June 1
Went on mine sweep. Pulled security where they were dumping dirt to build
up road. Spec 5 West got bit in the arm by
something while on guard in 2nd platoon area.
June 2
Went on mine sweep. Started working on the beach road timber trestle
bridge but was put on day guard so West could go
supervise at the bridge while Sgt Dedmond,
Hall, Lanham went to
burrow pit.
June 3
Went on mine sweep. Went to work on the radio with
Sgt Dedmond and Hall. Was called off
the site at 1:00pm to prepare for night road security. Was with same group
as on May 29 but with a dog.
June 4, Sunday
Had half day off too sleep. I wrote a letter. At 1:00pm went to work
on beach road bridge. I helped fill sandbags with sand and cement to put
around the center pier in the water. Went to church at 5:00pm. Was
told tonight that we would be moving to the airfield (LZ Bronco) pretty soon.
Also, from all captured documents and papers from the enemy, it appears my
company will be hit in the next five days. Gurrera
moved out and Rushton moved in.
June 5
Stayed back form mine sweep. Helped fill sandbags with sand and cement to
place under bridge pier. Buried rocks to put on top of sandbag footings.
June 6
Helped in building of bridge pier. Went on mine sweep also. Got bad
creosol burn from unloading decking and working in the water with the creosol
timbers. Got my finger pinched connecting chain to stringers for lifting
by crane
June 7
Went on mine sweep. Helped Rushton place the
support cables for the abutment and wing walls. Carried decking.
June 8
Went on mine sweep. Helped in tightening up cables on wing walls and
abutment. Mixed a few sand-cement sandbags. At end of day we had too
much cement left over so rather then fill sandbags with it we pushed it into the
path of the dozer covering it with dirt. Sgt Dedmond
let us know that he didn't think this was a good idea.
June 9
Charlie put sandbags and pickets on road near bridge site. Threw rocks
around and cut compressor hose line along road. I found the first mine and
probed the fourth one. We finished about 11:00am. Tamped dirt on
bridge deck with tamper. I pulled the compressor hose lose once and then
the cylinder rod broke. Then helped fill sand-cement sandbags to hold in
the dirt. Played pitch and catch and was on guard at OP t his night.
June 10
Went on mine sweep. Came back to camp and started filling sandbags with dirt at
bridge site and then came up to area to write a letter till lunch. When
finished I was supposed to go relieve someone else but the squad was moved to
ditching culverts so I stayed back the rest of the day.
June 11 (Sunday)
Stayed back from mine sweep and it rained. Went down to bridge to work
with grader but was called back to prepare to move to airfield (LZ Bronco).
Got there about 4:00pm and began to build hooch. Fooled around with
different design ideas and finally by 9:30pm, in the rain, soaked, we got
something built.
June 12
Mine swept QL1 from Duc Pho village north. About 5 miles. Got back
around 11:00. Policed the platoon area and worked on hooch. Took a
shower at water-point. Picked up sandbags at old area and helped load
ammo.
June 13
Went on mine sweep along QL1 north. Got back at 10:00am. Worked on picnic
tables for mess hall.
June 14
Went on mine sweep. Came back and rested. Put sandbags on
Sgt Dedmond's hooch and then slept till lunch.
Started a letter after lunch but was interrupted by Sgt
Dedmond when George Brennen and I had to go
fix the picnic tables in the mess hall so they wouldn't turn over when someone
sat on one side. Came back about 4:00pm and started back in on
that
letter. We were told to get ready to go out at 7:00pm and help the
infantry secure QL1. Our platoon spent the night with the 25th infantry at
the church. CP alpha.
June 15
Swept road from church to floating bridge. Came back to church and slept
till we moved back to the company area. Wrote one letter and just laid
around. One letter was to the Adamson's.
June 16
Went on mine sweep. Put culverts together all day.
June 17
Didn't go on mine sweep. Had KP and got sick from eating so much
June 18 (Sunday)
Went on mine sweep. Missed church because we didn't know where they held
it at the airfield (LZ Bronco). Put culverts together all day. Had
guard this night.
June 19
Missed mine sweep this morning because I was on guard last night. Was
supposed to have morning off but just as I got a letter started
Powell came in the hooch and said we have to go out
to the AIK site (Vietnamese work site). It was a mad house.
June 20
Went on mine sweep. Went to pull security where they were putting in a
culvert. This is where we pulled the old bridge out on QL1 [South side of
Duc Pho]. Had to leave there about 1:00pm to come in and put culverts
together. About 3:00pm the ammo dump at the beach exploded. It
smoked, burned, and exploded the rest of the day. At about 8:00pm some
175mm-artillery rounds went off causing a fiery mushroom cloud and a concussion
that reached us at the airfield. It blew 2nd platoon's CP down.
June 21
Went on mine sweep. We thought we were through and on our way back we had to go
sweep part of the road south [of Duc Pho]. Pulled
security where they were putting in culverts. This is where the old bridge
was pulled out [On the south edge of Duc Pho, I think.].
June 22
Went on mine sweep and swept road to culvert site. Pulled security with
Lanham. Sgt Dedmond was with us.
June 23
Went on mine sweep and swept road to culvert site. Pulled security with
Sgt Dedmond. About 1:00pm the squad was put
to setting in the culverts on the Northern side. Came in early to go on
guard. Got back to camp at 6:05 and I had to be on guard at 6:30pm. Buku
time, huh? Montezuma [Duc Pho Hill] was mortared around 12:00am.
They hit the airfield and ammo dump.
June 24 (250 days to go)
Stayed back from mine sweep this morning and wrote a letter. Went to
culvert sight and filled sandbags till about 11:00am and then went back into the
shade on security with Lanham. Had an alert
about 9:00pm till 9:30pm because of one mortar round.
June 25, Sunday
Went on mine sweep. Moved to next bridge which Charlie had blown and
knocked lop-sided. We finished blowing the bridge and pulled it off to the
side. I was in the shade on security with the radio. Came in about
4:00pm and got harassed.
June 26
Went on mine sweep. Worked on culverts all day. Rest of the squad
worked on the area. Went to the movie.
June 27
Went on mine sweep. Scout White was fired at
so we had to hold up the sweep while the gun ships came in and later the
artillery started dropping rounds on the area. Some of the artillery
shrapnel was landing close to us but no one was hurt on our side. Pulled
culverts together in morning and in the afternoon I helped move supply.
Went to flick.
June 28
Went on mine sweep. Found a warhead buried in the road and I took the CO
back where I saw an old blacksmith shop [in Duc Pho village] with several of the
same things. Came back and worked on hooch all day with
Brennan and Sgt Dizon.
Had guard this night.
June 29
Stayed back from mine sweep and wrote a letter. Filled sandbags with
Sgt Dizon for Sgt Dedmond's
hooch. Got our lights put in. Raided old abandoned 1st Cav site for
plywood. Got me a cabinet with maps. Sgt
Dedmond returned.
June 30
Went on mine sweep. Went with Sgt Dedmond carrying
radio on grader leveling rock part of our road. We finished about 12:00.
Worked on hooch the rest of the day. Went down to old 1st Cav site and
collected sandbags and U-shaped pickets. It rained about 4:00pm.
Went to flick.