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June 1, 2017 Grunt.com Admin

Most Riky Tik

I was sitting outside my hooch, at Marble Mountain, late 1968 or early 69. I had a clear view down towards the showers and out- houses ( the polite name ). A Marine was going to the showers, wearing only a towel, and stopped off at the out-house to do his business. What he was doing was fairly clear since the door and upper half of the walls were just screens. I could not hear what happened, but from his actions I can guess. He lifted the lid, turned and ran through the door, fell and did a high crawl at high speed. He had gotten about twenty feet from the door when green smoke billowed out of the out-house causing myself, and others with me, to nearly die laughing. Tough humor for tough times.

I can only assume that someone booby trapped the lid with a smoke grenade, and hearing the sound of the pin coming out or the spoon coming off, encouraged the Marine to leave most riky tik.

Sgt. Bassett
1966-70

Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

BRENDAN MCCARRON USMC VIET VET 65-69. 1ST MARINE AIRWING DANANG. - April 16, 2020

I WAS ALSO IN VIETNAM IN 66-67 AT DANANG WITH THE FIRST MAW. MY RECOLLECTION OF THIS INCIDENT IS SOMEWHAT FOGGY SO HEAR GOES. NEW 2nd LIUT BUSTING BALLS. UNIFORM GRAP. SOMEONE BUT A GRANADE IN THE OFFICERS SHITTER TO TEACH HIM A LESSON. DON’T KNOW HOW OR WHEN THEY KNEW HE WOULD BE THERE BUT IT DID THE TRICK. NEVER BOTHERED US LOW LIFES AGAIN. WORKED WONDERS. WHY DO THEY SEND 2ND LUIT TO A COMBAT ZONE TO BUST BALLS??? AS TO THE AMMO DUMP EXPLOSION. IF IT WAS AT THE DANANG AIR BASE ON THE MARINE SIDE THEN IT WAS OURS. WALKED GUARD DUTY AT THAT AMMO DUMP MANY TIMES. THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO MEET THE GOOD LORD ONE NIGHT WHEN A SHADOW APPEARED BEHIND ME. THOUGHT IT WAS A SAPPER. TURNED OUT TO BE MY OWN SHADOW REFELCTED BY THE SPOTLIGHT SO WHEN I MOVED THE SHADOW MOVED, SAID MY PRAYERS THAT NIGHT. I COULD TALK FOR HOURS ABOUT THE FUN I HAD BUT NO ONE AROUND TO LISTEN ANYMORE. LIFE IS GOOD, MEMORIES NOT SO GOOD SOMETIMES. IT’S GREAT HEARING THESE STORIES FROM GUYS THAT WERE THERE. SEMPER FI ALL YOU MARINES.

L/Cpl Donald R Key 68/72 - April 16, 2020

In reply to M.
I was on the bridge just north of Denang on the way to high van pass when that ammo dump blew, you could see the shock wave coming towards you then hitting you. then we got to see the fire works show afterwards lol

artymgysgt - April 16, 2020

On my third tour in 1970-1971 I was returning from the P.X at L Z. Baldy when I saw my brother in law in hit houch as I got close I rolled a can of Beanie Weenies in the open door to see hid reaction. A second later a SSGT came running out the door.I went inside retrieved the can and had a chat with my brother in law who was 1st Sgt of Hq. Co. 5th Marines. He said the guy who ran out thought it was a frag that rolled in. We laughed about it . Guess we shares some sick humor.

M - April 16, 2020

I was “in country” at the same time. I was attached to the 1st Tank Batt and assigned to OP North protecting the back side of Freedom Hill. Talk about the boonies. Do you remember the ammo dump fire in the area? It was on a Sunday, part of the OP North members were allowed to travel to the 1st Tank Batt HQ (Danang Main) for a hot meal and a couple of beers for the day. Needless to say we had no hot meal that day. We spent the majority of the day in the trench system dodging any munitions that happened along. I remember a 500 pound bomb that had gone through the roof of a “hooch” and was sitting at a 45 degree angle. “I was thinking that I was going to die right here.” Thanks for the memories, Semper Fi!

SgtBobD - April 16, 2020

“Someone” ?? LMAO !!!!

Cpl. Harry Geagan - April 16, 2020

Still funny.

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