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Reply to 'D 3/21, 71/72' with Quote
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Posted by: Frenchie Date Posted: January 1st, 2013, 7:08pm
'grats...you now are "published"....very nice!!!!  next thing you know people will ask for YOUR autograph rather than the author's ...nice picture too
Posted by: Jack Krohn Date Posted: December 31st, 2012, 5:51am
they reprinted Humphries book a couple of years ago
he didn't have any pics in the original printing except for the cover
the new publisher posted on our old 196 message board and asked those of us who were in 3/21 to submit pics for the reprint
now I'm the guy on the cover ;)

http://tinyurl.com/5qv9pd
Posted by: Jim Comer Date Posted: October 23rd, 2012, 3:53am
Charley,

You have good stories.  I remember that "interesting" lieutenant although I had long forgotten his name.  That sounds right in character.

Jim
Posted by: Jim Gray Date Posted: October 21st, 2012, 10:34pm
I pretty well had Nam well in the back of my head and rarely talked or thought about it.
Then about 20 yrs ago my wife had  2 guys do a wallpaper job that she did not want to tackle. Well! Lo and behold one was wearing OD greens with a 196 patch. I thought "holt shit".
I went into my closet and brought out my dress green jacket with all of the stuff on it.
I walked into the bathroom hallway and called the guy. He was amazed that he had met someone that had been in the same unit. Hey so was i. He asked me my unit and all i could say was Black death. So was he from 69-70. We had a nice talk.
As far as wearing the patch, i knew it was not permitted. So i never even tried. It sits in a box with a lot of other mementos from Nam and when i was a Drill Sergent.
Every now and then someone in the family askes about it and wants to see the pics. So i oblige.
I found this site quite a few years ago and try to visit everyday. I have met 1 person that i knew thro ...
Posted by: Gregory B Peters Date Posted: October 20th, 2012, 3:57pm
thanks cwight, I do appreciate your writings.  you and Cotton  might consider going to the membership center and tricking out your handle with your name and outfit and time of duty, similar to how Jim and I did it. it is helpful because this makes it easy for others to find you or relate to you.  same with private messages.

Jim, in regards to Black Death patch.  I also asked about the Bushwacker patch for B company, 3/21.  But I understand these were made by the local economy and were not sanctioned or recognized outside of Nam. is this true?  Would you get your ass in a sling if you wore these on your greens or Khakies in my case :-) out side of Nam back home or in transit?

Greg
Posted by: cwight0752 Date Posted: October 15th, 2012, 12:50pm
Jim and Greg,

Thanks for the referral about “Through The Valley”.  I’ll be searching it out and getting a copy in the near future.

Appreciate the info regarding the origin of the “Black Death” name for Delta Company.  I’ve seen a post or few over the past years where someone has asked about it but the only information I had was third, fourth or fifth hand and I didn’t want to give out mis-information.  Besides, I kinda liked the “Fairy Tale” origin that I had originally heard.

I’m guessing that all of us are now over 60 and while I have no qualms about my mortality or final eventuality, I do fear the possibility of Alzheimer’s somewhere down the road as it does run in my family.  My long running joke is “With the longevity of this family, I’ll likely live to 100.  Only problem is that by the time I’m 70, they’ll be feeding me Alpo, telling me it’s Prime Rib, and I won’t know the difference”.

Which is why I write up some of these litt ...
Posted by: Jim Gray Date Posted: October 14th, 2012, 10:05pm
Thanks Greg. I was going to refer him to the book. I bought my copy off of an INTERNET search. I think i paid about $6.00 plus shipping. It certainly brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad.
FYI the CO that was killed in that attack was black. One hell of a nice guy. Hell they all were. I was given the patch about 3 months after the incident. One of my buddies snagged one for me. I still have it and have often wondered if others still do.
Posted by: Gregory B Peters Date Posted: October 14th, 2012, 3:58pm
In his book, "Through the Valley-67-68, page 147, James Humphries takes credit for this. stating that during Task Force Black in the Hiep Duc valley that Delta radio sign was Mr. Death.  After the battle he determined the radio call sign would be from then on "Black Death".

http://books.google.com/books?.....0company&f=false
Posted by: cwight0752 Date Posted: October 14th, 2012, 6:15am
Hey Jim,

Welcome Home Brother,

Perhaps you can answer a question that I have (as well as one that I’ve seen posted in the past) regarding the origin of the “BLACK DEATH” name for Delta Company and the Grim Reaper patch.  Your post refers to Black Death back in 67/68 so I’ll assume that Black Death was being used that early.

I kind of recall a story back then about the company being involved in a horrific battle and losing most of the guys.  The replacements were mostly black and quickly gained a reputation among both Charley and the NVA of being ferocious, fearless and violently bloody fighters with a passion for obtaining ears.  And the name Black Death was actually derived from what the enemy was calling the company.

A neat story and likely a fairy tale derived by a few semi-drunk Spec 4’s one evening to inspire a fighting spirit among the troops.

That being said, when I got there, the company was pretty much a racial mix.  Black ...
Posted by: Jim Gray Date Posted: October 13th, 2012, 10:06pm
I was D 3/21 Black Death in  late 67. I carried the radio for LT Seibert ( Kelso ), his nickname came from a race horse. I was pulled from the field 1 day after Christmas 67 when they found out my brother was in country ( Air Force ). I was given a 3 day in country R&R and went to visit him. I had one hell of a time New Years Eve.
Later i was assigned to HHC in Chu Lia and then LZ Baldy as the Brigade causality reporter.
I lost a lot of friends during Tet 68 including the CO, Lt Seibert, the  First Sgt and some others. In those 2 days the 196th lost something like 75 men.
Good seeing another D 3/21 member

welcome home friend
Posted by: cwight0752 Date Posted: October 12th, 2012, 4:50pm
Hey Cotton - I think I was either en-route or in Cam Rahn at the end of July 71.  I believe I arrived the first week in August.  Was assigned to Kelso Platoon.  I remember at my physical (taken in Miami during Feb, 71) the recruiter had to casually place his foot on the scale in order for me to meet the 100 pound weight minimum.  I was about 97 pounds when I got in-country.  After being issued my 16, they told me to go down to the LZ and I'll never forget that long ass flight of wooden stairs that went down to the ConEx's and chopper pads.  The guy in charge kind of helped me "choose" what I'd need to take out to the field.  HOLY CRAP.  A full case of C-Rats (he sort of schooled me on what was good and what was inedible), a 5 quart water bladder, 2 canteens of water, a full case of 16 ammo and a few packs of tracers, a bandoleer of 60 ammo that I had to wear like Pancho Villa, half a dozen frags, an assortment of smoke grenades, a few b ...
Posted by: Cotton Date Posted: July 24th, 2012, 5:21pm
Charley,
I was with D Co, 3/21, 196th throughout most of 1971.  Were you on the LZ on July 31?
Cotton
Posted by: Jack Krohn Date Posted: May 30th, 2012, 8:17pm
great memories Charley

Jack Krohn
Posted by: cwight0752 Date Posted: April 22nd, 2012, 1:31pm
Looking for any of the guys from Delta 3/21, July 71 - June 72.  I found LT Don Redmond a while back and curious if I might find others.  Was with Kelso Platoon.  Few names I recall - Charlie Whitesell (Pathfinder), Jim Lamay, Bob Johnson, Dave McCris, Harry Buildour, Sgt Singh, "Slick", Bruce Keefer.  Nearly 40 years since stepping foot "in-country" and would like to say Hi once again.
Spent my first few days in Cam Rahn being "re-trained" on how it's done in Nam and then a C-130 to DaNang.  No rest for the weary that day.  Was issued my M-16, ruck, supplies and choppered out to the field.  Got there just in time for the afternoon "hike" to our next AO.  By this time of the "conflict" we were designated as Long Range Recon Patrols and moved daily from AO to AO.  I learned real fast what elephant grass and wait-a-minute vines were.  I was so CHERRY that I saw a small hole on the side ...

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