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HQ Btry 1/13

By: Doug Lennon

The black market had a lot of the MPC in their hands so it was time to change it. It was in 1969 and we were stationed at a little outpost just outside Danang. We knew a lot of the girls in the surrounding Vills had a lot of MPCs from a little boom booms. So myself and 2 of my buddies decided we would go out to the bills and tell the girls we would take their MPCs and exchange them for 50 percent. Our idea was good but we had to find out a way to get off the base. The Guards wouldn’t let us out the front gate , so we decided to sneak out of the base, but it was surrounded by contstitena wire so we had to find a place where there was no trip flares. We managed to get out OK but I ripped the ass out of my fatigues on the way out. We got to the Ville and told them our plans. One of the Papasans didn’t like it. We told him 1/2 is better than nothing. He finnaly agreed and us three nuts headed back to our base. We couldn’t find the opening where we got out. While doing this a jeer was coming down the road shining the spot light. They seen us and stopped (thank God they didn’t shoot us). They loaded us into the jeep and took us into Danang. There they put each one of us in what looked like dog cages. They called our unit and told them to come and get us. Un be known to us the phone call was answered by a Corporal and he told them he was a Major and he would be right there. After about an hour one of the MPs let us out of our cages and turned us over to the “Major””. When we all seen who it was, our buddie had a cover on with the Major insignia on it, we had all we could do trying to hold our straight faces.We made it back to camp and when the keep came through the gate, the guard stopped us and saluted the Major. We all had a good laugh and we kept the end of our bargain and gave the Villes Papasan his 1/2.

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Comments

2438835 - June 16, 2020

This is nuthin’ but a lotta’ smoke ‘n mirrors!

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

I HAVE HAD BADDER CANCER TWICE MYSELF STILL WAITING FOR IT TO BE PUT ON THE AGENT ORANGE LIST.

Doug Lennon - June 16, 2020

After us Marines left Khe Sanh, we convoyed down to Camp Carrol, which was an Army artillery unit that had 175 howlitzers that supported us with fire power. When our convoy got there they let us take showers and issued us new camouflage “Fatigues”, most of ours were all red clay and dirty. The 26ths Marines next assiignment was to control highway 1 from DMZ to Danang. Around February 1970 the 26th Marines and all support units were given orders to pull out of Nam and head home by boat. So wheather you want to call the clothes what ever, I was proud to serve 3 tours with 1/13. For fighting in Nam for so long L was diagnosed with multiple myeloma which is a form of cancer from agent orange. This was in July 2012, don’t know how long I have left since this is not curable So in ending my brother Marines I still stick by my story, but I guess only the Marines that were with me know it’s all true. Semiper Fi fellow jar heads.

L. Gore - June 16, 2020

The 5th MAR DIV units was the 13th, 26th, 27th and 28th Marines during the Viet Nam. 26th and 27th in country and the 28th based stateside. The 4th MAR DIV units in WWII were 23rd, 24th and 25th. By the time of Viet Nam the 4th MAR DIV was the Marine Corps Reserve. Remember when you got out, if you had not served 6 years of active duty you were assigned to a unit of the 4th MAR DIV unit classified as active or inactive reserve.

Harry - June 16, 2020

Can’t argue the fact about the 13th Marines being in Vietnam but ,your story is still way out there. Always utilities never fatigues.Just like a 6X being called a deuce and half that is army lingo. Harry RVN 4 Apr 68- 22 Apr 69

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT THE 13TH MARINES. THE PART ABOUT THE FATIGUES THREW ME OFF. SORRY TO HAVE DOUBTED YOU. SEMPER FI. I THOUGHT YOU WERE ANOTHER WANT TA BE. I HAVE RUN INTO MORE THAN A FEW. I HAD A FRIEND AT GIO LINH , CORP. JOHNSON. EVERY TIME WE CAME TO DONG HA THAT NUT WOULD WEAR FIRST LT. BARS.

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

I JUST REMEMBERED I KNEW A SGT. CONLEY I MET AT 29 PALMS HE WAS IN 26TH MARINES ON A HILL OUT SIDE KA SANH WHERE HE HAD HALF HIS FACE BLOWN OFF. WHEN I GOT OUT HE WAS FIGHTING TO STAY IN THE CORP.

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

WHAT YEAR WERE YOU A RADIO OPERATOR FOR HQ BATTERY 11th MARINES? I WAS IN FDC 2/11 HQ BATTERY AT AN HOA JAN 1970- OCT 1970
BEFORE THAT I WAS 12TH MARINES GIO LINH MINE SWEEP FROM DONG HA TO GIO LINH APRIL 1969- JAN 1970.

NEVER HEARD OF 13TH MARINE WHILE I WAS UP THERE, GIO LINH, CON TIEN, OR DONG HA.

ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE I NEVER HEARD UTILITIES CALLED FATIGUES

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

YES I HEARD OF 26TH MY FATHER WAS IN 26TH MARINES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. I THOUGHT THEY WERE IN 4TH MARINE DIVISION. MY FRIEND WAS IN 26TH MARINES BEFORE HE GOT HIT THEN HE CAME TO 11TH MARINES AT AN HOA. WHEN I WENT DOWN SOUTH ALL I EVER HEARD OF WAS 11TH MARINES OUT OF DA NANG.

SGT ROBERT L SISSON - June 16, 2020

I WAS IN FDC AFTER MY EXTENSION MY MOS WAS 0848, I WAS STATIONED AT AN HOA. I WAS THERE ( VIETNAM ) APRIL 69 OCT 70, I HEARED OF 26TH MARINES BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE GONE BY THE TIME I GOT THERE. MY BEST FRIEND STITZ CAME FROM 26TH MARINES.

BUT WE STILL CALLED THEM UTILITIES. NEVER HEARD THE WORD FATIGUES TILL I JOINED THE AIR FORCE RESERVES.

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