I was sent to Phu Bai when we first started the 45th . we flew up at night and unloaded the trucks and were taken to the hootches . where we to bunk. and of course the 155 175 and 8 inch guns down the street had a fire mission and scared the heck out of us . until some one said there outgoing it wont be long and you NFGs will be able to tell the diff.

The next day we started to set up the generators and wire up the trailers and capt. tent along with supply tent and Repo. It was a few days before we got the bugs worked out.

It was sure different at phu Bai than at HQ in siagon although I was at HQ when Tet erupted. We got a few stray rounds that hit the compound but we watched the choppers wipe out cholon district. that is where the VC slid the tin roof back and lobed motors at the air base. still remember the Vietnamese running down the street all bloody.

I remember the jeep we painted PHU BAI IS ALRIGHT on and the marines hated it and would shove it down the street at night until one night the stole it and run it in a ditch, after that we lweft it at the ops site and only used it to run troops back and forth .

I remember the night we were mortared and hit the bunkers I remember we had some wounded guys from our detachment.

Remember the mess hall was named Elmer's Mortar Inn, with all the holes in the roof when it rained how the water run down from the roof into your tray.

When the monsoons came and all the bunkers collapsed and the sand bags on the side of some of the hootches fell. We had to rebuild the dumb things back and how heavy the sand bags were when wet.

I remember the gun ships at night with the mini guns and all you could see were red dots coming from the chopper hitting the ground.

Those of you that pulled perimeter guard duty remember the size of the RATS that were around and in the Bunkers on the perimeter.

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