighboring tanks praying that they would not blow-up too.. I made several trips that night bringing water to fight that raging inferno and I still have dreams about it almost 40 years later I'm just not sure about whether this happened in 69,70,71,or72 if any one remembers this fire at the 64th QM tank farm, please send me an e-mail
also anyone who might remember me from the 549th light maint Co. Nov 68-apr70 or
510th Engineer Co. Oct 71-Jul 72
please send an e-mail I have forgotten so much and would like to here from anyone still above the grass thanks to every vietnam vet and ALL vets
WELCOME HOME