May 1
Stayed back on day guard with Hall.


May 2
Was on radio security with Parker.  We had 4 little Vietnamese girls with us and they practically cleaned us out.


May 3, 2001
Was asked to become assistant driver because Parker was going to transfer out with his bad arm.  Rode shotgun.  Helped fix hoist gear box on dump truck that morning, took a bath, rode shot gun some till 6:00pm.  Took another bath and ate supper.


May 4
Had security at burrow pit.  Buckley and I placed trees for shade.  While he slept I'd guard then I would sleep while he did guard. We read and just took it easy.  3rd squad got hit coming in but no one got hurt but Charlie by an infantry unit that was in the area.
 

May 5
Had to go out on mine sweep this morning because there wasn't any infantry along.  We found nothing.  After mine sweep I stayed back as rear guard with Hall.  Fixed our hooch and cleaned our weapons.  Got some letters written. 
 

May 6
On mine sweep.  After sweep I rode shotgun with Lanham and drove truck for about 90 minutes.  Didn't do too bad except on that one hill coming out of the burrow pit.
 

May 7, Sunday
Had KP and enjoyed every minute of it.  The beer finally came in.


May 8
Went on mine sweep.  After sweep I drove the truck off and on all day with Swander.   Did OK but still need practice. 
 

May 9
Went on mine sweep and found two mines.  Sgt Lamphier dug them out.  We captured one old man walking by with 3 plastic bags just like one that was on one of the mines.  Later a boy reported seeing the VC planting the mines at 6:00am.  Also we scared away VC planting a charge in a culvert.  The caps and wire were found but no VC.  After sweep I stayed back on day guard.  Filled sand bags rest of the day.
 

May 10
Worked at burrow pit pulling security and backing trucks.
 

May 11
Went on mine sweep and lost three men.  First was when one of our 3 point men stepped on a mine.  Neely James Singletary lost both legs and one arm and later died.  Menninhall and Sgt Singleton were OK.  Later, 20 minutes or so, Lieutenant Peter John Carlson and Chris James Oleksa went to leave the explosion and approximately 125m up the road their jeep hit another mine.  Lt. Carlson died and so did Chris.  Chris only had 20 days left in Vietnam.
 

May 12
Went on mine sweep but found nothing.  Had memorial service for those that died yesterday.


May 13
Stayed back from mine sweep for day guard.  During mine sweep Sgt Lamphier found two homemade mines and pulled them.  Began putting up second band of concertina wire around camp perimeter.
 

May 14 - Sunday
Went on mine sweep and found nothing. They're finally beginning to station infantry at nights along the road from beach to airfield at LZ Bronco.  Finished putting up second band of concertina and had the rest of the day off.


May 15
Went on mine sweep. Just as we were preparing to leave from our camp Charlie opened up on the front of our camp.  We struck back and an infantry group, that had come walking along the beach road around 3:00am and was still in the area, struck also.   None of us were hurt but one Vietnamese woman was shot around the legs and one very young girl (around 6 or 8) was killed.


May 16
Went on mine sweep with Sgt Lamphier.   Worked with squad filling pot holes (craters) in the beach road.


May 17
Stayed back on day guard during morning mine sweep.  Was supposed to stay back all day but was pulled out to help platoon work on bridge at Duc Pho.  Sgt Dedmond said I wouldn't get to stay back till next time because today was my day to stay back.


May 18
Went on mine sweep.  Was supposed to go out on bridge site but thanks to Swander I got my day off.  One guy in our squad fell asleep just before the squad was to leave for the bridge.  They left without him and he woke up at 12:30 wanting to know where everybody was.


May 19
Went on mine sweep. Worked on bridge rest of the day.  Finally at 5:45 the tank crane pulled the old panel bridge out of the water. Did guard at outpost at night.
 

May 20
Went on mine sweep.  Disassembled old bridge and carried off pieces to airfield at LZ Bronco.  1st infantry bunker by bridge site came under a 2 hour fire fight with Charlie this night (11:30pm to 2:30am)
 

May 21, Sunday
Went on mine sweep.  Installed an aluminum footbridge and finished about 2:00pm.  Sat around airfield [LZ Bronco] till 3:00 and then began to unload bridge construction pieces from truck.  When we were almost finished the lieutenant told us to hold up.  We might have to load it all back again.  After about 10 minutes he said to finish unloading.  Got back to camp at 3:30pm.  Washed clothes and took a shower.  Missed church.


May 22
Squad's day back and I didn't go on mine sweep.  Was supposed to get to go to the beach for squad R&R but wasn't given the chance.  That afternoon I worked with Sgt Dedmond on oil truck oiling the road.  Got all oily.  101st had practice alert but we ignored it.


May 23
Went on mine sweep.  Started to put culverts together but was taken off to go pull security while dozer cleared out an area where sniper fire came from.  Just sat in the shade most of the day.  Left about 5:00pm because it looked like a bad storm was moving in.


May 24
Went on mine sweep.  I pulled security in same area as yesterday.  Played Rummy that afternoon with Buckley and Sgt Male.  Got second package from home with many canned goods.


May 25
Stayed back on day guard.  Wrote letters, read my Popular Mechanics magazine and listened to the radio.


May 26
Went on mine sweep.  After sweep the whole company had the rest of the day off.  Went up to the beach for a couple of hours this morning and came back for lunch.  Some went back to beach but I stayed back and played 500 Rummy with Hall and Gerrera.  Finally got hooch swept out.


May 27
Went on mine sweep.  Installed culvert by airfield at LZ Bronco.  2nd platoon started pulling night security along road.  I pulled guard at 2nd platoon mortar with Sgt Male, Hall and Burger.

 

May 28, Sunday
Went on mine sweep.  Finished installation of culvert at airfield and started another one.  The C.O. wanted to know why we put it there.  1st platoon had night security.   I pulled guard at 1st platoon bunker at entrance to our compound.


May 29
Went on mine sweep.  Began dumping dirt for grader but was moved up to the beach to build-up the road.  Ate lunch at beach.   Was then relived around 1:30pm by 1st platoon to go get ready for our night security duty .  Cleaned my weapon, took a shower and had orientation.  I was on guard with Sgt Dedmond, Swander, Guerra and Lanham.
 

May 30
Came back in from night guard around 7:00am.  Took a shower after eating.  Got my red pen today, see!  Wrote a letter home and then fell asleep till 12:30pm.  Ate lunch and then came back and read about the Moon.  Cleaned up the area and wrote a letter to Shirley.


May 31
Got paid after breakfast.  Went on mine sweep.  Went with Swander in truck picking up 2nd platoon who were out on road security last night.  Was supposed to stay back with Hall but Shaky got Hall and West to go put culverts together.  That afternoon the whole squad was called in to prepare to go help C Company out of an ambush.  While waiting to be called we put more culvers together.  We weren't called.