I was there When bravo battery 1/12 was overrun in Sept.1967 I rotated out of Vietnam a few days later because my time in the Marine Corp was finished Sept 23 1967 and they had to get me to Da Nang asap . I was on radio watch that night and woke up all I could from our temp FDC . I after checking with the offer in charge, worked with Arven 155 And after working with them and our outposts for coordinance and walked the artillery .Soon after I heard on one of my 3 radios (plus ring downs) asking if I wanted fixed wing from Da nang . I said roger send it and the officer asked me if I knew what I just did . He said that was Da nang B52 to which I got back on and said negative ,negative on the fixed wing ( funny now ,not so much then) The next radio sang out do you request flair ship .This time I looked at the L.T. and he said do it and puff .In no time (but forever) the sky was lit up and the scream of Gatling guns was everywhere . One of the gun guys said Joe was at the gun, since I was the only Joe around I said I am in the FDC .Seconds later the NVA stuck his arm with a satchel charge into the gun . The gun was rolled up and after he got his arm in he could not get it out and his arm was blown off . Then he was shot several times by someone at the gun (half his face was gone) . In the AM we gathered the body's And found he was a L.T. NVA .
Semper Fi,
Joe
