Mike Company
Third Battalion, Fifth Marines
RVN, 1966 -1971
|
Mike Company Third Battalion, Fifth Marines RVN, 1966 -1971
|
|
|
August-October
October 31, 1999 Welcome to Bob Spano of Mike Company in 1969. Bob was a machine gun squad leader then weapons section leader in late 1969. On the Mike Company roster. A biography is included on the same page. Our book project (see the book section) is proceeding well. We thank all contributors. Also, we have established a cutoff date of January 31, 2000 for all submissions so if you have something in the way of stories, pictures or poems that you wish to contribute we urge you to do so. Thank you. October 27, 1999 Added more roster info for Denny Dinota. On the roster page. Added another outstanding narrative from Mike McFerrin, entitled Overrun!. Highly recommended. October 25, 1999 Added a 1974 picture of Dave Waggoner and his wife, Debbie, to the H&S picture pages. (Editor note in a continuation from yesterday's comment: From Rick Montgomery) Just had to let you guys at MIKE3/5 know... Yesterday was the first time I had come across the PAGE....It really blew me away!! BUT, what topped it off was finding 3 long lost brothers after 30 years of fruitless searching...including old High school pal Richard Dudly!!! You made my day! SEMPER FI! October 24, 1999 Welcome Richard Montgomery to the Mike Company roster. He was in 60mm mortars from late 1967 to early 1969. (Editor note: I've emailed Richard to ask him if he is Rick Montgomery who's in one of J.C. Bowers pictures). October 22, 1999 Welcome to David Waggoner, who was with H&S 3/5 from 67 to 68 and medevaced out with Mike Wilson. Biography and roster information are on the H&S roster page. Added four names to Our Wall. With thanks to J.C. Bowers and Elliot Rubenfeld, who remembered them. On September 4, 1967 (Swift), LCpls Steven Cornell and Andrew Giordano, and PFC Gene Mortensen. On November 9, 1967 (Essex), Cpl Peter Schrader. October 20, 1999 Welcome to Elliot Rubenfeld, with 2nd Platoon in '67, on Essex and Swift, among other ops. On the roster. Added two more names to Our Wall. KIA on Swift 9/12/67 was PFC Carnell, who died in Elliot's arms (see above). KIA on Essex, 11/8/67, was Cpl Kretsinger. Thanks to J.C. Bowers for the information. October 19, 1999 Posted a story on India's site by Joe Holt, called Sorry! Do you remember how hard it was to keep your socks dry? October 17, 1999 I received the following letter from Tim Hanley, India 3/5, '66-67:
A review of the book is available by clicking on the following link: Capodanno Review. Also, there is a movement afoot, in the Catholic
Church, to have Father Capondanno cannonized. The Father was with Mike 3/5 when
killed on Operation Swift. His Medal of Honor citation is our
own citation section. The book can be ordered through T.J. at SemperI35@aol.com October 14, 1999 Another success story for you all. Thanks to the site, Robert Rollins and John Templeton discovered that they had worked together in nam when they were engineers. Warning: I may have to move this site at a moment's notice because the ISP I use at work to make the site(s) available on the internet will be going out of business shortly. If I don't find a suitable place in time to have a pointer available for visitors, you can always get to the new location by going to http://3rdbn5thmarines.net a pointer site to all 3/5 companies. Save it for future reference. Thanks.
October 13, 1999 Added a memorial page for Tim Fitzmaurice, KIA May 9, 1968. A friend of Jerry Lomax, we have his high school yearbook picture and a remembrance of Tim by a school friend, Len Swiatly. October 12, 1999 Added more biography info for Robert Rollins....recommended reading, folks. On the H&S roster page at the bottom. Robert says his main claim to fame is the commo tower on the Rockpile. I think he's being modest. Also, I (Ed McCurry), had a mini reunion at my house yesterday with two India company vets, Curtis Eidson and Dennis Tenety. Though we're from different years, the common bonds are strong, folks. I'll be posting some pictures from that and also some of Curtis' recently scanned pics from Nam (Essex, AnHoa, Chieu Hois etc...) in the next few days on India's site.
October 8, 1999 Welcome to Robert Rollins, a combat engineer with Bravo, 1st Engineers, but attached to 3/5 for over a year from Feb '66 to March '67. On the H&S Roster. Robert's looking for anyone he served with or during the same time period. October 6, 1999 Listen up, Marines! We've got two new recruits for the Mike Company roster, with bios. 1) Corporal Jim Johnson, '66-67, who was on Hastings and on the USS Repose and the Princeton among other places. Jim's looking for his buddies LCpl Hockrack and Cpl Mulcreavy. And 2) Jerry Trent, '67-68, nickname "Gunslinger", WIA 2/1/68. He served on Swift and Essex and Union II, among others. Welcome aboard! October 4, 1999 Added four excellent poems from Paul O'Connell. They were all written in 1991. Powerful. October 2, 1999 Added three more names to Our Wall. PFC Titsworth in Feb. '67 and PFCs Tony Gabaldon and William Miller on Operation Swift, 4 Sept and 7 Sept '67 respectively. With thanks to Dennis Tylinski for the information. (Also, Dennis' wife went to school with Daniel Bruce, H&S MOH winner and on the H&S Wall). September 29, 1999 Added Sarge Lintecum's poem, The Few, The Proud, dedicated to 3/5, to the poem section. Most excellent poem....Sarge is a 101st Airborne vet. September 27, 1999 Added Frank Ambrose's boot camp picture. Added two more pictures from Mark DeSciscio. One recent one from Canada and one from his last night in Vietnam. On the H&S picture pages. September 24, 1999 Added Frank Ambrose to the Mike Company roster. Welcome, Frank!. He was a machine gunner with Mike in '67-68, eight months before being wounded and medevaced out. Also added a bio. If you haven't seen it yet, please read Spit, dipsh*t!, a story of ITR by Joe Holt, on India's site. September 19, 1999 Added Cpl Roger Gaughan to Our Wall. Roger was killed off the coast in a helicopter crash on May 1, 1967. With thanks to Dennis Tylinski for the information, Roger was his team leader. Welcome to Lt. Col. Gene Bowers (Ret.) to the H&S roster. Then Captain Bowers was the S-3, (Operations Officer) from November 1967 to mid-July 1968, serving under Col. Rockey. Please see the roster page for his bio. September 18, 1999 Added two more names to Our Wall. With thanks to Chuck Greene. Both were killed on July 22, 1966 on a small op in Quang Tri Province. PFC Russell Eugene Pesewonit, born 3/28/47, a native American, from 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon was shot in the stomach. PFC Juan Diego Sanchez, born 5/1/48, was shot in the head on an ambush by the NVA, who were subsequently killed themselves. John, as he was called, was with 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon. Sleep Well Marines. Interest has been expressed in clothing with a 3/5 emblem. We can have them made inexpensively but first we'd like to know how much interest there is and what you would like if it were available. We're thinking T-shirts and/or sweatshirts and/or gold or polo shirts....in either white or forest green. If you want one please let me knowat hebmc@aol.com what you would like and your color preference. They'll probably be available early next year. September 14, 1999 Added John Templeton's bio, to the H&S roster page. September 13, 1999 Welcome to John Templeton, who was attached, as a combat engineer, to H&S 3/5 from April to August of 1966 and was on Operation Hastings. He's looking for any of the folks he served with. On the H&S roster. September 12, 1999 Welcome to Sgt. Bob Burroughs, who was attached to 3/5 during Pipestone Canyon in 1969. Bob was an MP with the POW compound (VCs, not us, he hastened to add). Please see the H&S roster for his bio. Also added bio information for Pete Morales, please see the H&S roster for his. He's the guy who kept the company roster, wherever he went, the only way to keep track of us, scattered everywhere. Also posted a picture of Pete on the H&S picture page, escorting prisoners to a POW camp in Da Nang in late '67. This is a continuing call for stories and other material you might have for a book on the battalion that we're starting to write. We are currently working on all years 1966 through 1971. Please see our book request page for examples of material that we're soliciting. This is your chance to have your memories preserved for posterity, forever! September 10, 1999 Welcome to Cpl. Pete Morales, who was with H&S in 1967, S-1 shop. Served on Hills 69, 63, 29 and at Tam Ky...also on Security for the air strip in Da Nang. On the H&S Roster. September 8, 1999 Added four pictures, one each from Summers, Goodrich, Clabaugh and McCurry. Subject matters are, in order, Tent City at An Hoa, Charlie Ridge, Hill 37 and FSB Ross. September 6, 1999 I've just transcribed the 3/5 After Action Report for Operation Swift, early September 1967. The entire battalion participated. If you wish a copy please email me at hebmc@aol.com. I also have 1/5's AARs for Swift, Union and Union II. If you want a copy of those let me know. The guestbook has not been working....a problem with guestworld. You can still get to it by clicking the Guestworld icon and typing in Mike35 in the submit box. I'm hoping they'll get their act together soon. September 1, 1999 Added a picture of Joseph Siciliano, PFC, H&S Company who was killed in May of 1967. In the H&S picture section. The picture was provided by his cousin, Rick Mozzillo, who found us through Debbe's efforts with the virtual Wall. August 30, 1999 We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Chuck Greene and Steve Haygood, both recovering from recent surgeries. Get well, Marines! Reorganized the Mike Company picture page. Each person who contributed more than one picture has their own page. The picture page itself is a short index of the contents. Did the same for the H&S picture page. August 26, 1999 Please welcome Norm Bailey from H&S company, 12/66 - 7/67. Norm was a radio operator and was present when Capt Ayers was killed. We found him when he posted a memory of the Captain on his Wall page. Added 5 names to the Mike Company Wall, all KIA May 1, 1967, and one name to the H&S Wall, LCpl "Rocky" Siciliano, 81s, May 26, 1967, also the first day of Union II. With thanks to Norm Bailey for Rocky's name. The five Marines from Mike belonged to Sgt Bailey's squad, already on the Wall, and were killed when the medevac chopper they were riding on crashed at sea. Denny Dinota helped load them on that chopper. This is a continuing call for stories and other material you might have for a book on the battalion that we're starting to write. We are currently working on the years 1966 and 1967. Please see our book request page for examples of material that we're soliciting. This is your chance to have your memories preserved for posterity, forever! August 24, 1999 Added four names to our Wall. All killed on May 26, 1967, the first day of Operation Union II. Three were Mike Company, Cpls Charles Crump, John Rogers, Roger Inscore; and the battalion Communications Officer, H&S, Capt. James Ayers. With thanks to Denny Dinota for the information. Added the cover page from the Sea Tiger issue of November 10, 1967. An article from that issue is also included, the title: Grunt, A National Asset. With thanks to Frank Clark for the submission. August 21, 1999 Added PFC Murray Dean Vidler's name to our Wall, KIA 12/19/67. Added his picture to our picture page. Rest in Peace, Marine. August 18, 1999 Added a story from Joe Holt, The Becky, on the India Company site, stories section. Highly recommended. William Al Turner (Sergeant T from Mike 3/7) is looking for Bob Schoff, a '69 alumnus from Mike 3/5. So if any of you guys know him or something about him, please let us know. Added an early group picture of some Lima guys, taken prior to the Deckhouse I and Nathan Hale operations, below the memorial invitation for those Ops....because one of the Marines memorialized, Cabrera, is pictured there. August 16, 1999 Added five pictures from Clyde Sullivan. On the picture page. Richard Dudley, an engineer from 1st Maw, knew Rick Montgomery in high school and Vietnam and recognized him on one of J.C. Bowers' pictures on the picture page. If you know were Rick is, or have any info, please email him (address is under the picture). We're writing a book about 3/5, folks, and we need your contributions in order to make it the best possible tribute to the Marines of the battalion that we can. Please see the request page for the kind of material we're asking for. August 15, 1999 Added the Bronze Star citation for Master Sergeant Clyde Sullivan (Ret), earned 4 September 1967 on Operation Swift. On the Bits and Pieces page I've added a couple of messages I copied off the Compuserve Military Forum that dealt with enemy perceptions of Marines. One from a North Vietnamese and one from a Japanese.
August 12, 1999 Please welcome Dick Sneltzer to the H&S company roster. Dick was a combat engineer with 3/5 'til after Tet when 3/5 went up north. He says that most of the time he was with 3/5 there were only 3 or 4 engineers to supply the battalion, so that if anyone called "engineer up" it could have been him. He was known as Cpl. Rick back then. He also knew Roger Kromko, an engineer already on our roster. August 11, 1999 Added a link to Medal of Honor citations. All 240 official Vietnam MOH citations on Neil Mishalov's fine web page. We gave him Lawrence Peters and Richard Pittman's picture/graphics that Vic made to post on his site...he's got a lot of pictures and remembrances there. August 9, 1999 Added more information on the Mike Company roster. Added one of Tony Goodrich's pictures, another fireball from a strike. On the Mike Company picture page. Added two of my pictures, one of a army duster and the other of my radio gear. On the H&S picture page. August 8, 1999 Added more roster information to the H&S and Mike Company rosters. Added an editorial note to William Trent's Navy Cross citation (date of death and province are incorrect on the citiation). Added a remembrance from a friend of Terry Householter, on his memorial page, after Grady's memory of Terry. Corrected the link to thewall-usa.com, where Debbe has posted the Mike and H&S emblems. It should be http://thewall-usa.com/index.html August 3, 1999 Added more roster information to the H&S roster.
August 2, 1999 Added a Wall for members of H&S Company who died in Vietnam. After the Mike Co. Wall, same page. Three names were added: Cpl Paul Bonetti, GySgt Sproul of 106s (with thanks to George Blankeship for letting us know) and Medal of Honor winner Daniel Bruce. Added more information to the company rosters: Squad, Platoon, MOS and other info. On the Mike Company and H&S Company rosters. Added a missing sentence to the PUC put up yesterday. The 3rd NVA Regiment also got their ass kicked. August 1, 1999 Reproduced a quote from General Ulysses S. Grant from his memoirs, as true today as it was then, and one reason for the existence of this website, and many others like it. In the bits and pieces section. Added Denny Dinota's Silver Star and Bronze Star citations, awarded for actions in Operations Desoto and Union, respectively. Added the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the 5th Marines for Operations Union and Union II. It is our belief that its the only PUC awarded to one unit for one operation (Union and Union II combined) during the entire Vietnam War. Added a newspaper article on the 5th Marines during Operation Union and Beaver Cage. In the bits and pieces section. Probably from the Stars and Stripes, with thanks to Denny Dinota for providing it. |