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1st Cav Vietnam 1965 my unit at An Khe in the Central Highland

88 images Created 5 Jun 2009

The First Cav was one of the first full Army units to be deployed in Vietnam. This is my personal record of my unit and the friends that served along side me in 1965. Almost every one in my unit enlisted in the Army. I was only in country for 129 days, but I was shot at each day I was there.

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  • Building the Mess Hall.  This was the first building built at An Khe.
    001Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • When we constructed the Silver Diner, we used supplies that we took (stole) from other units.  We landed with 4 jeeps and 20 trucks, but arrived with only 4 trucks.  We kept an eye open for our missing trucks and jeeps.
    002Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Placing the finishing touch to the Silver Diner.
    003Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Your M16 is always close at hand.
    004Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Cooks at work in the Silver Diner.
    005Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Inside the Silver Diner.  The names of the men who were among the first in An Khe are shown hanging from the ceiling.
    006Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Captain Charles E. Sturgeon, Company Commander of 15th Supply & Srvice Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division,(Airmobile).  The Captain is talking with Major Gray.  We were all parachute riggers and we only had 5 drafted men in the company, while the rest were regular Army.
    007Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • bamboo viper that has had its head cut off.  Someone what hitting a tree outside the mess hall, and all at once this climbed out of the tree.  We found that this tree was full of these snakes and we burned down the tree.
    008Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • SP 4 Pike (me) out side "the leaky" hideaway.  We moved from pup tents to this.  we received this from a unit because it was so full of holes that they were able to get a new tent.
    009Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • PFC Douglas E. McCurry  shared my tent, .."The Leaky" Hideaway.
    010Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • No name, no rank, and no idea who this might be.  Some of us didn't have enough uniforms when we arrived and they were given items stripped of i.d. from the morgue.
    011Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • SP4 Pike outside the Leaky Hideaway.
    012Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • I only drew $15 a month, and the rest went into an allotment.  I picked up a Canon pont and shoot and took a few pictures of the men in my camp.  Here is SSGT Edward L. Smith and one other man from my unit.  I used what ever film that they might have.
    013Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • This was just a few yards from the last company tent.  This was our killing field.
    014Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • As dusk falls, the Infantry makes its way to the front line .
    015Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Transport inside of the town of An Khe.
    016Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Loading up the bus in An Khe.
    017Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • People didn't seem to mind having their pictures taken.  Here one of two men on the top of a bus acts liking he is taking a drink from a bottle.
    018Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • G.I.'s love the kids, no matter where we go in the world.
    019Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • During a trip into town, I just photographed what ever caught my eye.  Here a vendor is working on some clothes.
    020Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Everyone seemed so friendly during the day, but you never knew what these people became at night.
    021Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Not many cars here, but the wheels did come from a jeep.  We had to chain the spare wheels to the jeep or they would begone when we returned.
    022Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • jeep making a tour through town.
    023Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • Three kids climing a tree.  Children are the same the wold over.
    024Vietnam 1965.jpg
  • SP 4 Pike sitting with a bunch of children.  Looking back on this it does seem strange.  Here I sit with these kids, but I am holding a rifle and have 4 full magazines at the ready.
    025Vietnam 1965.jpg
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