M14 Forum

carpshooter

While I was station at Chu Lai ,I sent home some things as reminders of my time in Nam . Besides photos I also manage to mail home things that may of not been approved by the Marine Corps standards as they only let you leave with one set of jungle boots only and that was it . No jungle issued uniforms ,issued knives, guns ,web gear or field gear such as field jackets or about anything ,you could claim a SKS or similiar weapon if you got it approved and hand carried it .

Well I got stuff home , as I improvise ,adapt and overcome any reason not to . One piece of contraband is a large part of an exploded part of a 122 MM rocket that missed me by 150 yards one night ( put a big hole in the sand ).

I was a master of sending stuff home ( at least I never got caught ), as I knew just what the Corps would be taking things from me, which was everything , when I have to leave Country .

If I didn't sell it to the Army soldiers ( they seem to be buying up everything anyway , I'd of sold ' em the forklift that I had there if I thought it wouldn't of been missed when I got moved to Danang ) ,give it to other Marines of which there were very few left ( like the unissued M3 greasegun, that who knows who sign for it and where , that I had there ) ,I mailed alot of things home dress up like a soldier at their post office .

PS I was the last Airwing Marine in Chu Lai , there was only an ordinance Marine group left . They were proud owners of that M-3 greasegun plus ammo and anything else I didn't sell or mail home and no doubt having their own garage sales as their time was ending also !

War was " Hell " , no doubt about that , but the Army guys always paid cash ( MPC ) to make it easier !

Lewis

I'm sure its something to do with age, but as I remember when I shipped back they had us turn in all our gear in Danang, they flew us down to Cam Rhon Bay where we got our piss test and waited for a couple days, in that time we got issue Khakis and hung out waiting for the flight out. Landed at McCord AFB, near Tacoma and we were not allowed to leave until morning when the clothing issue opened and we could be issued greens. The only other way you could get released was to have someone come on base and pick you up, they did not want us wandering around in Khakis for some reason. I had family in Tacoma, called them up and was never so glad to see anyone in my life when my uncle showed up. I thought ahead and had shipped a treasured Kabar that was given to me, I still have that.

CAVman

This really nasty Rash... ...Rot!

Still Comes Back When I Get Really Hot and Sweaty...

'Lamisil' works real good to get rid of it till next time...

I Still Can't/Won't Wear 'Drawers' Because of it...

Oh?

Not What You Meant?

Sorry!



CAVman in WYoming

Lewis

Come to think of it you reminded me of my "jungle rot", I had a case of it that stayed between the gap between my left small toe and the next toe. It never left after I got out and stayed with me getting worse in the winter, in summer when I could I went barefoot which helped but it was always there. The wierd thing was when I got into a motorcycle wreck I crushed my left small toe to the point that it had to be surgically removed and the rot spot moved between the next two toes. My wife kept bugging me to get it looked at and finally I did...the Dr. told me what I already knew and that some people are just prone to growing fungus, he prescribed me a "new" drug called Griseofulvin, told me it would make me sun sensitive. I remember it was terribly expensive at $1 a tablet or $30 for a bottle, I took the stuff and followed the directions and sure as hell, it went away and I have never had an outbreak again. I have since recommended it to some guys and they also were cured, its used commonly today.

dwight55

I brought home some trinkets, like everyone did, but I still have a 24kt gold necklace (actually my wife has it now) that I bought before leaving, . . . as well as the 12 in doll (I named her Jeanette) in the straw cone hat and her eye-zow dress.

No one bothered to question my M1 Garand bayonet in its leather sheath, . . . it lays on my desk even now.

I also lovingly remember some of the friendships and wish that somehow life could have been different. I may never have left IV corp.

May God bless,
Dwight

CPTKILLER

When, I left Vietnam, I dumped just about everything in a trash can. I regret that. I had a large number of photos of my infantry company but an ex disposed of them when she stole everything and left.

Take care Bro.

Jim

Redneck

I'm originally from the bayou country .
East BR parish , Assen. parish.
I Was Able to bring home all my 782 gear plus some extra's like C-Rat"s and photo's , K-Bar , MPC's , VN money of the time period ** Ho CHi ** and alot of memories, some good , some not so good .
They checked us for weapons and such but it was kind of hap -hazard .
I Keep All My Nam Stuff in Foot Lockers .

Grunt 0351 65-66

Old Sarge

Now that's more than we really wanted to know....
I should dig through my stuff and see what I still have left from my year in the ROK. No, not during the 1950-53 Police Action, but 1980-81. I'm enjoying reading this stuff from you "slightly" older vets. I served from 1978-1995.

carpshooter

Inquiry minds want to know everything !

I'm afraid that someone here may of got more than I did home as I mailed that piece of rocket home , could of mailed that greasegun home ,thought about it but felons are frown in my family and I had better things to do anyway !

In the Corps ,you had to have all your stuff inspected by an E-6 or above ,my NCO-IC was just a corporal himself !We were running a low rank two man show in Chulia as the end was near !

I can't list all the stuff I sent home as I might be spending time after doing that in a not very private place , but I could of opened a small military surplus store ,good thing those Army guys back in Nam had plenty of MPC as they got most of it , no questions asked !

rice paddy daddy

Some propaganda leaflets we used to air drop over the jungle, but I traded my Chieu Hoi pass to a squid for one of his blue shirts and bell bottom jeans. My best jungle jacket, pants and both pair of jungle boots. Boonie cap. Empty brass shell casing for a 40MM Duster. Pair of Ho Chi Minh sandals. My butt still connected to my head.

SixTGunr

Most of what I have (pics, items and/or stories) is not suitable for posting ...

Whenever I do post stuff it offends the wussies ...

So .... I did not bring back anything ....

Bye

lucky52

Two Huey tail rotor blades,an AK bullet,a bunch of Chieu Hoi leaflets that we didn't drop,and my best 2 piece nomex flight suit.

CCKen

Six,

Concerning my stories, I was told what happened in the bush should stay in the bush. Me thinks some of them wish they could tell stories from the bush.....

Redneck

Myself , My Time , I wish I could have brought home just some of the guys that didn't make it and would love to talk with some of the guys that did .

I quit trying to deal with the people that did not understand our war . I'm too OLD for that , some day every body will know !

I stay in the woods and only have a few close friends and that is the way I like It .

Ya'll take care
Semper Fi

Mickey Miller

First tour, Rolex watch, which I still wear, and a star saphire ring that I still have...somewhere, both bought at the PX in Chu Chi. I sent home a large brass ornimental charcoal burner circa 1850, that had been left in the armory track...no one claimed it!

Second tour I brought back an SKS and a Chi Com 7.62 pistol. Had the province chief give me an export letter for both and I just carried them on the Freedom Bird! The SKS was broken down and they were both in a tote bag. BTW, also carried 2 loaded magazines for the pistol...no one even checked! Boy...have times changed!

Landed st SFO on Jan 13, 1970...carried them on the bus over to the Oakland Army Base for outprocessing and walked around the gym at OAB with them while outprocessing!