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Tennessee left, Joe Cummings background, Max Worthington right. Traveling basic load: Weapon, 22 magazines of ammo, helmet, gas mask, some grenades, and maybe one meal and water. Our company was selected for this mission and we flew some distance to a new area of operations to run it. After securing the hill, we were joined by 4 or 5 men asserting to be from military intelligence. The C.O. selected our squad to carry them down to a local village. We pulled security while they visited with the villagers. We then carried this girl back to the firebase and the MI guys took her out on a Huey... If I ever knew why all this happened, I don't remember. Other than very occasionally passing some of them on a trail (and I think that happened only during the few weeks we pulled security for the bridge between Base Camp and Dak To), this mission was the most involvement I had with South Vietnamese civilians. Our company and platoon got selected for a lot of dangerous jobs. It made me think at the time someone up the chain was trying to get me killed. Retrospectively, I like to think it was just that our platoon was viewed as being willing to get the job done, and capable.
We had a common goal: Survival. It made friends of everyone. From left: Tom Richards (Famous for: "I'm gonna bust my nose!" when going to take a nap.); 3rd, Joe Cummings; 4th top, with hat, Chris Duar; 5th top, Jim spearman. Sorry for not remembering the names of the rest of you. (Let me know. Mail to: support@justbibletruth.com)
Joe Cummings left, then Chris Duar (Christ took two sperate hits in a firefight as he manned the M-60 machine gun), and Jim Spearman front and 2nd from right. Many of us who took pictures had our family make two copies and send one back so we could trade or give them to others to send home. Don't know where I got this picture but I sent it home as a short timer marked "39 days and a wakeup". Then, it was back home trying to return to the life I was so rudely yanked away from. Someone commented there was a lot of missing shirts for a military unit. We were in a combat unit that never saw anyone except NVA soldiers. It was hot!!! I never polished a boot and no one ever mentioned the dress code or worried about who was wearing a shirt. We did stay shaved and clean, however, and our weapons were oiled and spotless inside. One man told me his unit wore their underwear as shorts trying to beat the heat. We always had our loaded weapon in hand or at arms length and needed to be ready to fight. Missing shirt maybe, but short pants wouldn't have been practical for us.
With one mentioned exception, all the men pictured herein served with Co. C, 3rd of the 12th, 4th Div. and during my Vietnam tour overlapping 1968 & 1969. The site is for them and for my family and theirs. I here link something different, but still very personal. Of my four best friends in high school, all four of us got a tour of Vietnam. Don Smith was the best of them for several formative years. So, I here link a video Don did reflecting his tour of duty in Vietnam: DonVietnamHD.mp4 [When I talked to Don about posting his video, he mentioned he served on an Airbase and was not a combat soldier. Anyone dragged half way around the world from their home, and dropped into a combat zone, is a combat soldier! Don kept the helicopters flying.]
My little daughter Amanda, born after my return from the Nam, constructed a collage (which included the above page) with some of my childhood and teenage pictures in a photo album she made up to describe the life of her daddy; "before Amanda Kay." (Where the dog came from, I don't remember, nor do I remember what became of it. It was obviously not practical for us to keep a puppy. The chopper crews sometimes took a break on the hill. Maybe the dog was with one of them. He seemed to like my freshly cleaned rifle.) I guess when little Amanda thought of her dad's Vietnam days, she liked thinking of him with a puppy. In harmony with the Bible proverb: The love of a little girl for her daddy is the fifth thing "too wonderful" for me!!! [Pro 30:18-19]
Amanda Kay (left) about the age she was when she put together the photo album of the story of her daddy's life, including the page above. I'm sure she had more help than she wanted from her younger sisters Rachael Jo (center) and Emily Ann. They are great reasons to be glad I made it home. I tried to be a good soldier and paid attention to the military training I received. So... I'd like to think my skills helped me survive. Mostly, however, I do recognize, it was God's blessing and/or my good fortune, along with the support of the men of Company C, 3/12, 4th Div. My love and thanks to each of you.
In offering this tribute to the men of my unit, I do not mean to glorify war. It was horrible and emotionally caustic beyond reason. War is bad. Still, as some have said, these men were a band of brothers. I am proud to have known every single one of them and I can't remember even one soul among them I didn't like love. (Well, retrospectively anyway...) I do know wanting to be part of something bigger and more important than ourselves can be a powerful motivating force. Some look to the military, others to churches and religion, some to political parties and even to gangs, to give direction and purpose to life; or, maybe they just want and seek some protection. Please, consider the beautiful simple solution of looking to listening to Christ Jesus and making yourself part of his family. (Mark 4:35-41 Plus) Recognize your true protection: JustBibleTruth.com ➟ "Deliverance?"
May you have peace! [Mat 10:12-13]
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I came home from the Nam being more serious about life. It inspired a more diligent search for God. One of my buddies and fellow survivors of Vietnam, told me recently he believed God had a plan for him. That is a thought I would like to have as well. Problem is, I knew a lot of seemingly upright men who died, some leaving behind their family and already born young children. So... Whether or no I was part of God's plan in my ignorant youth, I have tried to find out what that plan is and to be part of it since I came home. Sadly, (or happily, I guess, depending on your point of view) my search for truth has involved me in a new war. [Matthew 7:15-16; Ephesians 6:10-13] And, make no mistake, like my friends from Vietnam were, you are caught in this one with me. If you are a lover of peace and have integrity, you are hated by this law defying world and are distressed by what you see. [2 Pet 2:7-8] If you want to survive, consider these few scriptures. There are lots of people who are ignorant about God's plan, or, are wicked and don't want to hear. Many or even most seem anxious to tell me (and you) how to please God and be saved. [Acts 20:29-30] In the case of each group of self-righteous religious people, it always involves becoming or remaining an approved member of their sect (or gang). Most of them are then pleased to judge me wicked if I don't join them. [1 Cor 4:3] It is ever easier to see why Jesus would refer to the lying and manipulative leaders of this world as a nest of snakes and as the offspring of vipers. [Mat 12:33-37] Please take note that such "follow me" religious sectarianism is very different from what you are hearing from me. In my 50 years of searching for God since Vietnam, I have never heard the simple caution you are now hearing about the danger of religion. What you are hearing now is about Christianity and how to be cautious you really do have it. I am not starting a new cult for you to join, I'm just telling you to open the Gospels and join Christ along with those who joined him 2000 years ago. Don't "follow me", follow Christ! It's my own fault I didn't know about false religion earlier, you see, because Jesus did warn me (and you)! [Matthew 7:15-16; Acts 20:29-30; Mat 24:23-25] Even though I thought I was, I just wasn't really listening to Christ. I was misled for all those years by my religious affiliations. Joining one group after another, only to figure out the one I was part of wasn't really following Christ. Still, I somehow imagined I need to find "the right group." That was absolutely true; but I failed to discern all I had to do was open the Gospels and listen to Christ. [Luke 10:22] I said earlier our nation is one of, or is the, greatest nation that ever existed; in large measure because of the freedoms we have. One gift from God I am very thankful for is our nation has taken much of the power away from the churches to hurt their enemies. In the dark ages, under the Roman Empire with its alliance to the Holy Roman Chruch, those who disagreed with the church were often burned at the stake, or in other hideous ways publicly tortured to death. The church made killing people a science, sometimes taking days. William Tyndale was burned by the church for translating the Bible into English. He did so because English was the most common language of his day. In their mass judgment and rejection of non-members, the churches, even in our day and nation, still cause much harm. So... I've discovered a simple and wonderful solution. Let me first clarify, I am not asserting I am special and "my solution" actually has nothing to do with me. God spoke to mankind in many ways through the centuries, but He is now speaking to each one of us through his son. [Hebrews 1:1-2] Since Jesus started teaching, God has given only one command: "This is my beloved son, listen to him." [Matthew 17:5] We can still today sit at the feet of Christ and listen to him explain to us personally how to pray and how to worship his Father. We do that by simply reading the Gospels. Choosing to sit at the feet of Christ in that way makes us part of his family. [Mark 3:31-35] What is happening to our world is the revelation of an awakening to truth. You are in danger, though: You must be careful that what you learn from God's son actually comes from the lips of Christ. [Mat 7:15; Acts 20:29-30] So... Don't listen to me and don't listen to any other religious person beyond our directions to Christ. [John 5:44] Read for yourself the Gospel records of Jesus's life and teachings as penned by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It means your very life. [John 17:1-3; 1 John 5:19-21] It is how you take in God's spirit. [John 6:63] All during my combat tour in Vietnam, I believed everything would be alright. Now, in the midst of this tribulation, I believe everything will be alright; for each and every person listening to and obeying God's son. [Luke 6:46] While much of the world is on track to death, Christ is providing life for those expressing faith in him. You first must know him!
Please visit: JustBibleTruth.com
Select the tab: "Difference?"
If you want to live forever, become familiar with these few scriptures.
The website exists to encourage you to take in God's spirit; by listening to Christ Jesus!
[John 6:63; Mark 4:31-35 plus]
Let me know: support@justbibletruth.com
Tennessee left, Joe Cummings background, Max Worthington right. Traveling basic load: Weapon, 22 magazines of ammo, helmet, gas mask, some grenades, and maybe one meal and water. Our company was selected for this mission and we flew some distance to a new area of operations to run it. After securing the hill, we were joined by 4 or 5 men asserting to be from military intelligence. The C.O. selected our squad to carry them down to a local village. We pulled security while they visited with the villagers. We then carried this girl back to the firebase and the MI guys took her out on a Huey... If I ever knew why all this happened, I don't remember. Other than very occasionally passing some of them on a trail (and I think that happened only during the few weeks we pulled security for the bridge between Base Camp and Dak To), this mission was the most involvement I had with South Vietnamese civilians. Our company and platoon got selected for a lot of dangerous jobs. It made me think at the time someone up the chain was trying to get me killed. Retrospectively, I like to think it was just that our platoon was viewed as being willing to get the job done, and capable.
Joe Cummings left, then Chris Duar (Christ took two sperate hits in a firefight as he manned the M-60 machine gun), and Jim Spearman front and 2nd from right. Many of us who took pictures had our family make two copies and send one back so we could trade or give them to others to send home. Don't know where I got this picture but I sent it home as a short timer marked "39 days and a wakeup". Then, it was back home trying to return to the life I was so rudely yanked away from. Someone commented there was a lot of missing shirts for a military unit. We were in a combat unit that never saw anyone except NVA soldiers. It was hot!!! I never polished a boot and no one ever mentioned the dress code or worried about who was wearing a shirt. We did stay shaved and clean, however, and our weapons were oiled and spotless inside. One man told me his unit wore their underwear as shorts trying to beat the heat. We always had our loaded weapon in hand or at arms length and needed to be ready to fight. Missing shirt maybe, but short pants wouldn't have been practical for us.
With one mentioned exception, all the men pictured herein served with Co. C, 3rd of the 12th, 4th Div. and during my Vietnam tour overlapping 1968 & 1969. The site is for them and for my family and theirs. I here link something different, but still very personal. Of my four best friends in high school, all four of us got a tour of Vietnam. Don Smith was the best of them for several formative years. So, I here link a video Don did reflecting his tour of duty in Vietnam: DonVietnamHD.mp4 [When I talked to Don about posting his video, he mentioned he served on an Airbase and was not a combat soldier. Anyone dragged half way around the world from their home, and dropped into a combat zone, is a combat soldier! Don kept the helicopters flying.]
My little daughter Amanda, born after my return from the Nam, constructed a collage (which included the above page) with some of my childhood and teenage pictures in a photo album she made up to describe the life of her daddy; "before Amanda Kay." (Where the dog came from, I don't remember, nor do I remember what became of it. It was obviously not practical for us to keep a puppy. The chopper crews sometimes took a break on the hill. Maybe the dog was with one of them. He seemed to like my freshly cleaned rifle.) I guess when little Amanda thought of her dad's Vietnam days, she liked thinking of him with a puppy. In harmony with the Bible proverb: The love of a little girl for her daddy is the fifth thing "too wonderful" for me!!! [Pro 30:18-19]
