A Connection with His Brother
For many years, I have been looking for a personal connection to Firebase Illingsworth. Something more than a photo or casual mention in a book. I was looking for a personal account of what occurred on April 1, 1970 so that I had a better understanding of what my brother Roger went through before he was killed. I want to thank Mr. Richards for bringing me just a little bit closer to that connection.
Paul D. McInerny
I am thankful to Paul for his comment. I chose to post it as an entry because it is so powerful. This is an example of the value stories from Vietnam have for other people. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so by sending email to me at this site.
Thank you Paul,
Randall
Paul D. McInerny
I am thankful to Paul for his comment. I chose to post it as an entry because it is so powerful. This is an example of the value stories from Vietnam have for other people. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so by sending email to me at this site.
Thank you Paul,
Randall
Randal thanks for the article on Illingsworth. I was there on the 155 guns. My section was behind the 5 ton truck. I was aiming threw the tube or barrel and that truck was a problem. I got the tube low as i could for direct fire. We fired every round in our pit. When we were looking at the dead gooks next morning i saw some rounds that didnt go off. They didn't get up enough speed to set off the fuse. I went back to the pit and reset every fuse for quicker time so the next night we would be ready. There was one gook in the trees. Every time I fired he would pick up the flash from the tube and would walk morter or rockets right to us. I finally saw his flash we put a hundred pound shell on him. He had a lot of ammo. There was a big blast. Then the flairs went up for direct fire. I was assistant gunner. I fired the gun that night. I worked the tube back and forth. It got so hot I hat to let some fluid out. It was boiling on the ground.
Sgt Kenneth W. Corbin
706-539-1208
Vietnum
December 1969 - November 1970
I thought illingsworth was forgotten. We only had 3 155 guns there. When we got there I thought 'what a beautiful place, open field, great i thought'. I was sleeping on top of a bunker. A call came over the radio that we were getting a ground attact. I said what? It was so quite. Then the radio said disregaurd. The first rocket came in and scrapnel went in my arm. I never noticed until later. The medic fixed it the next morning. The captain said he needed us to stay 1 more night. Grown men I saw crying. We pulled it together, and we all stayed. The two people raming the shellls in the tube was a Indian named Yazee and a Mexican named Moreno. I have a wife and two daughters and 5 grand daughters. Every time I look at them, I think about those soilders that didnt make it. They never saw home again. God bless them. I try to live for them, be good to people and country, and i pray for them and all the killing that we had to do. It was war. Thanks again Randall. My spellings not too good. I wrote a small note the other day. Maybe you got it. It feels pretty good to talk about it. Maybe I will sleep tonight.
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I was also with the 155's on Illingsworth I would like very much to talk to Ken Corbin for years I have tried to find some of the guys I served with in Vietnam could only think of nick names or first name only
You can not know how I felt when I read the stories of Illingsworth and then I read Ken Corbin story I need to talk to some of my Artillery Brothers. Yazee, Moreno, Tex, Gary Bowman and so many others.
Gary Dunnagan
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I don't know if you will remember me. I was on the same gun as Phillip Morris. I have tried finding someone from illingsworth for a long time. This is my son's e-mail address so if you answer he will let me know.
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I still remember the night Illingsworth was hit,I was on Fsb Hannas (named for the fallen commander of FSB Jay) and there came a 100% alert for us, as reports were coming in from Illingsworth's ground radar that they were picking up signals from nva trucks coming across the Cambodian border.It was a fact that you had to learn by being there because nowhere in any media report will you read that the NVA was driving troops in duces and a halfs to their assenbly areas for attacks on american bases.But that is a fact!
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Richard, I too was on Hannas that night. Are you a survivor of FSB Jay?
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I'm honored to carry my uncle's namesake. He was only in Vietnam for 2 weeks before dying that night. I'm reading what you all are writing...thank you for your insight into what was to be his last day on earth along with 23 other men. The events of that night are very much a mystery to me and my father (his older brother). You have been a great help, thank you.
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