Extraordinary document from the Corps' war in Vietnam

[Lynn2]

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[Lynn2]

"The BAR was actually on fire so Brutus picked up Spook's 16 gauge and with his own K-Bar began kicking *ss and cutting throats. We didn't stick around to count but I figure he must've got 40 or 50 by himself. About 2 dozen of 'em threw guns down....."



If there is a real Marine Lt out there that read this and believed it all I can say is that there are some rock stupid Lt's in the Corps these days.

[Lynn2]

"Then he loaded 2 shotguns, strapped them to each leg. He took off his clothes and ours to reduce weight. All he had was a belt a .38, 2 shotguns, 2 K-Bars and some ammo."


Yep that old reconner trick of taking off all your clothes in the jungle to save weight.

You know I have seen another version of this write up. Also posted by Fontman on another forum. That one had them killing prisoners 2x. The first with the shots to the head like in this write up. But the 2nd time was even better.

They had put explosives around the necks or heads of a whole line of prisoners maybe 13-15 of them (the 3 or 4 of the Marines that were left did) and while marching them they got hit by another company of NVA. While the 3 or 4 of them were fighting off this whole company of NVA Blackburn blew up all the pow's.

That version also had not one but two different groups of NVA throwing down their weapons and surrendering at different times

This version has been edited for sure

Some truly great writing

[Lynn2]

The original version as posted by Fontman on another forum. I did not realize to just now how much had been edited out of the version that started this thread. The White memo is the same in both This version is sooooo much better:

"I am aware of my right under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and the Constitution of the United States, and I voluntarily make this statement. I am aware that the facts presented below may be used in my court. I am aware that I have been charged with thirteen counts of murder in the first degree. The below stated events are true to the best of my recollection.

I was assigned team leader of DAGGER II, a recon insert team with a mission of ambushing enemy probe patrols.] Drop point coordinates 81964373. Ambush coordinates 82514316. Extraction was to be at 0320 22 December 1968 at 80403915. I knew that the nearest friendly unit was approximately 40KM southwest. Team consisted of myself and seven others; JOHN R. BAKER, WILLIAM E. COTT, STEVE R. KEARNS, JOHN E. JACKSON, G. WASHINGTON JR (SPOOK), JOHN W. WELLINGTON (DUKE) AND MARK C. BRADLEY. I set the men in a hill position and began watch. Instead of a patrol I spotted a point element of about seven men leading a column of four abreast. I estimated about 100 to 110 enemy. We were in the direct lines of march. It was too late to retreat so I decided just to fight it out. I did not break radio silence as it would have given our position away. I was action man. When the enemy point had passed, I waited for what I hoped to be the command element. The forces were not Viet Cong but regular NVA forces. When the one with the most brass showed up, I started shooting. Steve was on my;-.left and was blasting the flank, John covered the rear, and got the point team before getting cut in half by a LAW. Jack took right flank and was firing .45s from both hands; he was shot 37 times that I could count. Duke was braced against a tree with his BAR before a grenade got him'. Mark got about three shots off before he was shot to death, 18 holes in chest and stomach. Spook was backing with Bill and pumping buckshot like crazy. He was shot to death, undetermined number of hits to head and 19 to body. About 27 NVA surrendered after about five minutes, but Bill lost his cool when Spook bought it and kept firing. I knocked Bill down and he came around okay later. I had 2 men left, 15 POW's and a ****ed up radio. I knew all the firing would bring gook reinforcements, so I tied the POW's together and booby trapped them, each with a M26. I buried our rounds and then we started to march out. We marched until I thought I had found a defendable spot and then camped. Steve was on watch about 4:00 am when sappers hit us. There was about 20 of them. The fight didn't last long but Bill caught a round in the thigh and Steve was covered with shrapnel all over his back. Two POW's had attempted to run and had been decapitated. I treated mine the best I could. I had a choice, save my men or bring out the POW's. I knowingly shot each POW in the head. I made a litter for Bill and started dragging and carrying my men out. I do not remember how long I walked or even if I ever stopped. I remember following the sun or stars and I knew I had to get Bill back before infection took his leg. I did not encounter the enemy again. We finally made it to some Army outfit who took Steve and Bill to Danang and me to Hill 63, our CP. I was then sent to a hospital ship where I made (MISSING SENTENCE)
I'd do it again given the opportunity. I have no other statement to make at this time.

ALVIN L. BLACKBURN
CORPORAL
23 13 039
UNITED STATE MARINE CORPS

WILLIAM W. WHITE
COLONEL
031 562
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

==
I, William E. MARCOTT, make the following statement on my own free will, fully aware of the consequences of false or incomplete statements:

I was a member of a seven man recon insert team on 21 December 1968. I don't know exactly where we were other than behind known enemy forces. We were to be parachuted in and set up an ambush and then be heli-lifted out. My team leader was Cpl A. L. BLACKBURN. I have been on about eleven missions with Cpl BLACKBURN. After we all landed, Cpl BLACKBURN insured that nothing was broke and he put us in position. I was the third man on the right and in the beginning was supposed to waste the rear guards of the enemy patrol. Mark was on my left. Spook was across from me. Brutus (investigator's comment - "Brutus" was an alias by which the accused was identified by his counterparts) passed the word that instead of a patrol, a whole ****ing company was drawing in on us. We couldn't call for a lift-out cause the gooks were too close, so we just laid in and waited. The next five minutes happened so fast I can just relate what I saw and did. If I was thinking, I don't remember it. There was about 100 to 120 of the ****ers and only 8 of us, but it was sort of a **** or go blind situation. Brutus let the point go by and just as the command element came within the area of fire, he stood up and started throwing lead. He was firing the BAR off his thing with one hand and throwing grenades with the other. All I remember was Brutus running through the bodies blowing the slant-eyed ****ers away. It was really happening too fast, but I know he got at least 50 of them by himself. Somehow Spook and I got back to back and were cutting them down with our blasters when Spook caught some in the face and I guess I wigged cause all I remember for awhile is Spooks brains running all over my feet. The next thing was I was sitting against a tree and Brutus was shaking the **** out of me. There was blood all over him and me. He had blood pouring from his ears and nose and mouth. I finally got my **** together and there was only three of us left; me, Brutus and Steve. Steve was going around easing the wounded's pain with the 45. We tied the 15 gooks together with parachute cord and booby-trapped each of 'em with a M26. We marched for about 14 hours before he finally let us stop. We were taking turns standing watch that night. I didn't know what time it was but **** started going off everywhere. I just started shooting when I saw this little ****er right in front of me. He saw me then, too, and I guess we both fired at the same time. I cleaned his ears but caught a solid in my thigh. I thought my balls were blown off. The whole fight didn't last more than a minute. Brutus put a bandage on me. Two of the gooks had tried to run and the grenades had pulled their heads. I was hurting something bad and Brutus gave me some space juice and I took off. The next two days are just spot memories. Sometimes Brutus would be carrying me and sometimes dragging me on this stretcher thing he had made. The one thing that I really remember was the way he looked. Man, the blood was caked all over him and his eyes were as white as a Spook when he got scared. We hadn't eaten for 3 days but he kept going. Brutus did what he had to do and if it wasn't for him I'd been maggot food. It isn't fair that he should get burned for saving me and Steve.

THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE ACCORDING TO NY MEMORY. IT CONSISTS TO TWO PAGES.

WILLIAM E. MARCOTT
LANCE CORPORAL
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
24 13 049


==
I, Steve A. KEARNS, make the following statement on my own free will fully aware of the consequences of false or incomplete statements.

I was a member of a seven man recon team termed DAGGER IT. Our mission was to parachute somewhere forward of friendly positions and set up an ambush. We were to be heli-lifted out. The date was 21 December 1968. My team leader was Cpl A. L. BLACKBURN 23 13 039 and had been my leader for six other missions. We jumped on the right coordinates but dumb ass Duke landed in a tree. Brutus (investigator's comment - "Brutus" was an alias by which the accused was identified by his counterparts) had to climb up and cut him down and then he set us in. This was to have been my last mission before skying to the world and I was really shaking my ****. I was set in across from Brutus with Jack, Duke and John flowing left and Mark; Spook, and Bill flowing right. Brutus told", us a whole ****ing gook company was coming instead of a patrol but, we couldn't call for an extract because the enemy was too close. Brutus told us to lay quiet and wait till he moved. I had a 12 gauge and two 38s but I wish I had a ****ing tank. They must've been only an inch away before he stood up and he had the barrel of the BAR in this gook's guts and cut 'em in half. For about five minutes there was nothing but lead, **** and guts in the air. Bill and Spook were backing and blowing gooners left and right. Mark was firing bloopers from about ten feet and blew his own ass to the deck several times. Duke was lying with a BAR and was cutting loose about balls high. I don't remember John or Jack. Brutus had a BAR screaming from his thigh and throwing grenades like candy at a ****ing parade. I thought maybe Brutus had cracked his marbles but he just calmly waded through the blood and **** shouting orders for us and melting his BAR. I didn't see it, but Spook bought it and by that time Brutus had made it to where Spook and Bill was. The BAR was actually on fire so Brutus picked up Spook's 16 gauge and with his own K-Bar began kicking ass and cutting throats. We didn't stick around to count but I figure he must've got 40 or 50 by himself. About 2 dozen of 'em threw guns down but Bill just kept blasting them before Brutus knocked his ass down. There was only three of us, me, Brutus and Bill. I finished off the wounded and since the radio was busted and we knew reinforcements would be coming for the gooners, we got hours before we or 5 in the morning when they hit us. It only lasted a minute or so and all I did was keep shooting. I was so ****ing tired I could care less. Bill was hollering that his balls were blown off and two of the POWs had tried to run but the traps had blown their heads off. Somewhere, I don't remember when, I caught shrapnel in my back, ass and legs and the pain started coming on when Brutus got to me from Bill. He kept telling Bill that he would make a cute faggot if he would get false teeth and a beard. I distinctly remember that cause-Bill was *****ing that his balls were gone and Brutus was trying to make him feel better and for some reason I felt like laughing... I know it sounds crazy but i was laying face down about five feet from them and Brutus was holding Bill's balls and was calling him all sorts of dumb ****ing names trying to convince him that they were still attached. I guess I passed out because the next thing was Brutus standing over me trying to stop my bleeding. # it was had to tell whose blood was whose since he was bleeding all over. Neither Bill nor I could walk and we still had 13 POWs so Brutus did the only thing he could. He had a choice; take the POWs out or us. I don't know what I would have done. Brutus just looked at Bill, then me, and I was really scared, more scared than when the whole company of gooks came at us, because he had blood everywhere and was shaking and his eyes, God, man, his eyes were white. I'm not ****ting you white. Like a robot he walked up to each one and said "God forgive me" or something like that and shot each one in the head. Then he loaded 2 shotguns, strapped them to each leg. He took of his clothes and ours to reduce weight. All he had was a belt, a 38, 2a shotguns, 2 K-Bars and some ammo. He had used all of our first aid ****. He made a litter out of branches and belts and he alternated between carry one of us and dragging the other. We hadn't eaten for several days and I was flashing off and on but every time I woke up we were still moving. One of the last things I remember before waking up in the cross was staring at his back; I was lying face down on this stretcher thing, and seeing the dried blood caked over the straps on his shoulders. Without bull ****ting, I don't think I could have done it. I owe him my life and so does Bill. If they burn him I'll be the first in line to waste the bastards that try it... and that's no threat, that's a blood oath.

THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE ACCORDING TO MY MEMORY. IT CONSISTS OF TWO PAGES

STEVE A. KEARNS PRIVATE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS"

[Lynn2]

Just ignore my ramblings but I cannot help myself. These Blackburn threads are my all time favs

Something I assume you Marines already knew. From another forum:

": Troy Price on June 03, 2008, 05:53:56 PM

---

This stemmed from a Murder investigation and ended in the recommendation for the Medal of Honor. Cpl Blackburn is a Marine Corps legend; Range Control at Camp Lejeune is named "BLACKBURN".

Once you read this the reason will become evident."

[New Corps]

This is an ongoing "fish story". My lieutenant sending this out was not the first I heard of this story. I wasn't sure why it seemed different until now. It's because there are extended versions. Those of us on active duty now need to start cracking down on it. I have no doubt when I return from leave he is going to be standing in front of them reading as if it were the word of god and "you Marines need to learn a lesson from this" blah blah "never quit" blah blah. Then he's going to want to drag my poor lance corporals on some rediculously long death march.

Though there are some that don't believe it, there are just as many that will think it's real. I don't think it has anything to do with who you are. Some will believe it and some won't. I admit, the first time I looked at it I thought it was real until minutes later when I noticed the discrepancies. Some will be blinded by the fact that it is really a good read. You can't blame someone for believing something. There have been many religious debates with the same exact circumstances. In the end, bashing is pointless. You should instead act as a Marine and correct a problem when you see one.

On a brighter note, I would like to take this opportunity to make someone feel old (this should be quite a few in here)
I really liked the conversation about the guns, naturally I love guns, but alas, I do not know the joy of firing the BAR. In fact, the only time I've even seen one was when I went to the National Marine Corps Museum. I've never even seen an M-60 in person. I did have the pleasure of firing a modernized version of the M-14 though. Take the wood stock away and add carbon fiber and ABS plastic with a 50 power scope and you have the designated marksman rifle (DMR) change those same parts to aluminum alloy and add a telescoping stock and an even more taxpayer draining scope and you get the new enhanced marksmanship rifle (EMR). That's the rifle I got to shoot. Just 5 rounds and I thought I was in heaven. Since I have no experience with any of the other weapons. I would have to vote for the M-14. Just if anyone is still keeping score. Oh wait. I forgot I did use a bar in a video game once. Now if that doesn't make you feel old then nothing will.

[Lynn2]

"Though there are some that don't believe it, there are just as many that will think it's real."

You have no idea unless you do some serious internet searching how widespread this story has become over the past few years.

It has taken root in virtually every MC forum, from what you and others have said also on AD, various other military forums, gun forums, political forums, some kind of sales forum, and facebook pages of wannabes and or Marines. And that is just with an hour of searching.

Blackburn at least in some quarters has become a Living Marine Corps Legend as real as Manila John and Chesty......more real in many cases with the younger crowd.

Yes there are people out there who have no clue who Mitchell Page is but see Alvin Blackburn as a real life true world hero. If that does not bring a tear to your eye.

This also shows what passes for truth and scoop on the internet. Someone reads something they do not understand, they repackage it, and send it on and it takes a life on of its own. Hardly anyone stopping to ask if it could be real.

It happens on the political forum all the time.

This write up is real because its simplistic.

Its real because it tells us how we want the world to be. Simple and easy to understand.

Who does not get a hardon thinking of 8 American boys, without helmets, without flak jackets, without cover, without fighting holes, without cleared fields of fire, without the high ground, without air support, without any big guns to call on, and without a radio that is turned on, running into 200 of some of the hardest fighters Americans have ever faced and whipping them out?

Killing them all and having almost 50% of those Americans alive at the end of the day.

The Green Hornet, BatMan, and the Hulk together have nothing on Blackburn and this band of heroes.

People want simplicity. And when our wars turn complicated and not running according to plan people get upset. They demand a simple solution. Nuke them being a not uncommon call.

What this all says about civilians and wannabes and their view of war and combat is one thing.

What it says about Marine Corps Snuffys, NCO's and Officers is quite another.

Hopefully it only says that some of them are not good readers. Because the other alternative is very scary.

Unless of course some would argue that a recon team in the jungle on a combat mission would in fact strip off all their clothes to save weight?

[New Corps]

"Though there are some that don't believe it, there are just as many that will think it's real."

You have no idea unless you do some serious internet searching how widespread this story has become over the past few years.

It is certainly true that there would have to be a little bit if research on this to definitively day that it's half and half or even use a percentage at all but at least something like that has the potential to having a number put to it. Saying something like if you are a Marine or ever were you would know this was false? Now that's not even close to anything that could be considered a provable fact. It is called a superiority complex.

I said what I said because it has a basis in reality. It's interesting that you would quote me and try to dismiss it before you would do the same for the statement that would put down untold numbers of Marines past and present. From what I understand, this isn't a bash forum, it's for the document in question.

[albdagger11]

Really---please explain the 30 cal carbines, 45 Thompsons, Stevens 10 gauge shotguns, 870 shotguns no plug, airdales and 38's grunts and 45's SKS's, 3 versions of the AK47, 3 versions and makers of the M-16, M-14's both full and simi auto and yes there were some BAR's---you don't have a clue and I only listed a small sample of what we used there!!!!!

[albdagger11]

Really???????

[Class of 65]

You may well have had all that weaponry, I wasn't there in 68. I was there in 64 and 65. We were still supposed to do our job dressed like good conventional Marines. We carried a little extra stuff, but not Rambo sized loads of un-conventional weapons.
We took casualties because of the stupidity of command, dressing in starched utilities and with white skivy shirts making the perfect triangle at the throut, so we changed as soon as we were out of sight of command. But we didn't change weapons, except for the 1911's coming out and a few Winchester 97's being assembled after coming out of a rucksack.
Old Corps...don't disparage it. We did what we did under great adversity, most created by starched non-combatants from 8th and "I"

[Sgt Leprechaun]

We have beaten this one, literally to death over the years. The entire story (at the beginning of the thread) has been de-bunked and proven to be completely wrong numerous times.

Closed, for the good of the order.