Mike Company               

Third Battalion, Fifth Marines

RVN, 1966 -1971

May, 1999

May 28, 1999

Yesterday, thirty years ago, a good friend of Paul's  died on Go Noi Island when he tripped a 155mm booby trap. His name was John Kirchner.    The price we paid should always be remembered and never more so than on this coming Monday, Memorial Day.  Paul said it best, speaking of John "May his soul rest in peace with the others of Mike Company 3/5 who gave their life in Vietnam."  

I wish you all a reflective and calm Memorial Day.

Thirty-one years ago today, May 28, 1968, Brad Reynolds received 2 purple hearts. One in the morning when he got hit in the face, and one in the afternoon, got hit in the hand, during Operation Allenbrook.

I would like to honor all of you who were wounded in Vietnam on the anniversary of that day, if you so desire.  You may just let me know.   You deserve the recognition.  Semper Fidelis.

There are no additions to the page today, other than the flags you see waving in the banner in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day Holiday.   I did add material yesterday but neglected to change the "what's new" date on the front page.  See below.

May 27, 1999

1. Added 2 pictures from Frank Clark, on the picture page. (Warning, one is graphic and should not be viewed by folks who are queasy).

2.  Added two stories from Brad Reynolds,  Booby Traps and Monsoon. They're in the Remembrance section but you can click on the underlined links here.

3.  Added a link to Frank Clark's Web Page. On the favorites page.

May 26, 1999

1. For Mike McFerrin's story, Coming Home - The First Year please click here. Got me to thinking back to my readjustment period to civilian life.

2. For Brad Reynold's story Beauty and the Beach, please click here.  A beautifully written account of the setup of an ambush site by the South China Sea. More stories to come.

3. If you want a free, nifty, screen saver that has the 3/5 emblem you see on these pages, with the 3/5 emblem on Lima's site, and a 5th Marines patch, click here, to go to thewall-usa.com/badges/index.html.  One was created just for us, with thanks to Debbe Reynolds for asking Alan to do it.  I've got it on my machine.  Recommended.

May 24, 1999

1. Added Mike McFerrin's second story which I've called Life in the Bush. Most excellent, I've read it twice and it can stand rereading.

2. Added 12 pictures from Chris Belmont, Mike Co. '69.  You vets from that era are going to recognize a lot of the surroundings.  Excellent pictures. On the Mike Company picture page.

3.  Added Roger Kromko to our H&S roster.  He was a combat engineer who pulled a lot of ops with all the 3/5 line companies, see his roster entry.  Welcome Roger!

4.  Added a link to Free Marine Corps Links on our favorites page.  John Tyler was kind enough to include us on his page. He's got a lot of nice links there, I've checked a few out.

May 21, 1999

1.  Mike McFerrin wrote some excellent stories of his experience in the period just before coming to Vietnam, joining his unit, and leaving for the World.   The first of these, Going to Vietnam, can be found in the History section under Mike McFerrin. The next two will be posted next week.

2. Added a link to A Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall.  The webmaster has posted a database searchable form to all the names on the Wall, with details on every name. Friends and family of those killed can place tributes and pictures there, for all to see. You can check out Billy Bolton, whose picture is on India's page, and the tributes from Curtis, Slick Mowery and Debbe Reynolds.

May 20, 1999

Fixed Curtis' picture on the India page.  There are tributes to Cpl. Bolton at the virtual wall, see the picture for the link.

I have a lot of material to add in the next few days, pictures from Curtis and some very impressive writing from Mike McFerrin.  Be sure to check back.

May 19, 1999

1. Experimenting with adding a message board.  It's located below the guestbook page.  It's a threaded discussion forum and the rules are posted there. If you want to exchange ideas and news on an ongoing basis with everyone here, that's the place to do it.  Click here to get there.

3. Per request, added a picture from J.D. Steward from Lima Company to the picture page. It was taken at BAS in An Hoa.

4. Added PFC Ray Ramsey, KIA 2/25/69, to Our Wall. Rest in Peace, Ray.

5. Changed the background and added a couple more pictures to Captain Burn's Memorial Page.

May 13, 1999

Welcome to Chris Belmont!  Chris was with Mike Co, 2nd platoon, 68-69.  He was the platoon sergeant when he rotated.  On the Mike Co. roster.

May 10, 1999

1. Welcome to MSgt T.J. Patton (Ret) to the H&S Company roster! MSgt Patton was with H&S during his first tour in 1966 and 1967.

2. See the captured picture from MSgt Patton on the H&S picture page (want to see what Uncle Ho looked like as a young man, and the fast company he was with?)

3. See the pictures on Mike Company's picture page from Frank Clark, Jerry Lomax and the archives of Capt. Pat Burns (see below).

5. Added the Medal of Honor citations for Daniel Bruce, H&S Company, and Richard Pittman, India Company, to our Medal of Honor page. Thanks to Bob Carr for letting me copy his citations.

6. Captain Terry Patrick (Pat) Burns was the Mike Company CO from late 1968 to July of 1969.  The Captain died on January 30th this year.  We invite you to visit the memorial site we have set up for him. You may reach it by clicking here. His family, including his children, his mother, siblings, nieces and nephews are having a reunion later this week and the Site will be presented to them in memory of Pat. On the Site you will find moving tributes from some of the people he served with, including many on the roster here;   an extensive chronology of events occuring during his second tour; and a few pictures from his album. You are encouraged to leave messages for his family on the guestbook there.  Eventually much of the material there will be included here, where Captain Burns belongs, with his men. Rest in Peace, Captain.  Semper Fidelis.

May 6, 1999

Added a picture of Gary Bolen of Mike Company and Joe Holt of India, taken yesterday.  'Twas an impromptu reunion and it turns out the guys went to gun school together.  On the picture page.

May 5, 1999

I've copied Wayne Motts' entry from the guestbook.  It's self-explanatory. If anyone knew Frankie please let him know as soon as possible. I have added him to Our Wall.

"Dear Marines of Mike Company 3/5, I am a historian from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and have undertaken, on a volunteer basis, researching each man from this county who died in the Vietnam War. One of the 18 men on my list is Marine John Franklin Riegel who went by "Frankie," a member of your company. He was KIA on 12-19-67. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that knew and served with this Marine. I am writing small biographical sketches on each man to be published in conjunction with the Traveling Vietnam Memorial and its visit to our city. Thanks, Wayne E. Motts Gettysburg, PA"

May 3, 1999

1.  Welcome! to Bob Farmer, 69-71, to the H&S roster.

2.  Added a picture of Division Hill from Grady Rainbow to the picture page.