I think I may have flown in & out of there. Was there a big helicopter base there?
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Log Cabin in the wilderness
- Thread starter doublejj
- Start date
I think I may have flown in & out of there. Was there a big helicopter base there?
I just watched that youtube video. That dumb SOB sounds like me. I made the same mistake as he did. Dropped out of college to work to raise a little money to go to college. Then my Dad told me that the GI bill would pay my way to college. Wrong! They just gave you some money to go to school not pay your tuition. Can't believe that my old man told me that in 1969. Well he got me out of the house anyway. The dumbass. I volunteered for the draft. What was I thinking?
Glad you're back and still growin JJ!
Holy shit, I just burned through this whole thread in one sitting. Absolutely unreal stories and pictures. Whenever you have time please update and add some more stuff! Great read and thanks for taking the time! 
.45 in Vietnam
.45 in Vietnam
John E. Holbrook
In early July 1967 I was sent to South Vietnam to try to determine why many of the 500 lb. bombs being delivered by naval aircraft were not detonating. I had extensive experience with both conventional and nuclear weapons. The VC would dig up these duds, melt out the Amatol and use the explosive to manufacture crude but very effective anti-personnel booby traps. I was assigned an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team and we would be escorted by whatever Army or Marine units were available for protection. We would remove the fuses and detonate the bombs.
On July 13, 1967, while on one of these missions, we were attacked by a force of approximately 50 Viet Cong. As the attack developed my M16A1 jammed, which left me unarmed. I came across a wounded Marine officer, Captain Eldon M. Martin lying in a rice paddy. Captain Martin, although severely wounded was alert and indicated that he was lying on an M14, which was under water and that he had a fully loaded .45 pistol in his holster.
As I removed the Colt M1911A1 .45 automatic (serial # 23002XX) from the Captain, I observed three VC armed with AK-47s moving toward me in a crouched position through the thick grass which was about 2 meters high. I waited until they were within about 4 meters from me. I rose to a kneeling position using the grass as a shield. I put the front sight of the Colt on the man on the left and pulled the trigger. The man in the middle went down! I had jerked the trigger and was very lucky to have gotten a hit. I then moved back to the man on the left, held my breath and fired again. This round hit the man on the left in the chest and he went down. The last man realized what was happening and began firing his AK in my direction. I could see the bullets hitting the water in front of me as he brought the AK up. I fired my third round which hit the magazine of the AK, then glanced down striking him in the right leg. As he spun around from the impact of the 230 grain bullet, I fired two more rounds one of which hit him in the temple just above the left eye. The gunfight was over!
This action lasted not more that 4 seconds and I got four hits with five rounds of GI 230 grain hardball from a pistol that had mud and water in it. All of these hits were one shot stops against three men armed with automatic weapons. God bless the .45 ACP.
I must thank my father, who was the Sheriff of San Patricio County, Texas during World War II. He carried a Colt Government Model and I was shooting the big Colt when I was 10. I was a very good shot with both pistol and rifle very early in life and took my first deer when I was 11. I must also thank John Browning and Colt for inventing and producing the finest combat pistol ever made, bar none. I believe that if I had been armed with a 9MM, both our names would be on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
Captain Martin, although badly wounded, survived the action. He insisted that I keep the Colt and I still have it. The greatest honor was when he named his first son after me in 1971. Unfortunately, Captain Martin died in 1991 of MLS. He was a good man, I miss him as I do all the fine young Americans who died in Vietnam.
After that action, I “lost” the M16 and acquired an M14, and I was in love.
John E. Holbrook
Chief Aviation Machinist Mate
U.S. Navy (Retired)
SN 361-43-78
.45 in Vietnam
John E. Holbrook
In early July 1967 I was sent to South Vietnam to try to determine why many of the 500 lb. bombs being delivered by naval aircraft were not detonating. I had extensive experience with both conventional and nuclear weapons. The VC would dig up these duds, melt out the Amatol and use the explosive to manufacture crude but very effective anti-personnel booby traps. I was assigned an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team and we would be escorted by whatever Army or Marine units were available for protection. We would remove the fuses and detonate the bombs.
On July 13, 1967, while on one of these missions, we were attacked by a force of approximately 50 Viet Cong. As the attack developed my M16A1 jammed, which left me unarmed. I came across a wounded Marine officer, Captain Eldon M. Martin lying in a rice paddy. Captain Martin, although severely wounded was alert and indicated that he was lying on an M14, which was under water and that he had a fully loaded .45 pistol in his holster.
As I removed the Colt M1911A1 .45 automatic (serial # 23002XX) from the Captain, I observed three VC armed with AK-47s moving toward me in a crouched position through the thick grass which was about 2 meters high. I waited until they were within about 4 meters from me. I rose to a kneeling position using the grass as a shield. I put the front sight of the Colt on the man on the left and pulled the trigger. The man in the middle went down! I had jerked the trigger and was very lucky to have gotten a hit. I then moved back to the man on the left, held my breath and fired again. This round hit the man on the left in the chest and he went down. The last man realized what was happening and began firing his AK in my direction. I could see the bullets hitting the water in front of me as he brought the AK up. I fired my third round which hit the magazine of the AK, then glanced down striking him in the right leg. As he spun around from the impact of the 230 grain bullet, I fired two more rounds one of which hit him in the temple just above the left eye. The gunfight was over!
This action lasted not more that 4 seconds and I got four hits with five rounds of GI 230 grain hardball from a pistol that had mud and water in it. All of these hits were one shot stops against three men armed with automatic weapons. God bless the .45 ACP.
I must thank my father, who was the Sheriff of San Patricio County, Texas during World War II. He carried a Colt Government Model and I was shooting the big Colt when I was 10. I was a very good shot with both pistol and rifle very early in life and took my first deer when I was 11. I must also thank John Browning and Colt for inventing and producing the finest combat pistol ever made, bar none. I believe that if I had been armed with a 9MM, both our names would be on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
Captain Martin, although badly wounded, survived the action. He insisted that I keep the Colt and I still have it. The greatest honor was when he named his first son after me in 1971. Unfortunately, Captain Martin died in 1991 of MLS. He was a good man, I miss him as I do all the fine young Americans who died in Vietnam.
After that action, I “lost” the M16 and acquired an M14, and I was in love.
John E. Holbrook
Chief Aviation Machinist Mate
U.S. Navy (Retired)
SN 361-43-78
thanks for your service to our country doublejj,
a thanks to you and all service personnel.......
Apache Kush
Member
Wow that's stopping power in action right there.
Cool that the marine named his kid after you.
I must admit I'd rather have the pistol though hehe
That was badass war story. If this thread has more I'll be backreading this later. Just went to last page
Cool that the marine named his kid after you.
I must admit I'd rather have the pistol though hehe
That was badass war story. If this thread has more I'll be backreading this later. Just went to last page
Apache Kush
Member
I watched all the Nam' movies this last holiday weekend that were playing on TV
and couldn't help but notice your guys conversation above
Is that saying, ''Don't mean nothing, not a thing''
Does that come from reality or was that a common saying I guess Im asking??
Because, that scene in the movie Hamburger Hill with those exact words.
I was born in 1985 so I have no idea if that was in the nomenclature
and couldn't help but notice your guys conversation above
Is that saying, ''Don't mean nothing, not a thing''
Does that come from reality or was that a common saying I guess Im asking??
Because, that scene in the movie Hamburger Hill with those exact words.
I was born in 1985 so I have no idea if that was in the nomenclature
"Don't mean nothing".....was a way of processing the loss of a comrade on the battlefield. You couldn't dwell on things, you needed all your whit's about you. You still had to function, or you would be the next.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=C5TBPYPLoWQ
Apache Kush
Member
Ok so was ''Don't mean nothing'' written by writers in Hollywood for the movie
or the other way around
(a real saying troopers used and became famous so they put it in the script for Veterans)
or the other way around
(a real saying troopers used and became famous so they put it in the script for Veterans)
FNG'S & Old Guy's.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=u8kkFF62ko4
Apache Kush
Member
Ok thanks thats what I thought but wanted to ask a Vet
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Apocalypse Now was roughly based on true events...Col Robert Rheault Green Beret'...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Rheault
Look up 'Project GAMMA'........"terminate with extreme prejudice".....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Beret_Affair#Green_Beret_Afffair
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