Sua Sponte Guest Book Message Board 2005

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Name: Richard (Rick) Riggs
Date: June 6, 2008
Found By: Looking for K co. 75th infantry
Email: rriggs127@yahoo.com

Message: I am Rick Riggs. I was with K co. 75th Inf. 4th Inf. Div. Pleiku, RVN. I jumped out of a helicopter on an insertion, Oct. 31,1969, Broke my leg in a few places and sent home. Would like to hear from anyone in K co. from that time. My assistant team leader was John Figara, NY. Don't know where he is

Thanks

Name: George G. Boyd
Date: 8/21/07
Searching for George Beach
Email: GBoydjr@aol.com

Message: I've tried for several years to locate George Beach. We were in 5th Group together after Vietnam. If anyone has contact with George, please let him know I'm still in Hawaii and I'd like to hear from him. Email or I'm in the phonebook.

Mahalo,
George G. Boyd

Cecil Crosby It is my sad duty to notify you that our LRRP teammate (1967 era) Cecil Crosby passed away on December 3, 2005, after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.  I very much regret that I did not have the pleasure of seeing him again after our return from Vietnam.  May he find his peace in the company of our unit’s other fallen heroes who have gone to their reward.

Tom,

Gheeez, there's a lot of old guys in the reunion photo! :)  Good to hear from you.  Sorry I haven't made any reunions myself, my life is just so full. I'm especially sorry because I missed a chance to visit with Earl.  He was a real good guy.  I always felt good to be working with him over there.  We did a lot of things together.  Makes me realize just how short life can be.  I'm really going to try and make the next one....this summer I guess.  Let me know where and when.

I'll be home in April so that should give me plenty of time to get ready. 

I sure enjoyed seeing those pics on the sight.  You do a good job, thanks for doing it.  I'm always proud of it and I wouldn't trade a moment of my time over there with you guys.  It changed my life.   

I've been doing this stuff for the last 4 or 5 years.  I retired in 97 and right after 9/11, I went back to work at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, NM. 

 I was training newly hired Air Marshalls. Did that for about six months.  While I was there I got hooked up with a couple of guys from S/F who had retired and were doing training for "contractors".  I got in with their help and have been doing that ever since.  

My first mission was Pakistan, on the Afghanistan border.  Went back three times.  Then started working in Africa, did several countries there, then Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Balkans and now here.

I've been here since Sep.05.  Spent two months in Baghdad area at Camp Shield, a Forward Operating Base (FOB) near Sadar City.  We were training Iraqi Police recruits until the beginning of Dec.  Until then we had two suicide bombers try to get in but didn't make and detonated just outside the 'T' walls (concrete walls 12' high) killed a couple of civilians. 

On Dec 5th two got in.  They detonated in the training area and killed 47 recruits and wounded another 25 or 30.  By the grace of God, no Americans were killed, several injured, none seriously.  We were all right there but missed being hurt by just a few feet.  That slowed down training for a week or so as we re organized. 

Baghdad area is very hot!  While I was there there was at least one car bomb or I.E.D. every week. Not all right near us but close enough to hear and feel the concussion and see the smoke.  Many of those were in the "Green Zone, Safe area" !!  There was always an occasional bomb going off some where and small arms fire.  It was hard to tell the different kinds of small arms fire because there was so much of it.  Some was range fire from groups that were training, not too hard to recognize, some was occasionally from one of the towers at night, along the perimeter, some was from locals just showing off with their AKs and then there was the celebratory fire from weddings and soccer games.  You just never knew.  You got to wonder what kind of idiots go out and fire 30 or 40 rounds just to show off or celebrate, in a war zone.  It "is" a war zone!

Every "Camp" is enclosed with wire, guards, "T" walls and hard points,  Its like the old west, we're inside and the Indians have everything outside.  If you leave the camp, you go in mass with armored vehicles, mostly armored up Suburbans and Hum Vs. 

A week or so after the bombing in Camp Shield, I was transferred to Camp Delta, in Al Kut. We got a nice send off from the indians as we drove out.  Five rounds of mortar fire.  No one hit but blew the hell of one of our barracks about 500 mtrs away.  They're not too good with that stuff, but you never know when you could be standing in the wrong spot..

 Al Kut is about 80 miles south of Baghdad.  We traveled in a heavy convoy, 4,5 hours. 

I'm supposed to be training Iraqi Border Patrol here.  We work the Iranian border.  Training is slow going as many of the recruits are either on active duty as soldiers somewhere else now or have decided not to enlist.  (The "retirement program" isn't too good)

They told me Camp Delta was at an air force base.  We figured that's great, the air force knows how to live, good mess hall, big PX and good mail service........not!

They didn't mention this was what used to be an air force base,  Iraqi that is! 

I'm living in an old aircraft, hardened bunker, used to keep jet fighters in here, one each!  No windows, one door.  The place is 5' thick.  Shower and latrine are 100' away.  Water, most of the time!  Mess hall is about a mile away but we do have our "heavy Chevy" to move around in.  Everyone is armed all the time  M-4 and a 9mm Beretta.  Body armor if we go off the Camp.  (I always wanted to live in a "Gated Community"

There are about 35 Americans here and several hundred mixed, international forces as well.  Poles, Estonians, Ukrainians, and a few others I don't recall.

The weather here turned cold about two days before Christmas and hasn't changed much since.  No rain, lots of sandy desert with scrub brush and a few date and palm trees around.  Didn't have any reliable email or computer service here for a while, have now, as you can see but I hope it lasts a while. 

I'm outta here end of March.  Hell....I think I'm gettin' too old for this stuff.  Cant wait to get back to my little place out in the desert, on the border in NM.  I'll try to ride my bike to the next re union.  Hope to see you guys then. 

As I said I'll try to send a few pics in my next email.  Keep in touch and tell Mark I said hello. 

Earl Toomey August 11, 1942 - August 26, 2005 It is with great sadness that we inform you that Earl Toomey has passed away. He left us at 0230 hrs Thursday, August 26, 2005. His passing was peaceful and leaves a hole in the lives of all who knew him; especially those who served with him during those heady days of the 196th LRRPs. Our best goes out to Karin, Todd and Jenn. We salute you, Earl. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to:  Hope Hospice 2430 Diplomat Parkway East N. Fort Myers. FL 33817

To:               All Members of the E51 G75 LRRP/Ranger Association 
From:            Tom Nash
Subject:         Danny Stevenson
Date:             8/17/05

Gentlemen:

I have received a note from SSG. James Clark, ATL of team Montana prior to stand-down of the unit before being redeployed back to the States in 1971. Just before the members of the unit were sent home, the entire unit was photographed around a bunker at the base camp. This photo was done as a unit photo by a professional photographer, and everyone received a copy of the photo.  However, Clark’s ex-wife, prior to their divorce, destroyed the picture because she knew this picture was very important to him.  He has been trying to find someone with a copy of this picture for 35 years. If you know of someone who still has a copy could you please contact him, or me and I will put you into contact with him.

Also, the Association would like a copy of that picture as well for the website and archives.

Regards,
Tom Nash

To All:

Again, please give this note the widest distribution possible, so those who need to know do know.

"Richard E. Bogue, a veteran of our unit (E51) during 1968 passed away on Wednesday, April 13.  Those who knew him should feel free to contact his wife Cheryl and his family with condolences and remembrances. Address is 346 West Larsen Road, Imperial, CA 92251."

Regards to all,

Tom N

Name: Tom Nash
Date: February 10, 2005
Message:

One of the longest serving members of the unit, a founding member and a mentor for many of us during our formative days in Vietnam, Earl Toomey, has fallen ill. After a lifetime of service to the Nation, Earl is fighting the most insidious enemy he has ever faced. He needs our good thoughts and prayers. And, I’m sure that Earl would like to hear from and be cheered by the members of the Association, particularly those with whom he served. Karin has indicated that Earl is up for phone calls.

Name: Nowell Chandler
Date: 03/01/2005
Message:

Please see the following message from Nowell Chandler, the son of Lance Chandler, who served in our unit, and who recently passed away. I would ask that anyone who knew Lance personally to communicate with Nowell and provide him with information about his Dad and maybe some photos. If you know of others from the unit who knew Lance, please pass this message on to them to ensure maximum distribution of the message.

Thanks,

Tom Nash

Sir-

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Nowell Chandler. I'm Lance Chandler's eldest son. I can't understand or explain why he did what he did. I only want to try and understand. After my time in the Marine Corps, we became closer than ever before. To have him taken away with so many questions I still have is what has lead me to contact you. If there is any information, pictures, stories, or anything else that you can send my way to help me understand him, it would be greatly appreciated.

I took some of his ashes to the wall. We talked for a long time about getting him out there to visit. I finally got him to although I don't think the price was worth it. The price everyone over there paid, I can only imagine from my limited service time. Anyway, I am rambling, as this email is harder to write than I had thought. Thank you so much for your time and any information you can send my way. I will include my mailing address if it will help. I wish I could have said goodbye. Now I hope to understand.

Thanks!

Nowell Chandler
8536 Charnwood Ct
Manassas Va 20111
nowellc1@aol.com