thedrifter
04-06-08, 06:33 AM
Published: Sunday, April 6, 2008
back in vietnam after 40 years
Journey of Rediscovery
The Rev. Robert Smith Blogs About Trip to Country Where He Fought
By THE REV. ROBERT SMITH | Special to The Ledger
EDITOR'S NOTE: This month, the Rev. Robert Smith of St. David's Episcopal Church in Lakeland will be embarking on an emotional journey. Forty years ago, he fought some of the most dangerous battles of the Vietnam War as a Marine. On Tuesday, Smith, now 58, returns to the country for the first time. And he brings along his wife, Deborah, whom he wed two weeks before he went to war. Smith has offered to share his thoughts with you through a regular blog at www.theledger.com/vietnam until he returns April 27. Below are excerpts from his first blog entry, filed in anticipation of his upcoming trip.
Some may wonder why I am returning to a place like VN (Vietnam) with so many disturbing memories. What is your motivation? Why now? Those are all valid questions to which I will try to make a reply.
Believe it or not, the idea came to my wife and me last year while we were on a tour of the Holy Land. It was the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, which occurred during the Six Day War of 1967. It was also the 40th anniversary of the "Summer of Love" tour, which occurred in the USA in 1967. We began to discuss the fact the next year would be the 40th anniversary of our marriage and the 40th anniversary of my tour in VN with the 9th Marines.
I said to my wife, Deborah, "I would love to be able to take you to VN because that is the only part of our married life that we have never shared."
I also reminded her of my statement in 1970 when I said, "If the war in VN ever ends, I would love to take you there because it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen."
The reality of that statement and the motivation of our 40th anniversary are now tangible facts. We will leave Tuesday and spend 17 days touring the entire country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, including Quang Tri Province, which was the operating area of the Fighting Ninth.
As I prepare to return to VN, I find it is helpful to recall my first trip. Operation Dewey Canyon was the largest involving 1/9, 2/9, 3/9 (the First, Second and Third Battalions of the 9th Marines) and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). This operation was one of the most successful in the entire conflict (it was not a declared war) as it mobilized an entire division in a strategic way. Prior to this major operation, the 9th Marines were fairly static along the McNamara Line (named after the Secretary of Defense), which stretched from the South China Sea to Laos approximately 3 miles south of the DMZ (demilitarized zone).
At the time of this operation, 20,000 NVA (North Vietnamese) were crossing the border each month. They had constructed a huge cache of men and arms in area 611 in the Ashau Valley. The Fighting Ninth was called on to sweep the entire area from Vandergrift Combat base (LZ Stud) through the Valley in a search and destroy mission. Our goal was to engage the enemy as often as possible and destroy, demoralize and defeat them, limiting their ability to conduct war.
As an 18-year-old lance corporal, I was the radio man for our squad. The PRC-26 was a unit that had a range of about 5 clicks (5000 meters) so that each of the units could maintain contact with HQ (headquarters). In addition to carrying an M-16 with 500 rounds of ammo, I had the luxury of carrying this bulky 20-pound radio. When you add the flack jacket, helmet, three canteens of water, 6 C-rations and a couple of hand grenades, I felt more like a pack mule than a Marine.
I can still remember each day. Wake up at 6 a.m. (first light), hump all day until dark, set up lines and CP (command post), take a turn on watch while some got some sleep and do it again the next day. Add to that temperatures in the mid-90s to more than 100 degrees with humidity of 100 percent. What had I gotten myself into this time?
Read my blog and join me on this journey of rediscovery: www.theledger.com/vietnam.
Last modified: April 05. 2008 3:32AM
Ellie
back in vietnam after 40 years
Journey of Rediscovery
The Rev. Robert Smith Blogs About Trip to Country Where He Fought
By THE REV. ROBERT SMITH | Special to The Ledger
EDITOR'S NOTE: This month, the Rev. Robert Smith of St. David's Episcopal Church in Lakeland will be embarking on an emotional journey. Forty years ago, he fought some of the most dangerous battles of the Vietnam War as a Marine. On Tuesday, Smith, now 58, returns to the country for the first time. And he brings along his wife, Deborah, whom he wed two weeks before he went to war. Smith has offered to share his thoughts with you through a regular blog at www.theledger.com/vietnam until he returns April 27. Below are excerpts from his first blog entry, filed in anticipation of his upcoming trip.
Some may wonder why I am returning to a place like VN (Vietnam) with so many disturbing memories. What is your motivation? Why now? Those are all valid questions to which I will try to make a reply.
Believe it or not, the idea came to my wife and me last year while we were on a tour of the Holy Land. It was the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, which occurred during the Six Day War of 1967. It was also the 40th anniversary of the "Summer of Love" tour, which occurred in the USA in 1967. We began to discuss the fact the next year would be the 40th anniversary of our marriage and the 40th anniversary of my tour in VN with the 9th Marines.
I said to my wife, Deborah, "I would love to be able to take you to VN because that is the only part of our married life that we have never shared."
I also reminded her of my statement in 1970 when I said, "If the war in VN ever ends, I would love to take you there because it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen."
The reality of that statement and the motivation of our 40th anniversary are now tangible facts. We will leave Tuesday and spend 17 days touring the entire country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, including Quang Tri Province, which was the operating area of the Fighting Ninth.
As I prepare to return to VN, I find it is helpful to recall my first trip. Operation Dewey Canyon was the largest involving 1/9, 2/9, 3/9 (the First, Second and Third Battalions of the 9th Marines) and the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). This operation was one of the most successful in the entire conflict (it was not a declared war) as it mobilized an entire division in a strategic way. Prior to this major operation, the 9th Marines were fairly static along the McNamara Line (named after the Secretary of Defense), which stretched from the South China Sea to Laos approximately 3 miles south of the DMZ (demilitarized zone).
At the time of this operation, 20,000 NVA (North Vietnamese) were crossing the border each month. They had constructed a huge cache of men and arms in area 611 in the Ashau Valley. The Fighting Ninth was called on to sweep the entire area from Vandergrift Combat base (LZ Stud) through the Valley in a search and destroy mission. Our goal was to engage the enemy as often as possible and destroy, demoralize and defeat them, limiting their ability to conduct war.
As an 18-year-old lance corporal, I was the radio man for our squad. The PRC-26 was a unit that had a range of about 5 clicks (5000 meters) so that each of the units could maintain contact with HQ (headquarters). In addition to carrying an M-16 with 500 rounds of ammo, I had the luxury of carrying this bulky 20-pound radio. When you add the flack jacket, helmet, three canteens of water, 6 C-rations and a couple of hand grenades, I felt more like a pack mule than a Marine.
I can still remember each day. Wake up at 6 a.m. (first light), hump all day until dark, set up lines and CP (command post), take a turn on watch while some got some sleep and do it again the next day. Add to that temperatures in the mid-90s to more than 100 degrees with humidity of 100 percent. What had I gotten myself into this time?
Read my blog and join me on this journey of rediscovery: www.theledger.com/vietnam.
Last modified: April 05. 2008 3:32AM
Ellie