My first day on the "hill" I took these pictures of the only tower at that time at post 5. In the background to the right you will see the tent which is shown below.
I would like to know more information about the tent if anyone can shed more light on it. It was soon removed.
11 comments:
I was a trombone player from Dec. 24, 69 to Aug. 70. Vic and I were real good friends back at Pendleton. I've spoken to his wife (who made a doctor) and his daughter in the last 5 years. They are doing fine. I remember some of the faces in your pictures. One of them is Auggie. I think he was red headed. I only remember one tower and I don't remember the tent at all. I've got a lot of pictures of hill 327 and the bunkers and of the Danang area in general that I would be willing to share if anyone is interested. My name is Larry Peratta and my nickname was Newt. My email is lperatta@sbcglobal.net.
Sure looks like the tent our TPQ-10 Radar was housed in!That was the NVA target that night.I say NVA because i saw them up and personal.Read what Ruben had said and now at least i know the names of the people that night.Im Billy Alford and was a L/cpl a radar operator with MASS-3.We were on high alert that night and were placed in positions around the radar.From what Ruben has said i now know that the Marine who was killed in the truck was Mitchell.He was not killed right away from the RPG!I was about 30 yards away i would guess(This has been 41 years ago so im recalling the best i can.But i will swear on my life this is what i remember)He was calling for help After the third call i got up the nerve to go and just at that instant someone ran by me as fast as they could go.It was dark but the truck was on flames and i saw the guy reach the truck and he was shot and i assume killed right off!Then a grenade or the gas tank explodes i assume killing Mitchell.Every thing got dark then a pop flare went off right above my position.When i looked i saw a NVA in full uniform about 50 feet away!We had been issued M-14s instead of The M-16s(There was an investigation after the attack about why we were not issued the new rifles i dont know how it turned out)Anyway i aimed right at the NVA sure i could not miss!I pulled the trigger and the biggest click i had ever heard!(when i cleared my weapon later i found a round in the chamber but it had to be a dud cause it had not went off)At about that time the flare had burned out and got dark.Went to clear my weapon at the same instant another flare lit up.The noise of the bolt as i was trying to pull it back must have been heard cause the NVA spun around and opened up with his AK How he missed me God only knows I jumped over the embankment and rolled down into the grass on the DaNang side of the mountain!There were 2 NVA now shooting and throwing grenades at my position.Thats when the marine near me jumped up and started shooting at them and yelling as loud as he could "help me".Both NVA and at least 2 more were there by now and shooting and still tossing grenades.All the shooting from who had to be Rabel or Ziegler had stopped so i assume he had been KIA by now. My email is billy12848@aol.com
DavidI saw the truck when it got hit!maybe was satchel charge.Was a loud explosion and truck was on fire.I do remember Mitchell calling for help.Probably 45seconds later there was something else hit the truck and im sure that killed him cause ther was no more yelling.It was sad.The person with me had no M79 so it had to be Ziegler.My regular position was about 2holes down from where the truck was hit.I keep calling them bunkers but they were just fighting holes.Had metal rings bolted around inside like a drain pipe.There was a rock about where the truck was hit.If you go further on there was a big rock we used as a natural bunker.Used to go there a lot just to shoot bull.Further down was a bunker where they had 50cal.Our hootches were down at bottom of hill close to 5th recon.Where the tent is on mountain if you walk around to side facing DaNang was where our operations for the radar were located.The ambulance that picked up Ziegler backed in there.If you want more info write me at billy12848@aol.com I live in Charlottesville Va. Semper Fi
If anyone interested you can go to web site Mass-3 Vietnam/327 and you can see some pics of radar at DaNang.The pic of Lt. Matusic at operations bunker ,in the area behind him and up the hill about 50 yds is where the gooks came through the night of Feb 23 and the band members were KIA and also that is the same spot we went back up the hill with the counter attack and got the NVA flag that was in stars and stripes with my gunny holding flag Semper Fi Billy
Forgot to mention that Lt.Matusic and a Sgt were wounded that night beside the radar and were in the bunker with NVA on top fireing ther AKs and setting of explosives trying to get into bunker!Lt.Matusic was medivaced to Guam then to Bethesda He retired from USMC in 83 a Major.Still has shrapnel in his neckfrom that night but is doing well Semper Fi
The tent covered the "Azz-Rat" radar.
Thazz right!Would like to know how many rice propelled Zipper heads we sent to happy hunting grounds!!!!!!!
To anonymous:
The count I heard was 150 zappers (NVA) killed. We ran patrols all week and found a few more bodies. One I remember in front of our bunker was big, like Chinese.
Hi
My name is Jeff Mead.
I believe that pic is looking from 327 to hill 200; MASS-3 Det Alpha's home.
I was in the MASS-3 position adjacent to the band held one with the tower. My own description of that night (Tet '69) is on the the MASS-3 blog.
The tent (I helped put it up in Sept of '68) keeps the TPQ-10 antenna out of the weather. The gooners blew the heck out of it that night.
I am sorry for your outfit's loses.
Thanks for keeping up the site.
SF
i remember hill327 well, i spent many a night up there, i was in 1st div hq co from july 68 to aug 69, i spent many hours on lp out in front of those bunkers, just up the road from the area covered by the 1st div band. i still have the pic from stars and stripes of the flag recovered at the light tower on the night the 3 band members were killed. i remember the big rock where 3 nva were blasted with a grenade brings back many memories, david miller, cpl, usmc
I have been trying to get the facts about MASS 3,Da Nang ASRT Alpha corrected.The number of the his is 220.Hill 327 is where LAAMBS Battalion was located. Hill 220 is correct....I was there for most of my Viet Nam experience.220 was over run in Feb of 1969.I left the hill on 12-18-68.
Respectfully Submitted,
Paul Montalbano
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