LZ Ike
I came into country at Cam Ranh Bay. I had been in country for a few days and had been through Cherry School. On the 9th day of September 1969, my name was called out as being assigned to E, 2/8, 1st Cav Div. We left for Tay Ninh. When we got to Tay Ninh we were told where our company headquarters was. When we got there I thought this is not so bad. I saw lots of sand bags and plenty of places to take cover. About the time I decided on what looked like the place I would want to be during an attach, we were told to come pick up our gear. We were shown the supply room where they gave us a pack, 10 empty M16 magazines, a poncho, a poncho liner, a soft canteen, and some bug juice. I packed the stuff into the back pack in the same order that it was given to me. We were then told that a Chinook would pick up in a few minutes. By then it was probably 4:00 pm. We loaded on the chopper.After the chopper had been in the air for quite a while, it started to circle. I looked out a side window. There were people running around in what looked like a field of mud surrounded by a mud berm. It looked like a creek ran through the middle of the mud field. The chopper started a decent. Huggins asked the rear doorman what was down there. He said, "Your home." Huggins turned and looked at me as he said, "No, Man!" Well sure enough, they made us get off the chopper and wade through mud into the LZ. We were met by Sgt Brown. He was a real jolly guy who started out by showing us a Chinese hand grenade. He said don't be like the dumb ass we sent home yesterday. He pulled the string and blew his balls off. Brown never smiled. He said, "Now this is serious so you always listen to what I tell you." We were all ears. I had been trained in mortars in AIT and in NCO School. I'm not sure Huggins had ever been in mortars. Brown told Huggins that he would be in FDC and that I would be going out with the Recon Platoon the next day. I said, "But all my training was in mortars." Brown responded, "I don't need any mortar men. You're going with Recon." I asked, "How many of these men have had mortar training?" Brown snapped back, "None of them, but that don't matter cause I spent a lot of time in artillery." I was reminded of the term "military intelligence". Sgt. Brown showed us a small metal hooch that had a poncho on each end with a couple of sandbags laying on each poncho to hold it on. Brown said "now put 3 layers of sandbags on this hooch then you can go to sleep." We looked at each other in complete amazement. Sure, we thought. Where's the damn sand?
We put a few bags of mud on the hooch and then gave up, crawled in, and laid down to try to sleep. Shortly after we got in the hootch, all hell broke loose. We figured out that we were having a mad minute. Tried to go back to sleep, but I just laid there listening to the sounds on the LZ. Some time later, I don't know what time, explosions started going off way to close to us. We sat up and looked at each other. We decided it had to be incoming. We started digging in our back packs to get the empty magazines that had been issued to us. About that time shrapnel came through the poncho and cut a large hole in my air mattress. I plopped down on the pallet. Someone yelled from outside, "Is somebody in that hooch?" We reluctantly answered in the affirmative. He said get out on the berm and start firing. I told him we didn't have any ammo in our magazines. He told us there was plenty of ammo at the berm. I crawled out and briefly met Sgt Kilgore.
I crawled toward the berm. On my way, I crawled right into what had looked like a creek from the air. I thought I was going to drown. I hung on to my M16 and scrambled out on the other side. I crawled up to the berm and asked for ammo. Somebody threw several magazines to me. I loaded my rifle and looked over the berm. Right there in front of me was a gook about thirty feet from my location. On the trip to Vietnam, I worried that I would not be able to kill someone when faced with the need to do so. It had really bothered me, but I did not tell anyone about my concern. As my eyes fell on the gook I unloaded a twenty round clip into him. Oh well, some much for fear of killing. When the brown fecal matter hits the rotating wedge, training takes over and you do what you have been trained to do. Thank you God.
That night the squad leader of Blue 3 was wounded and medivaced. The next day Sgt. Brown assigned me to that job. He said, "Now I need a mortar man."
hey ilike ur article man its pretty cool..
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Hi Randy,
It is truly hard to believe that 40 years have passed, since we were Bro's. I think your idea, of this site, will catch on fast!
My memories of Vietnam are not very vivid anymore! As I think of things I will put them into words, in the near future.
Joan and I are looking forward to the upcoming reunion. It won't be long now!
Earl
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I was a member of Company A 2/8 Cav From November of 1969 to March of 1970. I knew Jack Illingsworth and know somewhat the story of how he was killed. I had just come out of the field a few days before he was killed. I do remember one night the first part of March of 1969, We were hit late in the night and the perimeter area they hit was by me. I was able to call in artillery that night within 50 meters and the assault was repelled. The NVA had not located our perimeter correctly so the mortar rounds missed. It was a scary night. Trip flares were tripped in front of me, claymores were fired. Rifle rounds from both sides were coming and going. frags were being cooked and thrown. In the morning at light there were a number of NVA down in front of us. Some drag mark's were with 10 yards of us. No one was killed or seriously hurt on our side. What sticks in my mind that during the middle of the night while I was sitting on my poncho on guard duty with my buddy sleeping next to me I heard the voices of the NVA talking, I was told to stay quiet until my flares went off. When they did all hell broke loose.It's one of those nights that sort of stays with you. We were around the Cambodian Border at the time.I ended up with Malaria and left the field toward the end of March that year. Dan Boettcher A company 2/8 Killer Platoon
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Dan, I was in Plato at the same time you were in Killer. I remember that night. Was Lizzard the CO then or was it Lt Armor, I think it was Cpt Swearingen.
Please email me, I would love to hear from you.
timhall2@charter.net
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Dan,
The CO was CPT Ray Armor Jan-March of 1970. He left soon after the 26th, the day of our ride to the rescue with A Trp. 11th Cav.
I was n Plato until Mar 26th. In fact I was Plato at the time. Medivac to Bien Hoa afterwards.
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Dear Plato
This is your old CO, please contact me. I have been looking for you. Its been 40 years too long.
Ray Armer
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Scabbard!
I'm reading this late at night just before sack time. I'll hit the email tomorrow. I've been looking for you for a long time too, but, as you can see, I couldn't spell.
Plato
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welcome home capt,.
you were the best, over there, and i thank you for being the best,,,,
would you know where bob bobzinski is , i tried every thing to find him,... we both got hit that nite, march 14th, i saw him in a mash unit, and he had a baseball size hole in the middle of is back,, and then months later i saw him in valley forge,,pa.. going to golf course for rehab,,, i talk with bruce facett, from ca,.. we keep in touch.... i can t remember if you were there that nite., i remember losing dave smith in the well..... geeez... and he took my place pointing out that morning,,, i had a cut on my leg and ripped my pants pretty bad, so he insisted to take my point,, been, hard,,,,,,,
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Virgil -
Ray Armer is trying to reach you. Please contact him at dkarmer@bellsouth.net or send me a note and I will get it to him. You can see my name at various spots on this site. Thanks Jack Morrison B/1-77th FO with C/2-8th after Illingworth.
Jack.morrison@cox.net
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julian paramore,sr. was in vietnam at385 infintary. he now lives in greenback, tn. @ 1010 cloyds church rd. we live near maryville, tn. i am his wife becky paramore if you know julian reach me on facebook. it's a surprise. he was in the army. thanks, becky
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welcome home bro,
tim i was in smokey plt,, i was smokey2,, the nite of march 14th,, iam trying to find bob bobzinski, from pittsburg, pa, we both were medivac out,, i lost track of him,, and do you remember john, mcclocklin? my spelling isnt too good,hes from phila,,, i often wondered how many we lost that nite, i can still here the one gook crying out , until his buddy shot him,,,,,,,, i was the 5th chopper out that next day,, hope everything is going well for you ,,,,,, here s my email, if you would like to talk, jerseyboyme@yahoo.com
grubby slack
phillipsburg, nj
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Dan-Would like you to contact me in regards to March 14, l970. I was with A 2-8 1st Cav with Bob Haney and Jack Illingsworth that night they were killed. I was wounded that night and never returned to the field. I have very slim memories of what actually occurred, and where we actually were- have been looking everywhere for info- please help. If you would email me at tkski14@gmail.com that would be the easiest way.
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Gentlemen,
Though my memory isn’t perfect, I do recall a few of the A Co. 2/8 Cav March 70 encounters with the NVA. Here is some info on a few that may help others reconstruct the events and add detail.
3 March. We had been followed for several days, and knew it. That evening we ate dinner in an area of light vegetation before setting up our perimeter. However, CPT Armer decided that wasn’t a good NDP, and moved us into a grove of medium sized trees. Thank God. The NVA scouts had apparently marked our position and moved back to pick up their unit (Company-sized) or a bit larger. At about 0600 they put a lot of mortar rounds into our “dinner perimeter” where we were no longer. Then, from the muzzle flashes, it looked like a couple of squads moved into that area to draw fire and cause us to disclose our position. It didn’t work. CPT Armer had us delay opening fire, and that thoroughly screwed up the NVA. As the probing unit hit the open field, they turned back. That apparently caused the main force to become confused, and the two forces opened fire on each other. They fumbled around until they spread in our direction. Then we opened up at close range. Since they were still confused we took no casualties and the contact broke. We put down about 60 of them.
Moving along the tree line near the contact, we ran into something between a squad and a platoon around noon. We lost one of the point team, and one other was wounded. We pulled back into a perimeter just off a trail for medevac and resupply, and we were ready for them. They probed the area to find us, and encountered one of our automatic ambushes. We opened up and they lost 5 while we had two more wounded.
13 March. We were moving along, leapfrogging, with a platoon passing through the company, making about 100-150 meters, and setting up a loose perimeter for the next platoon to fall back into if needed. Again, a good idea. One of the point teams was engaged by what seemed to be a small ambush, and the platoons (Killer, I think) fell back into the Plato perimeter. The rest assembled and we pushed out our perimeter to spend the night. At that time, we had one KIA and one WIA. Early on the 14th, before dawn a force hit us from the South. Lots of RPGs and the usual AK fire. Our total losses, 2 KIA and 6 WIA according to official reports. It seemed worse than that, but I have no real idea of the numbers.
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welcome home bro,,
i was in smokey plt, and was hit on march 14 th,, 70.. did you have john mclonklin? from phila,, in your plt, iam trying to find out how many guys didnt make it that nite,, iam also looking for my gunner, from pitts,, bob bobzinski, sure would like to locate him,, nobody can find him,, we got hit together, and last i saw him was in valley forge hospital,, my email is,,, jerseyboyme@yahoo.com
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Dan Boettcher:
I would very much like to talk to you about 14 March 1970. In addition to Jack Illingsworth, a high school classmate of mine, Bobby Haney, was also killed. I am in contact with Ted Krzyzanowski who was wounded on that day and would like to be in contact with you as well regarding the events of that day. I want to use this anecdotal evidence in creating a website to Bob's memory. I have started some work on the Army Together We Served webpage (http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/51550) and hope to continue this effort. My email address is hubies@hotmail.com.
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I was in FDC with E-2/8 1969-1970. I have pics with Huggins and me. We only had half of the company at IKE. We got tore up pretty bad on LZ Becky in August 1969. I really liked Sgt Brown. Send me some email at allen.hawkes@yahoo.com. Formerly Sgt Allen Hawkes.
HAWKES!!!!!,
Thanks for your comment. I remember you well. Someone from our reunion group had a picture of you last year. I believe the person had talked with you. Dennis Eubanks was on LZ Becky with you. He is a regular at our reunions. We would love to have you attend in October 2009.
Allen, you were a hero in Vietnam, and you are a hero today. Mike Russell says a hero is a person who gets up every morning and goes to work to support his/her family and does all the things that Americans must do to support their family and continue to build a great nation.
Thank you for your service to our country,
Randall Richards
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I remember Sgt Brown, he was my Sgt too when I derosed in July 69. I heard he was wounded on Becky. I was Blue 5 in E/2/8. I have Allen Hawkes email address so we have corresponded sometimes in the past. Where are these reunions you all are speaking of. I attended the last 1st Cav reunion at Ft Hood.
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HI ALL AIR CAV BROTHERS I WAS A DOORGUNNER IN CO A 229 AT TAY NINH 1969 I WAS AT ALL THE LZS GRANT, IKE, CAROLYN, DOLLY, SAINT BARBARA ALSO AT AN LOC PHOUC VINH REMEMBER NIGHT ATTACKS ON GRANT AND CAROLYN WHEN GOOKS GOT IN BUNKERS WE DID EMERGENCY RESUPPLY AND MEDIVAC THAT NIGHT AT CAROLYN.
FLEW FLARE MISSION WHEN GRANT WAS UNDER GROUND ATTACK. AFTER FLARE MISION WE WERE GOING TO MEDIVAC WOUNDED BUT GOOKS OPENED UP WITH MACHINEGUN AND HIT OUR CHOPPER I PUT ABOUT 3OO ROUNDS ON THAT POSITION HOPE I KNOCKED IT OUT.
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Thank you guys so much for the support you provided us grunts on the ground !!! I was on LZ Ike(Co. E 2/5 Cav) in June '69 when we were overrun by about 600 NVA.Lost many Cav brothers, but without you and those beautiful slicks, would have been alot more. Thank you, thank you, thank you !!! God Bless you and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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June 20, 1969, does anyone besides me remeber the attack by a re-inforced battalion of NVA. Write what you experienced and remember and I will.
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Sgt Otto!!
Remember?? I'll never forget it! I was on LP/OP that night just inside the outer field of fire and outside the wire. I was a member of 2/5 Cav
Sgt Otto...your name is really familiar...
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Sgt White? Please let me know who you are and what you remember. I have additional information to share if you like. My email address is vietnamveteran@verizon.net .
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My email address is ifo1@verizon.net. If you have rememberances or information about LZ IKE on June 18,19,20 please email me. I will email you back. I also have the email vietnamveteran@verizon.net.
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I was on the right bunker at the log road as you face out. My machine gunner took a bullet thru the mouth early in the attack on june 20, 1969. I came around the bunker and found 2 nva preparing to fire a B40 when I opened up and emptied my m16 missing them completely but causing them to duck down to the ground. Then another clip and I took them out. The NVA were running in and I was out of ammunition.
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Are you talking about LZ Ike? My cousin, Craig Geis, received a silver star for defending that LZ, but I think it was on June 18, 1969. He was in 2/5 D Company. Blond hair and about 6'3" tall; wore a silver cross around his neck.
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I was Company D 3rd Platoon 3rd Squad leader. LZ was hit the 18th and the 20th. I found out earlier this year that I also received a Silver Star for what happened on June 20, 1969, 41 years later.
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D 2/5 was there for both attacks, 18 and 20 june 1969. What I remeber is one bunker being blown in on the 18th and the entrance to the LZ being overrun on the 20th. Hindsite makes it look to me like the 18th was fact finding for the NVA and the 20th was the actual assult by over 600 nva accordning to the after action report.
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welcome home bro,,, iam not sure of dates any more , but i was on ike, when almost overrun,, i was outside wire,, with 2 others on LP.. i was with A company 2/8 th,, smokey plt,,
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I was there on LZ Ike on September 8, 1969 at the time of Randall's original description on this website. I was with the motor pool with the 2/8 1st Air Cav, and it was one of the longest Mad Minutes I ever had, lasting from midnight til 5 a.m. Sgt Whitey asked me to help with the evac of wounded to the Chinook on the chopper pad later that morning and the chopper was fired upon and then landed on the VIP pad where he should have been in the first place.
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Loved your article about LZ Ike, See
you at the reunion in October in Warm Springs, Georgia.
Love You brother,
SSG. Kilgore
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Can you send me some details on the reunion in Ga. I live in Aiken, SC.
Sgt Allen Hawkes - email - allen.hawkes@yahoo.com
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HEY
I WAS A DOORGUNNER WITH CO.A 229 AVN BTLN AT TAY NINH FEB 69-OCT 69 HIT ALL THE LZ GRANT BARBARA IKE CAROLIONE LZ DOLLY I GOTTA SAY GRANT WAS THE WORST ALONG WITH CAROLINE AND IKE SAW MANY GROUND ATTACKS AT NITE AND DROPPED MANY FLARES AND RESUPPLY OUR TROOPS AND THEN MEDEVAC
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GREG,WERE YOU FLYING ON MARCH 26,1970.I WAS IN A MINE FIELD AT ST BARBARA WHEN GABBY LUNA LOST HIS LEGS. A CHOPPER DROPED A MED. ON US AND SAVED HIS LIFE.I DIDN'T GET ON THE CHOPPER WITH GABBY AFTER I HANDING THE MED. HIS LEG. I FOUND GABBY IN 2002 IN BAY CITY, TX.IT WAS A GREAT REUNION FOR BOTH OF US.I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE MED.TO LET HIM KNOW WHY I WOULDN'T GET ON THE CHOPPER.I WALKED OUT OF THE MINE FIELD INSTEAD OF TAKING THE RIDE.MAYBE YOU OR SOME OF YOU BROTHERS MAY REMEMBER THIS.THANKS ALABAMA
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HEY
WELCOME HOME I DID A NIGHT EXTRACTION ON LZ IKE LATE SUMMER 69 I WAS DOORGUNNER WITH 229. THE BRASS DIDNT KNOW IF THEY WERE COMING OR GOING
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Please anyone with info about the incident of March 14, l970 involving A 2-8 1sr Cav please contact me @ tkski14@gmail.com. I was wounded that night when Bob Haney and Jack Illingsworth were killed. My memory of this nite are very unclear.
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my husband was julian a paramore, sr. we live in greenback, tn. at 1010 cloyds church rd. he was in the 385th infintary in vietnam got injured there in 1970. i'm trying to get a few of his buddies he was w/ there. like douglas, george berry, and
david greer. reach me at 812tigger@gmail.com or on the facebook.com as becky paramore his wife becky
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I can see that you are an expert in this field! I am launching a website soon, and this information is very useful for me. Thanks for all your help and wishing you all the success in your business.
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I like your style, the fact that your site is a little bit different makes it so interesting, I get fed up of seeing same-old-same-old all of the time. I've just stumbled this page for you
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Email just sent, old friend. Yes, way too long. Though, if you'd spelled your name Armor, like I did, it would have been easier
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Dates and times,,I'm lost,,was FO with
E2/5,yeah Ike was about the most action I saw during 2.5 years in country.
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This is my first time at your blog and I've really enjoyed looking around. I will come back again in the future to check out some of the other articles.
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What an interesting blog! Thanks for the write up.
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Good stuff
2291-1buckplr
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As I look through all the notes I finally am beginning to realize why I am having trouble. My first LZ was Ike in July 1969. I kept a record of the LZs,but misplaced it when I divorced. From reading I now remember Ike, grant, becky and jamie.
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I also was on Ike and i was a field radio repairman.... with HHC 2/8th from May 1969 to November 1969...I lost many Bros on that LZ....and i still feel the hot concrete on my lips when i walked down the ramp of my "Freedom Bird" in Oakland California and kissed the concrete that day as i was back in the land Of the big PX!
I have been to the mini wall 9 times and the BIG MAIN WALL in DC one time and its healed me in some ways.
Mike in Kansas
My Call sign was 29er Bravo
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I remember the 3 of the 1st Air Cav 2/8th call signs heres the ones that i remember:
HHC was Stoney Moutain
a line Company was Roving Gambler
and another line Company was Angry Skipper..and please whats the others ? Glenn056@Yahoo.com
Mike in Kansas
I was in HHC 2/8th and served as radio repairman.
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I would love to hear from any Brothers that was in 1st Air Cav. HHC 2/8th in the Commo section may of 1969 to Nov 1969....wire or radio!
Mike 29er Bravo
I Used to wear a t shirt in nam that
had on it in Magic marker "KANSAS KID"
Glenn056@Yahoo.com
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26 March. We had been patrolling with the 11th ACR for a few days, maybe a week. The night before, one of their mortar tracks exploded and they lost several troops. The next day, while we were out doing our “cloverleafs”, where we got off the tracks went into the bush and did a 360 look-see, C Co, 2/8 walked into a regiment. The platoons were spread out, but started edging in the direction of C Co. waiting for the official “word” to go. When it came, the 11th pushed down the trees necessary to get us there riding on the back of the tracks. We pulled in, went on line and the armor cut loose. Plato was nearest the wounded of C Co., so we edged forward a bit and helped get out the dead and wounded, then fell back on line. The NVA tried to flank us on the left, but several of our guys saw the move. Plato, on the left flank, did a little spin and put them down just before we got the word to mount up and move out. No enemy action on the way back to the NDP where the track had exploded. Seems like we evacuated a bunch that night, from the 3 units, but the official count was 3 KIA and 22 WIA.
I’ve translated the coordinates from the old maps to the Lat/Long that Google and Bing use, if anyone wants to take a look from overhead.
4 March 11-43.80N, 106-4.88E
13 March 11-43.80N 106-5.16E
26 March 11-36.24N 105-59.30
Hope that helps
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