Name:Melvin Fenn Hometown: Alvarado , Texas Date: July 28, 2010 - 11:58 AM (pacific)
Great site. I can smell burning bamboo and taste the unique taste of the water there. My achilles still hurt so I have that effect going. Very proud I served; collectively we halted the cancer of communisim in that region of the world. We had a window of opportunity, for the blink of time we were just the right age...we took it and served. --Shot in right calf, medic Pate fixed it, did not infect...no lost time since we did not move much just then. A rare time of carrying a rolled up poncho at all, shot through it into the butt...Pate and Lt Eklund pulled it out...don't think any of us enjoyed it. Laughing. Grenade to right side during an assualt; no idea where we were when that thing flipped me, but instantly back to the feet as if carrying a fountain drink and not wanting to spill a bit...another piece of those frags just may be making it to the surface at this very time, and it is minorly exciting after so many decades. Bad deal on a parachute jump (no idea of who to thank for getting me out of that little deployment), and a comma for a few days, then right back to work. No purple hearts, as they were refused, same as I saw other guys do for insignificant wounds. I remember a cigarette lighter we were given just prior to leaving, one of my daughters holds it now, it reads on the face: "America's Finest at Freedoms Frontier". Wow, did I wear out several pairs of boots for that honor. We were tired, right! ---I've had a great life as I hope others have as well...lustfull times, confused times, fortunate and earned...most things once wronged were gotten 'better'. I Cannot complain.
Los Banos was located on Highway One just North of the Hai Van Pass and the Lang Co Bridge. Old concrete bunkers occupied this hill once used by the French during the 50's.
