[2]:93 On 6 July 5 Marine Battalions launched Operation Macon around the An Ha area, the operation continued into October resulting in 24 Marines and 380 VC killed. Ears still ringing High school classmate was Mike 3/5. Take the village from the front. Just two weeks later he was part of a mission to protect Liberty Bridge, a strategic supply artery across the Thu Bon River connecting An Hoa to Da Nang. It crosses the Monongahela River and intersects Interstate 579 (the Crosstown Boulevard) at its northern terminus. It crosses the Monongahela River and intersects Interstate 579 (the Crosstown Boulevard) at its northern terminus. Vivid image in my mind. When he fell down, the can went BOOM! Wed pull bunker duty and convoy runs to/from Da Nang over Liberty Bridge. History. Marine Corps Operations in Vietnam, 1969-1972 | Proceedings - May 1973 The old chopper pad at about the center of the runway is now covered with trees. Countless of operations were launched to clear the areas and small firebases were established all across the place. Chuck, I should know you. When he started coming in, he had a Coca-Cola in his hand and was making like he was drinking it. Terry, Denny and I are standing right where the stage would have been. The bridge was the part of the MSR from DaNang. The Liberty Bridge, completed in 1928, connects downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the Liberty Tunnels and the South Hills neighborhoods beyond. [2]:41 On 20 April 1966 the Marines returned to An Ha on Operation Georgia, the 12th Marines reestablished a firebase while the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines provided security, the base would become permanent at this time as the Marines sought to pacify the area. Medal of Honor: David Ray. - Camp Comamajo Press God Bless, My father was also corpsman Robert Dymond he passed about 10 years ago. Good talking to you,take care and Semper Fi. 3/1 comm. 4th Plt was also at An Hoa, We had 10 tanks split between An Hoa and Liberty Bridge. During an attack on our base two of the German male nurses where driving their white painted (with red cross) jeep near the village and where attacked and one was killed and the seriously wounded. comm. Ha! Despite the challenges of working during the monsoon season, they finished the airstrip in. September a battery of 15 HAWK missles were deployed to Hill 55 were it provided coverage for the Vu Gia River Valley. Those who knew him best would recall his sophisticated taste in music, love of books, natural charisma and a sense of service. Thanks for posting! I have good and bad memories of my service in the area. I was short by that time. An Hoa Valley, Qung Nam Province. Does anyone recall 1st Lt Paul Bertolozzi of Echo 2/5 KIA 8/2/67 while on the road sweep and know any details of the incident? Say, trying to confirm the name of the CO for 2/5. . It was attacked again on the morning of March 19th, setting the stage for Rays heroic actions that would ultimately punctuate his life. If you want to travel back and spend some time there, I suggest you arrange it yourself. Filling up canteens with fresh drinking water from bomb crater while on patrol in the field. Any chance you knew or remember him? . This disambiguation page lists articles about roads and streets with the same name. Principal Address at USS David Ray Christening, 13 October 1975. BUMED Archives. He was a Staff Sgt. And he raised his hand (Im sorry, I still get emotional thinking about this) and I popped him square in the chest. Hi Marine, I was a radio relay tech at An Hoa from About August or September 1968 to June 1969. There is no question that in his formative years the native of McMinnville, Tenn., built an impressive resume of accomplishments. I was surprised by how many civilians with chickens and pigs got on with us! and take off for parts unknownprobably Marble Mountainthats where we convoyed to that same dayI believe A tour of Naval Hospital Long Beach followed. He served as a platoon leader Photo By Andr Sobocinski | That night the orphanage was mortared and VC in our lines at An Hoa. I was wounded May 16, 1969 at An Hoa combat base by the rocket attack and, unfortunately, your brother must have been the KIA I never knew. The 8th of March 1965 US Marines landed on the beaches of Da Nang. until 0400 est. He was only 10 years old. Remember the move north quite well. Dodge City was a 36 square km area located approximately 20 km south of Danang to the west of Highway 1 and given this nickname by the Marines due to frequent ambushes and firefights there; together with Go Noi Island directly to the south it was a Vietcong and Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) stronghold and base area. On an operation to Liberty Bridge, Vietnam, 1970. That all changed on the afternoon of June 2nd. Today if you Google David Robert Ray you will come across a portrait showing a gangly, smiling youth in service dress and a Dixie Cup hat. When Tet began we closed that area and pulled the perimeter back. 6/21/69 Liberty Bridge was constructed and located at coordinates AT 923532, in Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province. If any of you Marine were with me in 1969, please contact me. I was attached to Echo Company as the 81 FO. Hey John, Go- Noi really brings back some fond memories! Seabee History - Vietnam - Navy The road is still there so possible to travel along. My mom had a vendor shed on the north side of Liberty Bridge selling soft drinks and souvenirs during the period. Never realize what he received it to until I read the write up about the attach on Feb 23, 1969. Ive been to Lao about 20 times (visa run, Thailand) but mostly just the Vientiane area. Click on Members Stories for a feel of our guys lives. Operation Taylor Common was a search and destroy operation conducted by Task Force Yankee, a task force of the 1st Marine Division supported by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), southwest of Hi An from 6 December 1968 to 8 March 1969. Spent 9 mo. there were 6 or 7 of us at a time at Anhoa with the Airwing3 Air Traffic Controllers and repair/maintenance men for the radar equipment and generatorsNormal cleared to land & cleared to take off stuff plus advise the pilots on which batteries were firing & what direction/grid.Remember the night we were supposed to get over-run.& instead the On March 19, 1969, a battalion-size enemy force stormed the Marine outpost . I guess I spoke to you. Did we meet during the time between your arrival and my departure from An Hoi ? She had a jeep willy pulling a trailer to bring the goods out in the morning and bring the unsold back home in the afternoon. Bob, thank you for the kind words. A couple of months in Vang Viang drinking beer. I took it from the 2/11 chow hall ( I was with 1st Force Recon) I can be of help with some suggestions. I have a hard time accepting it. On January 31, 1968, South Vietnam exploded from North to South. 344 Liberty Bridge/Total length I was at An Hoa from 68-69. At the time I was there we had the NVA come on our radio net and tell us they would have complete control of Liberty Bridge and our CO told us we were surrounded by 5000 NVA Regulars. Done. Pictures - Securenet on 29 March and Hill 55 eventually became the Command Post of the 9th Marine Regiment. Ha! Arrived An Hoa november 7th 1967, assign to 81s H&S 2/5, First Marine I remember meeting was Sgt Jerdo . On 10 September, 1965 the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment LtCol. I was a 2nd Lt, 2nd Platoon Commander, Bravo Co, 1st Tks at An Hoa from Setpember 1968 until April 1969. we shared the chow hall when it was in one piece ! E- 2/5 69-71, Your email address will not be published. We had perimitter watch every other night on Brovo and Alpha sector. My best friend (we grew up together and both became Corpsman and went to Vietnam together} was killed while we were on patrols in the valley. Im so sorry. Rupnik, E.J. Ahhh the Memories!!! I was in An Hoa with CBMU 301 from Aug 69 to Aug 70, Hi Jim, I came down with Alpha Co when we first established our camp after being on the advance party at Dong Ha we set up at the North End of the runway.. After that our nights were spent in a bunker on the runway until I left for home in February. This work, A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic Doc of Liberty Bridge, by Andr Sobocinski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. We were young, dumb and lived on borrowed time. During my tour of Vietnam, my world revolved around the lives and actions of the forty-seven men in a Marine infantry platoon. Back to Nam: Hill 41 - Blogger I remember that like yesterday. Captain Graham organized the Company and sent the three platoons in to the rice paddy in skirmishes. Harvey 3/5, Operation Meade River was right out side the wire surrounding Hill 55, 7th Marine Regiment Headquarters. He is my Stoic Hero. I arrived at An Hoa on 25 January, 1967. My first combat operation was Operation Newcastle in the Arizona in March 1967. Was with MAG (Marine Air Group) 16 at AnHoa April of 70 til we abandoned the place in August/September of 70 Today, if you visit any Navy medical command you will find Rays portrait proudly exhibited among the 28 pictures of hospital corpsmen, physicians and dentists who have each been awarded the Medal of Honor. Believe he was from Texas. What marine units were on Hill 55 in Vietnam? I heard sometime later that in total they had killed 32 NVA before the hedgerows came alive with automatic weapons fire. there. Operation Taylor Common - Wikipedia We did a Medcap at the orphanage the day before. I once attended a Catholic service in a bunker by regiment and had this beautiful blond sit down next to me and later discovered she was from the German Hospital outside our wire. The day the doc released me from the hospital, I went on an ambush patrol that same night.. Will never forget it. I was a Scout Sergeant with various batterys in 2/11 attached out to 3/5. Let me know OK? Really looking for tower above HQ bunker. I know you still miss him. Golden Bridge, also known as the Giant Hand Bridge is located on the top of Nui Chua Mountain, Ba Na Hills, Da Nang. The My Son temples are located just a few kilometers south east from An Hoa Combat Base. In a Free Fire Zone SW of Danang in 1968. Dont remember much about that year my mind must off blocked it off. If any one knows. Nice to see a post from you on An Hoa, Took a swim to cool off while on sand bag duty. Glad to see you are still kicking. feature in the 9th Marines TAOR, it was eventually cleared of mines and boody traps. So many orphans killed. L knew the people i arrived with but he was the first to take us and show us around and draw M16 and other gear. The bridge opened on March 27, 1928, following a 5-mile (8.0 km) vehicle parade from the southern suburbs. Amphibian tractors arrived and added the weight of their machine guns to the battle. Da Nang. Thanks for your comment. Could you be him? In the act of saving this Marines life Ray ultimately sacrificed his own. I was with Echo during that time frame, 2nd platoon i believe it was. I was in Vietnam in from April 1968-April 1969 with the USMC. Built at An Hoa-21 Miles SW of Da Nang by MCB-4 Liberty Bridge MCB-4 - seabee-rvn Photo Sharing About SmugMug Browse Photos Prints & Gifts Terms Privacy Contact Owner Log In 2023 SmugMug, Inc. Its hard. Thanks for your service Don and Welcome Home Brother !!! Thank you. After boot camp and Corps School in San Diego, Ray received orders for the USS Haven (AH-12)then moored in Long Beach, Calif., and serving as a station hospital. My house is in the front of the district administration build, across the grassy field. The bullets tore into his body, and shook him like a rag doll and threw him to the ground. You are ALL truly HEROS!! He was walking up to the gate and I was telling the boy to put the can down because he wasnt allowed to come in with the can. We would be choppered back to An Hoa while other Marines chased the NVA. I was there between July 68 to September 69. His story is out there. Liberty Bridge on the Thu Bon river near An Hoa, Vietnam 1968 - spent many a day in and around here in the Arizona Territory Comments More like this Vietnam History Vietnam War Photos American War American Heroes American Patriot Military Photos Military History Airborne Army Non Commissioned Officer I was celebrating my 1st year in the Corps the night Liberty Bridge was over ran, we had a blonde hair Cor Man who was really good and should be a hero for his actions. Not sure how true it was, but do know that for the next three days/nights we lit up the valley with air strikes, 175mm Cannon and even the New Jersey firing from the Gulf. On June 9th ,1968 we caught the 90th NVA Regt off guard, as we had camouflaged so well & moved at night when the NVA lest expected Marines on the move & foufgt a successful battle at An Bang 3 village area killing 80 NVA by body count, & collecting 100s of enemy wpns. The Arizona Territory saw large concentrations of PAVN and Viet Cong troops during the whole war, especially up around Charlie Ridge in the north west part of the area. Im doing some research on his time in-country. On 4 July the first leg of "Liberty Road" was completed, a distance of 3,500 meters south from Hill 55 to Route 4, and in statistical facts, the definitive listing of the war's most highly decorated. Thank you for your comment Michael. See so many orphans killed after we treated their smiling faces will forever be in my mind, Where you there when they fragged 2/11s surgeons jeep. A docent who was familiar with the history of the air craft told me that the plane had been flown of An Hoa at the same time period that I was flown out of An Hoa! tuckga@carolina.rr.com Would like to find out who he was. My aid gunner in my squad. I thought maybe I would escape the rest of the War, but that was wishful thinking. LibertyBridge was not a boring place to be. US body count: 852 killed. Only 25 kilometers west of Hoi An it is a half day trip for those who are interested in discovering a legendary US Marine Corps base. My dad was there that night Dan bullock was Kia. Later during that year, in April, the base was used again and it was at this time it became a permanent installation. Mostly we were on perimeter duty at night and road sweeps during the morning. I wish I could figure out where it was. Go Noi Island was where Carlos Handcock (sniper-one shot-one kill) was wounded (burned, AmTrac, anti-tank mine). other accounts have the event at a smaller outpost a bit north west near the river. I went through four operations while I was in Vietnam, including the Durham Peak and Pipestone. Service: Navy. So the VC took advantage of our way of thinking and they had NO problem doing something like that!! I remembered trying to talk to the solders but didnt do well. Hard to believe Liberty Bridge, An Hoa look so different, not much left. You actually have to walk across the old American (secret, CIA) air-strip there after you get off the bus and walk North 500 meters to downtown tourist area. It really adds to the historical context of the base. Danny Mitchell served in Vietnam with Delta Battery, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Liberty Bridge . life-and-death struggles. I went in as a private and got out as a staff sergeant. Starting out, the Marines established a stationary defense around the base that reacted to threats and attacks. Theyd chew right through the tins. I ended up in Hue City, where I got hit for the third time during my tour of duty. Simper Fi Leo, I was with F 2/11 1st Mar in the first quater of 69 stationed in An Hoa on the 105s then we went from hill to hill to support the grunts. Hey Ronald ( Doc). E- 2/5 69-71. North of the river are also located Hill 65 and Hill 37 in Dai Loc, the remnants of the Victory Bridge are just a few kilometers north east of the base. With the redeployment of the 3rd Division north, Hill 55 became the Command Post of the 7th Marine Regiment in April, and HQ Co. 1st Marine Regt. A chu hoi led the grunts to a VC propaganda leader on. I was there with you. Please take a look at some of the links below to learn more in detail about Liberty Bridge and other places of interest in the Quang Nam region in Vietnam. With recon for 1 month on top of some mountain top with a 1st Lt. forward observer to watch over a big valley that had been cleared out, to call in arty if we spotted anything. In the afternoon on December 10th, Hotel 2/5 flew into Hill 55. 2023 Knowledge WOW - All Rights Reserved Liberty Bridge was constructed and located at coordinates AT 923532, in Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province. A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic "Doc" of Liberty Bridge Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "af98acf6452e90a09f2cbde13b3e267d" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Address at Dedication of BUMED Medal of Honor Hall, May 21, 1983. 58 captured. SF. First Force Recon. The battle raged for five hours, during which the Marines threw back four attack waves. Monte Fairchild. Thanks, Jon. The bridge features three levels--an express commuter level for pedestrians and cyclists, a retail level for casual crossings and tourism, and upper park levels for relaxation, renewable energy collection and the best location for that perfect selfie with NYC as the backdrop. I remember you ,Webster , Star ,Gunny Flanagan and the Lee Marvin fellow but not his name ,he was a kick. How long is Liberty Bridge? His battery commander later related that when you were as tall as Ray, had a southern drawl and were serving with the Marines you know youre in for some rough kidding. I dont have any of the information you seek but, I would like the same info, if you come across it I hope we can share it.
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